Long time fan. New member first time poster. I've been sawing since '02 with a Woodmizer LT40 G25. Love the mill and Woodmizer customer support. I've recently moved back home to Mid Coast Maine after a thirty year corporate stint. Sawing is becoming a fulltime job if I accept the available jobs. I'm doing equal remote work as well as post and beam orders out of my small log yard. Time to upgrade to hydraulics. Found a 2002 Log Master LM4 with a 51 HP Cat with 1400 hrs. Anyone owning one with advice? I understand the mill is no longer made and there is limited technical support. I'm a bit apprehensive about changing brands due to the learning curve. Thanks for any advice.
Forum member Solomon runs a Log Master.Don't know how you might contact him as this is your first post.If you are looking at the mill in Vermont that's a lot of mill for the money.
Thanks 47 Sawdust. I've been having a difficult time getting a bead on a good used hydraulic mill. Seems they last about a week on Craigslist and far away. Not much available in Maine or nearby. Is it appropriate to post on here that I'm looking for one? Newbie questions.
I have the LM3 30+hp, but I think the same mill. They saw back wards of your mill, not towards the stops. I like mine but I do not move it, it is big and heavy. Look at the hyd oil for water, they mounted the breather poorly so water can get in. I wish it had a chain on each side to move the carriage. I like the hydraulics it has and the power. I changed a sprocket to speed up the up and down. Ed and the son or dad are not the best to reach, one was hurt. But they did call back with their house # for me to reach them. I also like the steel wheels.
Dixie Bull, welcome to the forum.
I just looked at the spec sheet on the LM4 it weighs in at 7500lbs compared to my 6500lbs for the LM3. Same frame size. Mine seemed big and heavy when hauling and is over 102" wide with the loader arms up for moving. I like the WM loader arms for putting wood on while milling. That is not possible with the Logmaster. Good luck
Thec Farm - thanks for the warm welcome. I have decent experience in milling, furniture and timber framing so hopefully I will be worthy of the great advice found on the forum.
Tracks Y - thanks for your reply. How many hours on your mill? Have you been able to repair any issues that pop up? Since I have not had hydraulics before I'm having difficulty visualizing what the difference between WM loading arms and your LM3. Can you clarify? What year is the LM3? I talked to Herman at Log Master and he mentioned that in '08 they made some upgrades. Overall are you happy with your mill? Your concern with mobility is legitimate. The current owner had the same concern after I described my jobs. I've got the WM into some pretty crazy location with a tractor. I do own an old F250 with the 7.3 diesel. It can move most things. Due to being backed up on jobs my response will be slow. Thanks for your help.
Dixie, No idea of hours (no Meter when I got 1 1/2 years ago) I gave up playing phone tag with Ed/ Herman called mfg of hyd metering valve for the stops. That is 1 problem, the head raise was to slow so some chain and a new sprocket helped. One will raise faster go down slower, that is the one I hit farthest from controls. The WM arms will hold wood and the saw will clear to an extent. The Logmaster arms have to be pretty low and the have an extra bar on them that flips down so the log will roll across and clear the track. With the hose chain on the other side it is not meant to work from there. Not sure of year 05-08? Yes I am happy with it. It is not the weight pulling, it is long and with the wheels so far to the back it takes 1/4 acre to turn around. Hyd brakes are ok but backing can be a pain. I tell people if I was building a mill it would look like the LM if I had 16-18 years of school instead of 12 it might look like a WM. I do like the hyd setup of the LM. Moving a 7500lb mill to some places could be bad, not sure what other mills weigh. Mine they claim is 6500. Good luck and welcome to the FF. Tom
Tom - great info. If I end up with the mill I'll keep in touch. Do you know member Solomon? I think he owns the LM4. Keep making saw dust. Ben
Yes I have talked to Solomon. I may have contact info for him, so if you buy the mill let me know. I will contact him and see if it is ok to pass it on. I looked at my mill paper work, mine is an 08 I think. Read up on the 51hp Cat on here, look for carbon under oil fill? I think that is what they are saying about a bad head gasket.
I have had an LM2 since 04. It has a 23hp diesel. I much like the machine it is rugged and saws well. I have always found Ed & Herman easy to deal with did not have trouble getting them but they did provide me with cell numbers.
At around 150 hours the bearings on the main drive went bad. When I spoke to them they were quite surprised but they stood behind it. Zero Max made the part and supplied a new one to Logmaster and they got it ready and shipped it to me. They supported me well in making the repair.
I see the mill in Vermont is still for sale so.........
Mobility with the LM seems to be the biggest concern. Half my business is remote sawing. Got a quote for a new WM LTHD40 wide head with with 38 HP Kohler. Big step for me to lay down that much $. I could buy two used LMs for the price of one new WM. Think I have my mill sold this Thursday so it's decision time. Pretty torn up about it and losing sleep. Don't want to buy a bunch of problems. What would you do?
Quote from: Dixie Bull on May 15, 2018, 09:05:58 AMI could buy two used LMs for the price of one new WM.
But you still would not have a Wood-Mizer. Cheap now may be very expensive later. This is a big decision so do not compromise your gut feeling, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum. :)
Dixie, Bull, Tom Cadenhead once told me that he considered the WoodMizers to be "portable" mills and the big twin rail mills to be "transportable." Meaning that the setup time was considerably different. I had a smaller 4 post mill; he had a WM and a big Baker. The WM is a breeze to set up. The small 4 post was not. That said, I have no experience with setting up the larger twin rail mills.
The difference in size and weight could be an issue as well. Many of my jobs are in pretty tight quarters.
Dixie Bull welcome . If you decide to buy the mill read Marty Parson,s headless cat post first.
I am not trying to discourage you on your decision but if it has the old style head gasket i would would figure on up grading it first.
I have a 62 hp cat with 3000 hrs on it and thanks to Marty i caught it in time. Good luck.
I've been following this post with interest.It seems to me the ability to easily maneuver the WM as well as the customer support going forward would be be a deal maker as well as the fact that you are already familiar with the overall feel of a WM.Peace of mind makes for a good nights sleep.
Best of luck to you.
If I traveled I would shy away from the LM, this is just me. But I am sure some do it and I think Solomon does. To bad he is not around here any more.
Thanks for helping me sort out all the issues. Over the years when I Google something about sawmills most of the answers were found on this forum. The research on the LM 4 Cat motor is what landed me here. Marty, Maureen and Ross from Woodmizer (Pa & Me) have been great. Hate to see my LT 40 manual mill go. She's paid for herself multiple times over including cutting all the material for a post and beam dream shop / residence. Hopefully I'll joint the hydraulic world by the end of the week. I have enough jobs lined up to put a dent in the expenditure.
Being able to easily transport and set my sawmill up at remote locations is one of the key features that has allowed me to pay for my sawmill many times over.