About Portable Saw Mill
As the name suggests, one of the best things about a portable sawmill is that you can use it anywhere, or almost anywhere. Exactly how portable your sawmill is will depend on which model you purchase. The smaller models can be taken right into the woods, if you want.
In fact, some of the smallest portable saw mills can be disassembled, loaded onto a pickup truck and then reassembled at the destination point. So, if you want that sort of convenience and portability, you may want to look for a model with those features.
Larger portable sawmills are going to require appropriate towing gear. In fact, many sawyers opt to buy a large portable saw mill, but use it as if it were a stationary sawmill. So, if you plan to do all of your lumber cutting at your home base, you may want to buy a larger mill.
Start Out Using It For Small Projects:
If you aren't a sawyer, but you want to cut your own lumber for small projects, a portable sawmill is a great option. After all, you can't always find the exact lumber that you want for the prices that you can afford. It's much better to use your own trees on your own property.
Having your own portable sawmill can allow you to build your own home, shed, tables, chairs or anything else that you want. Although you will have to pay to buy the portable bandsaw mill, think of all of the money that you will be saving. Clearly, the portable will quickly pay for itself.
Help Your Friends:
If you have the time, you can even expand your services and help your friends and family members. You could help them for free, if you want to. On the other hand, you could charge them a fraction of what a large lumber supply store or a big timber cutting company would charge. That would make them happy, while still putting some money in your pocket.
Rent Your Mill To Others:
If all of your projects are complete, you could even rent your portable sawmill out to friends, family members or neighbors. That would give you income without you even having to do any work. Just make sure that you get your sawmill back in the same condition that it started out in.
Create A Business:
When you are ready to turn your portable sawmill hobby into a business, you may need a larger portable sawmill. However, it depends on what sort of lumber you intend to cut and how often. A small bandsaw mill might be fine for a part-time business. If you plan to operate 5 or more days a week, however, you may need a bigger portable sawmill to do that job.
There are also other elements involved in getting into the lumber cutting business. For example, you may need to hire some help. Many larger portable sawmills require at least two men to operate them. If you happen to know several people who want to be sawyers, you may be able to buy multiple portable saw mills to expand your business.
Manual And Hydraulic Mills:
When you are picking out your portable saw mill, be sure to look at both manual and hydraulic models. Manual models are great if you are just starting out and wanting to do a few lumber cutting jobs here and there. They are small, easy to transport and fairly reliable. They are also more likely to fit into your starting budget.
If you want to cut larger logs or more logs in a shorter amount of time, you are going to want a hydraulic portable sawmill. A hydraulic log lifter will save you a lot of time. Hydraulic mills also feature a lot of easy to use controls. Simply push a few buttons and you'll be sure to get the perfect piece of lumber every time.
Extra Features:
Some portable sawmills also come with a lot of extra features. For example, you may want a de-barker or a simplistic control system. Alternatively, you may be more interested in a portable sawmill that comes with a laser leveling system. It all depends on what you plan to cut and what your own preferences are.
Consider Your Budget:
One of the biggest problems with buying a portable sawmill is that it is a major investment. However, you have to consider your long-term goals. As you can clearly see, there are a lot of ways to make a profit with your portable sawmill. So, it can definitely be work the initial investment, as long as you are willing to put in the time.
When you are dealing with a smaller budget, you may need to start with a small, manual bandsaw mill. Just remember that you will need to buy a larger sawmill, if you want to expand your business later. So, it may be a better idea to get the larger portable sawmill to begin with.
If your budget is really tight, you can rent a bandsaw mill, rather than buying one. Many places rent them out. If you use the portable sawmill efficiently, you can save up enough money to buy your own in no time at all.
The log cutting industry has been around for many years. There's a reason that it has lasted this long. It utilizes renewable resources and there are not a lot of up front costs involved, other than the sawmill itself. That's why it is sawmill a relatively easy business to both get into and maintain over time.