Looking at mills

W8AT · April 29, 2019, 09:03:52 PM

As in my other post today I said I wish I had a mill. I've been lurking here for a while now and been doing research on different mills. So far I like the Tinberking 1600 and the WM 35 hydraulic. I've noticed that there isn't much chatter here on the forum about TK's, is that because WM has greater market share or am I missing something? I would like to here more pro's and cons on both machines.

Southside · April 29, 2019, 09:17:49 PM

There are several members with TK's and they seem to be quite pleased with them. I deal with their sister company with my moulder and have always been very happy with quality and customer service. In my opinion Wood-Mizer stuck gold when they developed the cantilever head system and nobody has been able to build something comparable to it for a portable mill, so they enjoy the spoils.

The 35 is a excellent mill, you get a lot there for the price. That was my first mill and when I upgraded I kept it and now it lives with the re-saw attachment on it, ran it today as a matter of fact. Wood-Mizer has excellent customer service and builds great mills. I have never run a TK to be able to compare it first hand, and I did look at their larger mills along with Baker before I bought my Super 70, but the convince of that open side is just too hard to give up.

KenMac · April 29, 2019, 09:57:19 PM

If you haven't checked them out yet, you should at least give Cook's Saw Mfg. a look. They make several models with any level of options and conveniences you might want. They are getting my money in a couple of weeks.

timbercrack · May 01, 2019, 09:46:29 AM

I own a TK1600 and with log roller and I love it. My buddy has a WM LT40 and I have operated it many times with him. Both are superb machines with great customer service...

W8AT · May 01, 2019, 08:21:52 PM

Timbercrack- Thanks for the reply. I really like the looks of the 1600, it looks like a dandy machine. Right now my front runners are the 1600, LT35 hydraulic, and LT40. The LT35 will probably win out for being $6k cheaper.

tacks Y · May 01, 2019, 08:29:26 PM

W8AT, My first mill was a used 1600. Worked good, liked the log turner. The manual stops are so so. Putting a jack under the end to raise so so. So look at features for the money. I have a Logmaster now and more hyd features.

SawyerTed · May 01, 2019, 09:31:04 PM

I have developed both a business relationship and a personal friendship with a fellow who has a TK. It has gone unused for 5 or 6 years. He runs a firewood processor now. He has said more than once he likes the the capacity and features of my WM LT35 Hydraulic better than his TK. I'm sawing in his log yard about half the time so he sees it in operation a lot. He bought his sawmill secondhand so I'm sure his version is a dated iteration.

I haven't run the TK. So I don't know first hand. What I do know first hand is two things. One is that support from Wood-mizer is awesome. The second is when I was shopping for a mill, everybody compared their product to Wood-mizer.

I've looked the TimberKing over and it is a well built machine. His uses two gasoline engines, one for the power head and one for the hydraulics. Seems like twice the maintenance and twice the headaches. I'm sure TK has gone to a better design (single engine) since his was built.

WV Sawmiller · May 01, 2019, 09:40:37 PM

I am much in line with the rest comparing TK and WM. I sawed one job side by side with a TK with t he two motors like Ted mentions. His lumber looked good. We had one guy feeding logs to both of us and we we got down to the end with one very big 16' hemlock log the told the driver let me have it as not sure his hydraulics would handle it. I don't know if they were in tip top condition but my LT35 never complained a bit.

If you are sawing many big logs the extra $6K for the LT40 might be a good investment. About 23" is as wide a board/cant as I can normally saw and the LT40 I think gives you about 28" and some extra height/cutting depth.

I think you will be happy with any you mention.