Why a mill?

[qbilder]

A recent thread got me to thinking about people's reasons for getting a sawmill. Why did you do it? What was/is your purpose?

For me, having a mill allows me to personally choose wood for my pool cues, starting with the tree. I can cut the tree I want & mill it the way I want. Furthermore, I can get woods that aren't commercially available, such as hickory burl or red bud, etc. But long term, I plan to build a cabin for my wife & I to retire in, and i'd like to do as much of it as I can on my own. I have already used my mill in rustic slab furniture & such, which wasn't an original reason for having it. I have also helped a lot of friends & family, as well as made some very useful networks with folks who can potentially help me with things. I haven't sold a single board, nor even tried to. The mill is for me & my use.

So what is your reason? Just a wood nut or do you have a particular purpose? Is it your business, a part of your business, or just a personal use thing?

 

[m37]

I don't have one yet but want to use it for personal use.

 

[BobL]

After spending all week at the office dealing with bureaucrats and trivia I like to get hot and sweaty, and bombarded with loud noises and hot mix fumes.

Seriously I do like the milling process. It sounds daft but if I was to lose all of the wood I have cut up so far that would not be that devastating to me as I then have a good excuse to go cut more.

 

[splitpost]

i mill to use the timber off my land and to whatever diamension i need it ,saves me money and i can look back and say "i milled that".

 

[mad murdock]

I started milling so I wouldn't waste wood frm our tree farm. Now I am spending my time figuring ways to mill faster so I can get more done. Time for a band mill, the challenge is doing it on the cheap.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have a good woodlot of almost all hardwood at my parents. A bunch of big cherry came down in a windstorm; clear 20-30" X 12ft logs. I could not bring myself to make firewood out of them.

I bucked them and skidded to the road, local mills offered LESS than firewood prices.

When milled I had > 1500 bf of clear 5/4, most > 10" wide, that was worth more than the mill, and also lots of cants from the hearts. It was 2 days of hard work.

Also have interest in timber framing, lot easier to square up a log than with an axe. Have been using mostly white ash for TF projects.

Also lots of rustic furniture and bar tops etc......

 

[Dave Boyt]

I am behind a computer during the work day. The sawmill is a great way to get out and do something physical. Mostly I mill for my own projects. I also live on a tree farm, so we've got more timber than one band saw mill can cut, though most of my cutting for other people involves cutting their logs. 80% of the reason I run the mill is because I enjoy it, 65% because it is practical, and 40% for income.

 

[Cody Colston]

I'm a woodworker. Hardwood is expensive. I mill my own lumber from free logs...usually blowdowns or drought killed trees. Besides, it's fun and satisfying to save a tree from the termites or the burn pile.

 

[sachsmo]

I mill because;

When I bought my property we found out the Emerald Ash Borer was coming.

Could not bring ourselves to buck up those nice logs.

I have a BIG job ahead of me.

 

[SDB777]

I just like to mill it to see what's inside! Being the first person to see the grain configuration of a slab is a awesome experience!

Then I dry it and sell it really cheap to help local wood working people get quality hardwood at a price that the big guys can't compete with....after all, it a stress relief type of thing like Bob was talking about, not a job.


Milled this trailer full of white oak yesterday for a guy locally. Price? $50.00 His log delivered to me, and he picked them up! And I got to think about nothing but having a good day, I definitely made out on the deal!

(Loaded down and almost ready to go)

(These 3" or 12/4 slabs are 20" wide and 8-1/2 foot long...throw 'em on top)

(The Woodmizer can do big white oak too)




Scott (its for fun) B

 

[discounthunter]

i mill because i dont think all wood should be firewood.

 

[m37]

i mill because i dont think all wood should be firewood.

That is why I want to get into milling.

 

[Jim Timber]

I think it's the best way to turn a profit out of "garbage."

When I was very young, my dad would come home with a station wagon full of drops - the remnants of industrial wood working. He'd be so thrilled at the small pieces he'd gotten for $2-$15, because it was way too expensive to buy a whole board of the stuff to turn a bowl or make a bench out of.

Now that I own timber, I see a tree that has several 12" diameter sections 5-7' long with some bends between them, and a commercial mill would scrap the whole tree. I see those and think of guys like my dad - that's a bunch of prime lumber to them, even if it's just stair treads: it's not firewood!

I'm building a mill because I see the potential my wood has for the benefit of all who care about it. Not only will I get more return from my land, but others will find value in my work too. We need to keep the trades alive. Maybe my products will allow someone to be able to afford to teach a kid the craft.

 

[gr8scott72]

To be able to do this:

 

[SDB777]

To be able to do this:

Amen! And then after to be able to pick it up for the photo op, don't get a strong work ethic like that sitting on the couch watch sit-coms!!

That's a beauty of a slab, what kind of wood you got there?!?!?!?






Scott (almost as wide as me) B

 

[gr8scott72]

Amen! And then after to be able to pick it up for the photo op, don't get a strong work ethic like that sitting on the couch watch sit-coms!!

That's a beauty of a slab, what kind of wood you got there?!?!?!?






Scott (almost as wide as me) B

Red oak.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

I've had to answer this question recently.I don't have a mill yet, I want to build my own.I do get a lot off good logs for free or even paid to take them.Most get turned into firewood and that is a waste.Heck, I would build a lot of stuff if I had the lumber, and I don't think I would have much trouble selling 7x9 ties, cut from the sweet gums and black gums I get.Does anyone here cut ties or board road material?

 

[Leroy in Kansas]

I got a mill because I wanted one. :msp_biggrin: I'm a woodworker also and the idea of making my own wood was something I liked, so I got a mill. I started out with a slide saw which I built myself, much like the logosol. I was using a 390 which was doing fair. Had a friend that wanted to buy the 390 and he offered a fair price so I sold it. Now I have a bandsaw that I do hobby milling with. Not really interested in attempting to make a business out of it. I want to keep it fun. I have some buds in the Pheonix area that make and donate small wooden cars to childrens hospitals in the area so I take a big load of wood to them once a year.

 

[kpantherpro]

discount hunter that one in the middle is priceless...lol and for the rest to preserve tradition the experience and to give back, sounds good and sounds like something to be proud of...

 

[mikeb1079]

cool thread. i originally got into milling with a chainsaw just because i thought it was a neat idea. just curious i guess. i responded to a craigslist ad from a guy who was looking to trade labor for trees. i helped him clear some less desirable trees and he let me mill what we took down. started out with a tiny little makita chainsaw and an aluminum homemade alaskan style mill. my neighbor and i spent the whole day dropping trees and milling. we didn't have a clue how to do it effectively. after a long hot day of this as we were eating dinner my neighbor said: "gosh i don't think i'll be doing that again anytime soon..." well as for me i was so excited that we had produced some boards the hook was set. i couldn't wait to get back and mill some more. i just really enjoy working in the woods. so one thing lead to another and i bought a big stihl, made a bunch more homemade milling jigs then eventually just built myself a bandsaw mill. i love milling. so the long winded answer to the question is because it's a blast! and you get to make a bunch of unique lumber that enables you to build just about anything you can think of