| 28 : December 2002 : Sawmill & Woodlot |
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Buying your
first portable sawmill
(exert)
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So you're thinking about buying a portable sawmill? Most first-time buyers will likely consider the pros and cons of different mills by evaluating items such as price, production rates, saw speed, saw-blade longevity and maintenance, transportability, and a host of "bells and whistles." These considerations are certainly all critical in making an informed buying decision. But what about the rest of the story?
To help you answer these questions, as well as others, this article provides the perspectives of three very knowledgeable wood-products experts:
Bob Mayer, Connersville, Indiana-- A forestry consultant, tree farmer and Wood-Mizer owner, Bob Mayer used to manage a high-production hardwood sawmill and is a former utilization and marketing forester for the state of Indiana.
John Krantz, Forest Lake, Minnesota-- After 31 years as a forest products specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, John Krantz retired and now runs a carving and specialty woods business.
Shelby Jones, Jefferson City, Missouri-- A forestry and wood-products consultant since 1988, Shelby Jones , spent 32 years as a state of Missouri forest products specialist.
Bratkovich: Even high-quality logs produce a sizable amount-- 35 percent or more-- of low- or below-grade lumber or cants. Is this a concern for portable mill owners?
Jones: In almost every discussion I have with mill owners I'm asked, "Where can I sell my low-grade?" A portable mill owner needs to know the local markets and have a plan for marketing his low-grade or he might have a rude awakening.
John Krantz: If you're thinking about buying a mill, you also need to think about what you're going to do with your lumber and other products. Mill owners need to have multiple markets since most folks will likely saw different size logs and different species, perhaps at different times of the year. While working for the state of Minnesota, for instance,I had a man call me to report he just bought a small portable mill. When I asked about his markets, the fellow replied, "I plan to sell my lumber to the local cabinet shop." Much to his dismay, however, he discovered later that the cabinet shop only used 2,000 board feet of lumber per year. This guy based his purchase decision on a market that probably could be satisfied in a couple days production. Not a smart decision.
Bratkovich: We hear a lot today about the importance of sawing, handling and drying lumber and related mill products. Do new mill owners often come up short in these areas?
Krantz: Yes. For example, many people don't appreciate the difference between flat and quarter-sawn boards. I purchase lumber for my specialty wood business from many mills. My primary customers-- wood carvers-- demand, for the most part, flat sawn lumber. Too many people want to take a board or two off one side of the log and flip it 90 degrees. To satisfy my customers-- my niche market-- I want the log flipped 180 degrees.
Mayer: Quarter- and rift-sawn lumber, however, are prized in some markets. It can be a great way to add value to your product. The bottom line is to understand how to correctly saw a log to produce the desired grain pattern for a particular customer.
Krantz: The thickness and length of individual boards can also be troublesome for new sawyers. I remember an order I placed for 8-foot lumber: I arrived to find the boards exactly 8 feet-- 96 inches-- in length. Hardwood lumber should have a trim allowance, say 4 inches, but these boards didn't. Fortunately for the mill owner, I sell a short product so I bought the lumber. Another buyer, however, might have refused the order. The mill owner simply didn't know any better. He hadn't yet learned the basics of the hardwood lumber industry.
Bratkovich: After sawing, what are your recommendations for drying?
Jones: Especially in warm weather, lumber needs to be stickered the day it is cut. First-time mill buyers don't realize the fragile shelf life of green lumber. A day or two of hot, humid weather can stain anything-- high grade or low grade. And handling of lumber is a crucial step.
Krantz: A storage place - a bunk for air drying - needs to be prepared before you saw your first board. Some folks saw a board and then don't know where to set it. I suggest getting a large supply of stickers-- uniform and dry-- before putting the saw blade in the log. I also recommend building a level foundation of cement blocks as the first step in building a good air drying bunk. For my purposes, I place 5 x 5 hardwood timbers, 10 feet in length, on the blocks. Then I lay down 4 x 4s every 2 feet, perpendicular to the 5 x5s. This keeps the lumber 12 to 14 inches off the ground and away from the weeds and grass.
Mayer: And don't forget about storage space for your lumber. The mill, of course, requires a certain amount of space, but folks tend to overlook the space needed to pile the lumber as well as slabs and edgings.
Krantz: Which mill to buy is about number 10 on my list of priorities. The art of sawing a log - to produce square boards instead of trapezoids - and the proper trimming, handling, storage and drying of boards is far more important than the brand of mill you buy.
Bratkovich: Should mill owners write a business plan, especially if their goal is to make money?
Mayer: I highly recommend it, but realize that most one-man businesses won't do it. I also recommend written contracts, especially in a custom sawing situation. A good custom sawing contract will clarify specifics such as when logs will be delivered or be available for processing, diameter of the logs to be sawn, log cleanliness, and so forth.
Jones: And don't forget to investigate the insurance situation. Most mill owners think about damages that might occur to the mill, but they ignore the possibilities of injury to themselves or a co-worker-- it's easy to roll a log onto your helper's foot.
Stephen M. Bratkovich is a Forest Products Specialist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a member of the Forest Products Society and the Society of American Foresters.
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