How To Increase Portable Sawmill Production

Owning a portable sawmill business can sometimes be quite a battle.  That's especially true if you aren't quite sure how to maximize your portable sawmill production.  You might think that your sawmill is perfectly fine, built to last, heavy duty and basically perfect, but there are hidden dangers to look out for that could slow down your production.

For example, you need to be aware that there are three basic things that keep a portable sawmill running smoothly.  Those things are purchasing the right blades, maintaining the right blades and maintaining the alignment of your portable sawmill.  Without any of those three things, your production numbers will not be at its best.

You probably already know what purchasing the right blade is about.  It's about finding the best band saw blade to do the job.  One of the best around is the Cook's Super Sharp blade from Cook's Saw.  A heavy duty blade like the Super Sharp can saw through almost any piece of lumber with the greatest of ease.  That is, if it is installed correctly.

The problem is that many sawyers don't know how to properly maintain their blades or their portable sawmills.  If the blade isn't set properly or sharp enough, for example, production will slow down.  That's why it's important to do regular maintenance on your portable sawmill and sharpen, flatten or replace your blades as needed, as well as to align the sawmill correctly so that the blade doesn't slip out of the cut.

So, are you interested in seeing exactly how to best maintain your portable sawmill and increase production?  If so, click here.

A Classic Example Of How To Make A Living With A Portable Sawmill

Scott Irvin is a classic example of how to make a living with a portable sawmill, especially if it happens to be a Cook's Saw portable sawmill.  You see, Scott's father was in the sawmilling business for years, but Scott himself was actually in the papermill business.  That was until his father's business underwent a few changes.

Scott always saw the potential in sawmilling, but he wasn't so sure about how to best make a go of the sawmilling business, at least at first.  That's why his father passed the business on to Scott's brother.  However, when there was a fire at the mill, Scott bought his brother out.

Soon, Scott found himself juggling the saw mill and his job at the paper mill, which he had for 17 years and didn't want to give up so easily.  However, something had to give and Scott still saw more potential in the saw mill.  Soon, he found a way to make that business really work, with portable sawmills.

Scott looked everywhere for the perfect blend of heavy duty machinery, convenient features and great customer support.  He finally came across the right mix at Cook's Saw.  In fact, Scott was so impressed that he bought two portable sawmills from Cook's.

Soon Scott was cutting everything from rail ties to pallet stock and several things in between.  He always tries to adapt to the current market, which is ever-changing.  However, one thing that doesn't change is that people always need lumber.  So, if you want to go into the portable sawmill business like Scott did, click here to find out more.

How Early Mechanical Sawmills Evolved Into Portable Sawmills

Although portable sawmills are fairly new, there is plenty of evidence to support the fact that some form of "mechanical" sawmill has been around for centuries.  In fact, dating back to the 12th century A.D. there is evidence that water and wind-powered sawmills were used in certain areas.

Nevertheless, it wasn't until fairly recent history that wind and water-powered sawmills as we know them were used.  Not only that, but the mechanical era caused sawmills to become even more advanced.  By the early and mid 1900's flat belt sawmills that were powered by things like tractors became common.

The problem with flat belt sawmills is that they weren't entirely safe.  Often, the belts would snap, causing machinery to break and putting workers in danger.  That's why C-section V-belt drives and similar innovations came about.  As sawmilling became safer, it also became more efficient.

As the age of modern technology continued, it became clear that professional sawyers needed to find more ways to increase their efficiency.  After all, more efficiency would mean more profit.  That led to portable sawmills that used band saw blades and circular saw blades.  Then, later, Kerf blades were added to portable sawmills.

The portable sawmills of today are built for maximum efficiency.  Working part-time with one of them a good sawyer could make over $50,000 a year.  That's something that never would have been possible in the early days of mechanical sawmilling.  So, do you want to try the latest and greatest portable sawmill?  If so, click here to buy or rent one today.

Invest Well By Getting A Portable Sawmill

Every day people across the country invest in the stock market.  More people invest in real estate.  Even more people invest in "get rich quick" schemes.  Do you really want to make those kinds of investments and risk losing it all?  If not then you should invest well by purchasing a portable sawmill.

Granted, not everyone should go into the portable sawmill business.  However, if you like working outside and you have land with a lot of trees, the portable sawmill business is definitely a good one to get into.  It's certainly a business that is a lot more stable than the stock market, gold mining, real estate investment or any of those other get rich quick possibilities.

Why are portable sawmills such a good investment?  Well, for one thing, you can grow more trees.  So, it's not like gold, which people have to hunt for and, if they even find it, will soon run out.  It's also not like playing the stock market, where companies can go under in a matter of minutes.

How stable is it exactly?  Well, let's just say that you can make more than $300 by simply cutting one tree and selling the lumber by the board foot.  That means that 10 trees can yield over $3,000.  So, even on a small piece of property, you can easily make a profit.  Imagine what you could do with a large plot of land and just working with your portable sawmill part-time.

Would you like to know more about how to make the most out of your portable sawmill investment?  Click here for some more great tips.

From Circle Saws To Portable Sawmills

These days, portable sawmills are fairly common.  In fact, there are lumber companies everywhere who are using portable band saws and circle saws to increase their profits.  However, it wasn't all that long ago that people had never even heard of them.  They didn't exist at all.  So, what did people do?

The very first saws were hand-held saws.  They still exist today and, although there's nothing circular about them, they are known as "circle saws".  However, they are completely different from circular table saws and mechanical saws with circular blades.

The first hand-held saws haven't changed much over the years.  However, how they are used has definitely changed.  Professional sawyers have moved well beyond hand-held devices, especially in recent years.  Hand-held saws still have their place, but only for personal use to cut down a tree or two in the yard.

Modern professional sawyers use machinery to make the lumber cutting business much more efficient.  That's why portable sawmills have become so popular.  A newer portable sawmill can cut thousands of board feet in a day.  It's more precise than a hand-held saw and much easier to use.

So, if you're looking to get into the lumber business, you really should get yourself a portable sawmill.  It can help you to turn out the maximum amount of lumber.  In fact, working just part-time, you can make thousands of dollars a year as a sawyer.  Would you like to find out how?  If so, just click here to get started with a portable sawmill.

Some Beginners Tips About Portable Sawmills

If you've heard that portable sawmills can be quite profitable, you're not alone.  A lot of people are being drawn to portable sawmill use as a way to enjoy the outdoors and make a good living in the process.  However, becoming a sawyer is not something that you can just decide to do one day.  You need to know certain things about how the process works.

For example, you need help.  Many hands make light work, as the saying goes.  In this instance, many hands make more profits.  The trick is deciding exactly how many hands you need.  Most people find that it's good to have at least two sawyers working at once and maybe three.

It's also important to remember that portable sawmills need fuel and blades.  Those expenses shouldn't be too high, but it's important to factor them in.  Otherwise, you'll be thinking that your profits are higher than they actually are.

Another important thing is that you need to know what to charge for your services.  One way to figure that out is to look at what other sawyers in your area are charging.  If they seem to be doing well, you may want to charge a rate that is similar, or even slightly lower.  However, a good rule is never to charge less than $150 per 1,000 board feet.  It's likely that you can charge a bit more than that with no problem.

You will also need to decide exactly which type and model portable sawmill you want.  One good model is the Accu-Trac 3651D 51hp Diesel portable sawmill.  What is it capable of?  Check out www.cookssaw.com find out.

Invest In A Portable Sawmill And Forget Treasure Hunting

Are you sick of your current job or just trying to make a little extra money in your spare time?  If so, you're like a lot of people these days.  Everyone seems to be looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  In fact, it's almost like the days of the big California gold rush when people went treasure hunting to try to change their futures.  The only difference is that these days you can simply invest in a portable sawmill and forget treasure hunting.

You see, trees are like a goldmine, except that they are easier to see, they are available everywhere and you can even grow a new supply of them while you're cutting the old supply.  So, by simply planting trees on your property and getting yourself a band sawmill, you can make a lot of money.

In fact, it's possible to make over $50,000 in just 12 months with a band portable sawmill.  Not only that, but you may not even have to work at it full-time.  In fact, cutting one tree down can earn you as much as $300 or more.  So, it won't take long for the money to start coming in.

The great thing about a band sawmill is that it can pay for itself in 6 months or less and it can weather the storm for the long haul.  A bit of fuel and an occasional blade change can keep it running well for years.  So, would you like to see how you can start down the road to being a successful sawyer with a portable sawmill?  If so, just click here.

Portable Sawmills Are Worth Their Weight In Gold

If you're thinking of buying or renting a portable sawmill, you may be worried about the risk.  Well, you shouldn't be.  Portable sawmills are worth their weight in gold, especially in today's economy.  After all, everyone needs lumber.

In fact, many people are now gravitating toward buying small log homes.  So, you could grow trees on your property and easily use a portable sawmill to cut the lumber you would need to make such homes.  All it takes is a sawmill, such as the AC-36, a bit of time and possibly the occasional help of a structural engineer to make sure that the buildings are up to code.

Of course, that may seem a bit to difficult for you, as a beginning sawyer.  However, it is something to think about down the road.  For now, though, you still have plenty of things that you can do with your portable sawmill.  For example, you could simply cut lumber and sell it by the board foot.

Southern Yellow Pine tends to sell for 45 cents to 75 cents per board foot.  One tree can create hundreds of board feet.  In fact, a tree that is an average of 16 inches around and 32 ft long can create well over 400 board feet. 

Another option is that you can grow Hickory, Red Oak or other types of trees.  Many of them are sawn to make crossties, which can sell for about $20 to $25 each. 

There are many other options for a good sawyer with a good portable sawmill, too.  What else can you do with your portable sawmill?  Just click here to find out.

Why Portable Sawmills Have Replaced Whipsaws

If you want to be a professional sawyer, you need to know a bit about the history of sawing.  Portable sawmills are everywhere now, but it wasn't always that way.  For example, many people used to use whipsaws to saw lumber.

You have probably seen whipsaws before, but maybe you didn't know what they were.  The definition of a whipsaw is is a two-handled, two-man saw.  Years ago whipsawing was a common practice in most communities.  One man would stand above a log that was positioned over a pit.  Another man would stand in the pit and hold the other end of the saw.  The two men would work together to saw the log.

That was assuming that the tree was already cut down.  In order to cut the tree, each man would stand on one side.  They would then use alternating pushing and pulling motions to slowly saw through the tree.  At the time, it was a great way to get things done.  However, as with many old fashioned techniques, the whipsaw is certainly no longer in fashion.

These days you might find the occasional whipsaw in someone's barn, or even in a museum.  If you want to be a serious sawyer, though, a whipsaw won't do at all.  There's no way that you could cut enough lumber with a whipsaw to stay competitive in the lumber business.  That's why you need to keep up with not just the history of saws, but also the latest technology.

How To Turn A Portable Sawmill Into A Goldmine

Are you desperate to make money in today's economy?  Are you so desperate, in fact, that you might even consider a get rich quick scheme?  If so, you wouldn't be any different than the pioneers who once participated in the gold rush in California.  However, that's not necessarily a good thing.

What most people today don't understand about the California gold rush is that it was a disaster for most of those people.  They went west expecting to get rich and, instead, wasted months and years looking for gold with no luck at all.  Does that sound appealing to you?  Of course not!  That's why you should get a portable sawmill and invest your time in the lumber business, instead.

How would you like to work part-time outside in the fresh air and make over $50,000 a year?  Well, it can be done, especially with a band sawmill, such as the AC-36.  Cutting a single average Southern Yellow Pine tree with your band saw can yield anywhere from about $180 to $310.  That's assuming that you sell the lumber by the board foot.  You could also use the lumber to build log homes and sell the completed homes.  In fact, there are many different and lucrative ways to get into the lumber business.

So, don't put up with a boring job or a slow economy.  Instead, do what you can to turn things around.  Wouldn't you like to learn how to be your own boss and make some great money with a portable sawmill.  If so, click here for details.

Portable Sawmills Are Better Than Gold

You've probably heard of treasure hunters searching for gold.  In fact, many people went west for the California Gold Rush years ago.  There's something to be said for a good treasure hunt.  However, if you really want to make money, portable sawmills are better than gold.

Why?  It's simple.  Trees that you can see are much better than possible gold that you can't see and may not even have on your property.  In fact, with a good portable sawmill and a piece of property full of trees you can have a much more reliable "gold mine".

What would it be like to look at your property and see lumps of gold lying around right on the ground?  Well, now you can, except the "lumps of gold" are trees.  Of course, different trees and different lumber types have different values.  However, no matter what region you live in, you can easily get $.50 to $.75 per board foot for lumber.

An average Southern Yellow Pine that is 16 inches in diameter and 32 feet long can yield 416 board feet.  That's just one tree.  Multiply that by however many trees are on your property and all of a sudden it will be easy to see your "gold mine".

Also, remember that there are many things that you can do with lumber.  You could simply cut lumber and sell it.  However, you might also choose to use some of the lumber to make and sell log homes.  You could also opt to cut crossties out of certain types of trees.  Crossties are currently selling for over $20 each and a single tree can yield 3 or 4 of them.

So, do you want to learn more about portable sawmills and how to be a sawyer?  If so, click here to learn how to build a portable sawmill business.

How To Increase Your Portable Sawmill Efficiency

If you're a new sawyer, you'd probably like to know how to increase your efficiency with your portable sawmill.  After all, the point is to make a profit.  So, how can you increase your profits to the maximum level by increasing how much wood you cut?

First of all, as with anything new, it's going to take you time to learn.  Even if you are an experienced sawyer, but the portable sawmill itself is new, there will still be an adjustment period.  So, you need to remember that you should speed up with time and you shouldn't have high expectations early on or get frustrated when you are first adjusting to the process.

Second, consider how your sawmill area is laid out.  The great thing about a portable sawmill is that you can take it to the logs or bring the logs to it.  In either case, you shouldn't start cutting until your log pile is in close proximity.  When what you need is right there handy, you should be able to saw much more lumber in a given day.

Another thing to think about is how much help you need.  It's usually recommended that logs be sawn with at least two people present.  That can help to speed things along.  Depending on the size of your operation, you may even want a third person.  So, spending the extra money to hire some help may increase both your efficiency and your profits in the long run.

How much money can you expect to spend hiring help and how much will that increase your portable sawmill profit?  Visit www.cookssaw.com for some sawing statistics.

How Much Can You Profit From Your Portable Sawmill?

That's one of the biggest questions that new sawyers ask.  Exactly how much profit can be made.  Well, first it should be made clear that you will have certain expenses.  You'll have to replace your blades occasionally and you'll need fuel.  You may even want to hire an extra person or two to assist you.  However, even with those expenses, owning a portable sawmill can be a very profitable business venture.

You may have already heard a lot of grand stories about how much money you can make as a sawyer, but here are some simple facts using the the Accu-Trac 3651D 51hp Diesel portable sawmill as an example.

First of all, you can expect to only pay about $100 a day if you hire one helper at $12.50 per hour for 8 hours.  If you want to pay more than that then you'll have to factor that in.  Next, expect that you will be paying daily for gas and occasionally for new saw blades.  Prices will vary based on the region and the time.

As far as profits go, assume that you and your helper cut 2,500 board feet in an 8-hour day, which is not really a lot.  Also, assume that you can get $175.00 per thousand board feet for 1" boards or $150.00 per thousand board feet for 2" boards.  That means that, in a worst case scenario, you'd be making $375 a day and probably spending about $160 to $175 of that.  So, that's a pretty decent profit for one day.

If you'd like more information on how to make your portable sawmill experience more efficient, please visit us online at www.cookssaw.com.

What Expenses To Expect When You Use A Portable Sawmill

Using a portable sawmill can be a fun pastime.  It can also be a great way to earn a living.  However, there are certain expenses that you may not think about.

For example, your sawmill is going to need fuel.  As an example, if you're using the Accu-Trac 3651D 51hp Diesel portable sawmill, you'll need to use about 10 gallons of fuel for it per day.  That's assuming that you run it for 8 hours a day.  Fuel costs vary from place to place, but 10 gallons of fuel a day at $2.50 each would be $25 spent for just one day.

You also have to think about blade expense.  After all, your blade will wear out over time.  For every board foot that you cut, you should expect to pay about 1.5 cents.  So, if you were to cut 2,500 board feet you could expect to pay roughly $37.50 in blade expenses.

Another thing to consider is the fact that you may need or want to hire help.  Depending on how many people you hire and how many hours you have them work in a day, your expense will vary.  For example, if you paid someone $12.50 an hour for an 8-hour day, that would be a $100 expense.

Nevertheless, even with expenses, portable sawmills can be a great way to make an extra income or to earn your entire living.  Your expenses may add up, but so will your profits.  Exactly what kind of profit can you make from a portable sawmill?  Please be sure to visit us at www.cookssaw.com.

How Much Can You Cut With A Portable Sawmill?

If you're thinking of buying a portable sawmill, here's a quick portable sawmill story for you.

Let's say that an average sawyer says that he cut 2,500 board feet in an 8-hour day.  Would you believe him?  Well, what if he said 5,000 the next day?  What if he even said something like 7,500 and the number kept getting bigger and bigger each day?  Where would your cutoff point for believability be?

As a new sawyer, you may not know the answer to that yet.  In fact, there are many veteran sawyers who are still scratching their head trying to figure out the mystery of how much wood is really sawn in a certain time period.

There are a few reasons for that.  One reason is that there are a lot of different types of portable sawmills on the market.  Not only that, but they each have their own features and their own top speeds.  When you add to that the fact that different people set up their wood differently and move at a different pace, it's easy to see where some of the portable sawmill confusion comes from.

The other side of the equation is human error.  More to the point, it's human exaggeration.  Everyone wants to be the best at what they do.  So, they might have cut ten board feet, a hundred, a thousand or ten thousand.  However, you can bet that, whatever they cut, they're going to embellish a bit on the final number.

So, how much wood can you realistically cut in a day with a portable sawmill?  Visit www.cookssaw.com for more details!

Reflections on 2010

Reflections on the Year
by Stephen Cook

Well it happened again. Another year has passed and here we are looking at a fresh New Year. My, how time flies when you’re having fun.

New Years’ give us reason to pause and evaluate. It is the time of new beginnings and often New Years’ resolutions. It is a time for us in the South to know there is not a lot of winter left and we begin to start looking towards spring and the early tree blooms, and even more anticipation of being able to get outside and work and enjoy the great outdoors.

That is a good thing about saw-milling. We get to be outside in God’s creation enjoying the world and nature that he created. We may see deer or turkey on our way to work or late in the afternoon when we are finishing the day. Even though I don’t get to hunt much, I always get excited and want to show my family the deer whenever we see one.

At this time of year we can’t help but look back and think of how blessed we have been both at home and in our families. At home we have good families that are healthy and we are blessed enough that there are still enough freedoms in our country to be able to home school our children. We hope and pray that your families and businesses are doing well and that you can count your blessings and look forward to a new and exciting 2011.

And while there are always some hard things that happen as well, we have known for years that a few problems are just ways to make us become better and stronger. We find that when we can keep our heads and not become too upset that we usually solve the problem and have a better machine or better technique and as a consequence actually have a better life. Sometimes we get caught up in the problems of life, but we need to remember and focus on the good things and count our many blessing and keep moving forward. This mind set will help us get through the tough times whether business or personal and we can look back at the end of the year and often realize that we have become better and grown from the experience.

At Cook’s Saw, this is our philosophy - Never quit. Always be moving forward and do everything with integrity while striving for excellence. We believe that this is the reason we have been blessed with success. It is a formula that works and we believe that it is a “law” that God has put in place. We have to keep working at it and encouraging each other and even using kind criticisms to critique our plans and goals, but this helps us make the best decisions.

All these ideas are not what we as people typically want to do; it is not what the flesh wants. The flesh mostly wants to take it easy, rest, and relax. We have to fight against this and keep working and moving forward. It is one way we know we are alive. This “fight” is what keeps us young and active and most often will extend and fulfill our lives.

This is what I really want to write about today and hopefully encourage our fellow sawmillers and customers to not become overly weary with the cares of life. I have done that and still often do, but I am learning to take one day at a time and just keep moving forward and sometimes falling forward. Usually after a few weeks have passed I come to see that most of my problems often weren’t so big (although some are). And when I get a new one that I am dealing with it usually makes the last one seem like nothing.
Once we get past a problem or hurdle we can usually at least take a breath and relax a little. We definitely need to keep a balance and take a day off now and again to help keep a clear perspective and even come up with new and fresh ideas and be ready to saw again.

When it comes to sawmilling we really do enjoy helping our customers make more money. We try to remember that when you have problems and if we can help you solve them you will be happy and we will be rewarded with kind words and payment for our hard work and efforts so we can move forward and come up with more innovative ideas that will help you more. We certainly have made many friends over the years and are thankful for these relationships.

Our Super Sharp™ blades have made many new and excited customers. Just last week we had an older gentleman who finally tried the new Super Sharp™ blades tell us that we just wouldn’t believe how great the blade made his mill saw. He went on and even said that he couldn’t even bear the thought of opening the box of normal blades he also had because he didn’t want to use them anymore. And this is from a man who was adamant that he “Would not use the Super Sharps.”  So yes we actually do believe and know how well you can saw and we want to help you have this same exciting and exhilarating experience. New experiences like this are what make us feel young and keep a desire in us for sawing. Let us help you make more money and have fun in the process.

One thing that we sometimes find in ourselves and in our customers is that we just don’t want to do a lot of the little and sometimes big things that will cause us to make more money. We are working on our attitudes so that we will “just do it”, “get it done” and move past the issue and back to work. We want to get on to bigger and better things. This reminds me of when I was a child and needed to take out the garbage. Sometimes I would procrastinate and even complain until Mother would say “You have spent more time whining and complaining than it would have taken to get the job done.” I bet most of us have heard this or something similar in our lifetime. And it is so true.

Which is better - get down and depressed over the fact that we have to adjust our mills, fix something (that shouldn't have broken), or just fix it and get back to making money and providing for ourselves and our families. Undoubtedly there is some type of satisfaction in the complaining and becoming irritable and blaming someone else, but it is not what helps us make money. Just fixing the problem and moving on is by far the easiest and expends much less time and emotional energy as well as helps us to do what we are out there to do and that is make money.

With that said it is always best to evaluate a machine, blade (or anything else for that matter) and get the best value for your money. Once that is done then move forward from there and make the best decision again and again. If you have an old machine or even a newer machine that just won’t produce enough, do the math, put it on paper and see if a little faster, more productive machine will make you more money. If it can, then make the change. It could be one of the best business decisions you have ever made.

Try something new once in a while even though many times you will find what you did bring you very little if anything. You’re bound to try something that is beneficial. Just don’t get caught up in too many ads that guarantee us to feel better, lose weight, and solve every problem.  Learn to sort through them but try some once in a while. Just don’t “break the bank” or your wallet.

There are a lot of things that could improve life and work that we don’t try because we doubt it or just don’t like change.  If there is a guarantee with it that will keep you from losing too much or maybe nothing more than a little time, then we should try a few things to help improve our situation.

Super Sharp™ is one such thing. We have proven it over and over. Do some people have problems with it? Yes. We often can help them adjust their machines so they run better in the process and they love them. Occasionally, we can’t solve their problem and sometimes we don’t know why that is. We are sure that if we were there and could work on their machine we could solve their problems. I often think it revolves around attitude; maybe to prove someone wrong or just to feel smarter. Then there are the times when someone just has a poorly built machine with no adjustment. Whatever it is we know that it is not what will make our customer more money and that is the sad part. Pride is a problem that is universal (we struggle with it too) and it keeps many people from making a better living. We all have it, but realizing it and trying not to let it keep us from making good decisions is very important. The good book says that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Our goal at Cook’s Saw is to help you make more money so you and your families can have better lives. This New Years has made me think of this and re-commit to it again. We have the sawmill machinery and support, with knowledge based on years of experience out sawing in the field, just like you.  And always remember the support after the sale. We have been serving the sawmill industry for 40 years; since Tim and I were boys. We grew up in it, we know the struggles and can understand the pain.

If you are reasonable and want to improve your saw milling performance we have the people here to help you do that and we enjoy doing that. We have a great group of people that work with us and although it is impossible for Tim and me to talk to every customer we will be there doing our best, making sure that you receive the best service, advice and machinery so that your needs are met and exceeded wherever possible.

We did have a good 2010 and look forward to building more machinery and providing the best blades for you in 2011.

Now let’s get our Super Sharp™ blades and go make some sawdust out of those frozen logs. Spring will be here soon.

Visit our Web Site.