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Woodmizer vs TimberKing

Started by epiphoneprs, April 27, 2009, 11:36:22 PM

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epiphoneprs

I have a TimberKing B20. It seems to do a good job to me. However, I have no experience with any other type of mill so I have nothing to compare it to. Since it seems that the Woodmizer is a much more popular mill I was wondering how you Woodmizer guys like your set up. Anybody out there have experience with both a Woodmizer and a TimberKing. If so, which do you prefer and why?

WH_Conley

All I can tell ya is to bring yer Timberking to Ky for a week and we will compare.  ;D ;D

Most people I have talked to are set in their ways, they love their mill.

They both will do a good job, maybe it has something to do with name recignotion(sp) on resale, I have no idea. A buddy of mine had  Timberking, very nice lumber, that's all I can offer.

Bill

fstedy

I also have a TK B20 and have compared it with the LT40G28 that seems to be in the same class. They both will cut very nice stright lumber. The Lt40 has a few more bells and whistles than the B20. Specifically the powered guide arm and the multi directional log dog that will also turn a cant without damaging your grade lumber with the log turner. This is also a walk along mill unless you purchase the remote station. The open side looks like an added asset when sawing irregular logs. The B20 has a nice stationary point to operate from and the 7 hp hyd. motor pump that gives you some added power to the sawhead. The setworks included with the B20 isn't reliable unless you do mods to the cable reel. The B20 is hard to cut logs over 32" in dia. without critical centering of the log or notching the log to clear the acme elevation screws which will hit the side of the log. The Lt40 is a few thousand more than the B20 you get what you pay for. If you're production oriented go with WM if you're on a budget and can make due with a few less conviences look at the TK. I know TK came out recently with a powered dogging system recently. I made my own and it works great. Either machine when operated and maintained will do a great job for you. If you're shopping don't forget the new Baker machine if I were buying for 26K thats where my money would go. It looks very well engineered, big and sturdy. You would be hard pressed to find that class machine at that price. Just look at the weight of it and size of the band wheels. Nothing else out there matches it for that price.   
Timberking B-20   Retired and enjoying every minute of it.
Former occupations Electrical Lineman, Airline Pilot, Owner operator of Machine Shop, Slot Machine Technician and Sawmill Operator.
I know its a long story!!!

Chuck White

I have the LT40HDG24 Wood-Mizer and love it.
There is very little I'd add to it for convenience.

I stopped in to watch my cousin sawing with his Timber King last Friday.
I was "sort of" overwhelmed with all the moving parts at first.
I wouldn't really care for operating 2 engines in order to run the mill.
He's only had the mill since December and there is a lot of bent, broken and misalligned parts on it.
I did point out to him that he should practice on his own logs a little longer before he hires out for custom sawing.
Overall, the mill did turn out good looking lumber, but I guess I couldn't get over how loud the mill was, and also it appeared that he was trying to run the mill at full speed.
With all the moving parts and the noise, it made me a little nervous.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

stumpy

I used to have a norwood.  It was a 4 post head like most band mills.  I now have a woodmizer LT30.  I much prefer the woodmizer design.  Especially the cantilever head and the bed that is angled in at both ends.  I agree, however, that it is mainly a matter of preference as all mill designs will cut good wood.
Woodmizer LT30, NHL785 skidsteer, IH 444 tractor

epiphoneprs

Thanks to all for the feedback.

barbender

One fella I spoke with had a Timberking first, he said he had a lot of bearing problems and those sorts of things. He sold it and got a Woodmizer, he was loving it. I've heard of other people having problems with Woodmizers not sawing straight lumber, they blame it on the cantilever head. I didn't watch them sawing, but I suspect blade problems or pushing the feed rate too high, etc. I've only operated on WM, I think it was an LT30, all manual. It sawed nice and straight, nice mill. I personally think Woodmizer has the best engineered band mills out there, you can see a lot of thought went into them. A lot of bandmills I've seen in person at expos look not real well made, even the sturdy ones have some real stupid designs. I haven't got to see a Baker or Timberking in person, so I can't comment that way. If I was going to plunk down my hard earned cash, I'd be looking real hard at the Woodmizer myself
Too many irons in the fire

ladylake

 I've been running a B20 TK for 7 years now, all of my customers are amazed at how good it saws, lots of comments like it saws better than the last mill we had here but thats mostly from the hook angle and set of the blades not the mill. So far I haven't bent one thing and it takes a lot of abuse. You wont get the chain turner away from me I love it, yes you can tear the log up if your not carefull but I do a lot of skim cuts when grade sawing as most logs have stress and need to be evened out after turning.  That turner is way faster than WM claw type that I've been around. If you have a B20 put a industrial cord reel on it and the setworks will always work. Moving parts? I think WM has twice as many as my B20, I like that extra motor for the hydraulics, haven't had to touch one thing on the hydraulics yet except for a hose that I drug on the ground.  As Flip mentioned 32" is as big as you can get through without sawing, WM get a + there.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

petefrom bearswamp

Here again is a Ford vs Chev vs Dodge thread.
Personal preference.
Never have seen a timber king in everyday operation, only at shows.
I have had two woodmizers and liked both.
Chuck White has my old mill and loves it.
Any problems with my WM mills have been professionally addressed by their personnel, both at WM Northeast and HQ in Indianapolis.
Only drawback I can see is in turning when the log/cant climbs the back supports  on one end and the rollers don't seem to help.
Keep sharp, properly hooked and set blades and any mill should make good lumber.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

flip

Given a week or two anyone can take any of these mills and make lumber.  I like the TK because of what you get for the $$$.  I have had some issues but none that would make me want to trade off to a different brand.  If I could reverse design my TK I would do a couple different things. 1 make the log dog power up and down (new models have this newer style).  2 drop the hyd. pump and motor down and move the operator station to the side to allow drag back.  3 make the head about 4 inches wider (move acme screws further out for wider cuts).  4 Make the setworks bullet proof (as discussed by lady lake earlier). 
TK has several new updates on the B20 that almost make it "perfect", hopefully they will continue to refine this proven mill. 

I have no experience on other mills so my reply may seem biased. :)
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

ladylake

 
Flip , I have 2 of the 4, a indusrrial cord reel that always works and wasn't too hard to mount and I mounted a power window motor on the log dog for up and down the took a little work but sure is nice.  It sure seems like they could have mounted the screws a little farther apart which would sure help on the big ones. I guess a drag back might save a few steps depending on the setup.    Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

peterduncan

I have heard of TK owners replacing the reel with a remote control unit for a power winch. I am planning on doing that and getting rid of that G---- D--- cord.

Polly

sawmill operators are like automobile mechanics some are parts changers and some can repaire or fix the problem ,i myself can make boards but i am not a sawmill operator when comparing saws this needs to be considered  ;) ;) ::)

flip

Quote from: ladylake on April 29, 2009, 06:00:17 PM
 
Flip , I have 2 of the 4, a indusrrial cord reel that always works and wasn't too hard to mount and I mounted a power window motor on the log dog for up and down the took a little work but sure is nice.  It sure seems like they could have mounted the screws a little farther apart which would sure help on the big ones. I guess a drag back might save a few steps depending on the setup.    Steve

Definitely setup related on the drag back.  The way I have the mill in the barn we the sawdust side is about 7 feet away from a block wall so we can't pull from that side.  When we cut we usually like to put 3 or 4 logs on the deck which makes it awkward to pull from that side.  If I had a drag back I would move the mill out away from the wall and stack behind the operator (strategically located by barn door) which would make easy access to get stacks out the door.  Would like to see a pic. of your power dog if you don't mind.

Here's my "fix" for the setworks.  I took a regular cord reel and took it apart.  Most of them have an extra ring where another set of spring fingers would go.  I cut a piece of copper in a circle and basically made another slip ring and used the fingers off the old one.  I jumpered (soldered) the grounds together esentially makeing an additional ground path.  I would take it apart for pics. but not sure I can get it all back together again without using many 4 letter explicitives.  It took about 2 hours which most of which was getting the copper ring cut out of sheet stock.  I have not had any failures (couple of blips due to operator error) since then.
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

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