# Used sawmill or Alaskan mill



## Jason Martin

Where would I find a small used bandsaw, or an Alaskan Mill? Also looking for prices.. Not sure what I can afford right now, but would like to start checking around. I have some fairly small Apple and Pear and Honey Locust I would like to mill..


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## rocky1

Northern Tool carries the Alaskan Mills for price comparison Jason.


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## rocky1

Thought I had a link on Bandsaw Mills, but not finding it. If you find something you're interested in for a mill, most manufacturers have used mill link on their website. Craigslist has them listed occasionally too.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## woodtickgreg

I think there is a bandsaw trader site, just Google it.
And also know that if your looking at Alaskan mills you will need a big chainsaw powerhead and that's where most of the expense will be. The Alaskan mills themselves are relatively cheap in comparison to the powerhead to run it.
Ever thought about just hiring a Sawyer for a day? Could be way way less expensive for a few logs.


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## justallan

I'd say it really depends on how much you will actually be sawing with it, if you want lumber or small blanks, exactly how small the trees are that you plan to saw and the big one.....cash on hand.
Things to think on a bit;
A big Alaskan mill needs a BIG powerhead and you have a chunk of money tied up on a single purpose saw.
A smaller Alaskan mill would be cheaper and although time consuming, you can use the same saw to fell your trees and then use it for the mill.
For a band mill you might try craigslist or forestry forum. I'd place an ad looking for an entry level mill, you may get lucky.
Another angle if the trees are small enough would be a large woodshop band saw like a Grizzly 14 inch and a mid-sized chainsaw. You could be in business for $1,600-$1,700.
Like Greg says, if it's only going to be a few logs you may be better to just hire it out.


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## sprucegum

Almost all of the bandmill manufactures have a entry level mill for somewhere between $2000-3000. I would stay with brands that have been around for a while just for parts availability and support. They all will do a decent job milling if set up properly. I know very little about CS mills but they look like a lot of hard work to me. I am sure that their are plenty of used mills some of them hardly used kicking around if you are in no hurry.


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## sprucegum

woodtickgreg said:


> I think there is a bandsaw trader site, just Google it.
> And also know that if your looking at Alaskan mills you will need a big chainsaw powerhead and that's where most of the expense will be. The Alaskan mills themselves are relatively cheap in comparison to the powerless to run it.
> Ever thought about just hiring a Sawyer for a day? Could be way way less expensive for a few logs.



Definitely agree with the hiring out method and I would be doing that myself if I could find a good operator local. There are a couple around that do good work but getting them is about impossible. Another big plus for owning a mill is that I don't need a large quantity of logs at one time, I often set up for one blowdown tree.


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## woodtickgreg

sprucegum said:


> I know very little about CS mills but they look like a lot of hard work to me.


They are a lot of hard work, very physically demanding and not for everyone. The larger the log the harder the work. But for me I enjoy it, it is very rewarding for me and just a part of the whole wood working process. Would I like a large bandmill? You bet I would, it has always been a dream of mine. But storage is an issue for a large bandmill. My large chain saw mill I can just hang in the garage out of the way and out of the weather. And I can carry it to the log and not have to bring the heavy log to the mill, I remove the log one board at a time. But it is hard work and takes a certain degree of physical fitness, and when milling large logs I take lots of breaks.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Sidecar

@woodtickgreg summed it up for sure, what ya need to is a good work horse like @CWS

Reactions: Funny 2


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## CWS

I think my horse has left the barn. I have a friend with a bandsaw mill ,but he is slow.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Sidecar

CWS said:


> I think my horse has left the barn. I have a friend with a bandsaw mill ,but he is slow.


Why go fast if your have'n a ball ! 
Well its cause I limp a little to .....

Reactions: Useful 2


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## Schroedc

craigslist, be prepared to travel a bit to get one, I lucked into a Hud-Son Oscar 18 that was only 90 miles form me already built on a trailer but those aren't too common like that, plan to spend 3K on up for any decent band saw mill. Woodmzier does have a used mill page on their site IIRC....

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sidecar

Schroedc said:


> craigslist, be prepared to travel a bit to get one, I lucked into a Hud-Son Oscar 18 that was only 90 miles form me already built on a trailer but those aren't too common like that, plan to spend 3K on up for any decent band saw mill. Woodmzier does have a used mill page on their site IIRC....


I ended up with a Norwood , but had looked at a couple Hud-son , I think they are a very good saw ! I just didn't have the Washingtons to land one .

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg

A lot of people bash the Norwood, but every single piece on it can be replaced if it wears out or gets damaged, I think that is pretty cool. If a guy takes care of a Norwood it will serve him well, the price can make it very appealing as well. It is one of several mills that I like.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sidecar

woodtickgreg said:


> A lot of people bash the Norwood, but every single piece on it can be replaced if it wears out or gets damaged, I think that is pretty cool. If a guy takes care of a Norwood it will serve him well, the price can make it very appealing as well. It is one of several mills that I like.





woodtickgreg said:


> A lot of people bash the Norwood, but every single piece on it can be replaced if it wears out or gets damaged, I think that is pretty cool. If a guy takes care of a Norwood it will serve him well, the price can make it very appealing as well. It is one of several mills that I like.


The folks at Norwood are very helpful as well , 
I got this one right ! Like the mill , not many bells and whistles but the original owner did op for the larger Honda 23 hp engine , it's a simple mill but so is the current owner

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg

Sidecar said:


> The folks at Norwood are very helpful as well ,
> I got this one right ! Like the mill , not many bells and whistles but the original owner did op for the larger Honda 23 hp engine , it's a simple mill but so is the current owner


For someone like me, a hobbyist, The Norwood would be a great mill. I like simple, and mechanical. Machines without a lot of bells and whistles appeal to me. All the electronic do dads are a little above me sometimes. Probably why I am drawn to old american iron machines of the past. Having the big Honda is definitely a bonus, When I buy power equipment if it is available with a Honda I get it, the extra money spent on a Honda small engine is well worth it.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Sidecar

woodtickgreg said:


> For someone like me, a hobbyist, The Norwood would be a great mill. I like simple, and mechanical. Machines without a lot of bells and whistles appeal to me. All the electronic do dads are a little above me sometimes. Probably why I am drawn to old american iron machines of the past. Having the big Honda is definitely a bonus, When I buy power equipment if it is available with a Honda I get it, the extra money spent on a Honda small engine is well worth it.




 Just about got the ol girl set up in her new place , sure wanna make saw dust soon

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## CWS

Sidecar said:


> View attachment 129686 Just about got the ol girl set up in her new place , sure wanna make saw dust soon


I got a log or 2

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Sidecar

CWS said:


> I got a log or 2


Hot dog ! 
Get that ol @CWS and a couple logs it'll be day filled with laughs and lumber !

Reactions: Like 1


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## Schroedc

My Hud-Son is pretty basic. The only thing I don't like about how the previous owner set it up is the axle isn't removable so it's a bear to load heavier logs on it, A winch and ramps do help there. I plan to build an axle with a cradle so I can set it up closer to the ground and roll the axle out from under it when milling, a 6 inch lift to the deck is a lot easier than 30 inches

Reactions: Like 3


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## Graybeard

Hey Colin, going to have a milling day this fall?


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## Schroedc

Graybeard said:


> Hey Colin, going to have a milling day this fall?



Hoping to but I just blew my back out. Thinking about having my daughter drive me to urgent care in the morning. It'll be fun, she just has her permit.

Reactions: Sincere 2


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## Sidecar

Schroedc said:


> Hoping to but I just blew my back out. Thinking about having my daughter drive me to urgent care in the morning. It'll be fun, she just has her permit.


Sure hope ya get to feel'n better soon !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg

Oh man that's not good. You ain't gonna be doing anything for awhile. Rest it up and heal up my friend. I hope it's nothing more serious than a strain.

Reactions: Creative 1


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## Schroedc

woodtickgreg said:


> Oh man that's not good. You ain't gonna be doing anything for awhile. Rest it up and heal up my friend. I hope it's nothing more serious than a strain.



With the tingling in my legs, shooting pain in my hips, and such, I probably blew the disc, waiting to hear from my wife on which doctors I can go to with our insurance. The thing that pisses me off is that the solution to the problem will probably only be done at one place but my insurance may require a referral from another clinic...

Reactions: Sincere 3


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## woodtickgreg

I know you have been down this road before as I have, don't be so quick to make snap decisions though. Symptoms you describe could also be a vertebrae out of alignment which can cause a disc to squish out and pinch a nerve. I hope for your sake that's all it is, a good chiropractor (not a quack) or osteopathic doctor can manipulate the spine to get it back into place without surgery. Surgery is always a last resort. I had back trouble all of my adult life, from the time I was in my early 20's on I had low back trouble. A good chiropractor kept me out of the o.r. for many years. It did finally get to bad and shut my leg off to the point the muscles would not respond or work at all. They finally had to perform surgery to shave the disc off the nerve, not remove it or do a fusion (no one is ever right after a fusion), and it was a miraculous recovery. when I woke up I could feel my leg, years of back pain went away after my recovery. I avoided surgery as a last resort until the day came that I couldn't walk. Tingling in your legs and pain in your hip or but cheek is a pinched sciatica nerve, it is what ailed me for years, it can be treated without surgery. Colin I know it sucks right now, been there done that, Ice pack on and off for the swelling, 800mg ibuprofen for the pain and it acts as a anti inflammatory for the swelling. Docs told me no more than 800mg as it can be hard on your liver. Find a comfortable position and stay put while it heals up. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung

Schroedc said:


> With the tingling in my legs, shooting pain in my hips, and such, I probably blew the disc, waiting to hear from my wife on which doctors I can go to with our insurance. The thing that pisses me off is that the solution to the problem will probably only be done at one place but my insurance may require a referral from another clinic...



That sounds pretty much like the episode I had last May on my left side - tingling all down the leg and into the foot, shooting pain in my hip, I couldn't lay down, sit down, or stand still. I got sent home with a prescription for muscle relaxers and Meloxicam, and had a few visits with physical therapy where I learned a number of stretches and exercises to do. It helped a lot and still does. I still do the stretches/exercises and find that when I slack on them and don't do them for a while, I start having some issues flare up. Hang in there. Glad you're seeing someone today. And I really hope you don't end up having to have surgery.


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## Schroedc

woodtickgreg said:


> I know you have been down this road before as I have, don't be so quick to make snap decisions though. Symptoms you describe could also be a vertebrae out of alignment which can cause a disc to squish out and pinch a nerve. I hope for your sake that's all it is, a good chiropractor (not a quack) or osteopathic doctor can manipulate the spine to get it back into place without surgery. Surgery is always a last resort. I had back trouble all of my adult life, from the time I was in my early 20's on I had low back trouble. A good chiropractor kept me out of the o.r. for many years. It did finally get to bad and shut my leg off to the point the muscles would not respond or work at all. They finally had to perform surgery to shave the disc off the nerve, not remove it or do a fusion (no one is ever right after a fusion), and it was a miraculous recovery. when I woke up I could feel my leg, years of back pain went away after my recovery. I avoided surgery as a last resort until the day came that I couldn't walk. Tingling in your legs and pain in your hip or but cheek is a pinched sciatica nerve, it is what ailed me for years, it can be treated without surgery. Colin I know it sucks right now, been there done that, Ice pack on and off for the swelling, 800mg ibuprofen for the pain and it acts as a anti inflammatory for the swelling. Docs told me no more than 800mg as it can be hard on your liver. Find a comfortable position and stay put while it heals up. Wishing you a speedy recovery.



Yeah, this has been an issue for a while, we have a good chiropractor in town and even he agreed that surgery eventually was probably what's going to happen. The MRI clearly shows the disc issue plus arthritis so.... We've gone the cortisone shot route in the past, maybe it'll be an option again but not sure yet, probably 30 minutes until I see someone as they are a bit busy with stupid people this morning.

Reactions: Sincere 3


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## Graybeard

Good luck Colin. Both with your back and the insurance desk jockeys.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## David Van Asperen

Colin, 
Hope all goes well and you mend quickly and completely.


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## sprucegum

Schroedc said:


> My Hud-Son is pretty basic. The only thing I don't like about how the previous owner set it up is the axle isn't removable so it's a bear to load heavier logs on it, A winch and ramps do help there. I plan to build an axle with a cradle so I can set it up closer to the ground and roll the axle out from under it when milling, a 6 inch lift to the deck is a lot easier than 30 inches
> 
> View attachment 129710


I used a second hand car dolly for an axel under mine. I rigged it to be easily removed but I rarely do because the wheels are so small anyway.

Reactions: Like 1


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## brianpoundingnails

I started with an Alaska type mill I built myself. They are right, it's a lot of hard work, but versus the cost of a bandsaw mill it was right for me. I didn't want to be in the wood selling business, I just wanted to cut my own lumber. I started making log furniture out of the scraps and decided to build a machine to mount the saw on that functions like a bandsaw. While designing the action and rail system I realized I could combine operations by adding different tools to the head. The machine functions as a sawmill, a large capacity lathe(10" dia x 108" length), a large capacity mortise machine(24"x96" bed, 14" vertical stroke), and a large capacity drill press(24" x 96" bed, 14" vertical stroke). I'm very pleased with the results and only have about $1400 in building it. For small scale sawing it's much more cost effective than a bandsaw, and much more versatile. I offer a lease on my blueprints and plans for prospective builders. The machine is designed using "off the shelf" parts, and readily available material. Go to dropbox link for more pics and info.

machine: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nr4yw91iv2hgdl0/AACv5-Unq_KSGyYK-2YHwWIBa?dl=0

furniture: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pq9hfk8rqr7l416/AADQZxeku_HGeIBLpz4MeasIa?dl=0

Reactions: Way Cool 6


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