Hands down bandsaw mills provide incredible value for the dollar!Used units can be found for several hundred dollars. Those on a budget can own a fantastic little mill.High production, automated, feature rich models will require a much larger investment topping $70,000! If that mill generates an income this investment will provide a healthy return for years or generations to come!
Circular saws are harder to acquire, often require more shipping and have an overall higher acquisition cost starting in the $8,000 range. To be fair, an entry level circular sawmill is a formidable machine. To gain access to the larger 10 inch circular saw mills expect a much larger price tag.
When contemplating budget consider a few things beyond the features. What about upkeep, maintenance, repairs, warranty and resale? All of those contribute to what the vehicle industry calls “true or total cost of ownership”. It’s a way of looking at not just the price you’ll pay at the showroom, for example, but to actually operate, maintain and ultimately the price you’ll be able to fetch if you decide to sell. Let’s just call these “intangibles”.
It’s not a secret that the companies who’ve been around for decades and their core business is sawmills are going to provide a better “after sale” experience. Some of these companies even provide amazing support to second hand owners of their mills. It’s really a tribute to their longevity when an early generation of their mill is still in operation. What better way to build a legacy than to support these owners!
Often lower priced “hobby” mills come with little or no support, can be more difficult (or VERY DIFFICULT) to service, repair and maintain and resale value is weak for all the same reasons. If your s