Mobile Sawmill

popa smurf

Hi Guys

Just looking for some feedback here on a little business i was hoping to set up , a mobile sawmill , My background is in landscape gardening but this type of work has been hit hard , I need to diversify or its a plane out of here as well ,would farmers use this service or has anyone used it. Thanks lads in advance

iverjohnston

HI Poppa Smurf,
was kicking around the same idea myself. A few problems with my situation, 1) here in Cavan not much old growth timber, stuff thats maturing is company owned. 2)Privately owned mature timber, mainly hardwood, is often dozed up the middle, and should have been cut 40 years ago.3) A farmer bringing a tree to get cut, won't guarantee that there isn't a lump of barbed wire and a collection of staples deep inside it! There is a second hand wood mizer on done deal at the moment, which might be worth looking at ,and to get chatting to the owner. Where abouts are you located? Much timber about? Iver in Cavan

1chippy

There isnt that many around doing this, but the couple i know off seem to be kept tipping away. It isnt just as simple as throwing up a tree and slicing it up. Maybe it is if you are doing mainly fencing posts and the likes, but most lads that want trees converted will want them to use for furniture and joinery bar you go splitting softwoods which if native are more use keeping you warm than for anything else.
Doubt you will make a mint but an alright earner and regular enough work if you can build up a rep.

popa smurf

Thanks lads for reply plenty things to think about there , had a look at that machine on done deal Iver looks very long and looks like has a lot of work done,have seen much tidier new machines for around the 10 - 12k in UK .as for is there much timber about, I am in the midlands and their is no shortage of trees, but will farmers want them cut in to planks, did you buy any timber lately ,bought a 7/3 16 foot the other day 20 euro, Jesus timber is gone very expensive,

reilig

Most of the mobile sawmill owners in the country make their money on sawing hurley boards. There is regular work in it for them. When we sawed hurley butts from the land, we contacted a hurley maker who would buy from us. however, he would only buy if we used either of the 3 sawers that he recommended. The guy that came to us travelled 70 miles. He was extremely professional with measurements etc.

If you could get in with a hurley maker the you would be away with it. Or even a furniture maker might have demand for hardwood?

Not many farmers out there require such an amount of timber that would require them to hire in a sawmill for a day. If you were building a house, would you use Irish timber? I built mine 4 years ago and the roofer wanted imported timber as he felt that Irish timber was not good enough of quality.

Sawing softwood commercially (ie. for sale) is not competative as an industrial sawmill can saw wood for 1/4 of the price because of size, automation and economy of scale.

iverjohnston

Lots of Ash around here, alright, but would Cavan men have much need of Hurleys?!!! The women however, are much more successfull:D

sbkenn

I am interested in getting some VERY (30m) long softwood timbers sawn.
Does anyone know of anyone equipped to do that ?

monkeynuz

Don't think there are that many 100+ foot trees around here are there?

monkeynuz

I know of two sawmills near me (Cork/Kerry borders) one in Kerry 5 miles away and one in west cork 12 miles away, one is a woodmiser, and as far as I know a lot of local people get timber to them for all sorts of reasons.

The guy with the big static mill has a lot of his own trees that he turns into planks/post etc. for people as well.

sbkenn

Not many, but I think I know of a few, already felled and seasoned in the forest. The difficulty is extracting, sawing and transporting. Transporting will be slightly easier as planks rather that 4 - 8 tonne trunks.
Could you get me contact details for the guy with the woodmiser pls.

Selfbuilderx

monkeynuz wrote: »

I know of two sawmills near me (Cork/Kerry borders) one in Kerry 5 miles away and one in west cork 12 miles away, one is a woodmiser, and as far as I know a lot of local people get timber to them for all sorts of reasons.

The guy with the big static mill has a lot of his own trees that he turns into planks/post etc. for people as well.

hi monkeynuz.
could you tell me where the sawmill is in kerry and is it the woodmiser or static mill. A name and number would be great.

Thanks a mill

sbkenn

I intend to build a transportable (as opposed to mobile) sawmill to cut and rout very long planks and profiles. To this end, if anyone comes across any "crown" wheels ... the slightly rounded pulleys for belts/bands, I would appreciate a note. They would need to be 40 - 60cm diameter, and about 10cm wide.

Thanks
Shane