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What do you think about this sawmill?

Started by Smakman, February 02, 2005, 05:35:52 PM

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Smakman

This is the bandsaw mill that I am looking at buying.  I thought I would see what you folks thought about it.  It is not a name brand.  The fellow built it himself.  He is an industrial equipment designer so building this was right up his alley.  Originally, he thought he might build and sell these, but decided it was too labor intensive to deal with and he also works full time.

Here is what he has told me about it.  I am supposed to go and look it over this weekend and help him work it a bit.

"24 hp Honda engine complete saw has no more than 200 hours on it.

I designed and built this saw after having different models that I purchased and was not happy with the way they operated and cut. This saw has full hydraulics, log loader, clamps, dogs, head up/down and feed.

The saw is very accurate and cuts really nice. The main frame is constructed of 3x6x 1/4" tubes. Everything else is 2x2x1/4" tubing.The saw is very stiff and is very easy to level with the 4 side winding jacks on the corners.

All of the components used to build this saw were purchased new. This was not constructed out of junk I found laying around. I'm not sure what it cost to build, I quit counting at $10,000 and that was long before the project was finished.

The saw has 19" band wheels, can cut a log 32"+ in diameter and 15' long. The axle wheels and tire were all purchased new, and the saw has only been towed about 20 miles total. It pulls really nice and can be towed with a 1/2 ton truck. It does have lights and a wiring harness already installed.

I also did alot of research before buliding this saw and owned a Hudson and operated a Timber Harvester and a Timber King on a couple of ocassions. So when I started building this saw I took ideas from all three and came up with alot of the mechanical components on my own.

So if I had to compare I would say it is closer to a Timber King than any of the others. However this saw is built much heavier than any of the saws I listed above. With the frame rails being 20ft. long and the saw sitting on the axle the frame only flexes about 1/2" from the center of the axle to the end of the saw.

I always cut by myself and if I have all of the logs staged and ready to go I could cut a 12-16" cedar in 6-8 minutes.

If you are cutting 4/4, 8/4 of course will make a big difference on daily output. A 24" Oak log 12' long will yield about 320 bdft. about 30 minutes to cut once you get good at operating the saw.

The best I have ever cut in one day with the logs staged and ready to go was 2000 bdft. I would not expect much more than that even with a helper. The saw has a board drag back so the finished board is pulled back to the operator and guided on to a trailer backed up to the saw.



Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

HORSELOGGER

Looks nice and thoughtfuly built, but you might want to ask about the blade rollers and guide system, like what kind did he use, are they adjustable, and are the wheels adjustable for blade tracking etc...I think that the frame and log handling stuff is pretty straight forward to get right on a home built mill, but the rubber meets the road at the blade .
Heritage Horselogging & Lumber Co.
"Surgical removal of standing timber, Leaving a Heritage of timber for tommorow. "

Smakman

Well, he says that does cut very well.  I guess what I am wondering is do you think this sounds like a good deal for $10,000?
Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

Buzz-sawyer

Well, unless he is a close personal friend or mother Teresa...the fact that he says it cuts well......is subjective to his desire to sell it :)
You would have to operate it for a minimum of several hours to know how it truly performs.
Personally, I would have to be REALLY thouroughly convinced of its functionality, and reliability to spenk 10k on a home built mill.....Honestly it has a lot of drawbacks unless you like to build and fabricate yourself.....Youll have no factory support, olans, or parts....
I like home made junk.....BUt thats a bundle of green ;) :)
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

Smakman

True there wouldn't be any factory support, but I don't mind doing a little mechanical work now and then.  He tells me that everything is made from either off the shelf parts or ordered from northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company and all were new.  He's been using it for about 10 months sawing weekends and some evenings having now sawed in the neighborhood of 50,000 bft on it.  The only self fabricated parts are supposedly brace pieces and such for the frame and carriage.  I mean to spend at least one whole day with it.  I have looked around for a while and even a 15 year old Woodmizer with the hydraulics seems to bring $15,000 or better.
Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

EZ

32 inch dia log is a nice size log, but, my average size is 34. Seems alot of money for what it can saw. Wood Mizers can saw alot bigger. I would'nt jump into the first mill that I've seen. Check around for a while I'm sure you could fine something(factory built) for the same price or cheaper.
EZ

Smakman

Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

McCormack

Did he use a flow divider on the log loaders hydraulics? It seems it would need one since the two loading arms are not coupled together.

DR_Buck

OK... I know I'm still new at this sawing profession, but 50,000 bf with only 200 hours on it sounds a bit of a stretch to me.  Thats a constant 250 bf an hour!
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

D._Frederick

Smakman

See if he will give you the same option as Timberking with with there 30 day no question asked return policy.

Smakman

Quote from: DR_Buck on February 02, 2005, 11:16:01 PM
OK... I know I'm still new at this sawing profession, but 50,000 bf with only 200 hours on it sounds a bit of a stretch to me.  Thats a constant 250 bf an hour!

I wondered if anyone would catch that.  He told me that he first put an smaller  engine on the unit and later upgraded to more horsepower.

I don't know about the flow divider, but I will find out.

I don't expect a warranty, but the fellow seems very straight up and honest.  he hasn't in any way attempted to BS me.

Any more questions I should ask or things I should look for?
Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

Mongo

How about asking him if you could rent it for a week or two (depending on how much you'd get a chance to use it in that time) with 1/2 the rental price being applied to the purchase price if you decide to go ahead and buy it after getting a chance to use it?

MULE_MAN

One of my concerns would be resale, I know your not thinking of
selling it real soon, But at some point in time , you might want something
with a bigger motor or faster hydraulics etc.  I would be asking myself
what it will be worth a couple years down the road????
I kind of like things with Brand names, I think there easier to resale.
Just my 2 cent's.. Not trying to pop your bubble  :)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDG25 with Simple Setworks, debatker, 580 CASE backhoe

MM

Where's it at? I think I would buy it. Just looking at the pictures. If I saws good lumber, go for it.  If you don't send me the contact on it! I would have to repaint it orange!
M.L. Morrow
812/614-1825

Kirk_Allen

Hey MM.  Are you going to send me those pictures of the extensions?  I think most of your snow has melted by now ;D

Thanks

MM

Kirk,
Boy, I dropped the ball on that one. I forgot. I put them on Ebay and sold one. I still have the other. My computer crashed and I lost your email address. email me at morrow@voyager.net and I'll send it to you quick
M.L. Morrow
812/614-1825

Smakman

Well, I went to look it over today, and we ran it for a few hours.  I have to say that the mill is exceedingly well built, to the point of overkill in at least on case, (4 inch cylinders on the loading arms!) and it does cut very nice lumber.  We cut cherry and some pretty knarly maple and it did a fine job.  The deal was sweetened by the fact that a sharpener and setter, hand tools, even the shelter it's under (if I want to take it down) all goes with it.  I'm buying!
Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

Swede

Quote.....................and it does cut very nice lumber.  We cut cherry and some pretty knarly maple and it did a fine job.

Smakman; Before You say it cut nice boards, feed her with a big, fast grown spruce with BIG knots all the length!  ;D ;D It´s one of the two thing that can make a man crying.  ::)



Looks like a nice saw mill. Good luck!

Swede.

PS. The other thing is puting an IKEA furniture together. ;)
Had a mobile band sawmill, All hydraulics  for logs 30\"x19´, remote control. (sold it 2009-04-13)
Monkey Blades.Sold them too)
Jonsered 535/15\". Just cut firewood now.

Smakman

No spruce in my neck of the woods!  Plenty of knotty cedar though....
Cooks HD3238
Bobcat T320
Kioti 7320
Stihl 550i
Stihl 044

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