Small bandsaw mill on ifor williams

[Johnsond]

On 28/03/2022 at 08:36, william127 said:

After too much reading on here I am contemplating a small band saw mill, like the woodlands 130. The Mills themselves are a reasonable price, but adding the trailer adds 1/3 ish to the price, taking it from say 5k to 7. But I really need to have it on a trailer- there is nowhere to sensibly store it at the yard where I'll use it, never mind permanently set it up.

I'm thinking I could build a substantial 4x 2 box section frame, with fork pockets, and permanently mount the mill to that.

I could then add front jack legs to my 14ft ifor for levelling and then use the mill on that?  This would then also mean I'd have a useful trailer to take timber away from onsite milling.  

There is a forklift, telehandler or loader at all 3 places I'd be loading, unloading or doing heavy maintenance work on the mill.

One drawback I can see people mentioning is the height? I think that it would be a good working height for me as I like things tall (work benches, log splitters etc). The ifor is also very sturdy for winching/rolling timber up. I also have a loader at my yard. 

It would be a decent saving over the cost of the specific mill trailer.

Any thoughts welcome , thanks.

 

Also, I wonder how much I've spent over the years because of things I've seen on arbtalk😅😅😅😅

Not too hard to do, there’s a load of pics ( including these) and discussion on a previous post on here regarding trailer options etc. 

[william127]

2 hours ago, Woodworks said:

Mine works well but there is very iffy quality control. One of the box guides is welded on on the piss. Managed to adapt the guides to make it work but not ideal. On the other hand I would have had to pay a lot more for one of the European offerings and I may just be unlucky with the bit of poor construction

 

 

Agree with others about RSJs for supports and might set mine up so it could be forklifted about as that sounds like a good idea

I have already budgeted in my mind to pay my engineering mate to help me assemble it. Forr his days money I know that it'll be set up absolutely as well as the quality of the mill will allow and it should go a long way to sorting any niggles👍

 

I best source some  rsjs before there's an arbtalk related shortage😄😄

[william127]

1 hour ago, Johnsond said:

Not too hard to do, there’s a load of pics ( including these) and discussion on a previous post on here regarding trailer options etc. 

Yes I've seen your build, very impressive👍👍

That's basically what I'll be doing but without the trailer, cheers👍👍

 

 

Looks like this idea is fully workable then, thanks all👍

[william127]

2 hours ago, Woodworks said:

Mine works well but there is very iffy quality control. One of the box guides is welded on on the piss. Managed to adapt the guides to make it work but not ideal. On the other hand I would have had to pay a lot more for one of the European offerings and I may just be unlucky with the bit of poor construction

 

 

Agree with others about RSJs for supports and might set mine up so it could be forklifted about as that sounds like a good idea

Aside from  the niggles, how are you finding owning your own mill? 

Is it straightforward to use? 

Do you just save useful/interesting logs from the firewood pile or have you been sourcing specific timber?  

Have you used/sold any of what you've milled yet or is it all stacked and drying? 

 

Hope you're getting on well with it, thanks👍

[Stihllymok]

On 28/03/2022 at 08:36, william127 said:

After too much reading on here I am contemplating a small band saw mill, like the woodlands 130. The Mills themselves are a reasonable price, but adding the trailer adds 1/3 ish to the price, taking it from say 5k to 7. But I really need to have it on a trailer- there is nowhere to sensibly store it at the yard where I'll use it, never mind permanently set it up.

I'm thinking I could build a substantial 4x 2 box section frame, with fork pockets, and permanently mount the mill to that.

I could then add front jack legs to my 14ft ifor for levelling and then use the mill on that?  This would then also mean I'd have a useful trailer to take timber away from onsite milling.  

There is a forklift, telehandler or loader at all 3 places I'd be loading, unloading or doing heavy maintenance work on the mill.

One drawback I can see people mentioning is the height? I think that it would be a good working height for me as I like things tall (work benches, log splitters etc). The ifor is also very sturdy for winching/rolling timber up. I also have a loader at my yard. 

It would be a decent saving over the cost of the specific mill trailer.

Any thoughts welcome , thanks.

 

Also, I wonder how much I've spent over the years because of things I've seen on arbtalk😅😅😅😅

That was exactly my train of thought (thats my frontier above btw).

I went for the 27" and the Briggs and the extra inch over the woodland equivalent swayed me but they look very similar machines, if it means much i don't know but the norwood background also pushed me to the frontier.

Regards setup, ATM i'm literally just sitting it straight on the ifor 14ft, had in mind to build a steel frame but been surprised how sturdy the base was so i just forklift it on and off.

Ive made some legs that drop in the headboard mounts sockets for levelling but not used them, found jockey wheel stable enough and leave it hooked up to truck.

For me having the 14ft trailer as well has been brilliant, currently extracting a load of gun straight windblown oak saw logs back to my "yard" with it.

I actually find the height pretty nice to work at , just making another winch mount for my electric winch to help parbuckling the bigger stuff onto it.

warning...its infectious.😀

[Woodworks]

1 minute ago, william127 said:

Aside from  the niggles, how are you finding owning your own mill? 

Is it straightforward to use? 

Do you just save useful/interesting logs from the firewood pile or have you been sourcing specific timber?  

Have you used/sold any of what you've milled yet or is it all stacked and drying? 

 

Hope you're getting on well with it, thanks👍

It's pretty easy to use. Even after the mods its slightly sticky on the rise and fall and find it best to set your hight by winding down a fraction too far and then lifting to the desired hight when its running as the vibration of the engine makes it settle. Be prepared for a lot of sharpening or paying for it. Getting about an hours running per blade on the douglas fir. I have gone for in house sharpening as I am tight git.

 

Yes, saved a few from the logs pile and bought 12 tonne of 12' and 16' mill grade lengths off TCD for projects and making saleable boards. I am mainly looking to mill softwoods for construction as storing and drying hardwood will take a long time and take up too much storage space. Seems there is no expectation of it being dry for construction so just mill and go. 

 

Did my first paying job last week. Cutting materials for making a garden shed. Customer didn't want treated wood and his local sawmill had a few weeks waiting list. Chap gave me hand moving the logs and boards and I did 20% off the quote he had. Added it all up at the end and would conclude it was worthwhile but wont make my fortune with mill grade wood at the prices its at. Plus I am slow and learning the ropes as this took me most of the day but the logs were smallish diameter which makes it more labour intensive. 

[doobin]

When you see what people charge for a day's milling, it seems a good return for not a lot of investment. I have a lot of customers who have had me leave stuff to be milled, but they haven't found anyone to mill it yet!

 

I reckon it would work well with the multiOne. Arrive at site, unload loader, load mill from truck onto trailer and tow into field with the multione, carrying your spares and tools in the bucket.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Stihllymok said:

That was exactly my train of thought (thats my frontier above btw).

I went for the 27" and the Briggs and the extra inch over the woodland equivalent swayed me but they look very similar machines, if it means much i don't know but the norwood background also pushed me to the frontier.

Regards setup, ATM i'm literally just sitting it straight on the ifor 14ft, had in mind to build a steel frame but been surprised how sturdy the base was so i just forklift it on and off.

Ive made some legs that drop in the headboard mounts sockets for levelling but not used them, found jockey wheel stable enough and leave it hooked up to truck.

For me having the 14ft trailer as well has been brilliant, currently extracting a load of gun straight windblown oak saw logs back to my "yard" with it.

I actually find the height pretty nice to work at , just making another winch mount for my electric winch to help parbuckling the bigger stuff onto it.

warning...its infectious.😀

Interesting. Pretty much just drop on and go you say?

[william127]

1 hour ago, Stihllymok said:

That was exactly my train of thought (thats my frontier above btw).

I went for the 27" and the Briggs and the extra inch over the woodland equivalent swayed me but they look very similar machines, if it means much i don't know but the norwood background also pushed me to the frontier.

Regards setup, ATM i'm literally just sitting it straight on the ifor 14ft, had in mind to build a steel frame but been surprised how sturdy the base was so i just forklift it on and off.

Ive made some legs that drop in the headboard mounts sockets for levelling but not used them, found jockey wheel stable enough and leave it hooked up to truck.

For me having the 14ft trailer as well has been brilliant, currently extracting a load of gun straight windblown oak saw logs back to my "yard" with it.

I actually find the height pretty nice to work at , just making another winch mount for my electric winch to help parbuckling the bigger stuff onto it.

warning...its infectious.😀

I'll have a look at the frontier mill👍  

I noticed you just had it straight on the ifor, no issues with the mill vibrating or timber/cut bowing ? 

I agree about the height, I've taken the trailer on woodworking jobs in the past just to use as a massive work bench👍

I've got a small electric winch on a receiver hitch on my chipper, I could make similar on the mill/trailer, no need to buy a second winch👍

I have heard it can become addictive😄

[william127]

5 hours ago, Woodworks said:

It's pretty easy to use. Even after the mods its slightly sticky on the rise and fall and find it best to set your hight by winding down a fraction too far and then lifting to the desired hight when its running as the vibration of the engine makes it settle. Be prepared for a lot of sharpening or paying for it. Getting about an hours running per blade on the douglas fir. I have gone for in house sharpening as I am tight git.

 

Yes, saved a few from the logs pile and bought 12 tonne of 12' and 16' mill grade lengths off TCD for projects and making saleable boards. I am mainly looking to mill softwoods for construction as storing and drying hardwood will take a long time and take up too much storage space. Seems there is no expectation of it being dry for construction so just mill and go. 

 

Did my first paying job last week. Cutting materials for making a garden shed. Customer didn't want treated wood and his local sawmill had a few weeks waiting list. Chap gave me hand moving the logs and boards and I did 20% off the quote he had. Added it all up at the end and would conclude it was worthwhile but wont make my fortune with mill grade wood at the prices its at. Plus I am slow and learning the ropes as this took me most of the day but the logs were smallish diameter which makes it more labour intensive. 

I looked at the price of bands and getting them sharpened. I'm happy to pay to get them sharpened for the money as its not something I'll enjoy or be very good at😅👍

 

12 ton loads sound ideal, I could get one of softwood for milling, and one of hardwood for logs, and divert anything that looks interesting to the mill. Unfortunately I can't get an artic/wag and drag to my yard. Just need to find someone local to me....

 

Looks like a decent pile of timber you cut there, looks like good return to the customer for a day's work at todays prices👍👍

 

 

[william127]

4 hours ago, doobin said:

When you see what people charge for a day's milling, it seems a good return for not a lot of investment. I have a lot of customers who have had me leave stuff to be milled, but they haven't found anyone to mill it yet!

 

I reckon it would work well with the multiOne. Arrive at site, unload loader, load mill from truck onto trailer and tow into field with the multione, carrying your spares and tools in the bucket.

 

 

 

Interesting. Pretty much just drop on and go you say?

Does seem like a good return for the money, higher day rates for a mill than a digger(not that I do day rate if I can help it!)  with a much lower outlay, although higher running costs (bands etc?). 

I bought some 6x2 yesterday for shed base shuttering,  I'd say what I paid for a few lengths would buy a ton of logs. What I bought probably weighs 100 kg, so there's a lot of potential there to make a very useful saving over a few jobs.

Then there's the exciting bit, interesting hardwood boards and beams...

 

Sounds like a good plan, but would the mill not be too long to go on the truck?