Custom Sawing Your Logs
CUTTING WITH OUR WOODMIZER LT50:
We like to schedule sawing, so...if you have some mesquite logs you want sawn, please call ahead to make sure we will be available to saw when it is convenient for both of us. We certainly don't want to end up sawing in 100+ degree weather. That would take all the fun out of sawing.
We charge $200/ hour which includes blades. But, if we hit nails, rocks, excessive dirt or other foreign matter, you will be charged for the blade. We use carbide blades now which cost $150 each. Please look them over for nails and wash dirty logs before you come. And, if you have removed nails already, please tell us. There will likely be more. Nails in logs make sawyers upset. Please don't upset us.
We won't saw anything smaller than 3' long X 12" diameter. We prefer them to be over 5' x 20". Smaller pieces require lots more manual labor to position them and are harder to safely hold them on the mill. And don't yield enough lumber to justify our sweat or your cost.
Extremely large logs or crooked logs are harder on our backs and our equipment and we reserve the right to charge $250 or more/hr for the extra special logs.
Please don't bother asking us to saw root balls. The answer is No.
CUTTING WITH OUR LUCAS MILL:
Our Lucas Dedicated Wide Slab Mill can cut 5' wide slabs. I purchased the "Luke" in 2016 for the purpose of cutting only the largest and most unique logs. We am very particular about which logs we are willing to cut with this slab mill.
When we agree to use it, we have a mininum fee of $1000 per log and some logs can be as much as $1500. (These are the ones that are too heavy for our tractor to lift.) But, we will have to be confident that you will get a lot more than that value from the slabs before we will attempt your log. Each chain costs $150 and most trees that grow in South Texas which are big enough to justify this mill, will have enough sand, grit and nails embedded in them to justify building a chain into the cost. If we have to use more than one chain, we will pass that cost on to you as well.)
CAN WE COME GET YOUR LOG?
Yes, we can come pick up your log. "Mater" has not found any mesquite trees in the Kingsville area that were too big for him to handle. Inside of Kingsville, we charge $100 per run to pick up your log that is already cut down and ready for pick-up. If your pickup requires a truck/tractor and a trailer it will cost more. We don't like to take "Mater" much farther than 30 miles from home and will charge extra to go more than 15 miles from home. (He's getting old and doesn't have air conditioning and I'm spoiled.)
P.S. Please, make sure that when you send us to pick something up that the tree truly is big enough to justify the pick-up and the sawing fees. It's really frustrating when someone says they have a "Really Big" tree and we get there only to find out that it's all firewood barely large enough to square up into posts. The term "Really Big" is relative.
NOTE: We are not into the storage business. As of January 2013, any logs left more than 60 days without follow up BY THE CUSTOMER become the property of Hands On Sawmill, LLC. Unless you are one of our "Regular Customers" and have an ongoing and rotating stock of logs, we will not be held responsible for keeping track of storing logs or lumber longer than 60 days. Please be reasonable about this. Lots of people bring logs to us. We are not a storage facility.
SAWING END GRAIN CIRCLES OR OVALS.
We can cut cross sections from logs up to about 25" diameter. These are highly desired for taxidermy plaques and for rustic table decorations for weddings and banquets.
If you bring in small logs between 2 to 4' long we can cut 3 to 4 of these in an hour with a minimun fee of $200.
The saw is made to cut lumber, not cross sections. It is a bit more time consuming and labor intensive. Also, we reserve the right to say that a logs is not safe to cut or not worth the effort to cut in this manner. (Again...trust your sawyer.)
We do have cross sections already cut, sanded and finished for table decorations that we rent for weddings/banquets at $5 each. And we have matching cake stand and cup cake stands for rent at $50 each.
P.S. Do do not bring in cross sections that have been cut with a chainsaw and ask me to flatten them because I won't do it.
FURNITURE FROM YOUR TREE?
We are often asked if we can make a dining table, etc, from your tree. Yes.... if the tree lends itself to the task. The thing most people don't understand is that not every tree is suitable for a table. There is also a considerable wait for the lumber to dry after it has been sawn. (Yes, even a log that has been on the ground a few years still has lots of moisture in it and needs to dry for a year after sawing.)
So, here's how we tackle this. You bring in your logs. We will saw them based on the design you have in mind and at this time you pay the sawing fees. We determine then if the lumber will make what you want and if you need to bring in more logs for your project. We will store and dry the lumber. This will take 6 months to 2 years depending on the moisture content of the wood, your desired time frame and if the wood needs to be kiln dried. By the time you pay for sawing, storage and drying of the lumber, you don't really save any money on your furniture. In fact, it could cost more if your wood does not lend itself well to the project you want. But, this is a great way to have heirlooms from a sentimental tree.
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A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT
LIVE OAK LOGS
What I am NOT willing to do with Live Oak:
1). No, I do not recommend sawing Live Oak unless you are making thick slab furniture.
2). I will NOT saw live oak that has been down or dead longer than 2 years. (I just gets too hard as it dries out.)
3). The giant trunks are not worth the time, expense or wear and tear on my equipment. Please, don't ask me to saw them.
What I am willing to do with Live Oak:
1). I will saw logs up to 25" diameter but I will charge $300 / hour plus the cost of blades.
2). I recommend sawing 3" thick or more.
NOTE: The wood is so hard that you might still have wavy cuts even when out saw is running perfect.
Projects that you can do with Live Oak:
Fireplace Mantles,
Thick slab furniture without intricate joints.
Flat bed trailer decking
Porch Posts