Hey all you EZ Boardwalk owners, I got a bunch of questions. Before I call the company, I wanted to find out about your mills and get some details.
So here goes. Hope you guys can help me with one or more of these questions so that I feel more confident. Missouri is a long way from me and I want to make sure I don't get into something that is a deal-breaker.
1. Cutting close to the bed - how close can you get? With my old (1994) Woodmizer I could only get down to about 3" without a lot of contortions, and if I raised up the log my scales were all wrong. I'd like to go down to a 1" board.
2. Log scale - is it magnetic, stuck on or otherwise permanently attached? I really like the idea of a sliding scale to adjust for different thicknesses out of the same log or cant.
3. Trailer kit - any idea of the load rating on the springs and axle?
4. Toe boards - I used to use a wooden wedge or two and hated it. Any provision for toe boards? Make your own?
5. EZ Boardwalk website says 'do not use mill while on trailer'. How about using adjustable, bolt on legs like some other mills use, and leave the wheels right on it? It would get the mill bed up just about knee height. Difficult to operate in that position? It would make the blade easier to see.
6. Adjustments for square and level. Any problems getting the mill to cut dead parallel to the bed or square to the backstops? It appears that the throat is adjustable from both sides too?
7. Mill capacity - 30" log diameter realistic? How about length? I assume you can't use the trailer if an extension is bolted on to the mill?
8. Short logs - Often I will want to cut logs right down to about 30" long. I see myself saving butt logs from firewood trees and cutting some nice QS lumber out of them. Or getting mill rejects from a few loggers in the area. Either way I need to deal with short stuff. Any provision for extra clamps, movable bed rails, etc. for short logs?
9. Freight charges - any estimate on freight? Is it worth a 17 hour drive each way? Use U-Ship?
10. Junior or 40? Anyone regret buying the Junior, wish they'd bought the 40? I don't think I'll ever have much of a use for slabs or really wide stock, I'll be doing mostly utility boards, quartersawn stock for cabinetry, and dimension lumber.
11. Fine adjustments up/down? Does the head have a lock? Can you go up or down a very tiny amount (like 1/32" or 1/16") or does the head adjustment have locks or notches that limit fine adjustment?
Thanks for any advice or answers you can give me. I'm not looking for a perfect mill, just need to know what I am getting, what I can live with and what I might have to sacrifice.
FORGOT TO ASK: Anybody in the northeast US (New England or eastern NY) have one of these mills and will demo it for me?
Go ahead and give them a call. Super good guys to talk to. Ed or Stanton will be able to answer all of your questions you listed in just a couple minutes.
I really like my Jr.
I have the model 40 and really like it.
I can cut 1" from the bed if I'm needing to, just have to be careful and it actually has bar that comes into contact with the off side clamp dog before the blade.
The scale is permanently attached and I can't see a problem with that.
I have no idea as to the load rating of the trailer axle or springs, but realistically as easy as they are to remove I never saw with them on.
Mine has adjustable legs and I mounted it on railroad ties, I wouldn't want it much higher as I can reach over bigger logs and clamp while I'm holding them in place with a cant hook.
I don't have toe boards, but they are not that hard to fabricate.
Mine cuts square with the bed and the frame is rugged enough that unless it isn't set up correctly it will stay level.
The throat is adjustable from both sides, but I seldom adjust the offside away from the clamps.
A 30" log 16.5 feet long is possible without the extension, but that much log is gonna be heavy to turn or handle without mechanical help. Mine has a bot type wench roller that helps.
Mine came with a removable or movable bed rail that will allow me to cut real short logs.
The mill tows easily and often if you call you can get them to tow it if they are coming your way. I figured $1.00 a mile one way to get mine, not too bad considering.
The head adjusts easily in very small increments so no problem there.
There's lots of well thought out things on the mill and I'm very happy with mine.
Hope this helps.
Quote from: Engineer on September 03, 2015, 01:02:33 PM
1. Cutting close to the bed - how close can you get?
2. Log scale -
4. Toe boards - Make your own?
5. EZ Boardwalk website says 'do not use mill while on trailer'. Difficult to operate in that position?
6. Adjustments for square and level. Any problems getting the mill to cut dead parallel to the bed or square to the backstops?
7. Mill capacity - 30" log diameter realistic? I assume you can't use the trailer if an extension is bolted on to the mill?
8. Short logs - Either way I need to deal with short stuff. Any provision for extra clamps?
10. Junior or 40? Anyone regret buying the Junior, wish they'd bought the 40? I don't think I'll ever have much of a use for slabs or really wide stock, I'll be doing mostly utility boards, quartersawn stock for cabinetry, and dimension lumber.
11. Fine adjustments up/down? Does the head have a lock? Can you go up or down a very tiny amount (like 1/32" or 1/16") or does the head adjustment have locks or notches that limit fine adjustment?
Thanks for any advice or answers you can give me. I'm not looking for a perfect mill, just need to know what I am getting, what I can live with and what I might have to sacrifice.
I DO NOT own an EZ Boardwalk, but I have serviced, fully aligned and operated an EZ Jr. for a customer. Some of these I can answer for you...
1. Customer requested that the last board thickness be set at 1-1/8" thickness. It could go lower... dunno how much.
2. Non-adjustable... not a problem. Very nice with several different cut patterns to utilize.
4. No Toe Boards. Make a cradle to span the bunks and use a jack. Gives you flexibility for log length.
5. This depends on your height and what YOU are comfortable with. Height adjustment and scale indicator or mounted 3/4 of the way up the carriage frame.
6. Once properly adjusted, it'll cut dead square. You have to be cautious on how hard you clamp. The EZ clamps, IMO, are the best on the market, but if you clamp to hard you can get your cant slightly out of square.
6b. Adjusting the blade guide rollers can be a chore. The blade needs to be parallel with the bunks w/ the proper amount of deflection. The way EZ has their mounts constructed (bolts and elongated slots) getting it fine tuned takes some time and "fiddling". Customer's mill was WAY out from the factory.
6c. The band wheels also needed aligned with shims to get the proper tracking and vertical alignment on each side. One backstop also needed a small adjustment to get it square (elongated the mounting holes on one side).
DISCLAIMER: The customer bought it new and never messed with any adjustments or settings. The original paint was undisturbed. His mill might be an exception to rule as far as needing a full alignment and a thorough check of everything. This work was necessary to get the mill to perform properly and to make consistent accurate lumber each time it gets utilized. This information might help someone else troubleshoot issues with their EZ sawmill.
7. 30" dia. logs can be done, but it is a tight squeeze and requires perfect log placement and wedges to hold the log for the first few squaring cuts. 30" logs on a manual mill aren't fun anyhow... even with a tractor.
7b. Customer has an extension w/ his but using it with the trailer package would be an undertaking, if not impossible. IMHO, The extension is not manufactured to be used in conjunction with the main frame from an elevated position using the trailer package. Keeping that much frame, over that much distance, would be difficult without a firm foundation to support it.
8. It is super EZ to add another backstop/clamp between bunks to mill shorter stock. Again, their clamps work GREAT and the frame design/clamp mounting makes adding more pretty straight forward... accurately drill 4 holes and bolt it in.
10. The EZ Jr. has a pretty wide cut capacity and will probably work for your application. Again, it's going to be YOUR mill, Your choice.
11. The lift system allows for very fine adjustment and there are no "locks or notches". The scale/indicator are very easy to read. The head locks firmly when you release the handle, which is also the brake.
I did add a 3/4" nut to the "T" handle that tensions the blade. With a strain gauge I tensioned the blade to the manufactuers specs and now the customer uses a torque wrench to get accurate (within 500-750 lbs.) blade tension EVERY TIME. This is critical to getting accurate straight cuts.
Well built mills and you get alot of machine w/ unique features for your money when you compare to all the others on the market. Hopefully you can find one close by to observe in operation. That would un-doubtly make your decision much easier.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!!
I have the EZ Jr. and really like it. I would agree on everything posted above and add that the scale can be adjusted, but ideally with the two bolts in slotted holes I'd only want to adjust it on the initial set-up. However by putting large wingnuts on the mounting bolts a guy could make adjustments rather easy.
As for short logs you can either use a sacrifice board to span your stops or with nothing but a drill move one of the clamps to where ever you would want it.
I use mine on the trailer with jacks in four spots, but I am only sawing burls and short logs not more than 6' right now. I'm 6' tall and if I'm sawing much more than a 2' piece the scale is making me stand on my toes, a block of wood would cure this real easy though.
I had mine shipped through FedEx and it got here in one piece and didn't need a thing done to it, other than putting it on the wheels, adding fluids and putting on a band.
These mills are near bulletproof in my opinion.
We have the Jr. We really like the mill. We have ours positioned on level ground with no trailer package. Everything so far (have had the mill since early march of this year) has worked fine. My son and I visited Stanton's factory in Emden, MO and he demonstrated the mill for us and let us play around with it. I must say that if you should choose the EZ brand, you will get excellent and timely help from Stanton if necessary. Another reason we went with the EZ was the fact that it came ready to mill. (no putting together and such). Stanton delivered it for us and helped level it up. We were milling immediately. We haven't had any problems (and don't want any) but everything seems to be well planned and fairly simple to work on if necessary.
Engineer:
5: I have mounted 8 adjustable legs on mine Ez jr. It works just perfect.
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I have had a jr for 3 years. I mill something nearly every day. I have never had to do anything to it. It still cuts paralell and square. It will cut to just over an inch. The scale id fixed but magnetic would be nice. I bought 10 extra feet of track but rarely use it. I took off the log stops and put the 2 clamps from the track extension in their place. so I have a clamp at each bunk space. In my experience 50 inches is the shortest I can comfortably cut without adding another clamp not native to the mill. Less than 50 inches and you can only fit one clamp. I preffer 2. Unless really straight you can only fit 24-26 through the mouth. I cut nearly all live edge material. Overall great machine. I have no experience with any other mills so I could not give any kind of comparison. Mine is set up inside my shop so I couldn't advise any about the mobile set up for you. Fine adjustment is easy.
A couple weeks ago we cut a 33" white pine. With 3 of us it wasn't to bad. It is a little work but I can handle a 20" by myself not real fast but it gets done. Good mill made very well. I like the angle cut.
I had an EZ boardwalk 40 for 3 years and about 550 motor hours. Real reliable and tough. If you look through my old threads you might see some things that would answer a lot of your questions. I think it is a lot of mill for the money.
pc
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This is my redneck hydraulic toe board.
The mill has a brake to keep the head from rolling.
I cut many 36'' logs on it and always loaded and often unloaded from it with a forklift or tractor and never hurt the alignment on it.
Paul, I surely am glad to see you back on the FF. 8)
Awe you make me feel wanted. Thanks
pc
paul case, I was reading one of your old posts the other day and was wondering were you went. Good to have you back.