I wish I had a mobile/portable sawmill

[Scott Brandstetter]

I am around soooo much wood that could be mine for the taking but simply no way to cut it up. I do a lot of turning so I do get enough for that part but my goodness, I could have a garage full of oak, cherry, walnut, ash, cedar, if I only had the tools. Anyone feel my pain? Anyone have ideas on how to collect it? I am even lucky enough to have the space to store and let it dry. i feel like I'm missing out.

[Jim Andrew]

Guess you could do like me and just buy one. I bought a used Cooks MP32, get my blades from them, solid mill. Manual, used ones are out there, although not a lot. Check out sawmill exchange. I justified buying a mill by the money I would save by using lumber I cut instead of buying it. I have a barn full of lumber, and plan to cut more. When I die, they will have wood to sell, a sawmill, and a woodshop full of equipment.

[Rod Sheridan]

Or you could do like me and build one.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?194453-Creeker-s-Weekend-Accomplishments&p=2007803#post2007803

[ShawnE Curry]

I feel your pain.
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I saved this log from a massive ash tree that came down at my neighbor's house. Cleaned up the tops for firewood, and kept this log, and a log of black locust, from another tree that got taken out when this came down.

These 2 are black walnut from a massive tree at my sister's house. This was just a *branch* that was removed from the tree. My dad sent them to a local Amish guy who mills everyone's stuff around here. I'm hoping there's a really nice Christmas present coming my way :)
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I've been looking at chainsaw mills, so I can at least break down larger logs into smaller pieces, so I can mill them on my vertical bandsaw. I built a couple roller tables for this purpose. Got the idea from a youtube vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WItDzkTk-2s

[Danny Hamsley]

I bought a Woodmizer LT15 in 2001. To date, I have sawn right at 85,000 BF on it, and have sold over 30,000 BF of lumber sawn on it. It has paid for itself about 20 times over. Best investment that I have ever made. This year I am on pace to saw over 16,000 Bf of lumber.

Watch it, though. Once you do it, there is no going back :).

[rudy de haas]

There are people who have portable mills and come out to your site to mill your wood for you. Here in surnny Alberta (where it's currenlty snowing!), for example, there's one out of Calgary who seems to charge a reasonable rate and can spend anywhere from a couple of hours to days working through your back log to your specs. He advertises on kijiji.ca, maybe craigslist or whatever is popular in your area can help you find someone just like him in your locale.

[Thomas S Stockton]

Scott
I made one that uses a chainsaw and runs on a track. I have a lot of fun with it although it is slower and more wasteful than a bandmill.
For me it fits my purpose exactly.
I didn't buy any plans since there are a lot of pictures of the things and I figured it out from them.
I would start here http://www.tjswoodshop.com/building_a_portable_chainsaw_mill
Good luck
Tom

[John TenEyck]

I made a chainsaw mill similar to Tom's; in fact, I stole some of his design ideas as far as the carriage goes. It can handle a 32" dia. log of unlimited length and is very portable. It cost about $400 to build, plus of course the chainsaw (a Husqvarna 385XP with 42" bar). It's very easy to use and mills beautifully smooth, straight lumber. I've milled over 4000 bf of lumber with it and the prior Alaskan Mill I used to use. The Alaskan Mill worked great, too, but this new mill is far easier physically, the only effort really being to roll the log up onto the bunks. A side hill location helps a lot in making that a pretty easy task, too.

If you have access to free logs and a place to mill and dry them it's not hard to get into it at pretty low cost.

https://picasaweb.google.com/110467763477797452963/ChainsawMill2013?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPTEr-Wx5K6f5wE&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/110467763477797452963/LogMillingJuly2014?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPyZgP7T15zUMg&feat=directlink

John

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Or you could do like me and build one.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?194453-Creeker-s-Weekend-Accomplishments&p=2007803#post2007803

Hi Rod, did you post a pic of the lumber you cut, or a project or something? I'm curious how the ash looks, we are getting those dang bugs here now.

[Jim Andrew]

Steve, I've about given up milling ash here in Kansas. The worms are in the trees, and after you mill, they are barely noticeable, unless you leave the logs lay awhile, but then you go check the boards, and they are just riddled with big holes. If you could throw them directly in a kiln, or use some bug killer would be about the only way to get some decent lumber from ash.

[Rod Sheridan]

Steve, I've about given up milling ash here in Kansas. The worms are in the trees, and after you mill, they are barely noticeable, unless you leave the logs lay awhile, but then you go check the boards, and they are just riddled with big holes. If you could throw them directly in a kiln, or use some bug killer would be about the only way to get some decent lumber from ash.

Hi Jim, that's not the bug we have here, which is the Emerald Ash Borer.

It doesn't go deeper than the cambium layer, no holes in the wood.................Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Rod, did you post a pic of the lumber you cut, or a project or something? I'm curious how the ash looks, we are getting those dang bugs here now.

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Hi Steve, this is the outdoor stack ready to come inside.......Rod.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Now I wonder which bug we have, the trees loose their leaves, about half a season, and don't recover the next year. That's nice lumber Rod. Jim, do you sell any of the stuff you mill?

[Rod Sheridan]

Now I wonder which bug we have, the trees loose their leaves, about half a season, and don't recover the next year. That's nice lumber Rod. Jim, do you sell any of the stuff you mill?

Steve, if you check the tree bark carefully, the Emerald Ash Borer makes a perfect capital "D" hole upon exit.

I kid you not, they're so precise you would think they were made with a punch...........Rod.

[Jim Andrew]

No, don't sell much. Have milled for a few others, and gave wood to friends.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Looked at the ash in my yard, it has these all over it, I don't see the D shape Rod mentioned, just holes. Lots of "saw" dust too. Can one of you guys id the culprit?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8JiqVW0XyIc/VBI0CwwCijI/AAAAAAAAF2Y/gYR9jkVTzW8/w311-h553-no/20140911_174436.jpg

Stupid bugs, I liked that tree.

[Danny Hamsley]

That looks like woodpecker damage. They are after the bugs under the bark.