got me a sawmill

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Oliver Springs, TN
This has been in the works for a long time. I have been talking with my father in law for the past couple of years about getting a sawmill. Well the time has finally arrived! We went to the Kentucky Wood Expo yesterday to pick-up our EZ Boardwalk sawmill. I didn't get any pics from the show I forgot the dang camera.:doh: It was neat though. They had lumberjack competitions, skidder, and knuckle boom races. My son really enjoyed crawling all over the heavy equipment they had on display. Some of the chippers were really impressive. The firewood processors were neat. They ruined Lucas though, he thought the only way to split firewood was with a maul.:D He wanted one bad!

As everyone knows the economy has hit everyone. Several of the guys said the show wasn't as big as it has been in the past. They also told me that they usually alternate the show between Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky. I was told they are cutting the show down to every other year and they don't know where they'll have it yet.

A quick word about Edward Zimmerman, the maker of the mill. All I can say is he's a class act.:thumb: When we got to the show before I introduced myself he was talking with several guys about his mill. One of them said that he had a brand "X" mill and that it was junk compared to his and it also cost more. He had the perfect opportunity to trash the other mills but he never even mentioned the other mill. He just kept on talking about his. I haven't used it yet, but here's a few pictures of my shinny blue mill.:D
 

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good for you what is the mills capacity in width? i have seen them in use and for the money they are good saws..
went tot he site and got the width john:) that will cut the majority of logs that you will ever run across.. and you will have plenty of exercize rolling them to get the next cut:) your gonna need a new shed for your lumber though.. the space you have now is gonna fill up fast,, dont need to ask me how i know:)
 
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Paint me green with envy! Ever since being a kid growing up watching the Walton's, I have wanted to own my own sawmill. Like all good equipment, get it under a shed roof, it will serve to extend the life of your mill as well as offer you protection from the weather as well. My old buddy had his under a picnic shelter type affair, enough physical labor that except for the COLDEST days, was comfortable working. Also, he had a large mirror from an old chest of drawers standing on the driver's side of the mill so he got a perspective while walking the blade through the cut.
 
Congrats John, looking forward to seeing you cut some lumber. Do you live on a woodlot? or will you be buying logs for lumber.

Rob, I have right at 30 acres with about 25 or so wooded. It's funny, I've mentioned to a few friends about getting the mill. I've already had offers for bunches of free lumber for the taking.

A saw shed is on the to do list. I already have a spot picked out that will be a semi-permanent location.

Your right Larry, I will run out of space quick to store the lumber. I've been pondering lumber shed too.
 
Welcome to the EZ family of sawmills.:thumb:

+1 on Edward Zimmerman being a class act. Part of the reason I went with his mill.

Looking forward to seeing some output. I am about to fill up my second storage location and looking for a 3rd. It makes is a lot harder if you don't cut boards the same length... I always seem to find more long logs after I start stacking shorter boards.

Now I try to cut all my logs @ 9ft when the tree comes down. That is the longest that will fit into my kiln.
If I have shorter logs to mill, I start new stacks for the shorter boards (or add to existing short board stacks) instead of topping off a 9 ft stack.

I know it will be fun for you, but remember the most work is loading and turning - so take it slow for a while. I hope you have a cant hook to wrangle the logs.

Oh - you will need lots (and lots) of stickers. Make sure you cut them wide, so it will be obvious which side goes down. My first batch were almost square, and it was difficult guess which way to use them - don't want to have a ripple effect.:doh:
 
Welcome to the EZ family of sawmills.:thumb:

+1 on Edward Zimmerman being a class act. Part of the reason I went with his mill.

Looking forward to seeing some output. I am about to fill up my second storage location and looking for a 3rd. It makes is a lot harder if you don't cut boards the same length... I always seem to find more long logs after I start stacking shorter boards.

Now I try to cut all my logs @ 9ft when the tree comes down. That is the longest that will fit into my kiln.
If I have shorter logs to mill, I start new stacks for the shorter boards (or add to existing short board stacks) instead of topping off a 9 ft stack.

I know it will be fun for you, but remember the most work is loading and turning - so take it slow for a while. I hope you have a cant hook to wrangle the logs.

Oh - you will need lots (and lots) of stickers. Make sure you cut them wide, so it will be obvious which side goes down. My first batch were almost square, and it was difficult guess which way to use them - don't want to have a ripple effect.:doh:

Thanks Rick and Jay that's some great advice. I've already been talking to my FIL about getting it under a shed. We're trying to decide on the best way to build it so one side can be left open to get logs in.

I have some white pine that has been stickered for almost 2 years. I was thinking about cutting some of that for stickers.

Your right Rick about the loading and rolling the logs. I don't mind the hard work, I never have. Heck, it's better than any gym membership.

I didn't get this to make a living. Do I plan on selling some of the lumber, heck yes! I am however under no illusion of getting rich. It would be nice to let the mill pay for itself. Part of my thinking is that it might be eventually a way for my son to make a little money and develop a work ethic.

I did get a cant hook from EZ. It's the Logrite 60" model. I have a 48" cant and the extra 2' make a big difference.
canthook.jpg

He had the best deal of anywhere I've found it and he knocked a little off for getting the mill.

Rick, what kind of kiln are you using?
 
Rick, what kind of kiln are you using?

I got DIY plans from Daren (nelsonwoodworks) from over at the Woodworking Talk forum. I got mine thru his ebay site, but I think if you order from the WT forum, he offers a discount. It is an inexpensive way to kiln dry with a dehumidifier.

I followed his basic design, with a few modifications. It has been working well for me. You can call and talk to him with any questions about the plans or kiln drying in general - 100% support.
 
John, my buddy that had a mill for years used a train track idea. Actually he used treated 4x4's and attached angle iron pointed up and then some steel wheels that rode on that point of the angle iron. On the outside at the end of the "rail" he had an I beam with a trolley and chain fall. Using log tongs he could lift a log off of a trailer, roll the trolley so the log was over the "rail car" (more like a baggage car from old railroad days) and lower onto that. Push the rail/log car under the shed along the sawmill. Laid two 4x4's down as ramps (car was slightly taller than the mill) rolled it off of the car onto the mill (let gravity be your friend. This rail system extended out of his shed in the other direction also so he could put the boards as they were cut back onto the car and rolled out of the building. Obviously he had a few of these cars as they are only skeletons like a moveable base for tools. If I am only clear as mud, feel free to ask as anything to make it more user friendly will make it used more and you will last longer doing it. Oh, the mirror thing, the mirror was on his side of the mill at the end of the track where you were heading. Gave him a perspective of the action without having to stop and/or bend his back.
 
Thanks Rick,
I've seen his plans before and have started to get them a few times. When I get ready I'll definitely give them another look.

Jonathan,
What you said is crystal clear. I think I'll try and incorporate several of the ideas you mentioned. The saw is portable, but it will be left stationary most of the time.
 
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