Looking at buying an LT50 Super

[Dieseltim]

I went to look at a couple of sawmills this afternoon.

I have been running an lt40 for a few years ( maybe 6-7). It belongs to someone else, but I get to use it when I want, it just can't leave the property per the owners instructions.

So, I thought I might look at owning one that I can take wherever I want. I found out about an estate sale and went to look at a Lucas 723, and and woodmizer lt50 super. He says that it's a wide model but I'm not sure until I can talk to WM tomorrow.
What I could tell looking at it in the rain, was that it is an lt50 and that it has accu set 2. The board return has been removed, and it looks like it has been outside in the weather since 2013 when it was manufactured. I'm pretty sure it is a diesel engine. But, it was up on a trailer that he had used to move it home on, to keep it from being stolen from the estate that is now vaccinated. It will need 2 tires just to move it around or down the road.

The hour meter says 1070. I'm pretty sure that the PO used it for his pallet business. So, he might have bought it new. The son that is selling everything, doesn't know much about any of the equipment, and doesn't really care to fix any of it. He just wants everything gone.

I'm planning on going back over in a few days to get the LT50 unloaded off the trailer and hopefully get it to start up and run. I plan on trying to make sure everything is still operational before I make my offer.

Right now he is asking $28,000. That includes all of the band blades that are still in boxes, and the siding attachment that I found in one of the sheds. There's probably 150-200 blades for it.

The Lucas 723 is fairly new 2020, but someone took off the carb, lost it and probably let rain get into the engine. It's locked up.
On the good news, it has the slabbing attachment on it already, and I found the round blade for it also.
So definitely a rebuild or replacement engine is needed to get it going again. I'm thinking his price of $12,000 is way out of the ballpark for me. Not even close to what I'm willing to pay for it.

Do these prices seem reasonable to you guys?

[panhandle]

For reference, I just bought a new 723. With bevel siding attachment, sales tax, and freight the total was $18900. I did not purchase the slabbing attachment.

[WV Sawmiller]

  I did not think they/WM had Wide model LT50s in 2013. Good luck.

[blackhawk]

I have a Lucas 7-23.  $12,000 is crazy high for that mill with a bad engine, especially if the mill has always been sitting outside.  $12-$14K would be a reasonable price for a working mill.  It should have come with 4 circle blades and a tool kit.  A diamond blade sharpener comes in the tool kit and that is what you really need to find.  I sharpen my circle blades every 250-300 bf.

[Dieseltim]

Well, the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say.

A follow up for those too young to know who Im talking about.

I had hoped to try to make a deal on both the lt50 and the Lucas 723. But, plans don't always work out.
The seller called me a couple of days later and said that he had an offer for the lt50 that was more than he was asking, so he had already sold it. Not great news for me but at least I didn't have to try to borrow money out of my 401k or from somewhere else.

On a good note, I went with cash in hand and came back home with the Lucas 723. We made an agreement for $4k.

Not really my first choice because I have been running an lt40 for the last 6 or 7 years. So this is going to be much different than what I'm used to.

So, now that I got it home, I worked on the engine for a couple of days and got it freed up and turning over. A replacement carburetor is due in the mail in a few days. 

Now I have a whole new learning curve to figure out this new mill.
I did find that the Lucas is a 2020 model and only had 24.4 hours on the clock. So, basically brand new.

It came with a 60" slabbing attachment, a planer attachment, and 4 blades. 
I didn't find the sharpener kit or the missing carburetor. But I was happy that I made a good deal for what I got. 

I don't think they ever used the blades, only the slabbing attachment seems to have any wear.

[Magicman]

It sounds like you did OK.  I would certainly pay that for it just for the slabber, but I will have to admit that it is my mind that wants and my body does not need. 

[Dakota]

That is a great deal.  I paid $5200 in 2002 for a new 618.  Those blades are worth about $155 each.  You'll want to order the sharpening kit for your blades and you'll be set.  I would have nabbed that deal just to get the bigger saw head.