I just got off of the phone with Kerris in NZ and it's a done deal on the Peterson 10" WPF. Now I need to select options and I am nearly ignorant on the machines...so I'm hoping that swinger owners on the forum can give me advice. Is the $992 hi/lo option a good thing? Weather board attachment @ $185. Anything else I should consider?
Thanks for your input.
Quinton
Don't have any advice but I can say congrats on the new mill.
The hi-low option is great if you plan to set up next to a big stack of logs, and just roll them under the mill by hand. Otherwise with both rails sitting on the ground it's more difficult to load logs. With one rail up high, you just remove a brace, roll the log in, and pop the brace back into place.
If you are sawing bigger logs where you set up the mill around the log, then you would use the lo-lo track config. Quicker and easier to set up. If you have a FEL or forklift etc to load the logs over the tracks, then low rails work fine.
Another option I have seen for a fixed location is a log deck, with fold down ramps that bridged from the deck to the bunks under the mill. Fold them down, roll log across, then lift them out of the way and start sawing.
Hi-lo tracks are an optional extra as not everyone needs that configuration, but if you do, then it's mighty handy.
Ian
If you don't get Hi-Lo you might just make do without it. On the other hand if you decide you want it later you're going to wish you bought it up front because of the shipping. To get a log in Lo-Lo without equipment you lower the mill off the rails and move one rail out over the new log. Or I saw somewhere someone using a logging arch to bring logs in from the end between the rails. You may not want to be driving over the rails with a ramp or having someone else with a machine carrying in logs over the rails. The aluminum is soft and NZ is far away. Haven't done it yet but Hi-Lo could have an advantage if you need to get one of the rails up off the ground for other reasons like a stump in the way, bad terrain etc. Used Hi-Lo on milling a stack of a dozen small logs no doubt I wanted it then. But if you also have a bandsaw you may choose that for smaller logs. I got extra rollers, a gearbox re-build kit, pivot spring, chain links, 5 blades (2-10s and 3 6s). IMO you want the electric winch and slabber which is a whole 'nother adventure.
I ran a 10" WPF for about three years. Get the electric motor to raise and lower the power head. It's worth the extra coins.
Qweaver
Again, congrats!!! You wont regret this and man I would be lying if I didn't admit I'm rather jealous!! All the power to ya though!!
Again on the lo-lo vrs hi-lo I just couldnt see spending the extra money on the hi-lo and again it just looked like a to good a place to crack your head and get in the way of swinging boards and slabs etc. Before I got machinery to load with I set that mill up tite next to huge piles of wood and some of the biggest wood I cut was twenty foot wet Doug Fir over 3 foot at the big end, it was still NOT a problem to make a quick/easy/durable ramping system and peavey them onto the mill bed, I havn't regretted going lo-lo to this day...BUT that is me, to each his own and it's your call at the end of the day. The winch unit attracted me but I passed it up, I still think of up grading with one though, if you have the extra $$ I would recomend it...
I never went with a slabber only because back in the day I used to do alot of chainsaw milling and still have all the gear for gettin big slabs, I just use the mill to knock off the first round of slab wood then throw my 084 with the Grandberg 50" and go for it...
Another suggestion is ask Kerris or any of them grand folks who has a Peterson in your area that would be willing to demo for you and have you look at etc....
Glad you got a early Christmas this year!!
Oh, and for sure get some spare parts (I think some one mentioned that already)
islandlogger