Before You Buy a Portable Sawmill | Things I Wish I Knew About Sawing Logs (Updated)

[@jerrypedersen8251]

At 78 and retired, your reasons are spot on and exactly why I have a sawmill. They are why I bought the saw mill. I would rather wear out vs rust out.

[@scruffy4647]

I am 72. No truer words spoken no matter what your endeavor: I would rather wear out vs rust out.

[@bigchuckyinkentucky6267]

If you don't have a reason to get out of bed every morning, pretty soon you won't.

[@richiej2640351]

I love that comment “I would rather wear out vs rust out.”

[@eliannafreely5725]

thanks for this comment! I'm 42 and just starting an off grid homestead endeavor that sometimes has me worried that I'm biting off more than I can chew, won't be able to keep up with this lifestyle as I age, that it is too much manual labor for someone past their 20's/30's. I am going to keep this comment in mind. What else would i be doing, sitting on my butt? It's the way I want to live, and I'll live it until I fall onto the ground.

[@pipeboy98]

an old timer i worked with till he retired at age 68 (we are construction workers) always put it this way..."that which rests...rusts" i miss that old coot sometimes

[@garykersteiner4936]

I have handled a lot of timber in my time, everything from felling to sawing, stickering, and proper stacking and storing. I found absolutely nothing wrong with your instructions . Newbies would do well to heed your advice. Experience is such a good but sometimes painfull thing.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Yeah sometimes I’ve learned the hard way that’s for sure

[@almoody7155]

good decisions come from experience... experience comes from poor decisions

[@hensley2931]

Thanks for the insight man

[@amerritt261]

I agree. I am getting ready to choose a mill. Haven’t decided 100%

[@Dreamydazefarm]

@@amerritt261 the woodland mills that this gentleman has is amazing I would not choose another if given the opportunity 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

Hands down one of the most important videos to the public. The problem with many offgrid channels is similar to those home renovation shows. They edit things down to show off the end results and make it seem easy, when really your are seeing 10 minutes of hours of work. Thank you for this video.

[@jamessmetzer192]

9

[@CaptainRon1913]

Excellent video. Had a friend run into the exact same problems you did. He bought a Woodmiser. Had to build a shed, get his old tractor running, buy a de-barker, buy a trailer to haul logs, and occasionally rent a bobcat to move the stuff. There was no shortage of walnut, pecan, red & white oak after a hurricane in Virginia. After a while, he had so many board ft of lumber, he had to build a pole barn just to store it. And the saw dust, huge piles of it. It benefited me as a wood worker, he'd let me come over and pick out anything I wanted. Also had a seemingly endless supply of firewood.

[@richardanderson2742]

It is human nature to fall in love with the finishing process and overlooking all the work that surrounds that process, whether we are talking sawmills, gardens, livestock or whatever. In my case it is bee keeping. No folks, it isn’t just keeping bees in a box and getting honey. I’d love to have a sawmill, but being practical I have a commercial rough cut mill about 3 miles away that I buy my lumber from which is frankly cheaper and doesn’t involve going down yet another rabbit hole of time, money and energy commitment. I strongly recommend that before anyone takes on a major thing like a sawmill to go work with someone that already is doing it and take in what is involved.

[@j.hankinson7803]

Great summary. Thanks for posting. A few observations: stickers between planks should ideally be the same species, sweep off sawdust before stacking planks, mechanics love sawdust cause it’s cheap, a pail under the sawdust discharge makes it easy to empty into a big plastic tote bag your tractor can haul away. You need to build a simple logging arch to pull behind the ATV or tractor. I put an electric winch on mine and can easily haul 20” x 18 ft logs out of the bush up off the ground using a 400cc ATV. The logs stay clean so it’s easy to move them in the summer. A minimal investment to build.

[@MakerNoKY]

I remember when I bought my Chainsaw Mill 25 years. $700 mill setup and $1200 Stihl Powerhead and I figured I would just crank out lumber.My first slab took me 2 hours to saw. I learned so much in the first year. It wasn’t simply just saw away. Sharpening was the most important lesson, but also learned many of your lessons regarding drying, checking and log prep.

[@garymcmullin2292]

jumped into milling in 1980. Looking back I could not have been dissuaded from becoming a sawyer, it was just a passion, a dream. Turned out to be a huge investment for a limited return in my case. And at that time the Alaskan Mill was the predominated way to mill that was affordable. But that Alaskan Mill set up is going to work the hell out of you. And like you found, a sawyer has to become a millwright because you are going to have a lot of saw maintenance and repairs. Given a chance to relive it I would opt for the bandsaw or other mills....not the Alaskan Mill.

[@3cutekidz]

Thanks for being honest, a lot of people get into this not knowing .

[@gotti5472]

This is why I love your Channel because of all the new mans info, it saves me a lot of time as I’m buying an sawmill

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you liked the video Jerry! Happy Sawing

[@davetribble9114]

Great video, I had a sawmill for years And I got rid of the sawdust by selling it to folks with horses. Or just give it away if they come load and haul it. I also washed my logs if they got dirty from skidding. A pressure washer works great and save lots of money. I also used high pressure air if water wasn't available. Clean logs are a must for good milling.

[@anotherashleytoo]

Thanks. I live in an area where it doesn't snow, so that helps me out.

[@morgansword]

I have seen a couple of the woodmizer mill views and how they demonstrated their product. I don't recall their covering, the for lack of wording, handicaps. They did cover sharpening blades, that I remember and most of all just how to put in a blade or roll a log on the carriage. I think the first thing to do is determine just where the mill is going to set and weather it will affect a neighbor with the noise. I like your remote set up but I do see room for improvements and I am sure for a fact can say your aware or this subject would of never been approached. One nice thing about your whole set up is that its not bolted down to the earth and expensive to move should you have to. Another thing is and this is only my thinking, yours may very a lot from mine. I wouldn't worry about saving every scrap that comes off a mill and saving stuff for wood. Wood is worth a lot and will only increase if things keep going the way they are. In my thinking.... remember its my thinking, I would try to keep the mill on the move to the distance of wood or instead of going to the back and working forward with it coming out to the mill. I would keep the mill exactly like you have it as it seems quite adaptable to any situation but it would be skid able to get it close to what I work on and the wood cut would go into bunks like you have it but when full sled it to the location your going to sell/haul from. Now if you are going to use it all yourself that might not come into play but it needs to be sorted for grade and even though there is little grading in that kind of small timber opposed to no. one clear no. two clear etc. It does need tho to be separated into one inch and two inch... various widths, lengths etc. Even that takes up a lot of space and if done right can be stacked on top of each other if the tractor and its tines can handle the loads on each bunk, never overload as it will come back to bite you hard. Keeping covered, stickered, and air moving through is absolute imperative to success. Another thing that you may have hit on that I never picked up on is whether its part time work or full time work as it is possible to make some money as a hobby but really it needs to go full bore to reach its potential as recovering costs are important too. I wish when I had endless pockets of money I had had a mill like this to fall back on. I have owned the bandsaw mills, the portable circle saw mills and then the big saw mills as well. That Petterson mill I had sawed up wood like a alaskan saw mill, (those are a hard way to make boards) where it mounted in a frame and raised and lowered on logs and would saw logs as big as the truck you saw or a little six inch top of tree. The blade had the motor mounted to it and it flipped on its side or cut downward into the log making each board individual as going down further limited the width of each board. I own and worked for circular saw mills and their best point was making "cants for lumber to be cut from. To me the saw mill to have is a band saw as it has the least curf or waste. The others wasted a board for every two they cut and that is waste. Lucky me had a well drill for deep wells and I could set pilling in the ground so I mounted my mill over a embankment and it let the sawdust fall through the bottom. I had live chains to send the wood down to be "offbeared" into its own piles/bunks. It took more men than one so it would not work for a single man operation. I had the timber, I had the land, and all the equipment needed to do it and the mill handled up to five foot logs in diameter. I could also cut thirty plus foot long logs and so we did production... why don't I still have it..... market changed and I had my neck out too far to hang on till it recovered. I also wasn't incorporated so lost my home, and everything else I owned.... that one really took it out of me for a while. At my peak of operations I had one hundred and thirty men working for me. That time the banks stepped up and offered me a way out to save it all but I was real tired of working seven days a week. I had lost a enormous amount of weight as well. It was changing me into someone I didn't like. I also was in a very small town and when I went down it affected all of the business's in town. Less than a thousand people lived in that whole area and as town goes, about three or four hundred people lived in the town area. I had a store keeper come to me and ask, where do I sign and we will make your mill soluble and offered a large sum of money for capital to work with, hell even the employees begged me not to quit and were willing to put their home on the cuff for me... it was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made or would make. Sorry if I wrote too much as its very personal to me what your doing is what I loved doing. Later Sandy an hope your not too mad for this long comment

[@MathiasGreenwalde]

1:18 I could just walk and look at those perfectly planted trees for hours. So satisfying.

[@snakeplisken4119]

Yes but is essentially a industrial forest and in no way mimics nature. There than the trees it's basically a dead zone. Stickly good for saw log production

[@snakeplisken4119]

Z

[@xpoolguy5406]

Great video Sandy. Made many of the same mistakes before and after I bought my HM 130 but like you I don't regret one minute of it. Life is for learning. There is nothing like the satisfaction of seeing something you made, no matter what it is. In this part of our life it is lumber. Hard work for sure, but keeping me active and fit in my sixties, outdoors and a little more self reliant than our city cousins. Lol. Keep up the good work

[@sawingwithsandy]

You’re right about the being active benefit as well. Thanks for watching

[@stevencharles4333]

great advice. i learned sawing at my grandfather's mill. His #1 rule was keep the work space safe! so keep it clean, and keep it organized. the very first lesson i learned about sawmills, was why, when and how to sharpen blades. i was teen, that was over 50 yrs ago when my dad and grandfather brought me in to the mill operation. those lessons i learned back then still apply today. the most expensive lesson i learned when I had my own portable mill was the necessity to invest in a reliable metal detector! the machinery has changed, but the sweat equity hasn't.

[@billrishsew2512]

Thanks for sharing. All of your points are worth considering. We processed a 16 footer last night and it takes a lot of time and effort. The reward is what makes it worth it!

[@jonathanstpier-i5k]

You are 100% correct with everything you say. One thing that could be added to the points you made is that its important to know exactly what you are going to cut the log into. Preferably, even before you fell the tree. On my own property i am cutting 10” x 12” cants at up to 30 feet. Then resaw later if required. At that size, there is no commercial supplier on the entire country that is productimg that ( in australia). Whereas if i needed a pile of short 4x2 , i will go to the store and buy them because the time spent to cut them doesn’t justify the value. Whereas for large dimension timber if i can generate 3 large cants in a day in a size that cant be bought the value is immeasurable and worth the sweat equity. Keep up the good work. Also try metal cutting bandsaw blades they cut slower but stay sharper for days longer. Cheers jon

[@brucea550]

Really helps to spend time on paper doing a layout for the entire mill area before you set one up, unless you’ve had prior experience. Even better is to watch some videos of other mills, or visit a couple, to get a sense of space needed and traffic patterns. Milling is 20% sawing and 80% everything else. That everything else category is where you need to be efficient and not handle materials more than once or have anything in your way. Drawing it out on paper can help you mentally walk through all the steps and realize how much space you need and where it’s best to have the various piles (logs, lumber, slabs, sawdust).

[@ChuckisOutside]

Great video. In 1996 I cut the logs, and air stacked the lumber 3 years before we built our house. Total of a little more than 7,000 board feet. I paid a man .27 cents a board foot to mill my lumber. Two years ago I had some nice saw logs left over from a timber sale that would not make a full truck load. The driver wasn’t going to haul 4 logs to the mill and I didn’t blame him. I found a sawyer who charged .28 cents a foot. He was in Woodmizer’s one million board feet club and very experienced. Both times it was well worth it to me to have the lumber milled. I have some beautiful #1 20’ 2X12 yellow pine in my barn and the rest we milled into 2x6x8’ and 10’. New subscriber. Thanks.

[@outbackeddie]

Great video and an excellent reality check for anyone who may be considering the purchase of a portable sawmill. If I was 20 years younger I would probably go with the sawmill option rather than buy pre-cut lumber. But at 70 years old, I think it's probably a little too much for me. Thanks for the clear, honest, and valuable advice.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Anytime! Thanks for watching

[@chriskourlos4407]

Home depot has 70% off lumber that is checked and waroed. You can still build with it and make alot if projects to keep you busy and save tons of money now that lumber hone up 70%. Keep your chin up im proud of you. You paid your dues, just get some strong backs help lift! Have fun.

[@CaperCountry]

Everyone should spend a few days with someone working a sawmill before buying one , it sure will opens you eyes to how much work it actually is. I started off looking at a manual mill and eventually , gathered the extra cash and bought a woodmizer LT35HD fully Hydraulic . I made the right decision , good video

[@Fleipetauet]

This was very informative. Hands down the best manual sawmill channel I know of. We are waiting for our WM HM 122 to arrive and can't wait to not do the same mistakes as you did, but find our very own mistakes!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks appreciate that!

[@Jared-Brubaker]

Solid video Sandy! Good information… I can’t believe some people take the time to leave nasty comments after all that hard work.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for that Jared. It’s all good. Only positivity on this channel from me

[@green-zone36]

Great information, might I add, once you notice the saw beginning to push harder through the log. It is beneficial to replace the blade sooner than later. Two reasons. It will push easiest with a sharp blade. Once you start pushing hard the blade will want to wonder, cutting wavey lumber. When this is happening there is increased stresses on the blade. If you heat up the blade and it takes a dive, set will be lost. I find if kept sharp there is a lot of service in a blade. If stressed the metal will loose set and develop stress cracks in the gullet shortening the life of the blade.

[@woodstock048]

When placing the sticks in the lumber, make sure you keep the sticks aligned vertically, straighter lumber. I retired from a major southern yellow pine lumber manufacturer. And you are absolutely correct, lot of labor in making lumber, excellent video..

[@jacksievers2467]

A tip for keeping a clean blade...don't use diesel or soap, messy, I used both in the past, but now use 100% Pure D-Limonene Citrus Orange Oil Extract Best Natural Solvent Extracted from Orange Peels (Citrus Cleaner Degreaser & Deodorizer)

[@americansfirst1095]

Hey Sandy......I agree completely on the golf cart.......best thing that I ever bought! Better than any ATV.....just sit and go. I drive mine everywhere in the snow/mud/hills. I put small (stock tire size) knobby tires on the rear at first (made a huge difference)......but couldn't steer in mud/snow/ice......then I put the same knobby tires on the front. Others are surprised as to where I can go with it. Thanks for the video. 👍

[@andyslittlehomestead6705]

Thanks for all the information man. Its always helpful to hear what didn't go right, instead of showing all the high points. I appreciate it!

[@bluethunder1951]

All good information, before I bought my WM HM126 I used to make rough lumber with a chainsaw mill, so harvesting the logs was already figured out, then it was how to setup the new sawmill, I tried a couple of different ways on the ground, on blocks, then finally ended up on a flat bed trailer. My saving grace is the skidsteer with attachments that can handle the logs, from skidding, loading on the mill, removing lumber off the mill and any other function of sawing milling. One thing you might invest in is a, Battery Operated Electric Liquid Transfer Siphon Pump for Diesel, Fuel, Oil, Water, 58cm/22.8inch $20 to $25 on Amazon, it makes it so easy to fill the gas tank on the mill, you can see the level while filling, and no spills.

[@richardsabean5781]

those little shaker siphons are fast work great no electric, no spills,, harbor freight or sportsmans guide,, get 3 for around 20 bucks..

[@sawingwithsandy]

Yeah having heavy equipment sure does make it that much easier. Sounds like a good setup you've got. I"ll have to look into those pumps. I could probably also use it for my tractor.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Richard, I"ll have to have a look at them.

[@Casper.USMC72]

I don’t know how much time you have, and this is just a suggestion. Saw dust is used in growing mushrooms, and the area you have is idea for growing mushrooms. If that doesn’t appeal to you, then you could bag it and sell it too growers in your area, and help with some of your costs.

[@dianearnold5381]

I found out sawdust is great for cleaning your shop floor.

[@farmerdoc2924]

Sawdust for mushroom cultivation preferably is from hardwood (deciduous) trees. Fir, spruce and pine sawdust isn't as desirable.

[@eliannafreely5725]

@@farmerdoc2924 Out of curiosity, how come?

[@annelibashore4807]

@@eliannafreely5725those trees have sap in them that is toxic! Pine sap is used make paint thinner and other thinners very bad for plants.

[@artmckay6704]

Hearing a voice of "been there, done that" is a commendable public service! It's a great kindness. I wish EVERYBODY did that for others. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!! :)

[@sawingwithsandy]

Appreciate the kind words

[@artmckay6704]

@@sawingwithsandy :)

[@Beartrap70]

That is so absolutely true Sandy , It does take a bit of work before and after the lumber making For me though I so love doing and taking care of things like this , It's so much fun and enjoyable from start to finish - I am a total outdoorsy (Love working with my hands)

[@beanieweenie9543]

The lack of equipment to transport the logs from where I would harvest them to where I would have my mill site is what has kept me from buying a mill for a while now. The information given in this video is priceless! Great job.

[@thecanadiantradesman7916]

So I'm sitting outside having a smoke and for some reason when you started filling the mill up with fuel i felt the sudden need to put out my smoke just incase of fire ahahaha

[@btchhopperou812]

I know that feeling all too well. Did the same- guess they've trained us well LOL!

[@benscoles5085]

proves good awareness, safety is good

[@julzmgrforll7278]

Safety first!

[@integr8er66]

A cigarette will NOT ignite gasoline. I learned this in fire school (Firefighter training).

[@ymarb7085]

@@integr8er66 yeah good luck with that plan its not the only reason why they call it movie makic

[@TheOldJarhead]

All good information -- I paused at 7:45 to discuss the first part ;) I started out with a mill on the ground as well and while dirt is a problem, I plowed through it. Today, however, I have a DEBARKER that cuts a clean groove in front of the band saving me $$$, time and effort. Sure, the head of the log can get muddy but I can brush that off well enough, it's all the dirt and rocks in the bark that hurt the most (IMO) and the debarker solves that issue. 2nd Item is the 'keep it flat' or on the same plane. This is an issue for twin rail mills like yours but the big monster twin railers or smaller cantilever mills like my LT40 don't have to worry about that! Otherwise, you're spot on and good video so far!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Stacking and stickering should be at 18-24" and 3/4" is about perfect (1/2" to 1" is all ok but 3/4" seems to be the standard at the big mills where I've gotten all my stickers). Keep flat, at least on the same plane, and stack evenly up the stack (same place every board at same interval etc). Weight the top down as much as possible over an air gap at the top (so sticker over the last boards too), place something to hold the weight and roof material if not under cover like yours, then the weight -- and lastly, make sure air can move in all directions. It is air movement that dries the wood.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Always use Arborseal! All wood can and will check (crack) at the end because it dries faster than the rest of the board. Sealing the ends will prevent this and give better quality lumber in the long run.

[@craigleonard7715]

Did someone actually put a thumbs down? Wow, I don’t get that. Great info Sandy-appreciate your honesty. 👍👍

[@dannyboy7086]

agreed

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Craig. I'm a normal sawyer just like everyone out there so happy I'm able to pass on some things I've learned along the way. Happy sawing!

[@Beartrap70]

Yea Craig I agree with you - I can't understand why any person would do a thumbs down , Unless it's persons that can be seen as city slickers (can't do squat for themselves)

[@craigslitzer4857]

The way KZbin's algorithms work, it counts total votes, regardless if it's a thumbs up or thumbs down. So a thumbs down vote can be a way someone expresses disagreement or disappointment while still supporting the channel.

[@CedarTrailsLiving]

@@craigslitzer4857 good point. It also uses that to measure and predict future video recommendations for users.

[@robertwaldman9407]

My friend and I have been thinking about buying a sawmill together for a while now. On a whim, I decided to watch some videos this morning on what it would take to get started. This video really gave me a lot to think about. I like how well you articulated your points at a speed that did not drag as some often do. Nothing is more frustrating than watching a video of someone trying to say what they mean when halfway through I already grasped the concept they were trying to relay. I am sure with your talent your channel will continue to thrive

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Robert! I appreciate that

[@JelenOutDoors]

Excellent video! I have only milled hardwood and as you mentioned it does split on the ends when drying and some a lot more than others. Sealing the ends of the boards helps to reduce the amount of splitting/checking by slowing down the rate at which the ends dry out at. Also, placing stickers closer to the ends when stacking helps to reduce splitting/checking. I was surprised when you said that the softwood didn't split, learned something new. I am planning to cut a bunch of softwood and not having to treat the ends will save a lot of time.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching

[@richardprice8136]

One of the best if not the best and most informative video I have watched. I just bought a WM Sawmill (10-12 week wait). Through my research I have planned for much of what was talked about. A couple of things I did not: Waste process (I was just going to cut into logs for heat but did not think through the entire process) and sawdust (I did not consider the volume but will plan for space to give my skid steer access). A 6 STAR video on a scale of 1-5. Great job - thank you. QUESTION: What log diameter does your mill handle, and what length? (I chose to err on the conservative side and ordered a 30” diameter and got the extension to handle up to a 16’ -17’ log., and a trailer even though I plan for it to be stationary most of the time a trailer offered some options and ordering it with the machine it will be designed to handle the extended length.)) -- Again, great video!

[@SasquatchBunyan]

Good stuff. One thing experienced project managers do is to start at the desired end and work backwards, tracking all of the pieces along the way. Works well for any size project or endeavor. While you never catch everything, that way you definitely catch a lot more of it. Sounds like you did look back, after the fact. Lessons learned are still lessons learned. Good on ya for learning and keeping going. Cool to get some tips from you here! Thanks.

[@yekutielbenheshel354]

To finish your thought, a competent project manager would have easily seen that in this case, the "buy vs build" decision is easy: buy, don't build... unless you are looking for a new hobby. Many men get a lot of satisfaction from doing stuff with their hands. Therefore, for them, this can be a nice hobby. Personally, I detest working with my hands. It's always a chore that I'm glad to avoid. To each his own.

[@carlgray9290]

I love the video, lots of things to think about! But, I believe you simply saying a person needs to KNOW what they are getting into before they decide they want to cut lumber? Work is required, otherwise you would be like the guy who buys a exercise machine to workout and finds out he doesn't really want to do the work. Great video! So wish I had the land!

[@realkuntryboy1]

I don't think you mentioned this, but here's a couple more tips on drying: be sure your stickers are not green as they can cause staining on the boards. Secondly, placing your stickers as close as possible to the end of each layer (flush to the ends) should prevent checking. From what I've experienced, checking usually ends at the first sticker.

[@johnmurray9746]

Another tip I saw in an Essential Craftsman video is to relieve the center of your stickers to minimize the contact area which also helps prevent banding

[@TheFlatlander440]

I too am looking into purchasing a saw mill for my 15 acres of heavily wooded land. I'm happy I discovered your channel which will make my decision easier. Knowing well in advance of what you're getting into is very important. As my Dad used to say, "Learn, Plan and Do" . At his moment in time I'm still in the learning phase. One of the things I need to learn more about is what species of timber I have on my property before proceeding. It's one thing knowing you have fir trees but exactly what species of fir and pine is important Thanks for sharing your expertise and advice. Cheers!

[@happyrecluse2849]

When we first moved to our property I didn't know the difference between a maple, oak or pine. Bought a book on tree species and had my eyes opened. That was 27 years ago and to day I am tapping for syrup and harvesting trees for fire wood. At 66yo looking and shopping for a mill. Not here to be laughed at. As I tell my wife "hang on for the ride"

[@jeremyscott6641]

One thing I learned was if your going to harvest a tree that has some bugs it’s best to use as thin boards, I put one 6x6 post with wood boring grubs in my stack and they transferred into the surrounding posts. Very frustrating but if caught early a little compressed air and insect spray seams to do the trick.

[@dcvariousvids8082]

I volunteer for a couple of woodland groups, both solely hardwood stands. One mills very occasionally and manages a number of small hilly woods; the other never mills and only operates in one very steep wood. But what is consistent between the two, is gathering in felled trees, the sheer manpower needed to move bucked sections, (ranging from 2” for charcoal making & bespoke furniture to 4’+) the time needed and the time needed just to arrange who’ll do what on each volunteer day. Some people are capable of many skills, others with just one skill. But if the ground is too steep for that person’s skill level, the workload must be passed on to someone else, who may have been pinned down to do something else that day. Many of your viewers, may be working alone or as a couple, so managing small groups may not come into it. But if you have to rely on different people, all with different skill levels, to do varying tasks and you can’t always control who turns up on the day/s. It’s worth bearing in mind, that the more skills a person has and the more weather hardy they are, the more useful they’ll potentially be on a particular task day. If you’ve not got a handy tractor or something to skid with, gathering in will take that much more time & effort. Milling has its perks but paying someone else to make lumber you occasionally need, may be more cost effective, than going down the making it yourself route. If time, money, manpower & sheer grunt is no object; make your own lumber, it can be very rewarding. And may even save you some money, if you have the longterm projects; and if lucky enough, may even make you some money. Just some things to think about before buying that shiny new equipment.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great considerations!

[@markolson9437]

I've run a mill for 23 years now and I went through all the same problems as you in the beginning. I'm still learning how to be efficient, how to move , stack, unstack, plane and sell 10's of thousands of pounds of lumber and waste without crippling my body. Milling is not for sissies. I still love milling and building with the glorious lumber and timbers I saw. Really informational video. thank you. P.s. get yourself a forklift that can pick at least 6,000 pounds.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Mark. Sounds like you've got some great experience out there

[@kriss8931]

Thank you for the video. Additional hints from Finland 1. Pile higher. This also adds alot of weight. We stack 4m wide by whatever length. Atleast 2m high. Then we yes add some metal on the top (if we can). 2. Leave as you do, lots of space between the pieces! 3. Saw in the winter, dry early spring when the air humidity is low. In june july, ur too late, it doesn't dry anymore as the air is too humid. No chance. 4. Wind will be ur friend if you want it to dry quickly. 5. Might have hard steel blades there? Not as sensitive as normal blades. 6. Logs can stay in the forest for one or two seasons, no issue as long as the log is in the air, and not on the ground. If you leave it longer you have to remove the bark, peel or whatever its called in English. 7. Measure the exact length pf your needs, cut the logs 10cm longer. Cut it straight in the forest already. And then you save some additional steps and cutting. 5. You cant Cut straight woth a dull chain, so keepnit sharp 6. Also when piling we try to leave a 15cm wide corridor throughout the pile in the middle, so that the wind can blow into the stack. 7. Cut the branches 100% off in the forest. Having a small 1cm thing sticking out of a 400kg log is a pain!!Cant roll, cant slide etc. 8. Also invest in having the right tools, whether home made or bought, use tools to roll the logs, pull the logs, lift and so on. These might help as well.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great tips Kriss. Thanks for sharing

[@skoleelektro]

This is one of the most useful videos out there

[@jeffbeck6501]

Agreed. It was perfect. I subscribed because of it.

[@raylucas4281]

been watching you for a while now as I am also thinking of buying a mill, your videos are great, but this one tops alot of them. I think it all comes down to a labor of love, not the hard work. If you like chickens you build a coop and tend to them, If you like the outdoors and lumber you buy a mill,....keep up the good work

[@sawingwithsandy]

I think you’re right. Outdoors and wood = good reason to buy a sawmill.

[@thecanadiantradesman7916]

Great video Sandy. I couldn't agree with you more. There are so many little but major things I didn't take into consideration as well. And still find new issues I didn't think of still 4 years later

[@yekutielbenheshel354]

As the adage goes, "Experience is the thing you get... right after you need it!"

[@simonispeter1501]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I think about buying a bandsaw mill for processing larch. At the time I have a chain sawmill M7 of logosol with a MS660 chain saw. It consumes a lot of fuel, a single cut on a 5m log seems to take a neverending noisy long time and after two cuts the chain must be sharpened or replaced despite a water cooling. These facts scream for a more efficient bandsaw. Thank you for your hints to be considered. Greetz from Switzerland, Peter

[@ournhhill2258]

Great, great tips!!! I fell into the exact same thought and situations! Love having my mill, just things I wish I had thought about.

[@chriskourlos4407]

I m in the same boat here in michigan and now facing selling my setup due to back surgeries and can't lift no more! Sucks to be me. My heart is all go but now lack the go. I'm really impressed at your correction thinking and believe you will do fine. Woodland mills is a fine outfit for anyone anywhere. Great company that will back you up and you can catch lots of discounts too. I m praying that God of the kjv Bible continue blessing you richly, more than you could ever ask or think. 🙏 go for it!!

[@sawingwithsandy]

I hope your back heals well Chris. I appreciate the fine words

[@MannistoCay]

Well done, still working on my "wood yard" but yeah it's a lot of work! Keep it up, blades sharp!

[@dogood63]

Thank you so much for sharing all of this valuable information. I am in the preliminary stages of getting a sawmill. This video helped me out a LOT. I appreciate your honesty and being humble. I wish you the best. Thanks again.

[@steveg9939]

Great video! And thanks for the advice. In the end, you have to do it because you enjoy the whole process and the outdoor work it involves. Sitting behind my computer, I understand it ain't easy but I imagine it's rewarding.

[@kellybartok50]

Hello , for force on the lumber there are some threaded rods at the lumber store , buy those some washers and some nuts make a sleeve that goes on the rods and sandwich the lumber between the sleeves and then tighten the nuts to snug in those sleeves the wood will dry and the pressure will correct any warping while in the drying stage , this is just what I have in mind , I’m sure there will be some adjustments to my idea but this is what I think will work to keep the lumber straight and flat , good luck with you’re projects and always look both ways before you cross the road , and don’t take candy from strangers ok :)

[@ZeeFrankensteel]

Really enjoyable, also on the learning curve of sawmilling. Learning is also the fun part, at times!

[@bethdeweerd1265]

Great video perfect example of how people don't think things out. Somebody used to call that work.

[@glengillis7542]

You need one of those battery operated fuel pumps from Canadian Tire. Very well said. Its all the extra stuff that matters and you just filled it all in Thanks Sandy.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Good idea Glen. I have seen those around and they sure look handy. Hope all is well with you. All the best

[@metamud8686]

What an absolutely wonderful and highly informative video. Thanks for sharing!

[@fidgettrading9352]

Great video! I also learned that its best to saw in the fall because drying the lumber in the low humidity of winter forms less mildew on freshly cut boards.

[@eliannafreely5725]

Also less sap in the wood. Made the mistake of springtime cutting once and it started gushing out like a severed artery.

[@walterskinner527]

I think you made a great job making this video, some things I had considered but not all you mentioned, you gave me plenty to think about. Thank you.

[@michaelwatkins3842]

Absolutely well said. Buying the mill is the easy part. Lots of things to consider, and you’re not alone in your discovery. Thanks for sharing.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Michael

[@garygerard4290]

wow, you've opened my eyes - thank you for this video I feel all smart & proud when I take apart a nice shipping pallet and rip & plane the pieces - ha ha

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you liked the video Gary

[@FFLFFS]

Perfect! Thanks for the information. Having built several full scale industrial saw mills I know the importance of logistics maintenance repair upkeep and dealing with small non money making items such as clean up etc etc gobble a lot of time cash and for some is a full time job. A much needed item of consideration. It’s not all gravy. Lol

[@KilroggWOW]

Wow, so glad I found you. That's alot to think about and plan for. Thank you so much 💓

[@GPOutdoors]

Morning Sandy. Great overview of the many, many aspects of milling most folks don't realize. Very satisfying to do it, but there is a lot more work involved than most folks realize. One suggestion - my neighbour uses a power washer on his logs before running it through the mill to remove the debris/soil for the same reason you mentioned - the dirt/sand dulls the blades quickly. Another important thing is that leaving big piles of sawdust hanging around in the middle of summer has a a high risk of igniting in the dry heat. Great summary - thanks for sharing it! Cheers!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you liked the video. Happy sawing!

[@paulnandico2370]

Thank you. Timely, solid, realistic information.

[@stretch34318]

If you think your going to replace your trips to the lumber store by buying a sawmill, your going to need a lot more than a sawmill to get a comparable end product. Dump truck, tractor with loader, trailer, chainsaws, level covered areas for sawmill, drying kiln, and planers. Time spent dealing with waste would be frustrating without proper planning and setup, as you described. Great video. America needs more independent lumber producers.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching

[@matwinner9708]

Being at the point of getting my own mill, this piece was hugely helpful, thanks!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad it helped ya Mat. Happy sawing

[@smoothstoneprojects2431]

I live in South Georgia. I wear a fleece jacket like that when it gets cloudy. Snow on the ground means some warmer clothes.

[@mattpayne9468]

Sawmill is on order, so this is great info Sandy, and will help me prep for its arrival. Thanks!

[@silent8ch977]

I am THAT guy on his phone right now wanting to buy a saw mill. This was incredibly helpful. Thank you!!

[@obyvatel]

That was a video I definitely needed to see.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you liked the video.

[@josephmoilliet8194]

Only a few minutes in to the vid I could tell you were a Canadian brother. Canadian mill brand, lots of snow and even I will admit our accent. Awesome tutorial and super set up.

[@peterpulpitpounder]

Great video. Look before you leap, as the old saying goes.

[@richardross7219]

Nice video. Consider building a wood gasifier to feed the sawmill engine. You can use up the sawdust and some slabs. A wood gasifier can also feed a generator. Good Luck, Rick

[@Jim-si7wz]

Good advice Sandy, I think it will help some people who are thinking timber is expensive, remember though hard work is its own rewards, done right good health, no more gym fee's lol.

[@sawingwithsandy]

haha no gym for me

[@d.wssuckitupdredging1338]

Great info! The waste is always a battle and time consuming. To anyone who might be considering buying a mill I would suggest getting the largest engine they offer if your sawing larger or hardwood logs.

[@johnmoyer5515]

I would agree I've got the 14 hp thinkin i should've got the 23hp. Well #1 i wish i was young again, i like learning something each day to me that's important, i can say I've worked cabinet shops & carpentry 48 yrs my hm 130 trailer version cuts nicer lumber than a lot of wholesale suppliers. I love wrestling logs, can i move it ? Happy sawing brother

[@sawingwithsandy]

Yeah I don't think anyone can complain about not having too much horsepower.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for tuning in John.

[@Wheelloader__]

All good points. I work at a sawmill. We’re pretty self sufficient on sharpening and all other maintenance. We have a grinder that turns our slabs in to mulch. We make a semi trailer load of mulch and a semi trailer load of sawdust every day. So I know what you’re saying.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Now that’s some serious board feet

[@timcisneros1351]

Great info. I haven't unboxed my mill yet but I got a very valuable bit of information from your video. The way I built my platform doesn't allow me to access the back side with my tractor to remove sawdust. I thought .."Ah, I can just rake it by hand"! NOT a good plan! I will reposition the platform before setup. Thanks for the info and ideas. I'm building a Timber Frame cabin for my wife and I. I have milled all of my Timbers on a friends mill but finally bought a Woodland Mills HM122 to finish the cabin and then build my Blacksmith shop.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great to have ya here on the channel Tim

[@Waveslider3]

It seems like you didn’t think anything about getting a sawmill before you got a sawmill. What I’ve learned here is that you need to think more!;) cheers brother, glad you figured it out

[@wwflguy]

I still have out old woodmizer LT30 that dad bought back in 89, the upside of it is that it's truly portable. I can set it up or break it down and ready to hitch and go in 10 to 15 minutes max. We did a lot of custom cutting for people back in the 90s. And at big jobs. It wasn't uncommon to simply move the mill. Ever few days if we were on a big job to get out of the piles of sawdust. And new stack of slabs. When sawing at home, we had the advantage of always having equipment there to move logs slabs and lumber. Going into winter it wasn't uncommon to have a pile of slabs 10+ ft tall. We opted to just give away the slabs to whoever wanted them for firewood, and that worked pretty well. Regarding the cutting the logs, we often had trees on hillsides. And the only way to get them out was with horses or oxen, and in a few cases. Drop them off the hillside. And retrieve them from the road below. It's a lot of work. My advice is. To plan ahead and cut trees in fall to winter. Whenever possible once the leaves have fallen. The sao is down and much less moisture in the trees. You can store the logs for quite some time depending on the type of tree. However they need to be stored properly. Putting them on a log rack works well, and let's them dry slowly while awaiting the milling. Regarding the blades. Definitely either have someone that can set and sharpen them or the equipment to do it yourself it saves a lot of money. Helpful tip. Always check and set the blades. Before sharpening. I'm my experience most blades we could get 2 or 3 sharpening between resetting them. Also for hardwood you'll cut best with a little less set vs softwood. You'll want a lot more. For us. That was like 21 thousandths for softwood and around 15 to 16 for hardwood like oaks. Resetting bladed once they were down around 12 thousandths.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Great tips!

[@steveperez3393]

Straight and to the point and not a lot of BS I didn’t need. Great channel I look forward to more.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you found the channel Steve.

[@MCHorner]

Excellent video. I’ve been pondering whether buying a sawmill would be economical for my situation and you answered every question I have. Very honest about the multiple pitfalls and lack of planning most of us undertake prior to a substantial purchase. Thanks.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad I could help Michael.

[@blackcatpgh13]

Some good advice here. Projects take on a life of their own, and are seldom as easy/fast/inexpensive as they are made to look in ads/tv shows/etc.

[@dougmcdonald5518]

Just found your channel. I’m in Niagara Falls NY. Just started processing wood for selling bundles about 8 months ago. Will be following you weekly. Thanks for the inspiration

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you found the channel. Welcome aboard

[@brianfonsen7384]

I run a bandit 3680 wood hog in a veg yard. Already bought a firewood processor and have hauled home 50+ cords of madrone. I have recently started milling dimensional lumber. Just cuz we get a lot of fir logs in yard and I have projects that will require lumber. I don't know much bout milling but I do know that the lucas mill is much easier than the bandsaw type. Having to roll big logs on the wood miser bandsaw mill was a pain. I own a 299 skidsteer and a 10ton track hoe so it wasn't like having to roll them by hand but I c why u cut small logs much easier to work with. I brought home 30" to almost 4' logs home way to big. We milled 3 3' redwood logs and I got 243 fence boards out of them. So the pros to big wood is more material is generated out of them. Thanks for ur video and nice framing on ur saw shack.

[@paulfinnamore3884]

Thanks for the video, i made the decision to buy one after watching one of your earlier videos and its something for me and the mrs. not for a buisness. good therapy, easy on the brain and i enjoy every aspect. enjoy the videos. keep them coming.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad I was able to help Paul. Hope the sawing is going well for ya. Take care!

[@FFR53Rally]

My stand of old growth spruce sits about 30’ down from the rest of the land, I was cutting a nice big one last weekend, was even leaning where I wanted, just as I made the felling cut a nice gust that I couldn’t feel on the ground pushed it over backwards. Took 3hrs to get it to the ground and bucked up. It’s a labor of love though. The milling is such a small part. I tell people the blades last 2-3h of cutting and they seem to think that means 3 times a day, and are surprised when you say that’s the better part of 2 days milling.

[@johnetheriedge8675]

Matt, you are performing a great service. Your videos are good information & honest. I’m 74 & through your experience you are a wise young man. Thanks for sharing honestly & freely. You have a good perspective on things, ThanksJohn E

[@cecilmckeithan5088]

I own my own haven’t been at it a long time but your right on time it takes. Now if your using those boards rough say on a barn ect then yes you can save a little time but I’ve been cutting boards to be used in my house that has to be trued up then plained sanded ect. It’s a long process but the results are so worth it.

[@savoielvis1]

Maaaan ....you really save my money and time....i was thinking soooo much to buy a mill machine, of course i never think how much more work is behind the machine.......thx again!!!

[@Tonnsfabrication]

I live in the heart of hardwood/ sawmill country and I built my own mill for specific projects on our farm. Being surrounded by almost 20 large production mills I often find it more feasable to actually buy stacks of outs or shims for some of my projects rather than cut down my own trees. When I can get 1000 board feet of white oak for under $100 and one of my band saw blades costs $40.00 it's not a very hard decision to make. Where a personal sawmill really shines is in larger slabs like live edge stuff and specialty slabs you can't find anywhere else, that and none of the commercial mills will cut your logs to order, they simply do not do that.

[@blacklebob2447]

I will be buying a new sawmill. Probably the Woodland Mills HM130 Max like you have. I have thought of the waste and the sawdust. I have also thought of how heavy the logs are. I did NOT think of storage of the lumber needing to be flat and I did NOT think of the mill needing to be completely level. Thank you for the information. It will help me with my preparation.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Always happy to help

[@yvesjolicoeur747]

excellent reality check for anyone considering buying a sawmill

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks Yves

[@SJForestProducts]

Hi Sandy. I just wanted to say thanks for posting all this great content! It really helps out other guys, like myself, who are looking and purchasing a sawmill in the future. Learning a ton from your channel. Thanks for all your tips and knowledge!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Anytime! I appreciate your support

[@dukeman7595]

Excellent and very informative video with commonsense to forefront. The little things we don't give a lot of thought to, you drove home like a wedge and I thank you for bringing them to mind. What I gleaned, is one should formulate a plan that mitigates most of the pitfalls prior to taking possession of a sawmill, I know I will, thank you for the video and great advice.

[@kellybartok50]

Hello , that was a very good detailed video about sawmills , I live in Dryden Ontario and noticed the amount of fine trees for making dressed wood . I think , thanks to you’re input ,maybe starting out with a very small milling outfit , and like you learning from my mistakes and miscalculations with that very small outfit , I drive tractor trailer and for over 25 years , like you’re video learn from my mistakes , trucking for the newbie I should do a video in the very same format , that was good and caught my attention well done my man , thumbs up 👍But on the milling side of things yes it’s a lot of labour, but you know what they say “Hard work pays off “. So be smart , be safe and enjoy what you do pay attention to what you are doing and the money will follow there’s more to life than just the pocket book , life’s a journey and milling is awesome , I love the smell of Red Cedar and the projects we come up with rock , all the best Trucker Kelly :)

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s for tuning in Kelly!

[@dansSawfish5604]

Hay Sandy grate video .The big one for me was keep logs clean one cut can dull the blade . And you keep cutting you wander why it's not cutting straight . blade life all depends on how clean and the type of wood and the knots..

[@sawingwithsandy]

Yeah I agree Dan. Keeping the logs clean sure is an important part of it all

[@rolfevers1615]

Got my sawmill 2 years ago and i confirm every single word .... plus you might have to fight some noise-dust-dirt issues with the neighbours if you live in a more urban environment.

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s true