My norwood

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Here is a picture of my mill when I completed building it.

I'v had it for about 6 months and it's not as clean now but it runs great. ;)

[J Beyer]

Can you tell us your assembly time and level of experience with tools?  Any problems with fitment of parts?  I'm pretty decent with tools so the time factor would be nice to know.

Anyone hear about an option for hydraulic loading for the Lumbermate?  Heard or read about it at one time, just curious if anyone has info on it.

J Beyer

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Wow one minute this post is on the General, and I might add WRONG board, and then zzzing here we are. I hope J Beyer can find it!

I'm fairly handy with tools, work on antique tractors and play with Harleys. You have to know which end of a screwdriver to stick in the light socket!

Assembly time was a 3 day weekend and a bout a week of evenings. I had a real hard time getting the rails straight and then found I had a factory defect. look for a post called "New sawyer New Lumbermate" or such. Anyway, it should take about a weekend and a couple of evenings to build it. They have an extensive assembly guide and a help desk. Not avalible on weekends.

Hydraulics, I was on their web page recently and did not see anything about hydraulics. I will tell you that for my weekend operation I dont feel the need for hydraulics. Atleast not on the mill. I use a skid steer for loading and yard management and I'm real happy to have it.

[Paul_H]

That is a nice looking machine.I have heard a lot of positive talk about the Norwood,and would like to see one,sometime.

[ohsoloco]

Norwood has added a log loader to their list of options, but it isn't hydraulic, it's an electric winch.  You can see the setup on their website.  I wish I had a skid steer or something of the sort to do the loading for me...all cant hook with lots of grunting (and sometimes cursing   ).  Those two ton monsters are always a challenge.
     I think it also took me about a week of part time assembly with a weekend thrown in there.  No problems putting it together (hats off to the technical writers), just got tired of turning all of those bolts  :    
      The only time I wish I had hydraulics is in the summer....all that extra log wrestling keeps me warm this time of year  

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Oh yea I think there are 100 or so bolts holding just the rails together I took a short socket wrench extension and cut the socket end off of it and clamped the remainder in my codless drill and used that to drive the bolts. Worked great.

[J Beyer]

Would air-tools on a low setting make the work goby really fast?  If I got one I probably could have three people counting myself working on it.  Has anyone put the Norwood together with another person(s)?

JB

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Air tools would help greatly. My brother would cruse in and get me straightened out every now and then. Uncle Elwood would come by and "Help". That cost some hours but he was so enjoyable to be around I did not mind.

 The hardest and most important part is to get the frame rails level and parallel. Parallel to within I beleive 1/4 inch then the tracks go down and they can be adjusted in and out slightly.

 After you have the rails and tracks on it is a breeze.

[ohsoloco]

Definitely keep the air pressure down on the air tools if you use them!  I snapped a few bolts putting mine together   :(

[dan-l-b]

I second that, keep the air pressure down.  The bolts will twist right off.  It took three days solid with level concrete and air tools.  I recently upgraded to a Woodmizer all hydraulic mill, sold the norwood but still have the sharpener and set three brand new 1 1/4 blades and two 1 1/4 blade guides for sale.  I originally equiped my mill with the 1 1/2 blades so 1 1/4 stuff was in the closet and didn't go when I sold the mill.