Alaskan Milling Fee

[Timberwerks]

What are you guys charging by the hour? Five years ago when I was milling I was at $55.00 an hour, this included me, and another guy, fuel, oil and a 56" mill. Getting back into it the set up be pretty much the same. I have seen rates of $75.00 in my area, Milwaukee, WI. To me that seems high. Am I out of touch or is $75.00 a fair rate now days?

Thanks

 

[Timberwerks]

The more research I do it looks like I'm out of touch. A 56" mill with 2 guys $125.00 per hour looks to be average.

 

[Wolverine]

Sorry, I have no idea. I've only milled for myself. I did start to mill a log for someone I didn't know and after hitting metal twice after being told there wasn't any in the tree (he planted it and lived there the entire life of the tree), I got pretty shy on offering my services.

 

[Bostonstrongboy1965]

Funny you posted this....I have just seen some ads recently on CL and FB for both chainsaw milling and bandsaw milling prices. Seems like $70-90/hour is the going rate in my area (Mid Atlantic).

 

[blades]

band mills around the Milwaukee/ southeastern Wi area have proliferated like unchecked rabbits. 20 years ago there were only about 3.

 

[Timberwerks]

band mills around the Milwaukee/ southeastern Wi area have proliferated like unchecked rabbits. 20 years ago there were only about 3.

That's for sure! Larger Alaskan mills however are still few. I think it's because of the amount of work involved and slower cut rate. My target group is those with 36" plus diameter logs with wide crotches that want slabs vs dimensional lumber. There was a fair amount of work for this this 5 years, hopefully it's still out there. If not, I'm fine with just milling the above for myself and selling the slabs.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Guys around here think that one slab an hour is going like mad men. Most are slow and painful in reality. No one will produce a video but one and it was painful to watch that saw be abused with a dull chain.
I asked many guys with an hourly rate to let me watch them work for one hour before I commit to hiring them. Zero takers so far. Even the bandsaw guys talk too much *s-word! That don't say much for their work epic. Started asking questions about rates, cuts and all the sudden it's 90 per hour... no not 60 and only 900 a day. Bunch a *f-wording jokers round here. Time to put them out of business. Had enough trying to hire a quality band mill. He wants 900 a day but can not even lift or cut my 36" stuff... what a joke. And the guy with twin 880s and a 72" won't come out to work at all anymore. He went soft. Next guy or three is a drunk for 600 a day with a 30" mill and no help with no side loader or equipment. Max length 12ft lol. Asked him about a cut and you get some creative answers to say the least. I give up... just going to buy my own band soon. My chainsaw mill would out cut most of what they have by far. 33" or my biggun 45" or 55"... no end in my mill... one guy one saw at a time. Maybe this local guy hunting up a cheap small bandsaw will come do the small stuff and resaw for me on that. I have no time for a bandsaw this summer.
Wish we had a @hseII around here local.

 

[blades]

I Have a 48" Alaskan style my self. devil is in the details moving that big stuff around. got to have a fair sized piece of equipment to get those on a track set up. tractor 50+ hp with fel ,skidsteer 50 hp range, or rough terrain forklift. I have a 36" tapers to 32" x 10' long piece of ash at home . fork lift on to trailer 123, getting it off was a bit difficult- managed to slide it off trailer when it hit the ground - not going any further tractor or log , best I could do was roll it out of the way by curling the fel bucket. that log was way over the lift capabilities of my unit at home , or drag wise. Maybe could have dragged it with the truck but without a nose cone / skid plate would not have gotten far.

 

[Guido Salvage]

The more research I do it looks like I'm out of touch. A 56" mill with 2 guys $125.00 per hour looks to be average.

I can’t imagine paying $105 an hour and only getting a chain saw mill. A band saw is so much faster, produces less waste and gives a smoother finished product. For that price you should be getting a fully hydraulic mill (i.e. a LT-40 or LT-50) capable of putting out 650 - 700 board feet per hour.

I could see a chain saw mill for slabbing an inaccessible log or two, but not for production milling.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I can’t imagine paying $105 an hour and only getting a chain saw mill. A band saw is so much faster, produces less waste and gives a smoother finished product. For that price you should be getting a fully hydraulic mill (i.e. a LT-40 or LT-50) capable of putting out 650 - 700 board feet per hour.

I could see a chain saw mill for slabbing an inaccessible log or two, but not for production milling.

No such thing as production hardwoods over 50" wide in urban or country environments. Logging, maybe but still no slabs.
I can get two cut per hour before a break and sharpening... by myself. Cut at a 20 degree slant you have to anchor them with screws and they slide off on steel bars. No moving required on my part.

Can the band saw cut endless length beams?... not, or over 40" wide... not most machines.
Second, the larger logs will crush a band saw if you could get it on there.

 

[Guido Salvage]

No such thing as production hardwoods over 50" wide in urban or country environments. Logging, maybe but still no slabs.
I can get two cut per hour before a break and sharpening... by myself. Cut at a 20 degree slant you have to anchor them with screws and they slide off on steel bars. No moving required on my part.

Can the band saw cut endless length beams?... not, or over 40" wide... not most machines.
Second, the larger logs will crush a band saw if you could get it on there.

You have focused on the outliers, as a rule chain saw mills are inefficient. My mill will cut 37” wide and 21’ long, that is all I will ever want to handle.

 

[Lightning Performance]

You have focused on the outliers, as a rule chain saw mills are inefficient. My mill will cut 37” wide and 21’ long, that is all I will ever want to handle.

Damn you got a big machine, bravo.

 

[Guido Salvage]

In hindsight, I probably should have gone wider.