When I set out to get into timber framing and all things related to it I started out with the thought that I would mill my own timbers with my trusty old chainsaw mill. I had big plans, after all I had milled a ton of boards with my trusty old chainsaw mill. Milling boards for woodworking and milling timbers for timber work are not even close to the same thing.

After milling a couple of timbers I decided that this was just not going to do. So after about five minutes of contemplating I decided that I would figure out a way to get a bandsaw mill. I didn’t care if I had to build it or if I had to somehow scrounge up the money to get a used one. I started pricing out materials… The list started growing and all of a sudden a homemade bandsaw mill would not be much cheaper than buying a used mill, or even a new one.

I started pricing out mills and the sticker shock was a little much but I saw this as a tool that I had to have to do the project I wanted to do. I priced out Norwood mills, Woodmizer, Woodland Mills, you name it. Enter Hudson Sawmills. I had finally found a sawmill in my price range, width of cut I needed for cutting large timbers and length of track needed for cutting long timbers.

I was in business, sort of. I had to convince my wife that I had to have this thing, I couldn’t live without it. After minimal coaxing and a good sales pitch I had the blessing of the boss lady. A few days later I was on the road to Barnevelde, N.Y. with a trailer hooked to the truck and I was sawmill bound. After a quick sale and a ling ride home I finally had a sawmill, something I had been daydreaming about for years.

Setup was easy, the learning curve was even easier. I was amazed at how easy it was to set a log up for cuts and how square I could get my timbers. I was also amazed at how fast it was to cut timbers compared to the chainsaw mill. I could mill four or five logs on the bandmill to one on the chainsaw mill.

To make a long story short I was able to build a huge building for a fraction of the price of buying the timbers already sawn. I was able to have total quality control over my timbers and lumber. That is huge for having a large scale project go well. If somebody was to ask me if they should spring for a sawmill I wouldn’t hesitate to saw go for it.

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