Anyone here ever own a Sawmill?

100Acre

100Acre

Samsquinch the Terrible Magic Bean Manipulator
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Apr 25, 2017
17,509
104,850
113
Idaho
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
I’m considering investing in a sawmill. I have many projects here that could see a great use for one. If the economy tanks and the dollar collapses, I’d like to have my money invested in assets and ones that could improve my livelihood in an otherwise societal economic crisis. It’d certainly keep me occupied and my neighbor is a logger.… What are your thoughts? I’m looking at a Mobile Dimension Sawmill. They are very interesting and are unlike the typical bandsaw mills. They are not limited to diameter or length. The blade is circular and is attached to the motor of which it travels down a track and the log stays stable. There’s no need to turn the log either. So, the use of hydraulic lifts and turners is negligible. Plus, there are adjustable horizontal blades that make the mill cut a board in one single pass. So, a bottom cut and a vertical cut at the same time! It can even Cut out two boards in one single pass…

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kjbula1980

kjbula1980

Active Member
Aug 19, 2023
38
168
33
Ashtabula, Ohio
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own

  2. Looking to buy
I think its a great idea. I've also been thinking of ways to make a living if/when the dollar collapse happens. I have some quality mechanic and woodworking tools and have considered a much smaller sawmill. I think having wood or metalshop equipment is always a good investment. 👍
 
906UP

906UP

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Jul 6, 2017
14,233
134,862
113
da Yoop
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. Talon X
My neighbor down the road a bit has one, bought it this past spring, it's a band saw type. He's cutting me some lumber to use in the Beer Garden. I can get pics, info if you want.
 
906UP

906UP

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Jul 6, 2017
14,233
134,862
113
da Yoop
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. Talon X
Yes please and thanks

Here is the brand, not sure on the model but it was under $3000 shipped to his house. He got an extension thing to add to it so it can cut longer boards. I'll get you some pics after I get back from TN
 
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ChadD

ChadD

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Sep 6, 2018
25,562
250,575
113
Brown City
Ownership

  1. 1000-5

Here is the brand, not sure on the model but it was under $3000 shipped to his house. He got an extension thing to add to it so it can cut longer boards. I'll get you some pics after I get back from TN

I think @100Acre would love it in da U.P ehh? 😎👍
 
someguy1313

someguy1313

Well-Known Member
Mar 5, 2021
236
514
93
SouthEast
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
running a woodmizer for the last two years. amazing machine. want to explore circular mills as it is the type and look for the wood i'm after (old school circular saw marks for floors and rustic furniture).
The Mobile Dimension as noted by the OP is intersting. curious what they run $ as shown???? went to the website and still not sure.
 
B

bartruff

Member
Oct 2, 2017
30
50
18
Wenatchee, WA
Ownership

  1. Big Red
Well, I am an investor but I have never owned a portable sawmill......but by coincidence, thee of my friends and former co-workers have.....all three were Professional Foresters and two of them were also Professional Engineers ...they all owned about 50 acres of commercial forest land in the Eastern Slopes of the Cascades..... they all had the skills and equipment necessary to harvest and transport logs to the mill.....or the mill to the landings...

It was not a commercial enterprise....it was a hobby.....family fun with their kids and grandkids..... luckily no one was killed or seriously injured.....

Even though, they considered their trees and labor and capital and equipment free, they were not able to compete in a market with numerous retail lumber yards and big box stores like Lowes and The Home Depot.
 
Last edited:
jenk61

jenk61

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Dec 29, 2021
155
1,183
93
Southern Illinois
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
I have owned 3 woodmizer sawmills over the past 30 years. The first one was an LT40 with no hydraulics that I bought used. The second was an LT40HD and the last one was an LT70 that I sold 2 years ago. I would not want another manual mill. Hydraulics is your friend. Woodmizer customer service is second to none and they hold their resell value very well.
 
highpocket74

highpocket74

Well-Known Member
Vendor
Lifetime Member
Jul 2, 2019
2,006
6,502
113
Kinder, Louisiana
www.10-80dirtsports.com
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. Talon X
My dad had 2 woodmizer mills years ago. First one was a non-hydraulic mill, second one was a super hydraulic. Night and day difference between the two. We spent one day cutting with both mills. I was on the super hyd. because it had a programmable board for preset cuts, my dad was on the non-hyd. I would cut a pine cant on the super hyd, move it to the non-hyd mill for him to finish cutting, cut up an entire other log and another cant before my dad finished cutting the previous cant only! The super hyd. was FAST and a LOT less work!!

We cut all the 2x6 and larger and long 2x4 for my house but bought precut fir studs. Saved a bunch. A sawmill will work your butt off, especially if you don't have the equipment to move lots of lumber several times, and move the unusable slabs to a burn pile. Minimum equipment would be a tractor with front forks. That's if you want a production mill to sell lumber.

My wife's grand-father ran a big circular saw mill all his life. They had like 7 boys in the family and NONE of them wanted that sawmill when the dad died!! That's work!
 
100Acre

100Acre

Samsquinch the Terrible Magic Bean Manipulator
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Apr 25, 2017
17,509
104,850
113
Idaho
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
running a woodmizer for the last two years. amazing machine. want to explore circular mills as it is the type and look for the wood i'm after (old school circular saw marks for floors and rustic furniture).
The Mobile Dimension as noted by the OP is intersting. curious what they run $ as shown???? went to the website and still not sure.
They have a new 128 with bells and whistles on a trailer for 90k. 70k off the trailer.
 
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Reactions: Smitty335 and ChadD
100Acre

100Acre

Samsquinch the Terrible Magic Bean Manipulator
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Apr 25, 2017
17,509
104,850
113
Idaho
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Well, I am an investor but I have never owned a portable sawmill......but by coincidence, thee of my friends and former co-workers have.....all three were Professional Foresters and two of them were also Professional Engineers ...they all owned about 50 acres of commercial forest land in the Eastern Slopes of the Cascades..... they all had the skills and equipment necessary to harvest and transport logs to the mill.....or the mill to the landings...

It was not a commercial enterprise....it was a hobby.....family fun with their kids and grandkids..... luckily no one was killed or seriously injured.....

Even though, they considered their trees and labor and capital and equipment free, they were not able to compete in a market with numerous retail lumber yards and big box stores like Lowes and The Home Depot.
I’m imagining that the calls for more BS lockdowns soon may interrupt supply chains again soon. Especially prior to the election. Side note; the family endeavor sounds like fond memories.
 
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