Price of milling

[Mark armstrong]

Areet lads what's the going rate for an hour of milling and is anyone able to mill a small oak a small yew 2 ok beech and a canny sized ash in Newcastle upon Tyne (jesmond deane) beech milled into sleepers all others 2.5" slabs 

[trigger_andy]

Just now, Mark armstrong said:

Areet lads what's the going rate for an hour of milling and is anyone able to mill a small oak a small yew 2 ok beech and a canny sized ash in Newcastle upon Tyne (jesmond deane) beech milled into sleepers all others 2.5" slabs 

I charge £360 a day now. (£45 an hour) But dont bother with less than a full days work. Its just not worth the time to do half days. Not when you factor in all the prep the day before, travel, setting up the mill at site then packing everything away at the end of the day, then travel home, then put everything away again. 

 

If folk where coming to me with wood to Mill I think Id do a minimum of 3 hours, ie £135, plus the band. 

 

Could be a good investment to buy a 24" or 36" Alaskan yourself? Would pay for itself in a day or two? 

[Mark armstrong]

I was thinking of buying an Alaskan  and a chainsaw mill andy but no good for my back haha easier to just pay someone I think like mate.I normally use a lad from Scotland i know but he cant get down to do it for is going off how long it would take him with the Alaskan probably 2/3 days work but hes slow working the oak beech and yew would go on a bandsaw mill but the ash would definitely have to be an Alaskan job from what I can remember of them it's been about 6mth since I bought them 

[Johnsond]

18 minutes ago, Mark armstrong said:

Areet lads what's the going rate for an hour of milling and is anyone able to mill a small oak a small yew 2 ok beech and a canny sized ash in Newcastle upon Tyne (jesmond deane) beech milled into sleepers all others 2.5" slabs 

Any pics ?? How quick do you need it done ? 

[trigger_andy]

Just now, Mark armstrong said:

I was thinking of buying an Alaskan  and a chainsaw mill andy but no good for my back haha easier to just pay someone I think like mate.I normally use a lad from Scotland i know but he cant get down to do it for is going off how long it would take him with the Alaskan probably 2/3 days work but hes slow working the oak beech and yew would go on a bandsaw mill but the ash would definitely have to be an Alaskan job from what I can remember of them it's been about 6mth since I bought them 

I know all about the back.  Had my second surgery in January past.  One of the reasons I prefer the Bandsaw Milling now.

 

There's a lad in Fife who had a big Bandsaw, he's £80 an hour. 

 

Alaskan Milling can be slow. Maybe a Logosol M7/8 or F2 etc? 

 

But yeh, also easier just to pay folk. 

[Mark armstrong]

Haven't a clue about type of bandsaw mate just know the lad with Alaskan was using an 880 sthil haha like a say just new to live edge stuff bench hand joiner by trade but just started buying a load of live edge timber to play about with in an old pigeon loft turned into a little workshop haha looking at getting a factory in the next couple of weeks though so can get 3phase gear 

[Mark armstrong]

All pics were on my other phn that I lost but the ranger a bought the trees off is on here I will msg him and ask if he can post a few on here as I think he lives on site where they are only rush really is the beech into sleepers need them in the next 2 weeks all other slabs will just be stacked in my allotment under shelter for a couple years but may as well have them all milled at once so it's worth while for whoever is milling them 

[Mark armstrong]

A think the ash will need a bigger bar than 36" aswell andy mate unless a cut it in half but would rather have both live edges on it haha if a get a chance tomorrow I will get my lass to drive is up and take some sizes and pics 

[trigger_andy]

10 minutes ago, Mark armstrong said:

only rush really is the beech into sleepers need them in the next 2 weeks

I dont know what the plan for the sleepers are but Beech is not rot resistant like Oak. You be better off with Larch if its genuine Sleepers for the garden, but Im sure you'd get a good few years outta them regardless. 

[Mark armstrong]

Most of them will just be for raised beds mate but lined with plastic just saves is going buying them for 30 a pop just to keep the missus happy a should get 2/3 year out of them then they will be replaced with 3by 2 paving slabs when I get enough of them to do all the beds and pathways but I need some 8"×6" 2 at 3.6mtr and 4 at 2.5mtr I think for a judge I know wants 2 up and overs for grapes to grow up in his garden but also asked for beech