What kinda mill to buy?

SeanKroll

SeanKroll

Treehouser
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Messages
12,646
Location
Olympia, WA
Looking into a portable bandsaw mill.


Just saw these. A used one for sale on CL alerted me to the brand.




https://www.burgbandsawmills.com/index.html
What they are calling 42" is 36" cut capacity. 10' without extension tracks.
About $5k, new.



Been looking at Woodmizer, Hud-son, Northwoods...

I think I'd have to buy a 20' trailer, which would mean being able to haul 18' plus trim logs, the shortest marketable lengths for cedar and alder are 16-18' plus trim, before dropping into low value categories of short, short logs.






I wonder if it wouldn't be easy enough to convert a hand-crank to an electric drill-driven system, like people have started to do with Roll-glis tower-descender/ ascenders and battery-powered drills as a DIY power-ascender.
 
Exactly... you got Wood, Space and Time.

Make your Market... many artists need their medium... they're not all woodsman.

Also means only cry at the purchase and never again... meaning Buy the Best.
 
Rob was able to lease the Lucas we have with a 1 dollar buy out.
Yeah, I know, about 15 grand. But, it constantly pays it's way.
He just transferred the remainder of the lease to a no interest card for 18 months. Saving some money. Probably have it paid for this year. Bought it before the end of 2015.
 
The Lucas will allow you to not have a trailer and you will be able to do bigger logs with the iron you have now. It is also cheaper in the long run to run than a band mill. Yes, you lose more in the curf, so that is a consideration.
 
Lucas mill for slabbing and live edge stuff. Woodmizer if your making boards. Get all the hydraulics you can get. If you want it to be more than a hobby.
 
Ive used the Lucas on dimensional...

Also it cuts on the out pass and the return...

#taxshelter. #writeitoff. #makes$everycut.
 
Breaking down large logs, 3-4-5 feet, into dimensional, then swingblade, i.e. Lucas/Peterson. Cutting wide slabs and other smaller dimension lumber out of small to medium logs, then bandmill. Look at the WoodzMizer LT15 Wide over the LX150.
 
Rob ran the numbers. Yes it cuts on each pass.
The blades are more expensive on the up front, but the carbide teeth last longer and can be replaced reasonably.
The band saw blades are cheap up front, but don't last as long cutting.
You can sharpen both yourself.
Lucas sharpens faster as you sharpen the blade right on the saw head.
Don't know about the stabbing cost runs.
Rob ran the numbers and that is what he concluded.
More board foot cut does make a difference.
 
Lucas has a stabbing attachment. Pricy.
Rob is able to get 1 slab per log as he cuts lumber as well. He has the 8" circular bade set up. Cut to shy of center, flip log. Best of both worlds.
But some wood is more profitable in live edge slabs. So there is that
No one seems to hate dimensionable cut cedar, oak or redwood though :/:
 
Do your research and find what works for your market.
I’ll agree that the more hydraulics the better. Take the labor out of it. This might sound funny but an Amish guy a few years ago was sawing on a job we were on. After a shit ton of wood was cut he would band it and mark it, and then ask me to move it with the loader. I asked what the numbers were for on his marks. It was board feet. His mill kept track for him and he just had to mark it. I think he told me he had 30K in his woodmizer set up
 
My bud bought a woodmizer brand new. He went with no hydraulics to cut costs. Mistake. He did make good money with it. Got hooked up with a demo guy. Up in Buffalo by Memorial Auditorium they were taking down a 10 story building. They craned his mill and a forklift up to a hole in the roof and set it on the top floor and took all the heart pine beams down and sawed them into floor boards for condo in Hilton Head. Dropped it down floor by floor.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18
CurSedVoyce said:
Rob was able to lease the Lucas we have with a 1 dollar buy out.
Yeah, I know, about 15 grand. But, it constantly pays it's way.
He just transferred the remainder of the lease to a no interest card for 18 months. Saving some money. Probably have it paid for this year. Bought it before the end of 2015.
Click to expand...

I missed this post.

The portability seems useful. $15k is a reasonable investment. A LT15 wide, which is not built with a trailer was looking good, but the portability is more challenge.
 
The entire mill will fit in the back of a truck and on a ladder rack. Motor carriage has wheels. Then you still have the ability of bringing a trailer and skidsteer etc.
 
300.00
But with all the work it was doing, we could put extra on it. Then, transferred the last part of the balance onto a no interest for 18 months card. That eliminated the insurance fees. And the interest. So it paid off even faster the last 12 months.

Sean, if you want to, i can give you rob's number and you guys can hash out how he got all his numbers and figures on it. What he did over the time of the lease etc. I can PM it to you.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #23
Might, thanks.

Just heard a homemade 42" bandsaw on a trailer, needing fine tuning may come available at a deal.

Built by a very crafty fellow, I hear. Local hermit genius, now passed. Welded on nuclear subs I'm told might see it tomorrow.

Adjustable to cut beveled siding, even (sorta obsolete in the age of Hardiboard, fiber reinforced cement siding).
 
Go big or go home ... Baker, baby!
DramaLlama.gif


https://youtu.be/aUKRBdIW9ZA
 
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