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Anyone running a Timberking 2000, 2200, 2500? I might drop woodmizer.

Started by Westcoastct, June 11, 2019, 12:13:02 AM

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Westcoastct

Hey,


Its getting to that time where I start researching sawmills as I consider the next move I make for my business. 

I currently have a Woodmizer LT35HDG. I have been out working my LT35 now for the last 1.5 years. Business is going great and I'm bringing on a full time employee and a part time employee for the extra busy days. I'm limited now by my sawmill. I find more and more reasons I could be increasing productivity, and getting more jobs done. I have loved this woodmizer sawmill but I don't know if I want another one. I do have good dealer support, but there are some woodmizer issues I don't like. I think I am ready for a change. As some of you know, if you remember me, I have had a hell of time with the electrical issues on my current mill and although it has been rectified, I found the overall system to be over engineered and to hard to diagnose myself. and the number one thing on my dislike is the recent price jump on the woodmizer was looking at buying. which is why for that kind of money Im thinking I might as well try another brand. I was looking at the LT50 wide with the diesel. today upon looking it has jumped to $74,000 from $64,000 5 months ago. Im in Canada to, so my numbers will be higher to begin with.

The jump Im looking at making is not to have the biggest and best but what makes the most sense for me and the market I have seen locally. also the trees that I end up leaving because they are to big.

I am really drawn to the Timberking 2200 and 2500 so Im interested to hear from someone with either of those mills, or someone with a smaller timberking to tell how they like timberking overall and their experience with TK directly. I want to hear the good and bad. please don't be shy.

the 2200 comes in under the cost of the LT50 for me, and the 2500 comes in about 10G higher but it is higher power, and has a few other doubled up options I like. may be worth it over the 2200? I like the 24' capacity that's standard as I turn away quite few 21'-24' jobs. the 37" cut throat is a nice feature compared to the 34'' wide on the woodmizer. 

living on the westcoast we do have trees that average 30-40'' all over.  woodmizer can lift 4400lbs and TK claims 7000lbs that would sure help getting those large diameter logs onboard.

I really like the all hydraulic feature of the TK getting away from the over complicated electronics I have on my woodmizer. 

I think Im over the mono rail design and want a more solid head sawmill. seeing first how one wrong adjustment can throw the entire sawmill out and can take a few hours to get it back if your not good at it. Ive got decent with understanding it but it stresses me out everytime. 

any ways enough about what I think I like. lets here what you like.

you dont have to own a TK if you want to add some ideas or thoughts in, I welcome all discussion!

Thank you!

ladylake

 
I'm running a old B20 TK with over 14000 hours, very few break downs. Another important thing about the new TK mills is the blade goes 36" above the deck and has 16" above the blade. Hugh capacity for those odd shaped logs. Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

xlogger

I have a 2000 for several years now and please with it, I got it used but TK treats me as I got it new from them. I give them a A+.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

Tasha

I went with a TK as at the time I thought that it was the best choice.  It is a great overall design and a stout mill.
I firmly believe that it is the best concept for a mill with the size and design to handle large logs of any of the portable mills.

I was afraid the of the electrical issues with the WM, the Cooks which I thought was probably the best mill was a bit shorter than I really wanted and it could not have an extension put on it and the local WM dealer just did not seem that interested in selling me a mill.  I just could not quite wrap my head around the Baker mill for some reason.  Thus I went TK.

  I can't speak for what is going on now as I have had my mill for several years but at the time there were quite a few TK2000 and TK2200's that the purchasers had major "buyer's remorse".  Several owners "quit" the forum as they found that they were not able to discuss the issues they had with their mills.  One individual who is now the owner of a WM mill (bought several since then: LT40 after the TK, now up to LT70 I think) "sold" his TK as he felt that he could never get what he wanted out of the mill.

I have never heard a truly negative thing about the TK B-20 and the owners love them.

Jason at TK tech support is fantastic.  

The head of tech support at TK seemed to develop a dislike for me even before I ordered the mill as I was asking questions about the TK mills.  In a face to face meeting a couple of years after I bought my mill when I visited the TK offices in KC, he (head of tech support) walked into the room and the first thing he did was deliver a snide and sarcastic slam against me.  Other folks report good interactions and seem to respect him, I don't. I have talked to Will Johnson the owner/president about him several times and Will was very honest with me I feel.

PM me and we can exchange emails/a phone conversation and I can tell you more details of my saga.  Just remember they are in in Kansas City and you are in Victoria BC.  WM has a dealer and thus support much closer to your location..

I will not post on here the details of my saga with my TK mill but PM me and we can make contact via email/phone.  After 4 years I finally got the mill to run well and saw lumber.  I now find my mill runs well.

Now I will tell you that I am quite happy with my TK mill.  It however took over 750 hours of frustrating work on the mill before I was finally able to break the first 100 hours of actual sawing. 

ladylake

 
 Far as I know the early TK 2000 mills had trouble with a erratic setworks solved by programming the computer delay from 120 second to 3 second so it knew where it is.

 The other problem is or was the movable guide arm is not strong enough to hold 1/4 down pressure when extended, solved by installing a 7/16 white plastic shim above it so it cant lift up.  

 Never heard of any other wide spread problems at all

 Most time you will get treated like you treat others.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Bruno of NH

I would have gotten a TK mill
The wait time was to long for me.
I respect Will and his company.
I helped someone with a TK having problems cutting pine.
TK only gave him 10° bands
I find in wide cuts and knotty pine you need 7° or 4° bands.
It solved his problem. 
I don't think they cut much softwood in testing at the factory.He also needed more blade tension. 
TK mills look well built and cut nice lumber.
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

ladylake

 
Also TK only recommends 1/8" down pressure on the blade, they cut way straighter with 1/4".  That's the first improvement I made on my mill. Then later switched to 4° blades. I run the tension as TK recommends with no problems.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

reswire

I think all manufacturers make a model that is a standout.  B-20 was the TK standout (IMO).  I've never heard of a B-20 owner that didn't like their mill.  If I could find a used one at the right price, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  I believe the best WM mill is the LT 40.  Rugged as hell, and works like a mule. I sold mine after using it for four years, and got 85% of the original price.  That's not bad, when you consider the money I made while owning it, and the business deductions.  Every company makes a great mill, just make sure you know what you truly need, and focus on researching the model first, manufacturer second.  And of course, parts availability, and a good mechanic, if you are not adept with a wrench. 
Norwood LM 30, JD 5205, some Stihl saws, 15 goats, 10 chickens, 1 Chessie and a 2 Weiner dogs...

Chaser357

I have the smaller 1600.  Only complaints I have are the back stops won't stay adjusted and the clamp is not hydraulic up and down.  Those issues would be solved with buying a 2000 or larger. 
The direct hydraulics are the main reason I chose timberking.  It is a simple trouble free system.   If I were to buy another mill it would either be a bigger timberking or a cooks.  I like the looks of the dragback better on the cooks ac36.   

Westcoastct

Hey thanks guys, 

Your all making great points.

Im a ways away from sending money to any manufacture right now. I want to take my time over the next year to speak with owners of TK and really hear the dirty from them. I want to make sure I also see how this next year goes for my business to make sure that's the important things to consider for a sawmill. 

A local guy just started up a sawmill company much like mine, but he invested $300,000 to start and bought a Select sawmill double cut for $180,000 now Ive seen it, and its a nice sawmill, and it has a wide cut throat on it, wider then the TK but ill be honest I don't know if he will be around long milling here based on the highcost to run the machine he has. I wish him luck but his blades are $400 a piece and if he hits a nail, guess what its the same thing that happens to our blades at $35-55. how many customers want to chance hitting metal at $400 a pop. he also wont drag his sawmill around unless he can cut for 3-4 days so no 1-2 day jobs..... well most jobs here are 1-2 days and the odd one stretches 4-5. 

I would love to drop $300,000 in to this business but its not the reality for me. the TK 2200 really does tick a lot of boxes for what I think I want in a sawmill. I walked away from a log on a job a few months ago but it was 38" diameter. it would have been two lengths and would have yielded close to 2000 bdft. that's $1100 I didn't make on that job because of my sawmill. 

I have had both good luck and bad luck with woodmizer and it hasn't left a sour taste for me but ive heard woodmizer cut down other sawmill just like TK and give me a handful of reasons why they are better then the rest. they all do it. 

the TK2200 would certainly give me options to cut more then square lumber, to offer slabs at 36'' for customers when they want them. to get those bigger beams that I just outsourced to a larger operation because im 1/2'' to small to cut it. that was a loss of $11,000 because of a 1/2"now yes a larger woodmizer would have done it. 

I think all sawmills will have their pros and cons. Iam decent with fixing mechanical things but the over the top electrical system on woodmizer really threw me for a loop. infact it actually had the local dealer and woodmizer techs in the head quarters building guessing and trying random things and only by a fluke did they eventually find the problem. but they did not believe me when I said I had a problem.... until they found it.

all in all I love woodmizer, and would recommend to someone in the future. my Sawmill has served me well. but I think Im after something different right now and TK really seems of interest to me. Im planning a trip to a very large sawmill operation in Coos Bay Oregon later this summer or fall and Im planning to stop at the Oakland TK dealer there to look over and maybe run a mill. PS... the sawmill in Oregon, I operate a 250ton crane with a grapple on it for them here in Canada, they come up to my area 1-2 times a month and we load up their barge with about 16,000 tons of wood to go back to their sawmill. it takes about 2.5 days to load and really leaves me with a lot of time for my milling operation. which is steady right now. anyways that was a side note.... I should really post pictures of the crane operation, you guys would probably enjoy it.

I spent about 30mins on the phone with Matt from TK and he gave me three quotes with shipping options he also sent me his list of Canadian TK owners and a few are not terribly far away from me. none are on my island but a short ferry ride away from a couple. I will defiantly be given them a phone call soon.




doc henderson

hey west coast.  I agree they all have a different set of advantages and not.  Have to find what you want.  I have a TK 2000 and love it.  I am a hobbyist, with a lot of toys.  I just was in KC and stopped by to shake hands with Will, dropped off some blades, got a few questions answered, Matt took us to the underground caves to see where and how they assemble the mills.  I have heard lots of good things about other mills, and I think you have set out your priorities well.  I do not think you will find nicer guys, and they have a good product.  
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Jeff

Quote from: Tasha on June 11, 2019, 05:48:44 PM


 I can't speak for what is going on now as I have had my mill for several years but at the time there were quite a few TK2000 and TK2200's that the purchasers had major "buyer's remorse".  Several owners "quit" the forum as they found that they were not able to discuss the issues they had with their mills.  One individual who is now the owner of a WM mill (bought several since then: LT40 after the TK, now up to LT70 I think) "sold" his TK as he felt that he could never get what he wanted out of the mill.

And how is it you can speak for "then"?   I happen to run this forum and I don't recall any members quitting the forum because they could not seek help here.  I call B.S.  You have been a member here for a year. Unless you are breaking the rules and were removed as a former member and signed up with a new user name you have or had no ability for such insight.  Sounds to me you have some sort of axe to grind. If that is the case, you should probably keep your typing fingers at home.  Any time there is a call for help on a mill, and I can tell you our sponsor companies are there with Timberking right at the front of the pack, they are there to help.
We have many many MANY happy and proud Timberking owners here. Sounds to me more like the problem is on your end. Why do I say that? Well, you started a problem with me with that post and yup, it started on your end.

My comments are a direct result of your comments on the operations and history of the forum. I suggest you keep opinions to yourself.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

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