Saw mill advice needed

[OlympicMtDoo]

I know we have a lot of members here that are do it yourself kind of folks as I am. So I just had an issue that I kind of think there might be some help for me around here. I have a portable band saw mill I bought just a few years ago, I have a constant supply of free logs here on my property and my Grandson runs his own tree service business and gives me all the logs I want. My issue is that my wrists and hands are shot, with arthritis and carpal tunnel shit. My wife wants me to get rid of the mill because when I am able to run it for a couple of days I'm useless for several days because of the pain and stiffness in my hands and wrists. I am trying to get Doctored up some so I can at least run the mill a little. I just am not ready for the rocking chair yet but the wife don't see it that way. What would you do?

[Steve Broady]

A man needs his goals and dreams and projects. Take that away and he feels useless. Tell her this is what you need, and it’s not hurting anyone but yourself.

That, and see if you can get some friends together for a day or two of sawing and sticking, and probably drinking. Make it a social event. Hell, if I were closer, I’d kill for the opportunity to come over and play with the saw mill and just chew the fat.

[Deplorable]

Sell the wife, use the money to fix the hands, and run the saw.

[Steve Broady]

Sell the wife, use the money to fix the hands, and run the saw.

[shadylane]

Looks like the mill hasn't been used enough to justify it.

[Setsumi]

I can see that one must put serious physical effort in to operate that mill. Get your grandson to help, if you sell it it is gone forever.

[Yonder]

Keep you dreams, your hobbies. Having been retired for more than a few years I know they keep you alive. I’ve been laid up a few months this year and it’s wreaked havoc on my physical and mental health. Do what you love as long as you can.

[Salt Must Flow]

If you REALLY need relief, I'd see a good Doc and see what he says. See about getting some steroid injections to rock that saw for a bit. Get some young bloods to do the heavy lifting because injections don't fix shit. They just help you to not FEEL it. Get everyone crunk (crazy drunk) and don't let your hands become useless. Listen to a good Doc you trust.

[NormandieStill]

Get more people involved or get more machinery. A friend and I (he's a tree surgeon) often talk about how cool it would be to have a portable mill but the costs of those things over here are just ridiculous. Maybe a little chainsaw mill for making timbers but not a proper mill.

Pulleys can be your friend. If you've got the wood to build a frame over the mill then you can run ropes from there to help move slabs and even pull the mill itself. Try and take care not to force with your wrists bent to reduce the stress and use mechanical advantage whenever possible.

[Saltbush Bill]

Follow your heart Olyimpicmtdoo....do what you want to do while you can. If the mill is something you like doing then do it.
If you think you could spend the time and energy on something better more interesting or more profitable then do that.
Time stops for no man.

[shadylane]

Follow your heart Shady.....do what you want to do while you can. If the mill is something you like doing then do it.
If you think you could spend the time and energy on something better more interesting or more profitable then do that.
Time stops for no man.

Easy there Bill, I'm not the OP.
I was just offering advice to OlympicMtDoo about whether it was best to get rid of something that wasn't getting used enough.

I 100% agree about "Time stops for no man"
It's always best to keep that in mind so kin has less problems, when Ya kick the bucket.

[Saltbush Bill]

Easy there Bill, I'm not the OP.
I was just offering advice to

Whoops , to many UJs maybe, edited above to read correctly.

[greggn]

my Grandson runs his own tree service business

What would you do?

Give the mill to the grandson.

[elbono]

my Grandson runs his own tree service business

What would you do?

Give the mill to the grandson.

If he's like the arborists I know he has more business than he can take care of.

Hire one of his ground crew would be my approach. They're usually to big to climb and already know how to work around big logs without getting hurt.

Leave the mill to the grandson, when you're gone he'll get a trained operator in the deal.

[smiling]

Just take it easy. I'm a retired carpenter though still working. A life on the end of hammer and chisel has f**ked my hands and arthritis has set in. I embrace the knowledge of my trade but also the physical strength of younger blood to share that with and have learned to slow down and share my head with their hands.
Grasp the skills and tools you have and share but perhaps slow down and enlist support from family.
Regards and respect my friend from a guy who always wanted a portable bandage mill. X

[shadylane]

My issue is that my wrists and hands are shot, with arthritis and carpal tunnel shit. My wife wants me to get rid of the mill because when I am able to run it for a couple of days I'm useless for several days because of the pain and stiffness in my hands and wrists.

Plan B
Don't work as hard, use the mill for fancy high value lumber only.

[Ben]

The answer is high school kids that need bucks in their pocket, you operate the mill, control their behavior and safety and they load logs and pull slabs. Or a mill with a lot more automation.

I am regrettably familiar with the situation, I have a terrible back and run an Alaska mill. I know that when I take a tree its going to be a few hours of grueling work, loading slabs, unloading, stickering, stacking and machine maintenance... followed by several days of uselessness. The solution is only taking very large trees that I know will produce solid, unique lumber and trees of species that are very valuable. It justifies it, I get to do what I love and I can make all the furniture I want without ever spending a dime on lumber.

[OlympicMtDoo]

Man a lot of great thoughts guys thanks a lot for all the input. The pic of the mill is an older one I've cut quite a bit more lumber with it since that pic. I do have 3, 12 volt winches for getting logs on the mill and rolling the logs once their on the mill. Also I do have 90% of the lumber cut to build the lower story of a 2 story mill house, my ground at the mill site lends itself perfectly to that idea. The bottom will be open in the front only and give me the frame work to mount my winches and the top story would be for milling tools and slabs/etc. Etc. would involve my other hobby (drinking) I did get both wrists injected on Thursday and yes all that does is make them feel better for a while but at this point I'll take anything I can get. I also got a refferal to a hand specialist so maybe there is something can be done. I'm just not quite ready for Shady Pines just yet. I'm not real sure about just why the wife wants me to sell the mill, if it's for my health or not. Thanks again guys OMD

[shadylane]

Man a lot of great thoughts guys thanks a lot for all the input. The pic of the mill is an older one I've cut quite a bit more lumber with it since that pic.

The bandsaw mill being used a lot, makes a difference in the advice given.

I see Ya have a skidder, Do Ya also have a forklift? Maybe even a tractor front end loader and forks.
It would save wear and tear on your wrists and hands.

[shadylane]

Get more people involved or get more machinery.

Plus 1

[OlympicMtDoo]

Man a lot of great thoughts guys thanks a lot for all the input. The pic of the mill is an older one I've cut quite a bit more lumber with it since that pic.

The bandsaw mill being used a lot, makes a difference in the advice given.

I see Ya have a skidder, Do Ya also have a forklift? Maybe even a tractor front end loader and forks.
It would save wear and tear on your wrists and hands.

Yes Shady I do have a skidder and it helps quite a bit but What I want to do is make a pair of forks for the blade on it. I use chains right now and that is a real pain in the ass. My grandson is also a excellent welder the problem is pinning him down to ever get it done. He has three little ones and a pretty steady business so I kind of hate to ask too much. My hope is to get a mill house built and some automation done along with maybe some work done on my wrists and hands over the next few months. Then I could at least make it look like I'm getting something done to get the wife off my back.

[shadylane]

I've never seen a skidder with forks on the blade, but it sounds usable.
Ya might have to figure out how to work around not being able to tilt the forks.

[OlympicMtDoo]

I have a plan for the forks and the way I plan to set stuff up I shouldn't need the tilt feature. I'll let you know when I get them done we'll see if my plan works.

[OlympicMtDoo]

This is some of the lumber I cut this spring for the bottom story of the mill house, it was after that my hands froze up. I just need to rally up the help and get going or sell the damn thing like the wife keeps telling me.