LogMaster Edgers

logloper · August 24, 2013, 04:12:10 PM

I need to purchase an edger, have been looking at many. Kind of like the looks of the LogMaster which can do 4" material. Do any of you have any experience/opinions on them? Suggestions on other similar edgers? Would prefer to stay with a portable, but not set on it. The simpler and heavier built the better. Thanks

Kansas · August 24, 2013, 05:57:03 PM

We have an edger from them that was custom built. Its set up as a gang edger. 4 blades, one of them movable. As far as a grade edger, I seen a lot better. But, you can't have everything in a piece of equipment. We have put some serious stuff thru it, day after day. The hydraulic motor is finally getting ready to be replaced, 7 years later. I don't think I would be afraid of it. As with anything hydraulic, there can be some leaks. But if that edger was a woman, we would all be facing life in prison for what we have done to it. If all their edgers are the same, those split blades make changing them out easy. You can easily adjust speed to match horsepower to what you are cutting. We have replaced the drive belt a few times, other than that, outside of hydraulic oil and replacing blades to be sharpened, we haven't spent anything on it.

logloper · August 24, 2013, 06:58:25 PM

Kansas, what is a "grade" edger? I want to edge direct off of the mill, but also use it to true up dried boards before putting them through the planer. What horsepower do you have running yours? thanks

two-legged-sawmill · August 24, 2013, 07:39:54 PM

Hello LogLoper,There are several good edgers out there, each have their special features that they push. Hud-son Forestry
has a model called "1913" seems to be prforming right up to expectations. Take a look www.hud-son.com;
I am surprised that someone hasn't posted on it yet! Check them out, their equipment works. Dan

stavebuyer · August 25, 2013, 07:28:42 AM

I have a Cooks AE4. It's 20hp 3 phase and will handle 4" material. Does an excellent job. It's belt fed and the feed is hydraulic. Their diesel portable version may also handle 4" material?

Kansas · August 25, 2013, 07:49:09 AM

Logloper, we set ours more up as a gang edger.Its got 4 blades with three of them set at 3 1/2 inches wide. The 4th one is movable,as in a grade edger. Problem is, there isn't quite enough width to do a proper job edging. That isn't the edgers fault. We have a 75 horse three phase electric on it. In the early years, we could kill the edger running through 3 1/2 inch thick slabs. That was in cottonwood, and fuzzy at that. We kind of quit running those through the last few years. Too hard on people. Also, for some reason it doesn't grab the boards like it did. We never have figured out why. We do have a morgan edger that does a good job. It has belts for the infeed and outfeed sides. We also had a timberking edger that had the belts as well. For a long time, I thought the belts made all the difference for holding the board. Now we have another edger that came used with our LT 40 Super that has rolls instead of belts. It does a great job grade edging, so, I guess the belts didn't make any difference for grade sawing. I think the Morgan and the other one each has 15 horse 3 phase motors. I would seriously look at Morgan if you are buying used (they went out of business), Timberking, Logmaster, Woodmizer all would be fine edgers. As stated, Cooks makes good equipment. I am sure Baker makes a good one as well.

If you are wanting simple, the ones with the rolls probably are simplest of all. Logmaster, with a hydraulic pump and one belt, would probably be the simplest design. Not sure what they put on theirs for a motor, but for cutting that thick, I would think at least 30 horse gas motor.

logloper · August 25, 2013, 10:54:49 AM

LogMaster has a small diesel(24horse?) I did call and talk to LogMaster and they have a used one with 3 blades and a 51 horse Cat diesel. I am going to get pictures and more info on it. They want $16, 000 for it which seems a bit steep. The blades for it are 2.5 times more than the blades for the Cooks. Wondering the difference. Mabe I could put the blades from Cooks on the LogMaster? The LogMaster weighs 3500#, the Baker 1800#, the Cooks 2000#. Looked at Woodmizer, but theirs will only edge 2". The sales man told me they don't offer anything bigger. Havent found anything close to what I am looking for used ,yet. I would much rather buy used.

yarnammurt · August 27, 2013, 10:38:50 PM

I was just at logmaster on the 24th. It is a good looking edger, As far as running off of the mill you would need 2 mills just to try to feed it fast enough. They are building me a LM-4 and I was looking at the same edger for my self.

ladylake · August 28, 2013, 06:26:34 AM

Quote from: yarnammurt on August 27, 2013, 10:38:50 PM
I was just at logmaster on the 24th. It is a good looking edger, As far as running off of the mill you would need 2 mills just to try to feed it fast enough. They are building me a LM-4 and I was looking at the same edger for my self.

Welcome and congratulation on your new mill, looks like a good one. Steve

Kansas · August 28, 2013, 09:47:47 AM

Logloper, if it comes with the blades, which I assume it does, you can always get after market blades to rotate with. We got ours from 21 saw shop at Ellington, MO. A sponsor here may have have them as well. We did have to have ours retipped with wider teeth given what we saw. The price does seem high though. If you are interested, shoot them an offer. The worst they can do is say no. Wanting one to do 4" boards, you will need the ability to control feed speed. And some horses behind it. If you are wanting to just grade saw, you may want to remove one of the collars and blade off of that. Go to two blades.