saw this in case anyones looking. i dont know these folks it was on cragslist
Millsaw Turner Mills - $2900 (Sperryville)
http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/grd/2952172940.html
Sperryville a nice little town at the foot of the Skyline drive . Just reminiscing .
howdy dblair
you got it man ,its gods country up here for sure , i live in orange and came from your area ( dinwiddie ) . now i go home to visit ,its real flat there lol
my farm is in Dinwiddie , that's where the mill is . I have a band ( homemade) and a circle ( antique ) Appomattox Iron Works in Petersburg , Va.
If it is in good shape that is a real deal,I just sold my Turner a few weeks ago for $4,000. the list price for a new one is $6,800.
It's not for sale anymore! 8)
Hello All, I've been lurking here for a few months, and wanting a portable mill for years. Well, I finally pulled the trigger. I've been on the fence for a long time whether or not I could justify buying a mill, whether I could actually make any money with it. I finally decided that if it's been on my mind for so long, then it must be for a reason.
I drove 180 miles Tuesday (actually 218 miles due to a missed turn) and picked up the mill. Dblair, you're not kidding, that is Gods' country. When I saw the mill I started having second thoughts due to the condition. I put some straight edges across the bunks and sighted down the bed. There was some twist in the bed, but I found it could be taken out by jacking one corner a little. The owner would not budge on the price, I offered $2700, but he balked. So I thought to myself, you've driven all this way, just pay the man.
After an extended session of securing the mill head, checking and rechecking that everything was secure, I was homeward bound, the proud new owner of a 30" capacity portable mill. Up Lee's Highway I go, keeping the speed down and watching the rearview nearly as much as I'm watching the road. Did I mention that that area really IS God's country?
All is well and good, then I hit the DC outer loop...... I'm 44 years old. I got my first gray hairs in my mid thirties, I'm about half and half now. After towing a sawmill around the DC beltway at rush hour, I'm surprised that I'm not totally gray.
I had a few exciting moments along the way, but just before 7pm I pulled into the field behind the family business and unhooked the mill. Yesterday I made a punchlist of items that need attention -- replace some of the blade guide bearings, thottle cable, air filter and oil change, etc. Got that stuff knocked out. Today I went down and started doing more refurb, when what do I spot by the edge of the field...is that a log? My brother tells me he thinks it's a birch log. It's about 18" x 5 1/2 feet, bark stripped, laying on the ground becoming compost.
You can only have a mill for so long before you've just GOT TO CUT SOMETHING. So I put the drive belt back on, figure out the tracking adustment, fire up and engage the blade. Everything looks fine, log goes on mill, two of my brothers standing by watch as I make my first cut.
We thought the log was birch, and after the first cut that appeared to be the case. My brothers head back to work, I roll the log over and start to take a second cut. The blade is climbing, so I back out, move the guides in closer, add a little tenstion, and drop down another 2 inches. The next cut is pretty good, considering my newbie-ness and the condition of the blade. I pull the cut off and toss it to the side.
Remember in the movies when they open up the treasure chest, filled to the top with gleaming gold coins?
The log is walnut. I'm about to do the happy dance. I call my brother and ask him to confirm again that he doesn't want the log ;D He came back down, and he spotted the termites..... :'(
After cutting off all the sapwood, I ended up with a 6 x 9 about 5 1/2 feet long. There was just a small area of the heartwood effected by termites, and I did a lot of learn by doing.
Anyway, I've gone on way too long here. Suffice it to say that you guys are right. Once you start milling, you don't want to stop! ;D
:D :D :D :D :D great post!
glad to see another guy as crazy about milling as us all :) you'll be cutting and tweakin and cutting some more! glad to hear about your mill. once the word gets around that you have a mill (i'd say 3-6 months) people will be bringing logs to you. no joke.
good luck!
Congrats on the mill, DJack!
You are absolutely right. You can't saw just one log. It really does get in your blood. I was awake at 3:30 last night thinking about how I could have sawed the last oak log a little better. ::)
Have fun with the "new" mill and post some pics of it and that walnut.
Quote from: Ga_Mtn_Man on April 26, 2012, 08:17:25 PM
I was awake at 3:30 last night thinking about how I could have sawed the last oak log a little better. ::)
I want touch this ONE. :D
Your restraint is appreciated. ;)
So is it a Turner, like the one I use?
Delawhere Jack, welcome to FF, congrats on your new to you mill. Pulling a mill on the Beltway at rush hour, your a brave man. Keep us posted on your progress.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 26, 2012, 09:41:12 PM
So is it a Turner, like the one I use?
"This is my Turner Mill. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My Turner Mill is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my ..."
quote from some old movie. :D :D
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 26, 2012, 09:41:12 PM
So is it a Turner, like the one I use?
Okra, yes it is. But mine is only 13HP, and surely not as well maintained as yours.
Well-- I'm sure you are right. If you get to the point where you want another one, ours is for sale too. You've probably seen the thread about it.
Welcome to the Forestry Forum and to sawing, Delawhere Jack. :)
And I welcome you too, o fellow Turner-miller. BTW, I have relatives in Wilmington.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 26, 2012, 11:42:56 PM
Well-- I'm sure you are right. If you get to the point where you want another one, ours is for sale too. You've probably seen the thread about it.
Yes, I've seen it. Your mill was on my short list. If we were a couple hundred miles closer together...... Come to think of it, that would have been a more pleasant drive.
Ok, first question. Any tips on adusting the top and bottom guide bearings? It's quite a handful to keep them snug to the blade and square, and tighten the bolt at the same time. On my Craftsman bandsaw I use a piece of rolling paper (obtained for legal use) folded over the blade and then push the guide blocks against the it and tighten them. Should I use something similar, maybe a piece of paper, or just lock them tight against the blade? I'm already thinking out a jig that I could use to clamp all four bearing against the blade while I tighten the bolts.
Well-- I've never really had trouble with the alignment of them-- they've stayed pretty good. I have replaced the rollers (bearings) as needed but the holders for them seem to stay lined up pretty well. Let's ask a few questions.
1. Do you know if the person you bought it from was the original owner?
2. Do you know if the mill has been modified in any way? (mine has a few mods)
3. Do you know how old it is?
4. Did you receive a manual with it?
5. Does it have any hydraulics or power movement features (such as power up/down)?
6. Have you talked to the factory yet?
Ours is somewhere around 10-12 years old. The phone number for the manufacturer is decalled on our mill and I have called them several times in the last year and a half. If it is not on your mill, you can get it from their website. Or I can dig it up for you. The manual probably has a section on the roller bearing wheels, but like I said I have not had to look at that section. All in all, it is a fairly good mill, and you can get most of the parts locally from off-the-shelf suppliers.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 26, 2012, 11:56:24 PM
And I welcome you too, o fellow Turner-miller. BTW, I have relatives in Wilmington.
I suppose they've figured out by now that there are no decent grits to be found around here? But we do have scrapple! ;D
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 27, 2012, 12:12:58 AM
Well-- I've never really had trouble with the alignment of them-- they've stayed pretty good. I have replaced the rollers (bearings) as needed but the holders for them seem to stay lined up pretty well. Let's ask a few questions.
1. Do you know if the person you bought it from was the original owner?
2. Do you know if the mill has been modified in any way? (mine has a few mods)
3. Do you know how old it is?
4. Did you receive a manual with it?
5. Does it have any hydraulics or power movement features (such as power up/down)?
6. Have you talked to the factory yet?
Ours is somewhere around 10-12 years old. The phone number for the manufacturer is decalled on our mill and I have called them several times in the last year and a half. If it is not on your mill, you can get it from their website. Or I can dig it up for you. The manual probably has a section on the roller bearing wheels, but like I said I have not had to look at that section. All in all, it is a fairly good mill, and you can get most of the parts locally from off-the-shelf suppliers.
1. Yes, original owner.
2. No mods that I've found besides the throttle cable, which I've replaced more like the original.
3. Approx. 8 years.
4. Seller could not find it, promised to mail it to me if he finds it.
5. All manual.
6. I emailed Turner yesterday inquiring about an owners manual, haven't heard back from them yet.
I'm sure I'll be able to figure out the guide rollers, can't be that different from a shop bandsaw, just larger. The other thing I was going to ask was about tire pressure on the blade wheels?
I'm exhausted from a very exciting day. Heading off to the sack, I'll check back tomorrow.
Good Night All.
Jack.
About the tire pressure, mine have stayed up pretty good and I have never changed the pressure. So, having not had to deal with the issue, I suggest going with the recommended pressure printed on the side of the tire.
Quote from: Okrafarmer on April 27, 2012, 02:27:06 AM
About the tire pressure, mine have stayed up pretty good and I have never changed the pressure. So, having not had to deal with the issue, I suggest going with the recommended pressure printed on the side of the tire.
I checked the pressure on the tires today. The drive wheel was at 6 psi, and the other barely registered......... :o
They're rated up to 60psi. I'll fill them to 45 and work from there. Ordered some blades from Cooks today. They said they would ship Wed or Thurs next week......Ugh!!! I'll be spending all day tomorrow wire brushing - priming and painting. I know that it works fine as it is, but I hate getting covered in rust, and it doesn't look good to prospective customers.
You could end up needing to get some new tires. Shouldn't break the bank too bad. You can probably get them already mounted on the rims just as cheap as you could buy just the tires and have them mounted. Unless you are capable of mounting them yourself.