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Peterson v.s Lucas

Started by twostroke_blood, March 14, 2007, 06:13:22 PM

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twostroke_blood

I haven't made a post in awhile, but seeing as how the snow is begining to receed around my mill, I'm begining to think about making some sawdust.  My question is, and please forgive me if it's been covered before, can Peterson and Lucas (mill owners) please comment on the differences between these two machines?  I run a band mill but have always been interested in sawing really big logs.

Thanks!

Troy

As far as the basic models - Peterson's cost more, take more time to get one delivered from NZ, can make double cuts more easily, and in my opinion are constructed a little better.  Both are great machines and opperate similarly.  Peterson does offer several larger production models that Lucas does not.  I have the Peterson ATS and love it!
Peterson ATS 8" 27hp

rathbone

I looked at both and decided the Peterson was better because it double cut easier and because they offered an automatic.

I own a Peterson 10" ASM.

LOGDOG

Twostroke ....


   Don't forget D&L too. They have a swinger.

LOGDOG

brdmkr

I have a Lucas.  I have never used any of the other swing mills.  I do wish that mine would double cut easier, but it meets my needs just fine.  Other than the easier double cut with the Peterson, I think that the Lucas and ATS mills are about the same.  If you have a relatively level site, I THINK the WPF would be a bit faster as you adjust up and down at the carriage.

I feel like I got a good deal on mine; thus, I bought the Lucas.  I have been very pleased with the mill and with support from Bailey's.  Where you are wanting a swinger to augment the band mill, I would like to have a band mill to augment the swinger ;D

Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

DanG

I've been around both of them a bit...used Brdmkr's Lucas a couple of times and worked with Peterson at the Moultrie show a few times.  Both of them are good machines, and I don't see any major quality issues with either of them.  If I were buying one, I'd go with the Peterson because of the double-cut capability.  The other subtle differences pretty much balance out.  The Lucas adjusts from end to end, making it easier to adust for taper.  The Peterson ATS adjusts from side to side, making it easier to operate alone.  It is hard to compare the Lucas to the Peterson WPF.  The WPF is just more sawmill.  Of course, the ASM is in a class by itself, but they don't provide the chair to sit in while you're sawing. >:( :D :D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Oldsawdust

Look at D&L swing mill, it is easy to double cut. I also looked at lucas VS peterson and think D&L has both beat. I have a10" D&L and love it.  8) 8) 8)
Help-I'am new at this

scsmith42

I think that Troy summed the difference up rather well.  Both mills have excellent reputations, and great dealers.

I have a 10" WPF.

Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

kabe1953

I run a Lucas 9 1/4" mill, with a little thought you can over come the double cut issue, I have modified mine so that I dont have to swing the frame on the rails to double cut on boards of less than 3" thickness (thats 18 1/2" x 3").
I find it impossible to come back to the same deck height if you raise or lower the rails during a set on any deck, which is why I found an alternative when double cutting.
I have also replaced std Kohler air filter with a Donaldson much more sensible, no cleaning air filter every couple of hours. I cut mostly dry timber.
My biggest gripe with Lucas is the time and walking to raise or lower the rails, mine is an 8 metre mill. Park trolley in centre and lock, undo left centre support, walk out and round undo right support as you go to front of mill, adjust front winch, come back adjust rear winch, move saw to over front supports, walk back tighten right support, walk round log tighten left support walk back to front to start next cut.
I use a Stihl petrol blower and power broom to remove saw dust.
Push him he go, Pull him he come

brdmkr

Kabe,

Would you be willing to share that modification?  Was it a difficult modi?  I'd be interested in seeing how you did that.  Is the 3" limitation based on some proportion of your blade?  If so, my 6" mill may not be worth trying to modify.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

kabe1953

Hey brdmkr,
The mod is really simple to do. Lucas would frown on it ( as you are working without guards in place) but it beats swinging the saw frame to double cut.
On my mill I did the following:
1) guard in front of blade is now hinged so I can lock it up out of the way.
2) guard at rear of blade is hinged as well.
3) the return fold on the sheetmetal tray under the motor is cut off. Along with part of the plastic tray.
4) the belt tensioner is modified so nothing hangs down below bottom of engine, I have used a turnbuckle type arrangement belt tensioning and don't need to use tools at all.
In essence you need the area under the motor clear of anything hanging down as it limits the depth you can double cut.
To do the double cut it must be done as the last board on the deck.
Work out the where you want your outside vertical cut & bring the carriage over and you can make that cut vertically (in my case up to 3"deep) move the carriage back to the left and make the vertical cut to give the board width you want.
Then swing the mill and do a horizontal cut going forward ont the left side.
Bring the carriage over to the right and eyeballing the depth make your outside horizontal cut pulling the carriage back the same as you do with the vertical cuts.
Its then just a matter of cutting from both sides until you release the board from the deck.
I cut a lot of 10" x 2" and the way I do it is I will cut one face of the log down to where I want it, flip the log 180deg so cut face is down cut down till I have a billet 10" thick then stand it on its edge and cut my 2" thick boards out of the billet.
This system works for me as I use a rail and trolley system to place my logs on and roll it in under the carriage. I use a 20ton excavator with grabs for handling logs and can handle 8ton logs with no drama on my own.
Kerry
Push him he go, Pull him he come

twostroke_blood

  Thanks for the replies.  I'm going to have to check a couple of these swingers out in action.  Is D&L a sponsor here?  I don't see a link to their site.  Kabe1953 a powerbroom sounds like a plan 8) Thanks!

LOGDOG

TwoStroke ...

   Here is a link to D&L's site. http://www.doublecut.com/ Check it out.


LOGDOG

Part_Timer

I have the 8" Peterson ATS.  My tailman's dad has the Lucas.  Both are good machines.  I just didn't like walking end to end on the Lucas when sizing.  If you double cutting on the Peterson you cutting with out the guard also.  I'm going to modify my guard so I can cut 6/4's without removing it.

Either way your making a good decision 
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

doublecut

hello two stroke.

We are close now to the completion on the development of a brand new web site and name for new marketing arm that we are launching very soon. Our operations now in ontario are under way and soon in the usa. If there is anything i can help you with please do not hesitate to call me . All numbers are on our web site. Thank you
doublecut

brdmkr

Kabe, thanks for the info.

How did you hinge the guards?  Is this the way double cutting works with the Peterson?  I have never seen a Peterson in the process of double cutting.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

Part_Timer

brdmkr

I have a guard on the left side of my sawblade that comes off by removing 2 nuts.  I changed them to wing nuts last summer.  That is all that needs removed or moved in order to double cut.  Takes about 30 seconds to be ready and another half hour to figure out where I misplaced the wing nuts.  :)
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Woodbender

How do the Petersons and Lucas and D&Ls compare in prices? I see the D&L doesn't seem to have quite the same engine sizes as the Petersons and Lucases.

Tim Eastman (Woodbender)
Be an example worth following.

doublecut

The 27 hp kohler has been the most popular engine for us. We have used some 35 h.p Briggs engine upon customer requests on our 10"  D&L Swing blade mills. But we are flexable to what the customer wants to a point. We also have a diesel engine option in our hydrostatic mill as well.
doublecut

brdmkr

Speaking of horsepower.  GO HIGH!  My 18 HP motor does fine in pine (didn't mean to rhyme), but with hardwoods I wish it had more power.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

Part_Timer

I have the 25 and wish I had a 27.  There is just that much differance in performance.
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Captain

I've got a 30 and I'm not going back  :)

Captain

Nate Surveyor

How big of a motor is allowed on a Peterson?

I'm thinking of a 35 hp or 40 hp. I have 24 hp Honda.

More POWER!

GRUNT GRUNT (from Tim the Toolman Taylor)

Whichever mill I got, I'd get a BIG motor.

Nate
I know less than I used to.

Captain

Nate, your 1018 gearbox is limited to less HP than the newer 1020.  At some point, there are physical size limitations.  Sooner on an 8" than a 9" or 10", just not enough room on the center unit.

Captain

Nate Surveyor

OK cap'n,

What is my HP limit now?

Can I change gear boxes?

What is the hp limit on the newer box?

MORE SPEED (grunt grunt!)

N
I know less than I used to.

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