The study found, for example, that nearly half of the people buying a portable sawmill were replacing another mill because, “My previous sawmill had limited production capacity and I needed a more productive sawmill.” Another important finding of the study was that nearly 1 out of 3 mill owners might have intended to use their mill mostly for hobby use but, by the time they’d had the mill for awhile they ended up earning all or part of their income with the machine. It’s inevitable. Start milling a few sticks for your own use and pretty soon people will start showing up and asking, “Hey, can you do that for me?”Īnother element to consider is cost and production over the long term instead of the short. Research done at Auburn University a few years ago showed me some important things anyone looking to buy a sawmill should consider. I started with that old circle mill because it didn’t cost me anything beyond milling a few boards in trade but for most of us, cost is important once the decision to purchase is made. But don’t make the mistake of thinking cost is all-important. I’ve seen plenty of my fellow sawmill owners regret the emphasis they put on the initial cost of their mill without considering other things that are just as important over the long term.Īn important question to ask before signing on the dotted line is, “What do I intend to use this mill for and, beyond that, what am I likely to use this mill for?” Today, about five million or more board feet later, I’ve learned a little about what you should and should not consider when choosing a sawmill. It didn’t take long operating it to realize portable band sawmilling was clearly the superior option for me. Ask me. I almost made the common choice of going non-hydraulic when I bought my first Wood-Mizer.Īctually my first mill was an old “portable” circle sawmill a friend had stored “out behind the barn. We are here to add value to the company and revitalize the brand.It’s easier to decide you need a sawmill than it is to make good choices about the sawmill you eventually buy. We are committed to organizing Mobile Dimension to be a profitable business again so that it will be around for the long haul. We never ever saw this side of things until after the contract was signed, but right now the only way out is through. You’ve all worked with Ron and John and know what we are dealing with. Not at all what we expected, but we’re too deep into this to turn back… not that we could because all you mill owners are lovely people who understand what we are dealing with and are cheering us on so hard we could never let you down! We genuinely appreciate everyone’s support. July 2022, Keith and Joanna took over… It’s been an interesting process. Spring 2022, Ron decided that Keith and Joanna might really be the best option for the continuation of the business. Initial offers to become involved with the business were made a few months later, but it didn’t go anywhere and Keith and Joanna are not pushy people so they let it go. Keith and Joanna met Ron in early 2021 when Keith contacted Mobile Dimension about refurbing a mill be bought off eBay because Keith wanted to make siding for his wife. September 2020, Keith and Joanna sold their business and decided to remodel their house in a big way like perfectly sane, rational people… *sarcasm* Here is a brief history of recent events… Until then we don’t want to make promises we can’t keep. Once we have all our ducks in a row, then we will feel confident to start accepting pre-payments/down-payments on mills. Once the mill has been digitally assembled, then we will be able to get the parts quoted and come up with a production timeline. Ron, the original owner, was forced to stop production in 2017 and everything is still in storage – just waiting.Īll the parts have been modeled in 3D and now we have an engineer assembling them all together. We (Keith and Joanna) took ownership of Mobile Dimension Saw on July 1 and it’s been a bit of an uphill trek getting the basics organized. We will be starting refurbishing mills while we get organized to make new mills. We are turning a large corner and are moving into larger shop space mid February 2023. Nor do we know how much they will cost, BUT we hope to have that figured out sometime in the near future. We don’t know WHEN you will be able to buy a new mill.
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