Hiring out woodmizer WITHOUT operator- your thoughts please...

[Mobile-sawman.]

Evening all... As the title suggest, I am thinking of starting to hire out my woodmizer for like minded arb type peeps so that they can mill stocks of timber they may have in the yard, maybe to try a mill before they go and buy one or even if they just fancy "having a go" with a new toy....

 

This is due to the fact that if I have other work on the go, then the mizer is just sat in the workshop not earning its keep. Also, for people like your good selves the cost of a mill and operator could be a little off putting and negate the benefits of milling timber rather than just logging it for firewood (criminal in my opinion!) I would love to see more trees put to good use!

 

I already have a couple of clients who hire it without operator, but I know and trust them to look after my machine.

 

so, my question is- good idea or bad idea? do you think people would wreck the mizer or treat it as there own?

 

I am asking your opinion because YOU would be the type of people I would be aiming it at......

 

TOM.

[bob]

You would have to go with it the first time at least and then decide if you could trust em to use it without you.

I certainly would like to have a go at milling but without massive charges for purchase or with an operator.

Had a man come for a day and we helped and did more than him in reality.

[gensetsteve]

Competant skilled experienced trusted aquaitences yes. Beginners, inexperienced animal types no. Just learning to use my LT15 and would say 1st couple of hours hard on machine especially blades. Not done it yet but would say its easy to cut the tops of some metal etc.

[shavey]

it should be a good venture, i know down here you gotta wait for somebody who has a good mill and operator

but only send it out with a skilled operator then your covered on both sides

Edited October 20, 2013 by shavey

[Mobile-sawman.]

You would have to go with it the first time at least and then decide if you could trust em to use it without you.

 

 

The deal I struck with one client was that I delivered the mizer on Monday morning, set it up and then spent the rest of the day with them showing them how to use it... (They supplied their own blades as well as they have it regular.) I then collected the following Saturday morning.

This system works well for both of us....

 

 

Cheers for the input so far......

[agg221]

There are times when something like this would be very handy, although sadly your location makes yours less accessible to me.

 

I think you would need to look at either insurance or a 'hirer pays repair costs' arrangement, and I don't think anyone you would want hiring it would object to either.

 

Maybe it's a bit like hiring a car, rather than a chauffeur. Most people who hire cars don't damage them (and probably very few indeed actually try to). They mostly treat them as they would their own - you hear stories of people thrashing them but in reality they don't. Perhaps they don't give them the same valet treatment but they come back reasonably clean and nothing a quick brush-up won't fix (which gets budgeted for). Also, with cars, there is proof of competence before handover. It's pretty easy with a car (driving licence) but with canal boats you get a tutorial, then show the hire company you can drive it OK and then you're on your own.

 

The bigger issue may be transport. Are you proposing to deliver and collect? If so, that deals with the issue, but don't forget you are doubling your travel time and that may make it non-cost effective. If it's hirer collects then you need to take into account the towing requirements on the licence.

 

Overall though, if you can make it work then it could be a very good idea.

 

Alec

[monkeybusiness]

I don't know much about mills but have seen them operating. When in use, what is the most damage that could theoretically be done to the mill (aside from damaging the bandsaw blade on nails etc)? If it is possible for the carriage etc to become twisted if someone is heavy handed I would definitely suggest not hiring it out. If it is just a case of wear and tear items wearing quickly then I can't see a problem, providing whoever hires it has hired in plant insurance to a value that will cover the cost of a new mill in the event of theft or damage when being towed.

[WoodED]

Or hire out the machine with a subby

 

 

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[JamesNI]

I used to 'hire' my chipper to friends and people I could trust. Nothing major ever happened, but I decided it was better to have it at home if I wasn't working with it.

Unless you have a written contract for when they break it, it will only get complicated and relationships will become frayed. That and no one ever looks after a hire tool as of it is their own! Just my 2p, I may be wrong.

[stanoverlander]

Having owned and run several for years I would say Not..

 

I think there are too many things you need to have experience of to not break something and to get the best out of the wood..

 

Train someone up who would hire regularly would work, its not like just hiring a digger or chipper for the day..