“I’m not depending on the government to support me in retirement”
“Over time, I’ve saved and invested in things that will earn me money. I’ve bought properties then renovated and rented the houses on them. My mill is part of that plan. I think of my TimberKing Sawmill as my 401(k) retirement plan.
I read one of the stories on the TimberKing blog where TimberKing owner said his TimberKing would pay for itself in a year. That’s what owning a sawmill could do but not if you’re sitting on the couch.
Here’s how I got started sawing
I live in a small town in Arkansas, population about 5,000. The biggest employers here are paper and plywood mills where I’m full-time as a Master Tech. At the end of the work day I’m still just as busy. I can’t sit still!
A few years ago, I had about 20 mature oak trees blow down. A friend owned a sawmill and I had him come over and saw some lumber for me. When I saw what a sawmill could do, I knew I wanted one. I looked online and I found someone selling their TimberKing 1600 and I ended up buying it, towing it home, and putting it to work. It’s running great and cuts straight.
Friend’s mill was Chinese-made — TimberKing’s made in the USA
My friend’s mill was a bolt-together-yourself machine made in China. My TimberKing is all welded steel and really built like a tank. It’s far better built and very tough, almost overbuilt. The original owner left it uncovered outdoors, so I’m doing some maintenance on it, too. Working on equipment is nothing new to me.
Since getting the mill, I’ve done a lot of sawing. I’ve built myself a 10 x 20 building for my office and storage. And I built a saw shed to keep the mill in.
I’ve already started custom-sawing and selling. I cut boards up 20 – 32” wide, depending on the diameter of the tree. I’ve sold lumber to local folks for animal pens – goats, chickens, cow pens, horse corral fencing, and more. I have a fellow coming to pick up 2 x 4’s he ordered. And I’ve sawn 6,000 tomato stakes for a local farmer. This area’s perfect for growing tomatoes. He grows and sells tomatoes to Walmart.
How I started my sawing business
I’m sawing and selling already, but my long-term goal is to work things up into a full-time sawing business. I plan to make and sell wood molding, lumber, and do custom sawing.
To make molding, I’m thinking about getting a Woodmaster Molder/Planer with a 3-side molding system. And I’m curious about Woodmaster’s 4000 molder that’ll shape 4 sides in 1 pass.
I started all this by first doing my homework. I read about sawmills and watched online sawing videos that sawyers post. Then I watched as my friend sawed my logs with his Chinese mill. I ran his mill some to see what that was like.
I saw that I like and can do this kind of work. Then I got used TimberKing sawmill pretty inexpensively. I used it to get my saw yard started. I began sawing and selling. I’m being patient and let things grow naturally. Now I’m thinking that in a year, I’ll sell my mill and buy a bigger one, like the TimberKing 2020.
Best advice on how to learn sawing
People ask, ‘How do I learn how to saw lumber?” Best answer I’ve heard is, “Start sawing.” You’ll learn by doing. I’m doing it and I’m still learning!
Another thing I’ve learned: my friends all want to sit around and talk about sports – I want to talk about sawing. And rather than sit and talk about sawing, I want to be out there doing it!”
— Bobby Dean Jenkins, TimberKing owner, Betz Sawmill & Lumberyard, Crossett AR
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