THE SAW IIA, kasco bandsaw

redpowerd · February 19, 2003, 08:47:11 PM

id jump allover the cabin if i found a few folks knowin bout the kasco sawmills. i guess they make farm equipment in kansas? lotsa trees in kansas?

Mark M · February 19, 2003, 09:09:00 PM

Sorry Toto, but they're not from Kansas, Indiana it is.

I looked at those Kasco's pretty hard, even visited a fellow in Wisconsin who sold them. Nice mill but more money than I wanted to spend.

Mark

redpowerd · February 20, 2003, 05:43:26 AM

well i have one and shes pretty beefy, i bought her used and the feller b'fore me upgraded all of the pillow blocks, rollers and built a chain drive. its has two adjustable bunks, and i wish i had two or even three more at times. wondering if anyone out there has put any type of hydraulic system on these.

redpowerd · February 20, 2003, 06:27:41 AM

cbc plays possum lodge at 10:30 and 2:30 every day but the weekends, thats CKWS and Global.
if they dont find ya handsome.......

redpowerd · February 21, 2003, 08:58:35 AM

no one can help me on my kasco?
i bought it with a sharpener and a simple little handheld setter.
the manual says that the sharpener is adaptable for chainsaw sharpening. who knows? its 45 out and the snows melting, last week it was 45 below. boozy

Bibbyman · February 21, 2003, 09:11:04 AM

Have you tried Kasco? Are they still in business?

Tom · February 21, 2003, 11:30:59 AM

there is an 800 # on the website. 800-458-9129.

link to their sawmill page.http://www.kascomfg.com/SAWMILLS.htm

Mark M · February 21, 2003, 03:22:08 PM

Hi Red

There is a fellow in Marshfield, Wi who sells Kasco, he is the one I visited. The company is called Nesco Sales ( I think).

Yep - Red Green is pretty funny. When I first saw the show it was just like I was back home in Minnesota and watching my neighboors on TV!

Mark

redpowerd · February 21, 2003, 07:29:52 PM

thanks for the wealth of info
but i was lookin for someone that has actually RUN one ;D
can someone tell me how to put up pics?
thanks

Tom · February 21, 2003, 07:43:32 PM

I think I have found someone who claims to have been running a Kasco IIb for 10 years and have invited him to visit the forum. I'm hoping he will show up but have no way to contact him directly.

We have a member with a Kasco and I'm trying to get him envolved too.

The instructions for putting pictures on the forum can be found in the knowledge base under Forum tips. It seems complicated until you have done it once so stick with it. If you get really bogged down we're here to help.

DanG · February 21, 2003, 07:50:47 PM

Hi, Red, and welcome aboard. I think the lack of answers to your question is because no one here seems to have any experience with that particular saw. I've not run one, myself, but I have seen it in action, several times at shows. It seems like a nice rig, and has some features I like. I don't see why you couldn't add some hydraulics, if you're handy enough with that sort of thing. The big drawback might be that you would have to elevate it to make room underneath for the log turning mechanism, thereby losing the advantage of having it low. It's "on the ground" stance is one of the better features, IMHO. If you raise it up, you'll have more trouble loading logs, which isn't a real big deal. Most of the others are elevated, anyway. You would have to completely redo the frame, in order to do this, since their's is designed to rest solidly on the ground. If you're gonna remain stationary, you could put the mechanics in a shallow pit. If you want to be mobile, you could mount the whole thing on a large trailer. This would give you room for hydraulics, under the trailer, and would give you some relief on the set-up process.
I know this ain't much, but maybe it's better than nuthin. ;) Stick around and share your progress with us. Check the "Behind the Forum" board for photo instructions.

redpowerd · February 22, 2003, 05:50:30 AM

thanks again. the main reason i bought the saw was cause it sat on the ground. then i got fed up trying to load logs onto a trailer with a chainfall and bought a 684 with a loader. i doubt ill ever put the wheels back on. everyone brings the logs to me. i thought about the pit, then i also thought about cleaning it

. mabie i could use some old manure scrapers? thanks for the help again.

Larry · February 22, 2003, 06:21:55 AM

I bought a Kasho IIB in 94. About the same as the A model except it has bearing upgrades and a couple of other small changes. They cut accurate lumber and are maintenance free except for the back up bearing on the guides. That bearing is cheap so I keep a couple extra on hand. The log scale on the mill is no good for hardwood. Timber King sells all kind of magnetic log scales at about $10.00.

I saw a guy that raised his mill off the ground about a foot or so with 2" round pipe. The 2" pipe fits in the "U" channel on the bottom of the carriage nicely. Uprights were something like 3" pipe sunk in the ground with concrete. This would possibly give you enough room to add hydraulics.

I have 2 of the twin bunks and 1 of the single bunks on my mill. Never saw the need for more than that but about all I cut is 8 and 10 foot logs.

Never saw the sharpener so can't comment on that. I used the handheld setter one time and didn't like it because there is no way to tell if the tooth is set properly or not.

Any other questions your welcome to give me an IM or ask a question on the forum.

solidwoods · February 22, 2003, 06:35:28 AM

Red
(quick thanks to Tom from Woodweb for showing me this site)
As you know, your uses for the mill will determine what mill level too buy at. I would recommend pwr blade height and feed as a min. I would get a used Saw IIB before I got a model without height/feed. It's already hard to get the log on the mill and turn, the two pwr items on the Saw IIB are nice when your worn out from loading and rolling to the cut face. I don't know your milling experiences, but allot of people new to milling find that when they get the mill working, quite a bit of milling jobs can show up, thats when the pwr options help. So I recommend trying to purchase a little ahead of your anticipated job loads.
I know the IIB costs more, but I would suggest spending the little extra now.
I mill/kiln dry for furniture that I build and I mill 2X's when I have to. I use an old knuckle boom truck (Big Yellow) for loading and turning Lg. logs. The truck is a nice addition if you have a lower priced mill like I do. I can take the truck with trailer to get logs. If I had a mill with a hyd loader attached, I would still have to get the log to the mill with a machine. So I went this way for more versatility over forklift, tractor with front end loader, etc.

The other recommendation I say is buy blade sharpening equip. Blade problems are a big cause of bad cuts. Do your own sharpening/setting, and you will always have sharp blades. I have seen people hit metal or have a dull blade and still run it getting inferior cuts and killing the blade and guides, in an attempt to save sharpening costs. That wont add up against the price of one board.
If you are working logs/wood from non-forest (like myself) it will have metal. You can also earn income sharpening on the side.

Any manufacture can have design problems, the difference is how they handle the upgrades. The IIB has given me gray hair with some problems like 8hrs per blade guide bearing (8ea), and blade shafts worn on the bearing contact area (soft metal shaft, not hardened/ground). The Kasco company has fixed the designs and was very easy to work with. They sent me a free set of the upgraded designed blade guides. Their new guides have bearings with grease fittings and they are a larger dia. The machine is easy to repair since it has no special castings or modified stock parts. I'm not saying it will keep up with a hyd mill with more pwr, but your potential uses determine which mill will work for you.

Some keys to any band mill is:
Safety First
Understanding how to track the blade, setup the blade guides, and level (3ways) the track.
Recognizing cut problems immediately and know how to cure it.
And homework homework.

JIM

redpowerd · February 23, 2003, 07:20:23 AM

yep, i find i replace them bearings quite often. ive been cutting hemlock all winter for siding on my house, out of my own woods, as long as 26 foot. i milled a few temporary bunks for the extra long, but it would be nice to have more steel bunks with clamps. this mill i own has a chain drive witch makes things go quick once you get the hang of it. the slowest part is turning, but from what i hear thats usually the case. i thought about a boom for loading and retreiving, must be much faster than a loader, or even a skidsteer for that matter, but being a farmer by luck, i found the little tractor to be more economical.thanks so much for all the information, again. sometime soon i get up some pictuers of the "hemlock hollow"

Jeff · February 23, 2003, 04:11:44 PM

Tom from woodweb. Hey thats funny. Tom did yer eyeballs see that? :D

Welcome Solidwoods!

Tom · February 23, 2003, 06:24:08 PM

Yep. I'm shameless :-[
I invite the best I can find.

Thanks for helping guys.

solidwoods · February 23, 2003, 08:26:10 PM

Jeff B.
As best as I can see it Tom saw a post of mine on the Woodweb site, then setup an email too me inviting me to respond too a Kasco post from someone at this site..
I didn't know The Forestry Forum was here.
Sorry, I didn't keep up with who's who.

Fla._Deadheader · February 24, 2003, 04:32:08 AM

Bein as how yer first post was "flawed", you will fit in here jest fine !! :D :D :D Welcome to the Forestry Family

solidwoods · February 24, 2003, 05:14:41 AM

Fla. Deadheader:
I don't understand, did I post something in an uncorrect area?
JIM

redpowerd · February 24, 2003, 05:15:54 AM

see what i started?
anyone read or hear about an estrained axe weilding fort drum soldier getting killed over the weekend? my buddy of 23 years lost his mind and went after his ex and her other. the other was a soldier too, and killed him with a 'submissive hold'. ive recieved calls from as far as montana tellin me the news. just tryin to connect with the forum :( thanks yall

OneWithWood · February 24, 2003, 05:43:42 AM

Red,
It just so happens I am going to see a gentleman on March 3 who has been very successful sawing with Kasco saws. If there are any specific questions you would like me to ask on your behalf please send them to me.

Jeff · February 24, 2003, 10:43:48 AM

solidwoods, the only thing flawed around here is most of our senses of humor.

Please don't take us to serious. This board is a might different then anything out there. We like to mix our thirst for knowledge with a taste of humor. Sometimes we fail miserably like Harold just did but all in all you will find we are for the most part good guys.

We really do welcome you even though Tom didn't tell us you were coming. ;D

KIDDING!!! :D

Bro. Noble · February 24, 2003, 11:44:21 AM

Jim,

Don't pay any attention to any of them------I don't know why they can't ever be serious. Be patient with them cause it is a pretty fair forum if you can put up with the dumbness. :

Noble :P

Tom Who? :D

DanG · February 24, 2003, 01:15:54 PM

Welcome, Solidwood. You didn't do nuthin wrong. It was just a little funny when you said, "Tom from the WoodWeb." I think the only reason he goes there is to pick out the best posters, and drag them over here. :D We do have fun, here, as well as tending to business, and sometimes we poke each other in the ribs a bit. Read through some of the threads, and you'll see what I mean.