r/sawmilling

Im almost out of logs on my property. I have a baby on the way and want to make some extra money by milling. When I look on Facebook marketplace, the cost that people are asking for would net me almost nothing when I try to resell. I've heard people talking to their towns and local arborists to drop off logs but have been unsuccessful, or, the costs are too high. Any advice? Also I'm not against paying for logs, but trying to avoid paying SO much that I can't really profit

I’m near Truman Lake in Missouri and have been clearing my property to put some campers and a building or two on it in the next 2-3 years.

We’ve been stacking White Oak logs in 8-15 foot lengths for the last 4-5 years in hopes of buying a mill and making lumber to build a shooting shack and several other furniture items with. We also save oak poles that are much longer for pole barn type use.

Questions: with a $20,000 budget what mill
would you recommend and also how long do logs like what I described take to dry out?

We also have many other downed trees but we don’t retire for another year so have limited time to be old, slow lumberjacks!

I'm looking to mill some smaller diameter logs for live edge accent pieces, and would like to do so as well with unique branches.

I'm thinking make sacrificial log stops and/or some type of jig bed which I can maybe screw partially from the bottom to the piece...

I'm working with a Woodland Mills HM126. Thanks in advance for any ideas, cheers

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I have an old sawmill that was locally produced. They have since been long gone and I bought it to restore and mill. Not a bad unit after all.

My big problem is how do I know what is the torque on the tension bolt?

I run 158" blade on 16" wheel, tighten by a 5/8 all thread. I know there is a stretch tool, that I can't afford. I tryed to do similar with vice grip and a calliper with mix results.

Any tips?