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Logging Cedars

Daver said:
My sawmill was ordered about 10 months ago and is "in" now, waiting for me to travel to southern Missouri to get it and receive training on it, etc. I hope to do that in the next couple/few weeks. Then, presto, I will be a logger. :) As I already have some logs here to start out on. I have an empty 20' shipping container that will be built into a simple, but effective kiln in the next few weeks too.

So I hope to be in operation in the next month or so. My plan is start slow, I am not aiming for a FT business at this point, (I already have one of those :)) But I should easily produce enough good quality wood to sell off a fair amount of it. If it turns into a "thing" then we will see where we go next.

I got a Woodmizer LT35, 25HP gas model. With a debarker and a trailer kit...so I can easily haul this baby behind my truck. My intentions, dependent upon where the log(s) is(are) is to sometimes take the mill to the log, mill it on site and then sticker/stack the boards there and haul them back to the kiln and in other cases, I will load the raw logs on a trailer and bring them back to my shop and mill them here. In both cases, they will be dried, and then stored, here on site in one of my buildings.

I have been reading up on this subject and preparing for this for years, so I do have some knowledge to go along with my inexperience :), but I am sure that I will learn much more as I begin to actually log and mill my own stuff. And that should start pretty soon! Woo hoo!

I am also a dedicated woodworker and intend to use the lumber personally and also to supply other friends and family.
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I'm very interested in this. I've dreamt of buying my own mill for years but I'm always hesitant to pull the trigger. I'm very curious about your kiln set up as that is always my biggest hang up. Please share as you go along!
 
hillrunner said:
I'm very interested in this. I've dreamt of buying my own mill for years but I'm always hesitant to pull the trigger. I'm very curious about your kiln set up as that is always my biggest hang up. Please share as you go along!
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You should definitely do this !! Neighbors will help in any way…
 
hillrunner said:
I'm very interested in this. I've dreamt of buying my own mill for years but I'm always hesitant to pull the trigger. I'm very curious about your kiln set up as that is always my biggest hang up. Please share as you go along!
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Will do. For now...I just have the empty 20' shipping container that will be the kiln. My "kiln" will be done though after I apply insulation to the inside of it, install some sort of a sliding track so I can load/unload it with a fork lift from the end and then some fairly simple fans and dehumidifiers. Voila. There are multiple plans for such a thing on line if you are interested.

Also, one could build a passive solar kiln too and you are pretty much looking at the cost of small shed. It just will take you a little longer and will likely be a little less productive, but if you are just drying your own lumber, it would be God's plenty I think.

One word of warning...I too had always wanted to do this and when I finally had enough saved back to take the plunge and buy a mill...I learned that they are in such demand that it was literally 10 months wait to get it. So...double check your lead times if you are on a schedule, etc. Other brands may or may not have the wait, I don't know.
 
Daver said:
My sawmill was ordered about 10 months ago and is "in" now, waiting for me to travel to southern Missouri to get it and receive training on it, etc. I hope to do that in the next couple/few weeks. Then, presto, I will be a logger. :) As I already have some logs here to start out on. I have an empty 20' shipping container that will be built into a simple, but effective kiln in the next few weeks too.

So I hope to be in operation in the next month or so. My plan is start slow, I am not aiming for a FT business at this point, (I already have one of those :)) But I should easily produce enough good quality wood to sell off a fair amount of it. If it turns into a "thing" then we will see where we go next.

I got a Woodmizer LT35, 25HP gas model. With a debarker and a trailer kit...so I can easily haul this baby behind my truck. My intentions, dependent upon where the log(s) is(are) is to sometimes take the mill to the log, mill it on site and then sticker/stack the boards there and haul them back to the kiln and in other cases, I will load the raw logs on a trailer and bring them back to my shop and mill them here. In both cases, they will be dried, and then stored, here on site in one of my buildings.

I have been reading up on this subject and preparing for this for years, so I do have some knowledge to go along with my inexperience :), but I am sure that I will learn much more as I begin to actually log and mill my own stuff. And that should start pretty soon! Woo hoo!

I am also a dedicated woodworker and intend to use the lumber personally and also to supply other friends and family.
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This sounds awesome! You need a dedicated thread with frequent updates and pictures... PLEASE!!!!!
 
Daver, it sounds like you have a good plan for a cool hobby. I saw some with a chainsaw mill, mostly live edge slabs for my own woodworking.

You probably allready know this but some of the ugliest trees have the coolest grain when you open them up.
 
crietveld said:
Daver, it sounds like you have a good plan for a cool hobby. I saw some with a chainsaw mill, mostly live edge slabs for my own woodworking.

You probably allready know this but some of the ugliest trees have the coolest grain when you open them up.
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Hickory is sure cool milled, as is Ash & Hackberry… I’d love to have a bunch of hickory for flooring or wall siding.
 
We had a bunch of cherry from a derecho in 2011 that we took to Norway if I remember right to have sawn and dried. It's been stacked ever since. This summer my parents are going to build a cabin close to their new pond and are going to turn the rough sawn cherry into either carsiding or shiplap for inside the cabin. I think it will look awesome and definitely unique.
 
So if you log an area of cedar, or cut a small side hill. Do you guys just spread native grass seed like switchgrass in that area...or is there a better process?
 
Hardwood11 said:
So if you log an area of cedar, or cut a small side hill. Do you guys just spread native grass seed like switchgrass in that area...or is there a better process?
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A burn is preferred, a couple years later after the cedars dry out. You will be surprised at what is already in the seed bank.
 
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