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lucas mill 1030

Started by Mountain Sawyer, November 05, 2013, 09:10:19 PM

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Mountain Sawyer

Hello everyone i just joined after reading post for over a year, this is my first post and im excited to learn something about the lucas 1030 i am fixing to purchase a mill i just have a few questions about the lucas 1030 and how wide of a board can be cut with this mill? Will i have a problem if im asked to cut a 1 x 12 or 1 x 10 board, i have alot of experiance with a woodmizer band mill but there are some nice things ive heard and have seen with the lucas mill and just are trying to better understand about this mill. thanks for any help and light ya'll can shed on this mill for me.
Always enjoy the outdoors that God has made

fishpharmer

Welcome to FF mountain sawyer. 8)

I have a  618 Lucas, which cuts a 6" by 6" max or any variation that is smaller.  Its my understanding that the 1030 cuts 10" by 10" max.
Unless, you turn the sawhead around and cut from the opposite direction.  Then those maximum width's will double, often called doublecutting.  Its also my opinion that double cutting is not convenient or practical for most paying saw jobs.

Have you watched any youtube video's or Lucas website video's?  They may help you have a better understanding.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Mountain Sawyer

Hi fishharmer  i have watched so many video's i am blue in the face lol. what about the lucas mill is it that everyone really enjoys if your so limited? i really would like to have one if i thought there is so much i can cut with it without tell my customers im sorry i just cant cut this or that, do you ever have problems with customers cut sheet? i was born and raised in batesville mississippi close to sardas dam.
Always enjoy the outdoors that God has made

ET

MS, Ive had my 10-30 now for about 2 years. I have no experience with a band mill so i cannot offer a comparison.

Ive been doing custom sawing now for 1 1/2 years at my farm and on the customers property. The setup time isnt too bad and it all fits on my truck. You need to be very strong to put the head in or you will need a trailer.

Yes it does cut 10" and turning the head for a 20" double cut is not too terribly difficult, it just takes time. I rarely have to do that as i just put my slabber on if wider than 10" are needed which is also rare.  I dont believe i have ever had a customer that i could not cut what they had. What i can say is ive cut an awful lot of 5' logs that a bandmill could not touch. Customers are very happy when i say no problem!

I really like my mill and have no regrets, good luck and welcome to FF.


Ernie

Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

fishpharmer

Quote from: Mountain Sawyer on November 05, 2013, 09:27:46 PM
i really would like to have one if i thought there is so much i can cut with it without tell my customers im sorry i just cant cut this or that, do you ever have problems with customers cut sheet? i was born and raised in batesville mississippi close to sardas dam.

Yes, I have had many customers that wanted something I was unable to cut with the Lucas.  That is one reason I later bought a Woodmizer, its more versatile for me for most logs around here, less than 36 inches diameter.

All sawmills have areas they really shine.  The Lucas is perfect for the over 36 inch logs and for slabbing.  I have had quite a few slabbing jobs where I needed the the Lucas.

Like most things in life its a compromise.

Mississippi is a good place to be from :)  Where are you now?
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

fishpharmer

The 1030 would be a better choice for custom milling than a 618  IMO.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Mountain Sawyer

thanks fishpharmer and ET im still tring to figure this site out and how to reply so forgive me. im in virginia south west part just across tenn state line . Thanks ET for the info how long did it take you guys to get use to sawing with the lucas mill? and turning the head aroung i just dont think i want to be getting into all that to cut a wiger board appears to be alot of work.Hey fish thanks for your opioion it helps
Always enjoy the outdoors that God has made

fishpharmer

There are other members that have both a swingmill and bandmill.  Nomad, terrifictimbers are two.  They may have a different opinion, but I think the Lucas is easier to learn proficiency with than a bandmill. 
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

ET

Im retired and was in no real big hurry so I took 6 months to become very very efficient with my 10-30. I did not even want to hear one single complaint of what I was sawing. I wanted very happy customers so i would not have to advertise. So far its worked and im as busy as i wish to be. I also do small chipping jobs which i make good money at. My customers advertise for me.
Lucas 1030, Slabber attachment, Husky 550XP, Ford 555B hoe, Blaze King Ultra, Vermeer chipper, 70 acres with 40 acres Woods.

Ianab

All mills have their strengths and weaknesses.

If someone designed a mill that did everything, it would cost too much, and probably not be portable any more  :D

Yes, cutting wider boards is a limitation of swing blade mills. You can actually cut up to 20" wide with a 1030 mill, but you probably don't want to be doing that in a production situation. Maybe cutting large beams, where you charge by the hour, it would be fine, but if you are asked for "as many 12 x 1 as the logs will produce", it's not the job for you, or explain that 10 x 1s work for barn siding, and you can cut those all day.  If it's just a few 12 x 2 beams, as part of a larger order, you might mess around and do them.

Why do people like the mills?

Big logs. When a band mill sawyer sees an oversize log just laying there on the ground, they get that sinking feeling. This is going to be hard work  ::) When a swing blade sawyer sees the same log, he smiles and just starts setting up the mill as usual  ;D  Smaller logs? The swing blade can saw them just fine, but so can a $3,000 band mill, so no real advantage over any other mill

Very portable. Another complaint is access to sites, or space to set up the mill. In a back yard, or back in the woods, or through a swamp. If you can get there with a farm tractor, or a quad bike and trailer, or even wheel the mill along a path, you can mill the logs.  Heck there's some pictures around of a Peterson being towed by a donkey and ( I think) a water buffalo

Blade maintenance. Simpler and cheaper. The blade is sharpened in place on the mill, only takes a few minutes. Worn out, or broken in a metal strike, they are re-tipped by any good saw doctor, or even DIY with a jig and gas torch.

Learning curve? I would say simpler then a band mill, especially a fancy automated one with dozens of buttons. The controls are simple, mechanical and you can easily see what each part is doing. Learn to saw? A few hours and you will be confident at least making boards. Of course with practise you get more proficient, and learn more tricks, but to actually be comfortable sawing is only a few hours. The mills are designed to be used in remote areas, like the Pacific Islands, where you only have semi-skilled labour at best. So if a local living in a Papua New Guinea bush can learn to use one, so can you.  ;)
There may be a bit of a shift in thinking from using a band mill, just in the way you approach and break down a log. Starting at the top and simply removing layers of boards, instead of "peeling" the log, or splitting it into quarters first. But once you get the idea, it's pretty simple.

The swing mills were developed in NZ and Australia. where the milling scene is a bit different to the US. Remote locations, rough country, large logs... The swing blades where developed to work in those scenarios. You can of course use them in more civilised surroundings as well   :D

Most of the US guys that are running them are looking for the more unusual jobs, that band mills don't handle well. Over side logs, either into boards, or with a chainsaw slabber, into wide live edge slabs. They may even be picking up jobs with other mills or portable sawyers, where the capabilities of the swing mill lets them do things other mills can't.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

longtime lurker

Okay I've got one. Here's my take on the Lucas 1030.

Pluses... Relatively portable. You arent going to carry it moren about 20 foot from the pickup/trailer though.
         ... Can be set up reasonably quick, and on uneven ground.
         ... Can handle logs out to 5 foot diameter. In fact the bigger the log (up to that 60" limit) the more it         
             likes it.
         ... Can make a whole lot of standard dimension lumber out of that 5"log in relatively short order.
         ... A range of attachments to suit that are quite versatile in terms of wide slabs, planer blades etc etc.
         ... Very good value for money in terms of what it can do for the dollars you spend.
         ... The best backup service of any company I've ever dealt with in my life. Period.

Minuses... Limited to a 10" x 10" . That doublecut feature is pretty well useless. It can be done but it's a  pain and there are log size limitations well under 5'. I've never measured it but it's probably around the three foot mark.
          ...  Not much good in small highly tensioned logs. Can't really clamp them and can't turn them.
          ... pretty much useless without a loader/forklift/bobcat/drott/ etc. It can be done but it's not like a hydraulic bandmill where if the logs are in a pile it can self load, you'll spend more time log handling then sawing if you go that route. Besides, you need that  (lifting) machine to handle packs of sawn timber and sawdust etc anyway regardless of what kind of mill you have... but yeah, it's something to consider
         ... May lead to sawdust addiction resulting in an ever expanding collection of loaders, trucks, sawmills, resaws, etc etc.

Would I recommend them to anyone? Yes. In certain circumstances. Theres no such thing as a one size fits all sawmilling system. Whats best for one operation may be totally wrong for another. But if you've got decent enough size logs, and if you intend to stay under 10" wide as far as product goes, and if you don't wish to be tied to a fixed site operation then they give a lot of bang for your buck, and as I said... their backup service has been second to none.

Would I buy another one for myself? Probably not. If I can't sit in the chair and pull the lever to watch it all happen I'm not really interested in it anymore. But if I retired and still wanted to play sawmills I'd consider it.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

Nomad

     I think the pros and cons have been covered pretty well.  I use my LT50 more than my 1030.  BUT when a big log needs to be slabbed, or it's in a back yard with no way out, or it's just too big, etc, I don't have to scratch my head much either.  I find they compliment each other quite well.
     Just don't wear a Lucas hat around band mills at a show.  It's a great way to get ignored. :D :D
Buying a hammer doesn't make you a carpenter
WoodMizer LT50HDD51-WR
Lucas DSM23-19

Seaman

NICHE MARKET !!!
There are a lot of band mills around, and I don't compete with ANY of them. If a customer calls whom has small logs, I pass them on to a bandmiller.
I might not get as many jobs as a bandmiller, but I make plenty when I am working. The swingblade mills are the most versatile of portable mills I believe.
And I love being different!

If you can come to the Tall Pines event ( in events section) , we will have the Lucas there for all to test drive. ;)
Frank
Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

thecfarm

I have 2 tractors for the same reason. The big one,40hp,is just right for certain jobs, and the small one,30hp, is just right for certain jobs.   :D The Big One is the workhorse of The Farm. Working in the woods,digging rocks. The Small One is more the wife's tractor. Just around the yard. I do use it to blow snow in the winter. Need both,be it saws or tractors, so the job can get done no matter what.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

sigidi

Quote from: Mountain Sawyer on November 05, 2013, 09:10:19 PM
Hello everyone i just joined after reading post for over a year, this is my first post and im excited to learn something about the lucas 1030 i am fixing to purchase a mill i just have a few questions about the lucas 1030 and how wide of a board can be cut with this mill? Will i have a problem if im asked to cut a 1 x 12 or 1 x 10 board, i have alot of experiance with a woodmizer band mill but there are some nice things ive heard and have seen with the lucas mill and just are trying to better understand about this mill. thanks for any help and light ya'll can shed on this mill for me.

Welcome Mountain sawyer.

After a decade on 3 different Lucas Mills, this is my take on things...

A 1030, can cut a 12x1" board, but it takes longer to do a 12" board as compared to a 10" and you won't get as many 12" boards as 10" boards from the same log.

For me it's portability and versatility. I can go anywhere my ute can go with the sawmill and even where the ute can't. As an example, I've set my mill up more than 50 metres away from the ute, down a steep driveway(my handbrake wold never hold on), through a gate, along the side of the house, over a retaining wall into the backyard and milled a log - no loader, tractor, bobcat or hydraulics of any kind.

From the road out front, mill went down the driveway, left side of the house, through the gate and over the retaining wall out the backyard...



This was how the tree/yard was when I got there...



This was the log 'moved' and 'lifted' ready for milling...



and part way through cutting, almost a 6m (20ft) long log...



A log can be sliced up into finished boards on the spot, no double handling timber to edge it and different sizes makes no difference - just means the operator has to be good at their job and fit in the most timber the log will give





Either example (or a combination of both) can be sawn from the log where it sits, no turning of the log and no re-sawing to get finished dimensional boards

Quote from: Mountain Sawyer on November 05, 2013, 09:56:25 PM
Thanks ET for the info how long did it take you guys to get use to sawing with the lucas mill? and turning the head aroung i just dont think i want to be getting into all that to cut a wiger board appears to be alot of work.Hey fish thanks for your opioion it helps

I haven't operated any other mill - I was lucky enough to get the best machine for my needs first time (that's why I've had 3 now) as for learning curve; The difference between my first days cutting and cutting this week, 10 years later, is I produce boards faster and I can handle logs better, which gives me more milling time. Another example; 8 years ago I did a job where I never needed to re-fuel the mill during the 11 hours a day I was cutting. That mill gave me 4 hours engine time on a full tank of gas. My current mill (10" EFI) gives me a little over 4 hours for a tank of gas and if I have enough volume of log (more than 4 cubic metres) I will need to refill in an 8 hour cutting day. With experience I have managed to increase my recovery and decrease the time taken to produce timber, but the accuracy of the timber has always been spot on from day one. Something I get the impression isn't the same for bandsaws.

I don't finish the day having to go home and sharpen a box full of blades. I have 5 blades (because my saw doctor is over 160k/96m away and it takes a while to get a blade back) and they stay on the machine until they are worn out or broken.

As for not wanting to mess around with all the work of double cutting - a recent job I did for a church across town...

Logs on arrival...

 

after moving logs into position, setting the mill up and getting into the cutting, they wanted the widest boards they could get to build a bush chapel, I didn't manage to get pics of all of the timber, there was another two trailer loads other than these pics...

   

Basically I cut the full width of the log from around 200mm (8") all the way down the log up to 500mm (20") wide,for each log.

And lastly I don't agree with the comment a Lucas mill is "pretty much useless without a loader/forklift/bobcat/drott/ etc."...
log on arrival.....

 

yes, that was a 45m long log.

And ready to mill...

 

this job and the other two shown as examples above where all done without any kind of tractor, skid steer or hydraulics and by no means are these the only jobs done without a machine. I did 8 years on my first two lucas Mills before I bought a machine. Almost every mobile job is without a machine, but stationary cutting in the yard is done with the help of my skid steer now.
Always willing to help - Allan

Ianab

Good write up Allen  :)

QuoteAnd lastly I don't agree with the comment a Lucas mill is "pretty much useless without a loader/forklift/bobcat/drott/ etc."...

Agreed. Machinery is handy to have around with ANY mill, but I'd suggest that if you don't have machinery, that a Swing blade is actually the better choice. If a log is too difficult to move, you take the mill to it... Sure with smaller logs you line them up and roll them into place (pretty much the same as loading them on a band mill). But if it's going to take more than 15 mins to move a large log, just move the mill. It's a lot lighter and actually easier to move than 2 or 3 tons of log. :D
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Nomad

     Where you can go with a Lucas mill.  CustomSawyer told me I couldn't get my truck into this back yard.  He was Dang near right, too!  I had to fold both mirrors in and put two wheels up on the curb.



 



 



 

     I got about 1300bf out of that one log, not counting stickers.  Had to roll the log a few feet to clear the stump.  The only equipment used was a high lift jack, a logging chain and a hook.
Buying a hammer doesn't make you a carpenter
WoodMizer LT50HDD51-WR
Lucas DSM23-19

Magicman

Hello Mountain Sawyer and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   :)
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

logboy

QuoteAnd lastly I don't agree with the comment a Lucas mill is "pretty much useless without a loader/forklift/bobcat/drott/ etc."...

I will throw my hat in the ring on that comment as well.  The whole point of a Lucas is that you do not need any sort of heavy equipment to move logs around, especially for the really big ones. Know anyone with a skid loader big enough to move a log like this?



I have sawed in areas where no heavy equipment could go, where the mill was carried in, and the lumber and mill were carried back out.  When I worked construction I owned a Dodge van with a roof rack. I had no problem putting the entire mill in the van and showing up on site with no log handling equipment.  How do people think they move logs when they carry a Lucas up a mountain, into a jungle, or float it down a river on a boat?  I'm with Ianab. If a log is too big to move, then I just move the mill.

I bought my 827 Lucas barely used from a gentleman whose idea of milling lumber was sitting in the shade, pulling levers, and smoking cigarettes while his hired help took care of the lumber. If that is your idea of sawing, then no, a Lucas is probably not for you. If you want the versatility of a small mill, without the investment of heavy log handling equipment, love portability, and aren't afraid to get a little dirty or exercise, then a Lucas will treat you well.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

longtime lurker

Quote from: logboy on November 07, 2013, 02:39:25 AM
QuoteAnd lastly I don't agree with the comment a Lucas mill is "pretty much useless without a loader/forklift/bobcat/drott/ etc."...

Know anyone with a skid loader big enough to move a log like this?




What I said was that... any mill is going to require a machine for log handling/lifting packs of timber/ sawdust handling etc etc. There's no bias to or for a Lucas mill in my statement. It's a general observation based on my experience running a commercial sawmilling operation. You either have to pay for labour or labour saving devices in this business, and that's a "how it is" thing.

My loader can move logs as big as that. ;D



 
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

Mountain Sawyer

Hey guy's you just cant emagine how much help and how much more confidence i now have on this machine and all that can be done with it. I sure have enjoyed all the pictures and comments, i hope everyone continues sending information on there jobs and pictures it is just so awesome to see.
Always enjoy the outdoors that God has made

burlbark

 My first hour on the 10 efi was not that productive. I cut redwood and it has a thick fibrous bark that loves to pull the blade this way and that. I needed to go slow and clear the bark with my first cut.

The other thing that was of great importance was to make sure the tracks are parallel, even a quarter of an inch out can make a difference, a half inch and you will be fighting it. They can tilted and going uphill or downhill but they must be parallel. 

By my 2nd hour I had cut 900 bd ft. It has sense payed for itself and it has been around 6 months time and I have cut around 12000 bd ft total with it, 22hrs last time I checked. We cut 1100 bd ft of 4x8x20' a couple of weeks ago  in under an hours run time. Those 400lb beams are difficult to get off the log.

It is an absolutely amazing piece of machinery and I cant wait to try the v-groove blade on mine.

Another thing of importance is to remember to flip the blade on clearing the log and make sure you completely clear the log. I did not flip the blade one time after making a return vertical cut and went to make my next cut and as soon as it bit into the wood the power unit wanted to take off, I held on and pulled it back down but talk about scary. A friend of mine told me of another local guy that had his powerhead run all the way down the log at his off bearer and it came off the tracks and bent the blade up.... Talk about scary.

buildmyown

about how many board feet can you cut before you sharpen the blade? say cuting mainly pine? :-\
22 ton log splitter:)

longtime lurker

How long is a piece of string? There are quite a few variables around species, and how much dirt and grit are on the logs or the presence of silica.

I usually touch them up when refueling as a matter of course, but sometimes twice a day in clean logs and sometimes twice per log if they're dirty.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

plantman

Wow what a great thread. I've been considering a 1030 Lucas mill. When I look at one in a video my concern is that it will be more difficult to operate when it comes to milling hardwoods like oak and that the powerhead will jump all over the place when it contacts that hardwood. It just looks like the frame is not going to be very rigid and that might make the cuts less exact or effect that ease of operating the saw. Opinions ?
Next,. I called Bailey's today and the sales guy did inform me that the 10" mill has a lower RPM than the 8" otherwise the tip speed would be too fast. The lower RPM means that the slabbing attachment chainsaw blade spins at a lower RPM. Is there anyone who has used this and can offer an opinion ?

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