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Wide slabbing band mill

Started by Busysawyer, August 25, 2018, 09:31:30 PM

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Busysawyer

We are considering adding a wide slabbing band mill to our operation.  Looking for options and opinions.  I'll list the options I've found in the order of price. Highest to lowest.
The big boy woodmizer wm 1000, Hudson mills oscar 60 and cooks sw62. I've been doing well the last couple weeks on the smaller slabs I'm able to cut on the 70 wide but I'm missing out big time on the single slab table market.  I would really like the wm 1000 but its pricey.  Does anyone know any other options besides the three listed above? Anyone here running one of these three?
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

4x4American

Boy, back in my day..

Magicman

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

nopoint

Saw a tru cut in operation today for the first time. This one was totally manual but solidly built deck etc. needs power feed in my opinion, think it might be an option on more expensive versions. Slabing some 4' wide oak did a nice job.

nativewolf

Liking Walnut

nativewolf

we've been doing a bit of slabbing on a Lucas swing blade mill with the dedicated slabber, works well. 
Liking Walnut

Bruno of NH

Thomas Bandsaw mills has a wide unit.
Tru-cut has a full powered up/down
With power feed unit.
A member has a Tru-cut
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

Satamax

Hey Busysawyer. 

Can't you find a cheap enough WM1000? 

Otherwise, you could may be find a Loglogic autotrek in the states?   Or a CD8 from Brenta.  

If ever one made it to the states. 

HORIZONTAL BANDSAW CD - YouTube

I have the little sister, a CD4. 

Or even may be import one? 

There's two for sale on Fordaq for the moment. One mobile, one fixed. 

French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

Busysawyer

4x4 I have ten kids and am trying start up and run a new business. I dont have time to pick my nose, no way I have time to build something. 
Mm, thank you for the info.
Everyone else thank you for letting me know about some other options to research and consider. I'm not sure if I should go with one of the more expensive options or go with a more affordable option for now. I have a local business who wants to buy 30 slabs per month in the 40in plus range and a few other buyers that need 2-3 per month. Then there is the people looking for a single slab at full retail. 
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

terrifictimbersllc

I have a Peterson WPF10 with the slabber attachment.  Mostly chain slabbing is what I use it for.  I think you would do well with it or the Lucas equivalent if you were set up at home base and could handle the logs and slabs.  The swing mill/add on slabber  with either mfgr is more expensive than a dedicated slabber which aren't that expensive even new and look like would serve your needs well. 

Wide bandsawing is a different story.  Look what the guy who is building one in the link given above has gotten himself into.  
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Satamax

French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

shenandoahsawmill

I am not sure that a narrow  blade, bandsaw mill (below 3" wide)  is up to the task of cutting wide slabs on a production basis. With everything perfect ( bandsaw blades very sharp, aligned well and slow feed rate) this might be possible. If one of these variables is not perfect, all bets are off. A wide bandsaw mill of 5" or wider is more forgiving in all three of these parameters. You might want talk to a WM 1000 owner/operator who saws on a production basis for more info. 


Satamax

shenandoahsawmill, i have a wide band. 5 inch or so, with 4 inch wheels. All metal construction. and i can tell you that from what i see on other's videos with narrow bands, wide band, thick kerf, when it gets dull, is no better than narrow thin kerf blades. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9dKNMIlNpc

When the blade wants to cut wavy, it does! 









 
French CD4 sawmill. Latil TL 73. Self moving hydraulic crane. Iveco daily 4x4 lwb dead as of 06/2020. Replaced by a Brimont TL80 CSA.

shenandoahsawmill

I started sawing slabs with a double ended CSM with 2 090s then switched to an LT 40 then a Peterson with clip on slabber then the 5" wide double cut band mill with a 42" throat that I use now. I would prefer to never go backwards through that progression. Yes the 5" wide band cuts wavy boards occasionally when I am really pushing it or it is very dull but it stays accurate much longer and saws 8 times faster than the CSM and 2 to 3 times faster than the narrow band.

gmmills

   Give Baker a call. They were demoing a wide slabbing mill at the Richmond Expo this year. Impressive machine. Very well built. The Hudson is way too light for any real repeatable accuracy at any productive rate. I have seen one up close a couple of years back.  You could grab on to one of the four posts of the head frame and were able to shake the whole flimsy head.
Custom sawing full-time since 2000. 
WM LT70D62 Remote with Accuset
Sawing since 1995

shenandoahsawmill

Here are a couple of pics. of the Baker at the Richmond expo;


 

 


redbeard

Not sure why you think the Hudson 60 mill is light duty, I find it quite durable and with the 34 hp Kabota diesel it will make a pile of 48"-50" wide slabs quickly.
I have had no problem with using .055 x 1-1/2" band blades.  Slabs are one of the many uses of having a wide head sawmill, breaking big logs down to manage better on our other sawmill is the main use. Finding figured wood in wide crotches is another. Only time there has been a problem is when quartering 40" dia + logs when taking a center cut at the pith you have to put some wedges in as your milling or it will pinch blade as you exit log, it has happened twice in a dozen times. There's 28" of room above the blade that's some heavy wood. Especially when milling 30' + beams.
As far as Slab production I guess it comes down too how many slabs you wanna mill in a day.
Most slabbing mills including the Hudson 60 will definitely out slab the energy you have of handling the slabs the mill can produce in a day.


Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

Busysawyer

Thank you guys for all the options and opinions. Looks like a have a few more options to consider and research.  I had a nice conversation on the phone with redbeard last night and he is very pleased with his oscar 60. The only negative that caught my attention for me would be the max blade height. It sounds like the head might not travel up far enough to start slabbing at the top of really big logs. 
Shenendoah dies the price on that Baker say 16600? 
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

Lawg Dawg

Quote from: Busysawyer on August 27, 2018, 07:55:45 PMShenendoah dies the price on that Baker say 16600?
I'd buy 2 at that price  :D
2018  LT 40 Wide 999cc, 2019 t595 Bobcat track loader,
John Deere 4000, 2016 F150, Husky 268, 394xp, Shindiawa 591, 2 Railroad jacks, and a comealong. Woodmaster Planer, and a Skilsaw, bunch of Phillips head screwdrivers, and a pair of pliers!

100,000 bf club member
Pro Sawyer Network

Busysawyer

Ld , I know it. I cant see the pic that well but it sure looks like 16600. Doesnt seem right.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

Southside

$46,660. I saw it run at the show.
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Busysawyer

S.s, that makes more sense.  What did they have powering it? I was planning on calling Baker today but ran out of time.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in awhile

Southside

I don't remember, but I do recall feeling sorry for the poor guy running it. Getting those puppies off the mill was a chore .
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

4x4American

Hey, you know a fabric maker?  Give them a call show em what you want done get a quote write a check boom done.
Boy, back in my day..

mapleack

That looks like 46,660.  Still not that much more than a wide Hudson?
Norwood LM2000

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