Building a First Sawmill Setup (on Wheels) with Kyle from RR Buildings

For Kyle, the creator behind the successful RR Buildings YouTube channel, getting the HM130MAX was about more than just upgrading his tools. “I've only watched videos on the internet and dreamt of owning one of these.” Until now, milling had mostly lived on the screen, watching others, and imagining how it might fit into his own projects. Setting up his new mill made it real in a hurry.

Finding a Spot

Kyle already had the perfect place picked out for his mill. The problem? It was completely hidden by thick weeds and foliage – including poison ivy. With some care and a little help from his buddies, Kyle cleared off a concrete slab that hadn’t seen the sun for years. It turned out to be much bigger than he expected, he was pleased with the results and couldn’t wait to start putting together his new mill.
Instruction manual in hand, the guys began unboxing the HM130MAX and piecing it together. With the anticipation of milling and the hot summer sun, the guys were pleased to be done the assembly and excited to get their first log loaded.
The first cut went smoothly and was followed by a few “Awesome!” and “That’s sick, man!”

Protecting the Investment

After Kyle posted the video of his mill set up, he was flooded with comments suggesting that his first build should be a sawmill shed.
Kyle wasn’t sure if the mill would live on the concrete pad permanently, so decided to make a smaller, portable sawmill shed instead of something bigger. He came up with some plans, and he and the guys began acquiring some logs. Some elm trees that had fallen on Kyle’s property seemed ideal, so they cut them up, dragged them out to the sawmill and started milling.
His plan was to build a small house on casters that was just big enough to cover the head of the sawmill. The wheels allow it to be rolled to the side while the mill is running.
“When we’re done with it, we can put it back, cover it up, and just protect the investment.” Kyle added excitedly.

No Such Thing as Overkill

Kyle and his team do quality work for their clients every day, so even though this structure might be temporary, that was not going to stop them from doing it the right way. A solid frame, board and batten walls, heavy duty castors, and the most impressive part – a hand sawn shingle roof.
As Kyle began milling, some of their plans adapted to more easily work with the shape and length of the logs at their disposal. What didn’t change was their passion for the project and their positive attitudes.
“I’m not going to lie, this is probably one of the funnest projects I’ve done in a long while because it’s just super unique…” shared Kyle as he fastened the last of the board and batten.
When time came to install their freshly milled shingles, Kyle decided to add some spare roofing supplies he had on hand.

“Is vapor dry overkill? Maybe.” Joked Kyle as he prepared to install the roof. Is there really such a thing as overkill when it comes to building a quality product? If you’re going to do it, you may as well do it right.

A Job Well Done

For a first sawmill setup, this one checks a lot of boxes. The mill is protected, the workflow is flexible, and they had fun setting it up.
Most importantly, it shows that getting started doesn’t require a perfect plan. Being flexible and using what they had on hand resulted in a beautiful and unique sawmill shed that works well for their needs. They created a sawmill setup that’s both practical and adaptable.
If you enjoy thoughtful builds, real-world problem solving, and watching new skills take shape, Kyle’s YouTube channel RR Buildings is well worth checking out. His sawmill journey may just be getting started but he has over a thousand videos full of inspirational projects and valuable information from seasoned builders.