Hudson Mills

[arj]

I`ve had my hudson 36 mill since 1999, cut over 250,000 ft.
with it. The lumber I cut is as good as any other well ajusted
and cared for mill no matter what the price. Before buying I
looked at a lot of mills, picked hudson because it would do
everything I though  i needed to do, it still does. There are mills
with more bell & whistles, heavier built, more expensive, and
will do what you need done better. But in my opinion you can`t
go wrong for the money.
                                         arj

[DR Buck]

I would strongly suggest you buy an LT-10 or LT-15 woodmizer mill before you drop money down on a hudson. With the recent price breaks they are offering, they are hard to beat on value for the dollar. I myself will be picking up a new LT-10 on the 20th of this month. It is the second woodmizer I have owned and I would not buy any other brand. I buy this knowing that when I mention that I have a woodmizer mill, people know that a have a quality mill, rather than having to defend my choice of purchase time and time again against mixed product reviews.

BBL,  Just curious why you'd buy a 2nd LT-10?   Compared to the LT-10, the LT-15 is a far superior mill and the price difference is no all that great.


BTW.......I did my 1st saw milling on a Hudson OSCAR 36.  It was a lot of work pushing that thing through the logs.   A friend has it set up at his farm and let me use it to saw up a few logs slightly more than a few years back.   I was hooked.  ;D   

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Did not buy a second LT-10. This is the first LT-10 I am buying. I had a LT-25 that I just sold because I do not need to be portable and mostly saw just for my own use to make rustic furniture. The LT-10 is just the right size for what I need to cut and takes up about half as much space in the building. 

[ForestMan]

BBL,  Just curious why you'd buy a 2nd LT-10?   Compared to the LT-10, the LT-15 is a far superior mill and the price difference is no all that great.

My first thought was the LT15.  It was just too expensive for me.  I wanted to pay all cash and not have any payments.  I ended up buying the LT10 because I could pay cash and have it done.  Also, for the Woodmizer name and reputation. 

I feel I never would have gotten the LT15 because I would have to save for it so long that something would come along and gobble up all the savings.  Car trouble, a medical emergency (which we have had more than our fair share of over the past few years), needing something for the farm, fixing the tractor, etc.  The money would not have been there.

The way I figure it, I now have a mill that is paid for cash.  If I want the LT15 or mabe an LT28 or even LT40, I have the means of production to make the cash needed to buy one later on.  I'm sure my little LT10 can make it long enough to pay for another mill.

Another reason I got the LT10 is because bed sections are inexpensive.  I need to be able to make 20 foot beams for my timber frame home.  The bed sections for the LT15 are about $600 while LT10 bed sections are only about $300.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

I am with you 100% Forestman and had exactly the same thoughts you have. I got an excellent deal on an LT-25 a while back and used it for about 1.5 years. I seldom took it on the road and generally found it more hastle and more time consuming to travel with it instead of having the logs brought to me. I quickly came to the realization that there was enough local work to keep me busy without having to take the show on the road. Then I was offered about $3000 more than I paid for it and sold it in a heart beat. The profit I made on it was enough to just about put my original investment back in the bank and have enough left over to buy a brand new LT-10 with 10 hp upgrade. All told I think the new LT-10 and the box of blades cost me about $600. With so little invested in the mill, it should be a piece of cake to get it to make money for me. One or two good days of cutting should recover my entire investment. It will definately allow me to cut for my own personal use and to continue servicing the needs of my existing customers that I supply with bowl and spindle turning blanks. Plus it is nice to have the 2 year warranty on the new mill.

[LeeB]

All I can say is buy what you need. If the Hudson suits your wants and needs it is the mill for you. If an LT10 is what you want and need then it will suit you better than an LT15. I don't know sqat about the hudson mills. I started with an entry level Timberking (actually I started with a self designed chin saw mill, didn't know then that someone had already figured this thing out way better than I could  :D) and was quite happy with it for many years. Still have it even though I have gone on to an LT40 super. Garner what info you can from here and other sources and make your choice based on your needs, wants and abilities.

[stumpy]

I think, what you have to do is decide, short and long term, what you need the mill for.  Then decide what "category" of mill you should be looking at.  Next you decide which models from the different manufacturers fall into that category. 
For example:
Category 1  home use, part-time use, hobby sawing

Category 2  home use,  cutting for friends and relatives, doing some cutting for cash or trade

Category 3 business use, small one-man operation

Category 4  full scale business, high production

These are just examples of categories, but you get the idea.  Next step is figure out what category you fit with what you want the saw to do.  Next you look at the many manufacturers and pick the mills that fit your category based on their description.  Next solicit opinions of those mills as they will be apples to apples in terms of style and capability.  For example, Category 1 would probably have the Oscar 18 and the Woodmizer LT10 and the Norwood Lumberlite.

[woodman58]

Thanks Guys,
I have decided against the Hudson Mill. The only reason I was concidering it was they were going to give me 20% off to become a distributor. They suplied everything. It will still be awhile before I get my mill. Thanks again

[vadimo]

Hud-Son 228 is in Category 2.

[Woulde]

Vadimo,

I noticed you're from Slovak Republic.  My wife was born there. She came to the USA in 1992.  Her parents have home in Hype.  We're going to visit them this summer.  Small world!

[vadimo]

Yeah  :D Yes World is small. If you think Hybe, then this is 20km distance.
Otherwise, Hud-Son has new models, eg. 328 is old 228 with 10hp engine (before 8hp).

[Ironwood]

I have a Hudson "dealer" down the road, never saw a mill in his hayfield, not even once. Whats that say about the mill? They must hand out dealerships when they need to make a sale.  :. Never even a sign, only reason I knew as they told me once years ago when I stopped to visit in Barneveld. I would buy grapples and such from them, but not a mill.

        Ironwood

[JBS 181]

I have two Oscar 30 saws. One I use outside my mill and have extended the trailer to cut up to 25' because I can only cut 18' inside the mill shed. The other saw is set up inside and is used as a resaw cutting cants down after they come off a headsaw. I have had little problem with either saw and the one inside runs 5 to 6 hrs each day, That is, the blade is in the wood that much of the day. All manual feed, a winch has been added for raising and lowering head. Parts are common at parts store other than guides. Pay attention and take care of them and they will last a long time and cut alot of wood.

[sigidi]

I have a Hudson "dealer" down the road, never saw a mill in his hayfield, not even once. Whats that say about the mill? They must hand out dealerships when they need to make a sale.  :. Never even a sign, only reason I knew as they told me once years ago when I stopped to visit in Barneveld. I would buy grapples and such from them, but not a mill.

        Ironwood

Ironwood, it may be that the 'dealer' wasn't the best at business, I know I don't have a sign out front and my mill is only ever setup if I have to cut something for our house, otherwise she is on the truck going to a job, or under the house out of weather and harms way, ya never know....?

[Ironwood]

This place looks more like a demo site than a dealership. All sorts of junk laying around, I'll try to get a pic next time I am down that way.

   Ironwood

[Jaybolicious]

I have an '05 oscar 36"  w/ 21 hp Briggs Vanguard engine, auto up/down, 23ft trailer, mudsaw debarker, auto feed.  It's a cheap manual mill for my own use and it saws wonderfully.  The barn it's making will be worth every penny I spent on it.

[John Mc]

Hey, Jaybolicious Welcome to the Forestry Forum, from a fellow Vermonter just down the road from you (Monkton). I'm guessing from the email address in your profile that we may have even met a while back. You may have checked out my roof.

John Mc

[Jaybolicious]

Yeah it's great how many people are on this forum, what a resourse.  Not many places like it where you can get instant information from guys who have been doing it for a while. Good to see another VT'er on here.   

[Magicman]

You guys can just meet at Cabot Creamery    or Ben & Jerry's and talk "Sawmilling"......

[cilley]

I am the owner of a hudson farm boss 36...i will repeat what i have said in the past..if you have $45,000 dollars to spend....have at it.....yes you get what you pay for....but i will this....it still cuts wood.....and i have no complaints as to the product it puts out.... i will also say that when i had some minor problems....my dealer and hudson  took care of them with no ?'s asked.....in 2 days i had parts on my doorstep....i will be glad to answer more ?'s if you have them

[sigidi]

Good onya Cilley and thanks for chiming in to let folks know how your experiences with your Hudson have been... ;)

[1pfieffer1]

Hi all,  new member to the board here.  I own an Oscar 36 and absolutely love it.  We made our own trailer for it and can cut up to 16'.  I have run over 300 logs, 12' or better, hard and soft wood, through it and have never had a problem other then occational metal in the logs.  This mill may be basic but the boards and beams that come out of it are just like the ones that come out of mills costing way more $$$.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  My mill has more than paid for itself by cutting lumber out of the trees we thin at our campground.  Customers love the rustic look to fresh milled wood we use to make things like lean-to's or weather shelters around the campground.  Hudson mills may not be expensive, but they are very valuable. 

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, 1pfieffer1     

[bandmiller2]

Really the whole secret in bandmilling is a sharp band set right tensioned properly running level in the log if you can do that you'll cut good lumber.Long mill life ,ease of use,and profitable production are what you get when you spend the extra money for say a mizer or baker. Frank C.

[vadimo]

Hello,
i own Oscar 228 with 8hp B&S engine. I want change this engine to 13hp. What do you think about? Hud-son produce now new version this mill 328 with 10hp engine. Is original clutch and belt then sufficient?

Know anyone, what is blade speed for this mill?