Anyone running a Cooks AC 36 or Large Baker portable sawmills ?

[ScottAR]

I'll help...   Baker supports the Forum...   

Wasn't that helpful?   ;)

[Banjo picker]

I'll help...   Baker supports the Forum...   

Wasn't that helpful?   ;)

I should be talking with Tim Cook today, and i am going to mention the forum to him...I'm sure he already knows about us....but I will ask ....he is a very helpful person....He talked with me for about an hour on many question's that I had....That is what made up my mind to go with a Cooks...I got videos on every thing I thought was suitable....then talked to 4 reps...Timberking, WM, Baker & Cooks....Tim Cook knocked them all out of the water, and NEVER said any thing bad about any other company....I can't say the same for some of the others....That knocked them out of the race before it started....Tim Scruggs

[beenthere]

We try to avoid saying anything bad about Cooks, even tho they are not sponsors of the Forum.

Just like we try to avoid saying anything bad about our sponsors of the forum.   You can do the same if you want... : :

[DanG]

One of the best reasons I can think of for a company to sponsor a forum like this, is to learn what their customers want, whether that is in the performance of their products, or in the way they run their company.  If one of our sponsors has a problem in their marketing strategy, and they learn of it from a post on this forum, then their sponsorship has paid for itself in spades, assuming they correct the problem.

Out of all the sawmill makers in the World, six are sponsors of this forum.  Many others are getting mention here, even though they don't pay for the advertising.  That is the way it is in a place like this, where we are free to discuss the business openly and honestly.  Credit Jeff with creating this atmosphere of openness.  I wish all the companies that benefit from our discussions would step up and become sponsors, but I'd hate to see the day that we weren't allowed to compliment a non-sponsor, or criticize a sponsor.

[LorenB]

Chris,

I have a Baker 3667D portable mill, with the John Deere engine.  I understand that the Cummins now available is virtually identical in performance. 

I started with a Baker 3638D, with the Kubota diesel.  It turned out to be too low on horsepower for what I was cutting here in southern Indiana.  On my first job I cut a lot of yellow poplar, which was pretty easy, but also some ash and oak, which slowed the saw down a lot.  The larger engined Baker cuts these logs with ease. 

My sawmills have both been the standard Baker length, which allows cutting a 20-foot log.  Baker will make a longer sawmill for you if you like.  My 20-foot sawmill measures about 31 feet from trailer coupler to the back end. 

I have recommendations if you order a Baker.  First, I recommend three fences.  The saw comes standard with two, but a third one is very nice when you have an eighteen or twenty foot log to cut.  The cant chatters and bows a bit when you are making the last cuts.  I also recommend two clamps instead of the single one that comes with the saw for the same reason.  Both of these options will become more important if you specify a sawmill longer than the 20-foot standard. 

I also specified wider toe rollers.  The narrower ones on my first Baker often didn't hit the center of a large log, so they didn't do the job.  The log would tend to roll off the roller to one side.  This doesn't happen with the wider rollers. 

I was also considering between the Baker and the Cook's saws.  I bought the Baker because they came to the shows.  I wanted to see a Cook's sawmill, but wasn't willing to drive eight hours or more each way just to look at one.  The Cook's people never came to any of the sawmill shows in the northeastern U.S.  I attended shows in Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.  They weren't there. 

I'm still sure that the Cook's people make a nice saw, but the Baker was too, and I don't regret my decision a bit. 

I VERY MUCH like the Baker hydraulic accumulator system of tensioning the blade.  The video from Cook's denigrates this feature, but this shows that they either are trying to pull the wool over your eyes or they don't understand the Baker system at all.  Either conclusion is not favorable to Cook's.  The hydraulic tension system allows you to set a certain pressure for blade tension and to return to exactly the same tension every time you use the mill.  With some math, and an understanding of hydraulics, you can actually calculate the blade tension in psi for a given hydraulic accumulator pressure. 

I'm sure that you won't go wrong with either of these saws.  I still can't give an honest comparison because I've still never seen a Cook's sawmill, but I like my Baker. 

[Handy Andy]

  When I was shopping for mills, I thought the hydraulic tensioner was important, and was a little skeptical of the spring tightener on the Cook's.  But after seeing and sawing with it, decided the spring system is just fine.  Just tighten the spring up to the mark, the blade tracks right on the bandwheels, and have no problem sawing anything you put in the way.  It will saw 1/2" bolts by the way.  Just one to a blade though.  Least that's all I've tried. 

[LorenB]

  When I was shopping for mills, I thought the hydraulic tensioner was important, and was a little skeptical of the spring tightener on the Cook's.  But after seeing and sawing with it, decided the spring system is just fine.  Just tighten the spring up to the mark, the blade tracks right on the bandwheels, and have no problem sawing anything you put in the way.  It will saw 1/2" bolts by the way.  Just one to a blade though.  Least that's all I've tried. 

Handy Andy,

I agree that a spring will work just fine as long as the spring rate stays good, or if there is a device to allow measuring the force being applied.  That's probably what the mark does on your saw. 

I still think the hydraulic is better.  Know why?  Because my saw will cut through a 1" x 2" steel fence like it isn't there.  Just like you, though, only one per blade. 

Loren

[Banjo picker]

 

my saw will cut through a 1" x 2" steel fence like it isn't there.  Just like you, though, only one per blade. 

Loren

Might be getting off the thread, but I sure would like to hear about that one....Tim

[beenthere]

Me too.  ;D ;D

What is "1" x 2" steel fence"  ??? ???

[LorenB]

My Baker sawmill has 1" x 2" steel bars that raise and lower to provide a fence to hold one side of the log/cant.  If the fence is set higher than the position of the saw blade, the blade will cut right through the steel fence. 

I was going to say, "Don't ask me how I know this," but apparently inquiring minds want to know. 

I was new to using a sawmill and hadn't yet developed my routine of stooping to check the path of the blade before EVERY SINGLE cut.  (It make take time, but I AM trainable.)  I was running the sawmill in a hurry to keep my helpers busy and forgot to lower the fence when the cut got lower. 

Anyone want to buy a 4" piece of 1X2 steel? 

Loren

[backwoods sawyer]

While I was looking a competitor's big Cook mill to see how he had cut the end of the bed off to build a 6' extension for it. I asked him about this ugly weld that was on the clamp. He got this kinda sheepish grin on his face as he told how he had cut the clamp clean off while cutting some pine. Just slick as a whistle.

As I say this, I am still knocking on wood as I have never hit any of the mill with a band yet.

[Banjo picker]

Loren B ,,,I thought for sure you had cut a T post, and was wondering how in the world one had gotten in a tree... :D :D :D ,but the explanition makes way more since...Tim

[LorenB]

Loren B ,,,I thought for sure you had cut a T post, and was wondering how in the world one had gotten in a tree... :D :D :D ,but the explanition makes way more since...Tim

Tim,

I've hit my share of metal in logs, but no fence posts yet.  I'm sure it's just a matter of time. 

Loren