I have found a used lt15 woodmizer for sale relatively close to me and under $3,000. I haven't seen it in person yet but the pictures show a decent looking used sawmill. It seems like a decent mill for the $$. What are some things I need to look for as far as wear and tear, abuse, etc.?
I plan to use the mill for shed's, barn siding, decking, among other small home projects. Thanks in advance
Ask the guy where he got the mill.
If he says he bought it new, ask to see the invoice. Call woodmizer with the sieral #. they will tell you how old it is.
Check for play in the band wheel shaft bearings and all moving parts. It's a fairly small simple mill. Look at the guide bearings and check the drive clutch or whatever system it has to transfer power from the motor to the blade. Look it over carefully to see if anything is bent or dammaged.
Call woodmizer and ask them what to look for as well.
That is a decent price. I hope it works out for you. Have the seller demonstrate it for you.
Any woodmizer for that price is a deal unless it crashed going down the road...
Thanks all for the replies. They really helped me ask the right questions. The seller has replied to my inquiry that his cousin is the second owner and it has a 15HP Kohler engine that hasn't been used much??. Still waiting on the serial #. Does anybody know where the serial # is located on an lt15?
The seller has invited me over to see the mill in action and the pictures show it in an obviously working shed. The lack of a serial # is a concern and I don't know if they just can't find it or what. If serial # isn't given I will not consider buying. How hard is it to get the serial #. What is the likelihood of someone stealing a sawmill to try and sell? To me that seems to be a really dumb idea. I mean how hard would it be to steal and sell a "hot" sawmill?
brian
Been several incidences of stolen mills from members of this Forum. Not pretty, and don't know of any that have been found.
May hit the black market and go right to a container and then on a ship. Who knows....
Tell him to crank her up and saw a log or 2. :)
Woodmizer can tell you where to locate the serial number. WM may also have recorded the serial number of the engine, if it is the original engine.
Thanks again for the help. Sawmill sold before I got the chance to look at it.