Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Oct 3, 2007, at 10:22 AM, Don Bowen KI6DIU wrote:

> At 10/3/2007, you wrote:
> > Right. The chainsaw mills are modest in price and output. I will
> > almost certainly get one of those.
>
> It seems to me that the chainsaw mills are best at making beams  
> while a
> bandsaw mill is best at boards.  The chainsaw kerf is so much more  
> than
> even a circular saw.  This wide kerf not only requires more blade
> sharpening but it also takes more power.  The low price though more  
> than
> makes up the difference.  In a limited stand, only selecting for  
> posts and
> beams would make it even more economical.
>
> So, how much for long beams in the area?

Argh! Juice just went off and I lost what I was writing.

I have never checked for retail prices of big stuff. Always use what  
I can create here. Have bought quite a bit from local mill and then  
planed it. They now have planer and T&G equipment. At the mill as at  
the building supply places quality is a big issue. Lumber today is  
crap compared to twenty years ago.

I once cut about thirty logs and had the mill people come get them  
and cut them to my specs and bring it back. I was not satisfied with  
the results. That was the genesis of my thoughts to buy my own means  
of production.

Won't do anything on this, except research, until I get the metal  
barn built. That will give me lots of room for air drying.