New motor options on Peterson mills!

[HSV]

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!

We have updated our priceslists with our new motor size/type options, and I wanted to share it with the FF first:

ATS/WPF/ASM 10" mills can now be purchased with 30hp and 38hp Kohler motors!

ATS/WPF 10" mills can now be purchased with a 23hp Lombardini diesel motor! 

We have extensively tested the diesel option (I even took it home myself) and it's great!

 

So if you would like a copy of our current pricelist, send me a private message and I'll have one sent out to you with some information about our mills.

[Nate Surveyor]

Ok, I have a few questions.

1.) Why was it so hard to put a diesel on the mill?
2.) Why did you only go to 23 HP diesel?
3.) Did this development somehow result in the 38 hp Kohler?
4.) Did it get a stronger gear box, and what about the sizing chains. Are they bigger?
5.) Any plans to go to the 180° swing?
6.) How in the world is Carl these days?

Thanks,

Nate

[HSV]

Hi Nate,

Thanks for the good questions 

1.) It wasn't    But as a manufacturing company, especially one that prides itself on safety first, we had to ensure that we had covered all bases before releasing the mill to the public.  We had to find an air cooled diesel motor that was up around the 20hp mark and still quite light in weight, and we had to go through various test procedures to make sure that our frame would take the extra weight and vibration of the diesel engine

2.) We only use the 23hp diesel because that is the largest output motor we can currently fit into our frame and retain our European CE certification - again with safety.  I can tell you though from personal experience, that the 23hp diesel is all you need to run a full 10" cut through dense wood. 

3.) No, it did not lead to the 38hp Kohler - the 38hp was a different project for customers with different demands.

4.) The clutch brake is different to our other mills, other than that, everything else remains the same.

5.) No comment  - I've always wanted to say that!  To tell you the truth, we can't see a worthwhile advantage for the 180° swing with our mills, as blade orientation can lead to dangerous consequences if user is not aware of cutting direction at all times 

6.) Carl was good last time I saw him.  He doesn't have anything to do with the company these days as he is retired and spends his days writing (he has some quite strong theories on many topics).

I hope that information helps, if you have anymore questions, just let me know 

[Nate Surveyor]

Ok, one more question: What kind of animal is the best to eat?

My favorite so far is wild turkey.


Nate

[HSV]

haha, well I did say ANY questions didn't I?  Doh!

 

Lamb is my absolute favorite.  I grilled some lamb chops on the barbeque grill last night, got them all charcoaly (yeah I know, charcoal gives you cancer  ) while listening to Muddy Waters and drinking some fine Kentucky bourbon... ahh, bliss.

I haven't had 'Wild' Turkey, but the tame stuff is pretty good 

[Nate Surveyor]

OK, I had better try to steer this thread back on topic.

More questions:

I notice you are now selling a cant hook. Is there anything special about it?

And, what about the fiber/plastic/poly/whatever wheels, that the carriage moves along the track with. How well do they hold up with the extra weight?
Would larger wheels roll any better, and last any longer?

Tell me about the improvements on your latest mills. I have one that is around 10 yrs old.

Thx.

N

[HSV]

Hi Nate,

I like questions 

The Cant Hook:
Our hook has a longer than 'normal' handle so it has more leverage for larger logs, plus it's steel so it's strong and won't put splinters in your hand like the old ones did.

The Wheels:
The wheels have held up great over the eight months + that we have been testing the diesel.  The wheels these days are made with slightly smaller ID's, then heated up and the bearings are pressed in when they are warm, so the bearings are nice and tight and don't get loose any more even in the humidity and heat. 

Okay, now as for improvements on our mills within a 10 year period, please get ready for a very long addition to this post.

Improvements:
The difference between the old PF and the new WPF (WINCH Production Frame) is that the WPF has a winch instead of a steering wheel to raise and lower the carriage.  The winch is a lot easier to use and very accurate.  Also, the WPF has ends that come apart intact (quick and easy for disassembly if needed).

Our latest WPF's have:
1. Wide cross brace over the rotating shaft, to give more stability to the frame.
2. Split half-moon (the race it pivots over), so you can independently adjust the tension on the lock handle either side.
3. Wrapped push handle so there is an easy central place to push from.
4. New guards to keep sawdust out of the main centre unit - one over the pivoting unit, one over the v-belts, and one in front of the pull handle.
5. CE safety stop to stop the mill in emergencies under 10 seconds.
6. In-built fuel tank that is hidden under the unit - not on top of the motor any more. It's easier to fill and safer if the engine is hot.
7. A sharpener that is run off the battery and sharpens on the mill without moving any guards (the old ones were rechargeable and you had to take a guard off).
8. Larger 10:20 gearboxes so longer life and less maintenance.
9. New riving knife mounting system for more stability and easier adjustment.
10. Alloy skids rather than wooden skids for more accuracy and stability.
11. Low track levellers for more accurate lining up of the bottom track (rather than chocks of wood).
12. Upgraded jockey wheels with easy t-knob for removing.
13. Loading wheels at other end so one man can load into trailer.
14. Battery box to protect battery.
15. More positive track brake that is on the operator's side now.
16. Electric winch upgrade available so you can lower/raise mill while still at the operator controls (easier to line up with a new log).
17. Upgraded sizing slide and repetitive slide - loads easier to use.
18. Weatherboard/featherboard upgrade bracket simple to install and use.
19. Diagonals on Hi/Lo track frame for more stability.
20. Easier centre support on Hi/Lo for faster log loading (just move UP in position out of the way).
21. Microkerf upgrade kit available to cut a mere 3.5mm kerf on 6" or smaller cuts (on your 8" and 10" mills).

So yeah, there's quite a few!

I hope that helps.

Thanks for keeping me on my toes today friend   

The WPF is by and far my favourite sawmill.  It is completely in a league of it's own and cannot be compared to any other swingblade mill - not even our own ATS. 

The track and carriage system of the WPF is a masterful design especially when optioned up to Hi/Lo.  Hi/Lo tracks enable you to load logs over the Lo track, or roll logs under the Hi track.  It's efficiency at it's best. 

Plus, the WPF is so quick to set up, it's even quicker than our ATS!  The tracks pull apart into manageable lengths and the carriage is so manoeuvrable I can load the whole thing onto a trailer by myself. 

The secret that I will let FF members know, is that the WPF is our staff's favorite mill to set-up and operate and you can get awesome production out of it too.  Of course the ATS is good for milling on any terrain or as a cheaper option, and the ASM is perfect for commercial applications, lumber yards, full-time fixed site millers etc... but the WPF is King in my eyes! 

But see, that's why we make mills to order.  Because everyone's application, everyone's preference is different and that is also why there's always a new post in the Sawmills and Milling section of the Forestry Forum! 

 

[HSV]

Oh, and just so you know, the people that manufacture the Lombardini diesel motor that we now have available, are still conducting tests to see if it can be run on Biodiesel.  So watch this space...