WM shingle/lapsider worth the investment?

SawyerBrown · April 13, 2014, 04:38:22 PM

For any of you guys that do mostly custom sawing, do you have one? If so, was it worth the investment? i.e., do you use it a lot, or just minimally?

Any and all advice appreciated.

highleadtimber16 · April 13, 2014, 04:42:05 PM

I got the cheaper one. It was $1200 I think. It's nice to be able to offer the bevel siding option to customers. I don't bother with shingles. I cut about 2000-4000 lineal feet per year with it. I wouldn't get it until you had a specific job for it. No point in spending your money to have the thing sit around.

Chuck White · April 13, 2014, 05:05:57 PM

I've got one, I bought at half of the new price!

I have it to offer in the event I have a customer who wants lap siding or shingles!

Haven't used it yet, but knowing it's there is nice!

Klicker · April 13, 2014, 06:40:50 PM

I have one and have used it once or twice every couple of years.I have had it for six years.

steve marek · April 13, 2014, 07:17:35 PM

I have one and use it custom cutting I use it about 3 times a year works great nice to be able to offer the service

Barney II · April 13, 2014, 08:23:20 PM

I have one and used it for shingles for my own use and it was good. I also made some lap siding and used two spacers and really worked good. To buy new---nope 8)

yukon cornelius · April 13, 2014, 09:04:34 PM

I bought ez boardwalk shngle and siding attachment but ive never used it. i plan on using it this summer. it was $700 new and I don't see why it wouldn't fit on another brand mill.

giant splinter · April 14, 2014, 12:46:31 AM

I bought mine with my mill and have used it mostly for siding and a few times for shingles, it is a nice addition and for beveled siding it is fast.

backwoods sawyer · April 14, 2014, 01:37:56 AM

I have a home built one and use it very little but I don't advertize that I have one either. I mill out enough cants to do the job before setting it up on the mill, the extra handling adds time to the milling operation and custom work is done hourly.

SawyerBrown · April 14, 2014, 09:50:15 AM

Thanks, y'all. There's a used one for sale up in Michigan, really nice shape, been trying to decide whether to invest just to have it, in case I get some interest. But it sounds like there isn't much demand out there for such a thing, I suppose if they're going to use lap siding or shake-type shingles, most people will just go to the big-box stores and buy it.

Again, thanks for your input ... right now I think I'm going to pass.

GAB · April 14, 2014, 10:33:17 AM

I purchased a used one and have only used it for my veggie stand. I used the same shingles for the roof and the siding.
For the roof I used 7" reveal and for the siding I used 10" reveal.
Chuck do not wait until the last minute to use it as for me it was going to college again.
You need to use two different set points to saw shingles. In my case I used 5/32" and 17/32".
The thing I dislike about it is the amount of waste because you can only go down so far because of the clamping system.
Gerald

mjl_2007 · April 14, 2014, 12:18:35 PM

I bought one at an auction a couple of years ago for $100. Haven't used it much, but well worth the investment! ;D

Klicker · April 14, 2014, 06:24:00 PM

The problem with box store clap boards is around here you can only get it in 6 inch. Most of my use has been for 9 inch to match heritage houses. I was asked to make some 9 inch before I got it the person doing the reno could not find it any where someone told hime to come see me as I would try anything. After we got done I decided if I was going to make it agin I would have the right gear to do it. 8) Rod

Chuck White · April 14, 2014, 11:00:06 PM

I don't know for a "fact", but I've heard that lap siding can be made using a resaw!

Klicker · April 15, 2014, 06:14:53 AM

I have the resaw

Jim H · April 15, 2014, 07:36:10 AM

I have the older style re-saw with rollers, I've made lapsiding with it by tilting it and feeding 1 1/8 boards through to make two pieces of siding. Most of what I've done with it has been regular flat re-sawing. On the newer style belt fed re-saw I think you can change the belt out with one that has cleats to tip the cants for making shingles.

customsawyer · April 15, 2014, 09:37:37 AM

I have the belt style resaw and it would work for making lap siding. I haven't had a call for it but I have it if I do.

36 coupe · April 23, 2014, 07:36:54 PM

The Thomas clapboard maker was included with the mill when I bought my mill.It had a 200 buck price.My sons house needs about 5 grand worth of factory clap boards.I have sawed cedar and poplar clapboards.Check the price of clapboards at the lumber yard.Plastic clapboards are all the rage now.They do fade an fall off.Thomas has a new clapboard system now.

Larry · April 23, 2014, 08:15:40 PM

A few years ago I built a resaw to fit on my old Kasco. Object was to saw beveled cedar siding for my house. Didn't saw a lot with it, but it would run 600 square feet an hour and not break a sweat.

Last summer I jury rigged it on the TK and ran 5,000 square feet in a couple of hours. It's capable of 86 square feet a minute with the feeder on high. Not sure if the saw could keep up...maybe with a 100 horsepower on the TK. :D