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New mill, my first - Woodland Mills HM130

Started by ChugiakTinkerer, August 22, 2016, 03:54:42 PM

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ChugiakTinkerer

I'm taking my first steps down the sawdust path, and I truly appreciate the input, advice, and even the unheeded warnings about buying a bandsaw mill.  After flipping and flopping about which way to go, I decided to buy the Woodland Mills HM130.  As much as I tried to justify a Wood-Mizer LT40 with hydraulics, I just couldn't rationalize spending that much when I am ostensibly doing this to save money.  So a hobby-grade mill it is.

I placed my order on the 17th of August and it got shipped on the 18th.  As you can see in the tracking information below the package weighs 1154 lbs.  My mill has toured the midwest and is enroute to its port of departure, probably Bellingham, WA.


 

I had originally looked at the Woodland Mills 722 for my first mill.  It is limited to a 22" diameter log and only has a 6.5 hp motor.  One consistent message I got from FF was to buy the biggest mill I could afford.  I selected the HM130 over the HM126 because it comes with a 14 hp motor and has a four-post carriage supporting the sawhead.  It has a 3-inch larger throat than the HM126 which may come in handy if I ever get into cutting slabs for furniture.  My package is due to arrive at the port in Anchorage, Alaska on September 1.  I'll need to have a temporary home for it in my back yard to make sure everything is functional and figure out my work flow requirements.  Then this winter I will haul it out to our remote property where it will help build a cabin in the woods.  That thread is here at CountryPlans forum: http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=14235.0

I have also ordered a box of 4* blades from Kasco based on their recommendation as the best for cutting frozen spruce.  That should ship today and will likely arrive before the mill.  Next on my to-acquire list is a couple of cant hooks and some logs.  I'll probably fell some cottonwood trees in my back yard, but if I opt not to do that this year then I'll have to go cut some on state land.  I can cut firewood trees for a nominal fee, but the state won't let me have anything over 10" d.b.h. without paying extra for it.  They charge 25 cents per linear foot up to 6" diameter, so I figure the trees I am targeting will probably cost $9 to $12 each, $15 if I'm lucky.  Based on some brazen assumptions about tree size, that puts me at around $0.10 per board-foot for the smaller trees and $0.02 per board-foot for a sprucezilla tree.

I will follow up this posting with pics and first impressions when the mill arrives.  Hopefully I'll be making sawdust within two weeks!  8)
Woodland Mills HM130

ozarkgem

Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

ChugiakTinkerer

Quote from: ozarkgem on August 22, 2016, 04:20:22 PM
must be some tall trees

I'm sure the actual trees will not measure up to my expectations.  But we'll see.  I know there are plenty of spruce in the area of my property that are bigger than my reference tree.  That was a spruce I felled in my back yard a few years ago.  I don't know what it's exact measurements were, but it was probably 12" d.b.h.  I do know that from ground to tip it was 48' as I had to drop it in a pretty tight spot.  According to some, white spruce can normally grow up to 98 ft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_glauca). 

I'm guessing as to how much the state would charge me for the same tree, as I don't know where the 6" diameter threshold is.  So 36' seems a reasonable guess.  For the board feet calc, I was using International scale with the FF Toolbox calculator.  I may have been naive in thinking I can get two 16' logs out of the same tree, but at least I've got a starting point.  If it's only 1.5 logs then I'll either be looking for bigger trees or paying a bit more for standing timber.

Here's some background on white spruce harvesting from this article: http://www.alaskajournal.com/business-and-finance/2012-11-09/dry-creek-sawmill-customers-reach-delta-lebanon
Quote
A typical white spruce is about 85 feet tall with the tree tapering at the top. About two-thirds of the three, typically about 50 feet, can be used as a log for home building or lumber. The remaining third can be used for other things, like fuel.
Woodland Mills HM130

ozarkgem

the good thing about owning the mill is you can cut any length you want. I cut 4' logs just for my pallets. Usually pieces left over where I buck them up.You will have short stuff in the cabin and can cut the logs accordingly. You are going to have a blast.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

starmac

Don't know how well you know Tom and his Brad at dry creek, but those guys sure have it going on and are great guys to do business with.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

clintnelms

Congratulations! You're going to love it. I love my HM126. Really like some of the upgrades on the HM130. Especially the adjustable blade guide. I believe that will make a big difference.

btulloh

Congrats on the new mill and good luck with your quest.  I bet we'll see you on one of those many Alaska shows on Discovery Channel, etc.  ;)

I've had the HM126 for about a year and have been well pleased.  The HM130 looks well worth the extra bucks and it looks like it's been improved quite a bit.  I think it'll treat you right.

Working out the kinks is a great idea before taking it out to the wilds.  I had a few little issues in the first few months that were taken care of quickly and happily by the folks at Woodland Mills.  They are good on customer service, but that gets tougher when you're off the grid.

You'll probably want to get a good spares kit together while you're working out the kinks.  Besides the usual belts and bearings, an assortment of small hardware wood be good,  There are some small screws and bolts that like to come loose (Loctite?) and jump into the sawdust.  No big deal, as long as there's a hardware store nearby, 

One thing that failed on mine was the nipple that feeds lube into the ball valve,  Broke right off, as it is also used the mount the valve.  The original was quite thin and couldn't take the strain of turning the valve constantly,  It may have already been improved.  I just replaced it with a fitting from the hardware store that is more robust.  For me, that was a 15 minute round trip. 

It's hard to anticipate every failure but they will happen.  Maybe some other Woodland owners can chip in with some spares suggestions.

Enjoy your sawdust and good luck.

Bob T


HM126

btulloh

Nice thread on your build.  Thanks for posting the link.  I plan to poke around and see what other people have posted when I get a chance.
HM126

ChugiakTinkerer

@starmac, I don't know the guys at Dry Creek at all, it was just a handy article providing a little info on my target tree species.

For everyone else, thanks for the pointers on running a Woodlands mill.  My intent is to post as much info and pictures as you all can tolerate to give some user perspective on the HM130.  Being a new product there isn't much information out there.  You all have done a great job pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the HM126 and I hope to return the favor with the HM130.
Woodland Mills HM130

ChugiakTinkerer

My shipment of blades arrived from Kasco yesterday.  It looks like my mill arrived at the port terminal yesterday too.  Hopefully it's loaded and sails today for Alaska.

I'm scheduled to have an arborist swing by tomorrow evening and give me a quote on dropping my four cottonwood trees.  Not exactly prime wood but probably good material to learn on.
Woodland Mills HM130

Dan R

Just started reading this thread and noticed the talk of the WM 130 and the talk of adjustable blade guides. I have purchased the Cooks guides for my WM 126  but have yet to install them. Could someone post a picture of the guides. I think I have a good way to mount them on My 126 but might find a better way. Thanks in advance Dan

ChugiakTinkerer

Dan R, happy to oblige once I have my mill set up.  I got a call from the shipping company today that it arrived, so will pick it up tomorrow.
Woodland Mills HM130

fishfighter

Quote from: Dan R on August 31, 2016, 10:54:23 PM
Just started reading this thread and noticed the talk of the WM 130 and the talk of adjustable blade guides. I have purchased the Cooks guides for my WM 126  but have yet to install them. Could someone post a picture of the guides. I think I have a good way to mount them on My 126 but might find a better way. Thanks in advance Dan

When you do swap over, please post some pictures.

Bill Ragosta

I'm really excited to find this thread.  I've never owned any mill and I'm considering buying a "hobby mill", but I'd like it to be heavy duty enough that I want be disappointed when my logs are too large for the mill or the mill is too wimpy to handle the job.  I found the Woodland Mills HM130 and have seen quite a few of the company's marketing videos and so far it looks pretty good.  I'll be anxious to see follow up threads here regarding any problems you may have or completely positive reviews.

Magicman

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Bill Ragosta.  There are many satisfied Woodland Mills owners here. 
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

goose63

Hi Bill

I have the Woodland 126 and put some big logs on it



 

Some times thy need a little triming with a chain saw but that mill will cut it 8)
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

scmilling

Hi there. Good luck and enjoy the milling with your hm 130.
I've just put the deposit down on a hm126 to work alongside and complement my lucas 10" swinger. Its only a year old and very lightly used. Both mills seem to get excellent reviews for quality and value.
Currently I either reject jobs or logs within a job for being too light to keep in place with the lucas, or I simply can't process them in an efficient and time sparing way for the client. I should be able to fix the track of the hm permanently in place hard to one side of the same trailer I use for hauling the lucas .Dogging short and light logs has always been an issue with the lucas, which I can now keep for the high production logs.
I'll let you know how it works out.
Shaun
-Think I need a bigger hammer !

InTheHills

ChugiakTinkerer - Have you had the chance to setup the mill and get an overall feeling for it?

ChugiakTinkerer

Quote from: InTheHills on September 24, 2016, 08:59:02 AM
ChugiakTinkerer - Have you had the chance to setup the mill and get an overall feeling for it?

Time being in short supply, I have been trying to get my other chores done before I really start on the mill.  I have assembled it but still need to fire up the motor.  Assembly is pretty straightforward, although as mentioned in some HM126 posts the manual is sketchy on details.  Even though there is no fuel or oil in the engine yet, I've been rolling the saw head up and down the rails just to enjoy the feel of it*.  It is stoutly made.  I don't have anything to compare to but it certainly does NOT feel cheaply made.

The sawhead is massive.  I don't have a FEL or forklift, so getting the sawhead up on the tracks was a trick.  The thing weighs over 400 lbs, maybe more like 500 lbs.  We ended up tilting it back and forth, each time shimming the front or back up with a 2x4.  Eventually got it level with the track and rolled it on.  I'm giving more and more thought to building a trailer for the mill.

With shipping and assembly so far I have noticed only one negative thing.  One of the latches that secures the blade guard cover was damaged.  I'll get in touch with Woodland Mills about it, but I plan on at least getting the mill fully operational before I make the call.  Hope to get some pics of it cutting cottonwood logs later this weekend.

*My wife swears I am making motorboat sounds with my mouth as I am moving the sawhead.  I can neither confirm nor deny this allegation.
Woodland Mills HM130

clintnelms

Quote from: ChugiakTinkerer on September 24, 2016, 11:51:07 AM
Quote from: InTheHills on September 24, 2016, 08:59:02 AM
ChugiakTinkerer - Have you had the chance to setup the mill and get an overall feeling for it?

Time being in short supply, I have been trying to get my other chores done before I really start on the mill.  I have assembled it but still need to fire up the motor.  Assembly is pretty straightforward, although as mentioned in some HM126 posts the manual is sketchy on details.  Even though there is no fuel or oil in the engine yet, I've been rolling the saw head up and down the rails just to enjoy the feel of it*.  It is stoutly made.  I don't have anything to compare to but it certainly does NOT feel cheaply made.

The sawhead is massive.  I don't have a FEL or forklift, so getting the sawhead up on the tracks was a trick.  The thing weighs over 400 lbs, maybe more like 500 lbs.  We ended up tilting it back and forth, each time shimming the front or back up with a 2x4.  Eventually got it level with the track and rolled it on.  I'm giving more and more thought to building a trailer for the mill.

With shipping and assembly so far I have noticed only one negative thing.  One of the latches that secures the blade guard cover was damaged.  I'll get in touch with Woodland Mills about it, but I plan on at least getting the mill fully operational before I make the call.  Hope to get some pics of it cutting cottonwood logs later this weekend.

*My wife swears I am making motorboat sounds with my mouth as I am moving the sawhead.  I can neither confirm nor deny this allegation.

They must have changed the cover to the style that's on the HM130. Mine doesn't have latches. It has the one hand bolt that goes through the top to secure it.

ChugiakTinkerer

Finally got the mill up and running.  Wow, this is a heck of a lot of fun.   8) :D 8) :D

Here's what I'm sawing.  Had a tree feller come in with his boom truck and take down some black cottonwoods that were growing uncomfortably large this close to the house.



 

Here's my first log.  I think it was about 13" diameter at big end, it ran 10' and was just within the limits of the track.



 

And here's my first cut.  Using the factory blade, I feel no resistance when the blade enters the log.  The only time I had to push was when I came to knots.



 

My first slab cut was way too thick.  I should have backed off and made two cuts, would have got a nice board for edging.  As it is, I got seven 1x8x10' and three 1x4x10' which totals 56 bf.  Using 13" the board scales out to 72 bf.  I'll be sure to take diameter measurements at both ends next time, to put in my log diary (log log?).  Now it's time to add the track extension so I can cut the longer logs!
Woodland Mills HM130

ozarkgem

glad you got it up and going. You will have a big lumber stack before long and have it hauled to your new property. Congrats. 
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

ChugiakTinkerer

I managed to get three logs sawn on Sunday: a 10' @ 13" at small end, a 10' @ 14" and a 8' @ 15" butt end log.  My output for the day was 208 board-feet.  My day went like this:

9:30 am -- Yeeha, it's alive!
10:15 am -- First log queued up
10:20 am -- First cut.  It's so beautiful, I swear I am hearing an angelic choir
11:50 am -- First log cut, making stickers and a stacking area.  This is so fun I could do this all day
1:30 pm -- First log stickered.  Looking at next log, I bet that that it will fit on the track.
3:00 pm -- Second log cut, sticker production is lax.
3:30 pm -- I am eyeing the only other log that will fit the track (still need to put on the 6' extension)
3:45 pm -- enlist my sister to help roll the log completely over my stack of logs.  It's only 8' long, how heavy can it be?
3:46 pm -- Oh my, that heavy
4:05 pm -- Got the short log moved from one side of the log pile to the other.  Ready to roll up ramp to the sawmill.  Continued to wish for a FEL or tractor with forks.
4:15 pm -- Got the "short log" up on the sawmill.  Am duly impressed with the Woodchuck Dual peavey.  Not so impressed with myself.  Where's the ibuprofen?
5:50 pm -- Done sawing the "short log".  Severe sticker shortage.  My supplier is falling down on the job.
6:30 pm -- All wood stacked and stickered.  Wow, that 208 bf doesn't look very impressive.  Where's the ibuprofen?
6:50 pm -- Tools put away, work site "cleaned up".  Starting to appreciate the natural beauty of sawdust.
7:00 pm -- Ah, ibuprofen!
7:30 pm -- Showered and respectable.  Ah, bourbon!

A few more days like this and I'll have my cottonwood all stacked and drying.  Hopefully I will regain some of my youthful vigor in the process.  I definitely learned how important it is to organize and manage your work space.  Minimizing the amount of log handling and board handling will be something to improve on.
Woodland Mills HM130

ozarkgem

I usually deal with everything immediately . I don't just throw the slabs down and then have to pick them up later. I put them in a rack. I edge the boards from the same log. I don't let them pile up. I stack and sticker as they come off the mill. I only want to handle the stuff once.  Just me. Glad you are enjoying it. Now get the list of materials for the cabin and get cutting.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

btulloh

Congrats on getting your mill up and going.  You're hooked now.  You'll get a rhythm going after a few logs and everything will get easier. 

There's never enough stickers, especially dry ones.

Ibuprofen is your friend.
HM126

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