Portable sawmills

[muddobber]

Happy holidays to all;
I 've got a slew of questions concerning making lumber from logs. Wheres a good place to start?

[bee_pipes]

I found the forestry forum to be an excellent reference also. There are additional links to other sites, but it's a good starting place:

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/

Regards,
Pat
(Norwood LM2000)

[DM]

Hey Pat,

What have you been sawing with your Lumbermate?? Do you read at the Norwood forums??

I sure like my Lumbermate, they sure are a GREAT sawmill!!

DM

http://www.fototime.com/A787F8C34B3300F/standard.jpg

[bee_pipes]

Ya, love it.

BWH printed an article in this issue about the Norwood. Edited some of the content about dragging it through the Chicago loop, but used a couple of the pictures.

The weather just broke here, starting to warm up. I have a couple of projects going, and one of them on the list is to get a few trees cut and start making lumber for a general tool shed and a battery shed.

What are you using to skid logs? As soon as I get the capability of welding, I'm gonna make a skid trailer, but for now I was thinking of using the lid from an old washer as a skid-cone sort of an affair, then pulling it with a 500cc ATV. We have some big hills here, and the property was pretty well logged out, but there are a few oaks and yellow poplars that will generate some board feet... I need to get that trailer made so I can scrounge logs from the neighbor's property.

Did you find a local outfit to sharpen your blades? I'm starting to run down. Also saw a bit about a longer lasting blade on the Norwood forums that I want to check out:
http://www.cookssaw.com/shop/

Been out of town for the last week, sorry to take so long in coming back.

Regards,
Pat

[DM]

Hi Pat,

I have a pretty good log skidder,

http://www.fototime.com/725FA4B468CA367/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8D3313960966EDB/standard.jpg

But i try NOT to skid logs if possible, i much prefer to load them on my running gear a pull them to the mill site that way.

http://www.fototime.com/C66B52D5932F1A9/standard.jpg

A friend of mine skids his logs with his ATV and a Norwood skidding arch. He loves the thing and skids some big logs with it! You may want to think about getting one, and i think Norwood has about the best design arch for ATV use...

As for sharpening bands, i've been sharpening my own since 1996 when i bought my first bandmill...

It sure is amazeing just how well these sawmills work!

http://www.fototime.com/3D4F762C194E087/standard.jpg

Good luck with your projects and how about some picts??

DM

[bee_pipes]

Yeah, been lusting after their arch. Simplest and best price I've seen, but still out of my price range. I'm going to have to lash something together out of scrap. Need to be able to pick the log op off the ground. We are pretty heavily wooded in this area (if the lumber companies don't clear cut the county) and there are a lot of trees down that could be salvaged from neighboring property. Requires a little road travel to get them back to my property. Found an old MEN with a simple design, was thinking something along those lines:

https://www.motherearthnews.com/Homesteading-and-Self-Reliance/1985-09-01/An-All-Purpose-Straddle-Wheeled-Hauler.aspx

That's a nice tractor there. The hills here make a tractor impractical, you have my envy.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/JustArrivedfromMilwaukee.jpg
Just arrived back at house, after picking up mill in Milwaukee

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/groundedandreadyforwork.jpg
Grounded and ready to work

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/Biglogonmill2.jpg
Old sweet gum tree threatening house - ready to be turned into boards

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o120/bee_pipes/Dryingyard1.jpg
Imrovised drying yard made from railroad ties

Regards,
Pat

[DM]

*Log arches are quite easy to build, and you should beable to put something decent together in a few days or less...

*One reason i like Norwoods arch, is that it "picks the log up" when you drive ahead. *My friend has one, and he really likes it. *He's picked up and hauled some huge logs with it.

*I really don't need one because i can lift most logs and load them on a running gear to be pulled home...

http://www.fototime.com/41AD4DE8EFE9E4F/standard.jpg

*It's getting pretty nice here, so i will be catching up on some sawing s :) :)n!!

*DM