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Anybody have a SlabMizer?

Started by Old Greenhorn, September 13, 2019, 08:46:00 PM

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Old Greenhorn

SO my buddy down the road mentioned the other night that he had bought a brand new slab router that would do at least 11' by more than 4'. Tonight I saw him again and found out it is a slabmizer and should really handle about 13' by 5'. I asked him where he was going to put it and he looked at the floor for a second. ;D He said, "yeah, that's the problem, I am not sure, so I put off the delivery until I figure it out". 
 Anyway, I just checked the machine out on Woodmizer's site and realize this is pretty neat (and not cheap) but it strikes me as the kind of machine you need to keep working and I'm not sure how he is going to do that.
 I was wondering if anybody here had one and if so, I had two questions (to start :D):
1) How much are you able to keep it running and making money (what's the demand?), and 
2) Did you find the purchase worthwhile to your business?
 I now my buddy has a lot of big logs to produce material for this, and they will make fine tables, but I am wondering if there will be enough demand. He has not asked, but if I offered, I am sure he would love to have me come run it for him to keep it producing while he runs his business. Not sure I want to do that, but it's out there. I want to see him succeed, he's a young hard working guy.
 Any tips or thoughts would be appreciated.
Tom
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

   Are you bringing the logs to the yard or sawing them at the site where they fell? You must have some hefty support equipment to handle slabs that size. Keep us posted on what you find.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

Well, it's his yard, not mine, but yeah. Lots of logs, plenty of handling equipment, no issues there. He has had some HUGE black walnut hanging out for 5 years or so, and some other really big logs just sitting around waiting for a use. I always wondered what he had in mind when he put them up in the yard. Maybe this is what he was waiting for. He has an LT50, but this guy will get what he needs to make it work.The support equipment issue is not a problem at all. In fact, your question made me smirk because I know what he has there. Not to belittle your question a all, it is a pertinent one, but he has more than enough equipment. Now a building for this thing is another story and I bet a nickel he winds up building one. With all the dozers, hoes, backhoes, trucks, and loaders he has, as well as the yard full of heavy timbers he already has milled and dried, it won't take too long, just labor.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

OGH,

   Based on your reply I deduce he will operate it in stationary mode and bring the logs to the machine. ;D
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

redbeard

Ideal set up for surfacing table is a high ceiling with a gantry over head crane ( winch on a trolly)
Being able too set slabs on surfacer and too flip them over is the issue and cost occurrence.
Inviting 4 friends to come over and help won't last very long.
Most table tops rarely exceed 9' but it is nice too have extra bed length, like a band mill it's nice too get surfacing head out of the way.
3 phase vs single phase power is another decision if your going too run it alot look into 3 phase.
There's a good market for them especially for glue up table tops.
Having the sanding attachments is a big plus.
Wood wiz and a custom one from New Zealand were the ones we were looking at year or so ago. The Slab Mizer really looks well thought out.
Our problem was the same no building too set it up in. 

Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

Old Greenhorn

WV, this is a slab flattener not a mill. See LINK. It is not a portable machine and works on slabs or table tops, not logs.  I figure he needs a big working are to manipulate the slabs, flip, and stack/store.
 The overhead seems like a good idea for flipping. Not sure if he has a phase converter out there or what he ordered. For sure, there is no 3 phase, in fact, I am surprised he has commercial power that far back ;D. I am thinking he could whip up a post barn/shed fairly quick, but he should have a slab poured and if he does that, might as well put in the radiant heat tubing like he has in the big shop, so he can close it in later and he it. His whole complex is heated with a large OWB including his pool, shop, and house. I could see him doing a cold shed to get started, then build a wood shop to setup with all the finishing machines a year down the line. He has the space, but it's not flat (yet) and that has to be 'adjusted' first. 
 At any rate, it looks like fun and hopefully profitable for him. I have never seen him fail on a new endeavor yet. I am certain if I give him a hand getting it going, I will have access to do a project or two when/if I need. He did get the sanding attachment. I believe this is what happens when you go to Booneville looking for next year's expansion projects. ;D
 I am hoping that someone will stumble on this thread and share a little knowledge as time goes by. OTOH maybe I will be able to share something myself.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

John S

I believe this machine is designed to work in conjunction with a wide mill such as the LX 250,  I would like to have each of them when I grow up!
2018 LT40HDG38 Wide

daveagain

I own an Australian made WOODWIZZ  (almost identical to the slabmizer) which has run between 2 and 8 hours every day for the past 5 years. It literally paid for itself in the first month with a contract to finish slabs for another business. It is the heart and soul of my workshop and is useful for so much more than just dressing slabs. (Perfectly jointed 6 metre long boards anyone? How about face jointing a tabletop after glue up?) I can unreservedly vouch for its build and finish quality.
You may want to add an overhead crane as the crane that comes as an attachment isn't that great, also we have increased the size of the dust extraction hose and added a 2m3 dust bin. We have also added a sliding rail to the ceiling to hold the dust extraction/electrical as the upright post makes loading from both sides more difficult.

Old Greenhorn

Well he picked up the slabmizer today and I went down to look it over. Turns out he bought the unit that Woodmizer had to show at Boonesville. Looks pretty good, has a few hours on it. I didn't see the manual yet. He has it just sitting on a slab where he is putting on a 40'x40' extension on his heavy equipment shop. He had questions about electrical supply requirements. It's a 3 phase motor, (480/240)but had a 20 amp 220 plug on it. I am confused too. Need to read the book. He will move it into the garage under his house until he makes a home for it. He's already asked me about machining adapters to run router bits on it. I am thinking it's better to attach a separate router head.
 Anyway, it should be a fun trip.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

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