Sawmill thoughts

What would be the minimal tractor or engine size to power a small sawmill? Nothing extreme, but I'd like to make use of fallen trees from storm damage.

I saw a super c + sawmill on craigslist awhile back and got me thinking.

Thanks for any info,
Eric

That depends on many many factors. What type blade it is band or circular and also how big the blade/cut is and what other things it powers. I have seen band saw mill run with 16hp engine but the man pushed the blade carriage

Likely will be a band saw type, and nothing over 24" diameter. Figured bands be easier to replace than blade teeth. Would be nice to have the carriage automatic.

Big problem with most band saw mill is they have the carriage moving which also has the engine on it instead of the log moving

I can find 30" saw blades occasionally, but haven't seen a larger one. Just searched for local-ish sawmills for sal and this ad came up. Missing the blade and seems pricey for missing the blade!

http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/grd/4269248597.html

In that condition it is all but scrap iron. It would take that plus some just to put it back in operation. By the time a guy got that working unless you have another one for parts your likely to be into it for $4000 plus

In 1954 dad and I cut enough oak logs on our farm to build a 48' X 60' barn. All of the logs were freshly cut green oak and were sawed into 2X4's or 2x6's along with some wider 2" lumber for the rafter header plates. The basic structure was then covered with the old "Strongbarn" corrugated metal of the time. Everything was cut into 12' lengths with excess. It was sawed on an old late 1800's or early 1900's mill with a 48" circular saw blade (I believe that's the size but its been a few years now) and was powered by an International 15-30 tractor which was still on steel. The carriage moved back and forth and I believe the saw and 15-30 were last used about 20 years ago. This is the same saw mill that cut almost all of the lumber for the barns that were constructed in this area shortly after my family homesteaded this area of Missouri in the early 1880's. I don't know what powered the mill before the 15-30 tractor was used being way before my time. These old barns which were constructed from lumber sawed by that saw still dot the area and are appropriately call Haas barns by the locals. That's all I know about saw mills and as a 12 year old I thought that was a real thrill making lumber, Hal.

lucid, That is a cheep price if the Amish find it Gone it will be! oldiron29

Google "Nextech classified". In the upper left hand corner is a link to the "home" page. It will show you a menu of the different sites of stuff for sale. About half way down is farm equipment. Click on it and go down thru the ads. They get ads added often, so it may be on page 2 or 3 by now. There is a 1953 WD Allis for sale with a front mounted buzz saw ready to go to work. The blade is painted blood red, so I don't know if that is a bad sign or not. I know I would not run that thing! JMHO.

The bandsaw that I had was powered with a 20 hp
engine and that went bad after 5000 hrs so I
upgraded to a 26 hp liquid cooled. I could saw up
to 30 inch logs up to 20 in length. Made a lot of
lumber over the years

use to be a website called the sawmill exchange, about everything pertaining to sawmills was advertised on there don't know if is still active or not,don't believe a c has quiet enough hp to power a circle saw blade mill unless you get a costume blade made for that hp,it will do ok on a small band mill

The SC will run a sawmill with a 4ft or so blade if you are going to saw realy big stuff you would want more HP Just what dia logs would you be sawing

My brother inherited a Wood Mizer band saw mill, & it has a 12 HP. Kohler engine for power. It will cut 32 inch logs 16 feet long. The length limitation is somewhat limiting if you would want 20 foot lumber. Nice outfit---pull it to where the logs are.

If you are to be cutting grade lumber, look at getting a small band mill such as a Woodmizer. It will produce 30% more lumber from the same log with a smoother cut. If you are cutting for 2 inch fence material a circle saw will butcher it up faster.

Thanks for all the good info everyone. Just requested a woodmizer catalog. Sawmill exchange website was also a good bookmark! I'm just looking to saw up some lumber occasionally for woodworking and future buildings. Would be nice to use a tractor to do it, but whatever comes my way will work.

Got pics of your mill? Post them!