11/19/2021
There are many variables to consider when setting fees for milling services, especially when milling at a client's location. There is no "routine" job, so fees are tailored to your specific situation. During our site visit I would be glad to measure your logs, estimate footage, and explain which fees will apply. I accept cash or checks only. No deposit is required but payment is expected when services are rendered. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Mobile Setup Fee - $50.00 + Travel Mileage at $1.00 per mile, one-way
A Mobile Setup Fee applies to each day that I mill at your site.
The Travel Mileage Fee is based on the one-way distance from my home to the milling site, according to Google maps. There is no charge for an initial site visit to evaluate your logs and milling site.
Board Foot Milling Fees
Most milling jobs are charged by the board foot of lumber actually produced. A board foot is equal to one square foot - one inch thick. For example: a board 2" thick, 6" wide and 10' long would contain 10 board feet. You can specify the thickness at which your lumber is milled in increments of 1/16th of an inch.
​When boards come off the sawmill, they are considered to be "rough sawn" lumber. Historically, lumber was referred to by its thickness when milled, in increments of one quarter inch (older mills weren't as accurate as today's mills). It is expected that the material will shrink as it dries, and that it will be planed to a consistent thickness before use. That may mean the final dimension is 1/8 to 3/8" less than when milled. That is why a 1x6 that you buy at the lumberyard may only be 3/4" thick by 5 1/2" wide.
"Four quarter" lumber (4/4) refers to freshly milled lumber that is 1.000 to 1.249" thick, (at 1.250" thick it would be considered 5/4 lumber.) Generally, when milling 4/4 lumber, the mill's setworks will be set for 1 1/8" thickness. Please let me know what thickness you prefer, or what dimension you would like to achieve. For the purpose of figuring board footage, lengths are rounded down to the nearest 1/2 foot, widths to full inches. For live edged boards, widths are averaged rather than measuring each board individually.
Striking an Object in the Log - $15.00-40.00 per instance
The bandsaw blade is designed for cutting wood only. Cutting into hard objects such as metal (nails, fencing, etc.), rocks or other objects will damage the blade. Striking smaller objects and dirt in the bark may only require a re-sharpening of the blade at a fee of $15 per instance. Striking more substantial objects may break the blade or shear the teeth from the blade. In that case, there is a fee of up to $40.00 depending on the service life of the blade. It is not unusual for lower logs from trees around residences or fences to contain metal. If you suspect metal in a log, please let me know. Unless you have lots of logs to choose from, I wouldn't scrap a log due to a potential for metal.
Although I do not perform tree services, I do purchase delivered logs on occasion. Please call if you have logs you'd like to sell and can deliver.
If you have a special project in mind but don't have a log to saw, let me know. I do have a few sources for logs and might be able to find what you need.
