Swing blade mill?

I am looking into building a swing blade mill to saw some lumber. I am at that point in life where I own way to many tractors and machinery, and would like to erect a few storage barns. Nothing fancy, just sheds to repel water, sun and snow. My timing is off because now I see lumber prices have went crazy, and it sounds like they may stay there for a while. I live in Northern Michigan where finding trees to harvest is as easy as looking out the window. I feel it is Silly to pay bend me over prices on box store lumber. All of the local sawmills have died or burnt out, so I guess I will cut some 2x4s 2x6s on my own. Anyone here ever built a swing mill or maybe a band mill at home?? I have been looking at utube mills for a few years, just never pulled the trigger on starting to build. Al

Never built one, thought about it. Opted instead to buy the Harbor Freight band saw mill. Was around $2000 with tax and delivery and does everything I need for building sheds etc. I did extend the track so I can saw longer lumber. Worth a look.

Get a good used Woodmizer. When you are done with it, you can sell it for what you have in it.

Have no experience with a swing blade mill, but do with bands. First off with a bandsaw find out if there is someone around that services band blades. You either need a service provider, or need to have the tools to do it yourself. Dull band blades make lumber for the thick and thin Co.

Even a basic manual mill will crank out a pile of lumber for building sheds. When I was younger and lived in ME, I put many 1000 bdft of log through one. My BIL still has the mill and uses it some. Be prepared for everybody in the neighborhood to want lumber sawn if they find out you have a mill.

I would probably still have a mill around, but moved to ND, and would need trees first.

I own a Peterson swing blade mill and would not own a manual bandmill if I had to run it alone. Rolling big logs around all day is not my idea of fun. That being said if you are intent on building a mill then a band mill is much easier amd cheaper to build. Another option is to bite the bullet and purchase a Peterson or Lucas mill as they keep thier value very well if taken care of. My 5 year old JP is worth I paid for it new.

OK you and have been around the block. At 78 years let me give you my take. I have seen countless folks try to build some kind of homemade mill. Most spend way more and have a lot less than you can get on the net and find a working mill for. I am on my 4th wood-mizer and will never be without a mill. What I see is folks go buy a cheap harbor freight or other lay down mill IF they like milling first thing is they will want to trade up to something nicer . I own acres of woods and there is always a dead or falling tree. I tell folks sawing is my golf, when you saw it is relaxing if you have a good mill, junk and it becomes work right quick. Find you a used mill you want be sorry. Just my 2 cents worth.

My wife's cousin has had a WoodMizer band mill for about 10 years.
He has milled lumber for a few small sheds and he milled lumber and helped me build an Adirondack style lean-to.
He has all the lumber milled for a wood shop he is building for himself and a good start on it's construction.
He has turned out some really nice lumber!

I’d look at a good used mill and get to making lumber, can resell the mill for what you have in it when done.

Dinking around with homemade takes time and end up with something often cumbersome and not worth much, and harder to use. (Unless you are a master builder of stuff and then you wouldn’t be asking us how to make....)

Just my opinion. If the end goal is a building, buy the tool that makes the wood, so you can get to making the building. Or you spend years making tools, so you can cut wood that needs a year to dry, before you start building the building you kinda want today.... how many years go by....

I think band saws have come a long ways and are the hobby owner way to look these days, build or buy?

Paul

I would look for someone who has a band mill and will hire out and cut your logs for you. A little cost but you have no hassle with breakdowns, buying/selling a mill and
you don't have to handle the logs. If you help with the lumber as it comes off the mill maybe you would get a break. If you want a mill that's different. But as to
building one unless you are a machinist or metal fabricator, or better yet both, with the skill and experience to know what you are doing I would look for a used one.

Look at a WoodMizer - you can run it alone as the hydraulics do the lifting and turning..

Watch the OutOfTheWoods YouTube channel. Nice guy runs a one man sawmill as a business and not only shows lots of saw techniques, he also shows how to make money at it, or at least how to not lose money. Good channel. He not only air dries his lumber but also kiln dries using a Wood Mizer kiln.

Al,

I do not know where in Northern Michigan you live but there is a saw mill in Boyne Falls that would cut up your logs for a reasonable fee. Just an idea. Tom

I used to charge by the hour. That way if the owner wanted to come help he was rewarded for it and I didn’t have to tail lumber and slabs.

One comment on manual vs hydraulic, if you have all large logs hydraulic is great. If you have smaller stuff to work with, the manual is not that much labor, and much faster. It was rare I milled anything much over 14 inches. The manual was just fine.

I have a Woodmizer LT28 if you plan on building a shed it will almost pay for it
self. I use mine all the time just for odd ball stuff you can't buy at the lumber yard
. And now you can't buy much and what you can is quite pricey. There is nothing wrong
with an LT15 they cut great lumber just a little more work. By the time you get a
swing blade mill made you could have bought an LT15 mill and had part of your lumber
sawn. They are on sale right now. Randy

I've been around band mills, round blade mills, and the so-called Alaskan chainsaw mills. The best fastest is the round blade mill with a carriage. Dad had a guy out to saw with a band mill this fall as soon as the blade got the least bit dull it would go to cutting a surf board wave in the log. If it is pushed to fast it will wave. The chainsaw set up is fine for a few short boards otherwise you will collect a pension check before you get done sawing a decent log. The old circular with the carriage will out saw them with accurate cut lumber. Can saw a truck load in a morning or afternoon. We used to take a couple loads of logs down to get sawed. This is a single axle truck and bring back a load of lumber in an afternoon. We have sawn lumber for 2 polebarns a freestall barn and multiple gates and wagons. The pole barns 1 is from Elm 32x30 the next is 40x80 Elm with an extension of 20 feet out of Ash and Oak the Freestall barn is 62x62 with a hay mow above the stalls. All Ash,Oak,Basswood and some left over Elm. I would hire the sawing done or set up a regular mill. There was one setting at the corner of M-57 and the road coming north out of Elsie MI. Don't know anything about it except it was setting there. Has been almost a year since I was by there.

I have no sawmill nor have I ever ran a sawmill, but I have been looking for a while and I found this one that looks low cost. The video looks like it is easy to use (you still have to man handle the logs). I think it would be wort a look.
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See my comments below about servicing band blades. Most new band blades for portable mills don’t cut right out of the box. Sharpness is one thing, the set of the blade is more important, and it is not a one size fits all deal.