NEED A LITTLE ADVICE ON PETERSON SAWMILLS.

[dredgeslavedave]

I WILL BE BUYING A  SAWMILL IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. ONE OF THE MILLS THAT I AM THINKING OF BUYING IS THE PETERSON ALL TERRAIN SAWMILL. WHAT I AM WONDERING ABOUT IS HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT A LARGER MOTOR ON THE MILL AFTER YOU HAVE BOUGHT IT? I WAS THINKING ABOUT GETTING THE ATS 8" MILL WITH THE 13HP HONDA. THAT WOULD COST ME A LITTLE OVER TEN GRAND. THEN I WOULD BUY AN EXTENSION SO I COULD MILL LONGER TIMBERS. I THINK THAT THE 27HP KOHLER WOULD MILL A LOT FASTER, BUT RIGHT NOW I DON'T THINK I COULD AFFORD THE THIRTEEN GRAND FOR THE MILL, AND STILL GET THE EXTENSION. SO I NEED TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER. RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT LENGTH WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED TO ME. ANY IDEAS ON THE DIFFICULTY OF PUTTING A LARGER MOTOR ON THE MILL IN A COUPLE OF YEARS? ALSO HOW DIFFICULT WILL IT BE TO UPGRADE TO A 10" MILL DOWN THE ROAD? THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP, DAVE.

[Tom]

I've heard several discuss this same dilemma.  Perhaps Peterson will offer a suggestion.

Welcome to the forum/

Oh!  Please take you Caps Lock off.  Trying to read that "all Caps" has my eyes crossed. 

[dredgeslavedave]

Thank for the quick reply Tom. I shot a e-mail to peterson. Look no cap locks! Thank you again, Dave.

[jpgreen]

Talk to Gitoverit.  He's doing just that.

I wonder if Peterson will sell an ATS with no engine?

Dave, welcome to the forum..  8) 8)

[dredgeslavedave]

Now that is an option I never even thought of. You guys are great! Thank's again, Dave.

[Part_Timer]

Welcome to the forum.

When I was thinking of getting mine they said that they would sell it without the engine.    This would cut down on the taxes and shipping a bit.  I would think anyway.

PM getoverit and captain.  They can fill ya in.  I know that getoverit found his engine the other day.  He also found a string of good luck that Kirk would be proud of.

have a good one
Tom

[DanG]

Hi Dave, and welcome to the Forum!  Think about it this way...if you buy the small engine and the extensions, then upgrade to the larger engine, you have bought 2 engines.  If you wait and buy the extensions later, you have only bought them once.  I can't see where buying the saw without the engine would do you much good. ??? :

[getoverit]

I just bought a 10" Peterson ATS with a 13hp Honda, and am in the process of upgrading the engine to a larger one. The 13hp will cut fine, it is just a bit slow, especially in hickory.

When you get a larger engine from Peterson, they have to put some extra safety gear on there. Besides the engine, there is also an electric clutch and some switches and other gear. This is why the total package of a larger engine from them costs so much.

They will sell you an ATS with no engine if that is what you want. I was gong to go this route but figured I could use a 13hp horizontal shaft engine for other things, and their price on that engine is hard to beat. It cranks on the first pull also.

I now have a 24 hp Onan engine that I am rebuilding that will go on my Peterson. I'm watching ebay to see if I can find a 3 groove electric clutch for it also. The way the ATS is set up, you could put just about any engine on it as there is plenty of room. I understand the need for a clutch... if the saw was to somehow walk out of the cutting groove and start walking the log, the electric clutch would at least shut it off. Personally, I think this would probably not happen, but you never know and I'm all for keeping all my arms and legs, so I'll opt for the safety of the clutch.

You can get new 27hp Kohlers on e-bay for around $1600, and Captain   this link has them for around the same price too. Just make sure you get one set up with the key built into the engine. You dont want a remote start model. You can always find a good used engine and save even more. The only thing I'm not sure of is all of the other safety stuff they put on there if you get it direct from the factory.

If you have any more question on this, please PM me.

[TinMan]

There is quite a bit involved with changing from the 13 to the 27hp. I just got my mill yesterday and had the same question before I bought mine. Captain explained the pros and cons of it and seemed better just to get the 27 up front. Everyone has a different situation though. Im sure you will get lots of help here on the forum.

Welcome to the forum Dave ;D

Tracy

[wiam]

You can't go from an 8" to a 10".  Totally different mill

Will

[Husband]

Just got in and saw this on the FF.
OK, the change over from the small motor to the larger one isnt all that diffulcult, it does however require "extra parts" to make things run smoother/safer. Such as e-stop, clutch, belt size, fuel tank. Most of this we can send later to fit on if needed. Honestly, as TinMan has said, much easier to do up front.
As for going from an 8"-10", sorry, cannot be done, two different mills totally. :'(
If you have any questions phone me on 1877 327 1471. It is the weekend here now but the phone will divert to my personal home.
Not to go off the topic and hi jack your thread, but for those who know Kiwi jake......it is his stag do tonight and I think he is a wee bit concern about who are his real mates at the moment 8) 8) 8)
Chris

[dredgeslavedave]

Thank' for all the quick help. DanG the reason the no engine option appealed to me is because I already have a 13hp Honda on my 6" gold dredge. getoverit thank you very informative response. In my book safety is always first. Your post helped me to see some of the pro's and con's of changing to a larger engine later on. Tracy thank you for your reply as well. That would be the easy way, and I may just go that way. Will in the paper work I got from Peterson they said you could change the blade size later on. I am not sure how. maybe a kit? Thank you to all, Dave.

[jpgreen]

I wondered if the dredger part was as "placer" dredging Dave.

Where you from?

I'm an old dredger from way back.. 

[dredgeslavedave]

Looks like I need to up date my profile. I thought I had put my location on it. I am from Toledo Oregon. I dredged on the kalamath river in northern Califorina last summer. Dave.

[Captain]

Just a quick recap...

Like Chris and others have said, the 13hp is direct drive with no clutch, no battery, and therefore no electric start.  It also had no fuel tank, and the emergency stop on the handle has to simply shutoff the engine.  The emergency stop on the larger engines kill the starter too, so it is much more involved.

Many people do not realize that they are getting all of the above changes between a 13hp and a larger engine; these upgrades purchased seperately are over $1200 alone.  It is not just the difference between the engine price involved.

The upgrade story for blade size goes like this....
You can not just bolt on a blade of a different size.  The blades are designed specifically to a gearbox that will work appropriately with it.  Now, the 6" mill and the 8" mill are built in the same size frame...so if you wanted to change your 6" mill to an 8" mill at some time in the future, you can with a gearbox change.  You could also change your 8" to a 6" with a gearbox change if you wanted to do something as rediculous at that.  Having said the previous, the 10" mill is built with a physically larger frame to carry the 10" blade within.  The blade will not fit within the 6"/8" frame, so an upgrade is out of the question.  Hence the price jump to the 10" mill over the 6"/8" mill.

I know it is a stretch to get into the mill in the first place, but there is no substitute for HP and if you are going to use it much at all, the payoff in production is fast.  Having said that, the 13hp in an 8" mill does an admirable job if you're not in a big rush.

Good luck,
Captain

[jpgreen]

Thanks for that explanation Craig.  8)


Hay- Dave,  You dredgin' with McCracken up on that Klamath?

[dredgeslavedave]

Thank's captain. That must of been what I read in the paper work that peterson sent me. changing from a 6" to a 8" blade.  It looks like maybe I should wait until I can afford a larger engine. I am not sure if I would ever need to go to a 10" mill or not. most of what I will cut will be 2x6 so the 8" should work just fine. And jpgreen yes I was dredging on the new 49ers claims with dave McKracken.  Thank you again, dave.

[jpgreen]

I haven't talked to Dave since I went over to Cambodia.

Man with gold over $500 an ounce, I should dust off some equipment... 

-sending ya a pm link of some pics of the dedges I've built..

[dredgeslavedave]

64 oz of gold last summer. The biggest nugget was 20.5 penny weight. just a tad over a ounce. Quite profitable, and fun at the same time. I did miss my wife for the two months I was gone. But she was all smiles when she saw all that gold. Dave.

[jpgreen]

This was the last 6" I built. It was a hog, and thought it was an 8"..  :D









 

[dredgeslavedave]

Looks like a 8" floats frame and tripple sluice. Did you just cut it down to a 6" to be leagal in the creeks? Dave.

[jpgreen]

Nope, it was always just a powerful six.

Had an 18hp Vanguard on it with P350 Keene and Gast 2/diver compressor.

I still have the engine/pump/air package, but the dredge is now doing time in Alaska.

[Fla._Deadheader]

Y'all bring them dredges down to Costa Rica, and I will show ya some REAL gold.  ;D ;D :D :D :D

  Got a photo on my other computer, where the riffles are FULL and gold ran over the end of the sluice.  8) ;D :D :D

[jpgreen]

Onlyest problem is you can't take that gold out of Costa Rica can you?

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Sure ya can, but, why bother ???  There's money down here too, ya know.  ;) ;D ;D ;D

[Jim_Wahl]

And here all this time i"ve been looking for gold amoungst all this sawdust!

[Fla._Deadheader]

Thar's gold on this here Forum, with all the info provided.  8) 8) 8)

[Tome]

I don't know about other states but an added expense here in Missour is the sales tax.  I had my ATS for 1 1/2 years when I got a bill from the state along with a penalty and interest.  They were good enough, bless there hearts, to forgo the interest.  When I told them I didn't even know that I owed it they said, we know you probably didn't know but that is the law.  Cost me an extra 490.00.

[dredgeslavedave]

Ouch!!!!! That had to hurt. Luckly no sales tax in Oregon. Dave.

[KnotBB]

From one newbe to another welcome to the forum.  Feel like we are kind of neighbors as my wife's family lives in Burnt Woods, just over the hiill from you.  Just got back from two days over there.  I've spent many days moving railroad cars around in Toledo.  That was in a past life.
Twenty years ago I cut several 1000's of Bdf of spruce  and fir in Hidden Valley with a Mobile Demension.  There are some really big spruce in your area. 8)  They'ed sink most band mills.

I just got a swing mill and maybe we can get together some time and trade info and war stories.  Bet if we did the "who do you?" game we'd have several matchs. 

[jpgreen]

Logs, swing mills, and a "full auto" state... who could ask for more?..  :D

Welcome Oregonian neighbors..  ;D

[dredgeslavedave]

My ex-Father-in-law worked for Southern Pacific Railroad in the round house for years. He also spent a lot of time working road trips here in Toledo. I have quite a few large trees on my property that is one reason I am looking at a swinger. JP it cost $250 per year for the privilege of shooting full auto. Thank you, Dave.

[dredgeslavedave]

Hey KnotBB, I proably passed you a time or two at the show today. That Lucas you got looks like a great mill. I wouldn't mind milling a few logs with you. If you need someone to tail for a day let me know,  Dave.

[KnotBB]

You're on.  Might even manage to pay you with a hamburger and a Pepsi.
:D

Size of logs is one of the main reasons I bought a swinger.  The only other mills I've seen that will saw really big logs are the dimension mills  I have a real fondness for Mobil Dimension and they're made right here in Oregon, but they're out of my price range right now.  Maybe later when I can get two shoestrings to run on.
Steve

[Husband]

Hey guys, need to clear this up a bit :-\. We ship all mills over there with motors UNLESS they go to a trained RC to have one fitted. This way we can be assured that the mill has all the safety stops, gaurds etc in place as should be and fully functional. Sorry if it was mis-interpreted to read otherwise and take the wind out of the sail for those who thought that they were going to save a few bucks :-[.  Be assured though, it may cost a bit more now, but save you loads down the track.

Remember, YOUR safety comes first and is priceless. Happy and safe milling all. 8)

Chris

[Minnesota_boy]

Chris,

Thanks for clearing that up.  It seems a shame to pay shipping of the engine to Australia, just to have it shipped to the U.S., but when you bring up the safety issue (and of course the liability issue is in there too) it makes a lot more sense.

[Husband]

Just for the record.......it gets shipped to New Zealand ;), you Canadians always get us mixed up ;D ;D ;D

[Jeff]

 :D  :D

[crtreedude]

You all talk the same to me...

[Jeff]

Thats just cause you live on that island south of cuba.

[Minnesota_boy]

Yah, we get all you people form down under mixed up, eh?  :D

[Tom]

I thought it was off the coast of Brazil. :-\

Isn't Costa Rica just west of Barbados?

[crtreedude]

Boy, you all need to get out more!

I mean, how much history do you remember? Iran Contra - Costa Rica was were good ole Ollie worked from - until he was banned from the country for life. (Yes, that is true.)

[dredgeslavedave]

Thank you all on the forum for all the help in something I knew nothing about. You can learn a lot by listening to the experts. I will be ordering a 27hp Kohler engine, not the 13hp Honda. It looks like for safety reasons it would be wise to get it now and not try to put one on later. Thank you, Dave.