After months of research and opinions, I just bought a 2006 Timberking B20 with 73 hours on it. Came with the debarker, a hand held metal detector and 20 spare blades. I paid $18,000,which seemed fair based on my research.
Looking forward to figuring it out... I have zero experience sawing with a mill, so it should be interesting.
Good Shot
Welcome and congrads on your new mill. Now for the work and fun.
Just ask opinions on the forum about the Timberking Mill and a lot of help
will be freely given.
Welcome to the Forestry Forum! I'm sure there will be a lot of fun-and work-on your new mill. You will enjoy it. If you have any questions or whatever, this is one of the best places to ask.
Congratulations on taking the plunge. Lots of us have been in your shoes. This is the place to get any questions answered. Don't be to shy to ask!
I tell you what! You just hook that thing up to the truck and come out here for a week. We will get that thing sighted in so you can hit the pith every time. Sounds like a good deal to me and a fine little mill it is.
You're off to a good start, well done. Just be warned sawdust makin is very very addictive ;D
Any chance of some pix?
Congratulations. I can remember the first log "cedar it was" that I sawed in 1983. Get some pics. Let us know how it goes and when you become a professional sawyer (Hit your first log dog). Enjoy.
Quote from: Cedarman on July 08, 2009, 03:35:24 PM
Congratulations. I can remember the first log "cedar it was" that I sawed in 1983. Get some pics. Let us know how it goes and when you become a professional sawyer (Hit your first log dog). Enjoy.
You know, I thought about the possibility of hitting them as I watched the videos!
I'll post pictures when the mill arrives... should be next week, it's coming to WV from Wisconsin.
Where is the best place to get blades? I'll be sawing mostly yellow poplar, oak, maple- how long does the average blade last? Assuming you don't try to shorten the log dogs that is... ;D
~Mark
Mark, you sound like you'll find right in. Most of the mill manufacturers sell blades. I like Woodmizer's blades, but then they are all I have used.
Blade life depends on the blade, if your logs are dirty, how hard the wood is, etc. You should be a able to go through more logs per blade in the poplar than the oak or maple. Ash is especially dulling. I change blades when going any slower would be ridiculous, or the blade starts to dive or go all over the place, or you try to shorten your stops. Metal or rocks in a log is not good for a blade either.
Some will change a blade the moment they can feel it getting dull, others will push it as long as they can. You'll get a feel for it.
Speaking of blades...
One of the smartest things you can do is use a new blade for a few cuts, so that you know it is a good blade, then take it off and hang it on the wall. Then, when you are having problems with a blade dipping or making waves, etc., put on the good blade and if it cuts fine then you know your problem is the blade you were using. If the problems persist then you know there is something else wrong--it is not a bad blade causing the problem.
Doug, you know there is nothing like the "sacred" blade to take the guessing out of mill or blade problem. Excellent suggestion.
Congrats on your on first mill!!!!!! Do you have trees to saw? What's the plan for all of the lumber?
Quote from: EmannVB on July 09, 2009, 11:51:03 AM
Quote from: Cedarman on July 08, 2009, 03:35:24 PM
Congratulations. I can remember the first log "cedar it was" that I sawed in 1983. Get some pics. Let us know how it goes and when you become a professional sawyer (Hit your first log dog). Enjoy.
You know, I thought about the possibility of hitting them as I watched the videos!
I'll post pictures when the mill arrives... should be next week, it's coming to WV from Wisconsin.
Don't worry the log dogs are thick on the B20, you'll never make it all the way through unless you hit the same spot a lot. Steve
Where is the best place to get blades? I'll be sawing mostly yellow poplar, oak, maple- how long does the average blade last? Assuming you don't try to shorten the log dogs that is... ;D
~Mark
Wood-Mizer, Menominee and Timbur King are all good places to get your blades and all of them are sponsers. Look on the left side of the page and click on their logos for more information.
Mill is enroute to my farm in WV! Should arrive within the hour. Much to my chagrin, I won't be there for another two weeks :( I'll have to grit it out.
As I don't have the patience to wait a year or more to saw, is there any reason I can't saw 12/12 (or bigger) posts, and stack them to dry? Won't start sawing for my home for at least a year...they should be nice and dry by then- and I'll have the joy of actually using the mill.
I'll post pictures as soon as I'm able.
12x12 post will not be dry for several years. But saw them any way as it is fun. You will want to move them as little as possible. Nothing is worst then having a new toy and not being able to play with it.
Bigger squares tend to crack when drying, it's best to saw them to the final thickness right away. If you saw them 12 x12 try and saw them to the final thickness soon as you can. With the width you might want to leave them `12" wide, dry them and then saw to 5-1/2 " after dry as a lot of logs have stress in them and tend to bend when sawn. Steve
FINALLY got to get up to my property and saw my first log! Yep, put a 34" X 10' Elm on and let 'er rip. Had my younger brother there to show mw the finer points... read the book, watched the video- still didn't know much ::)
Helpful tools (toys) were my JD TLB 110, Husqy 350 chain saw, and my trusty 861 Ford.
Went real basic, just plain sawed 2" thick slabs.
Couple pictures of the 1st log, and an overhead of the property... lots of sawdust to be made! 8)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/IMG_1551_4_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/IMG_1550_5_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/IMG_1550_5_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/IMG_1548_3_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/IMG_1546_1_1.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19719/2380/overhead%7E0.jpg)
Congrats on the first log. Ain't it fun? ;D ;D ;D ;D 8) 8)
Nice toys too.
Good job! Now you can't say you've not got experience. ;)
EmannVB,
Congrats.
I'm also new to this sawmilling, but I can see the addiction to making sawdust. There is a hugh amount of knowledge on this forum, I mostly read all the post and pick up a bunch of good info. and I love the fact people are willing to share experiences good or bad.
I picked up my WM LT40 a couple weeks ago and sawed some cedar and live oak. Well late in the afternoon on my first day of sawing, I decided to get it over with so I hit the log clamp with the debarker. I order a new one last week. It happens, some people it takes days, weeks or years and others like me it takes just a couple of hours.
I am also going to the Texas Forestry Expo. in a couple weeks in Lufkin, Tx. anybody else going?
DJoslin
Looks like you're all set. Is your property all the woods around the clearing in the picture? If so you will have plenty of wood to saw for a while. 8)
way to go, I bet your still smilin. I'm still waiting on mill here, ( very soon ).
Quote from: djoslin on September 07, 2009, 09:21:14 PM
EmannVB,
Congrats.
I'm also new to this sawmilling, but I can see the addiction to making sawdust. There is a hugh amount of knowledge on this forum, I mostly read all the post and pick up a bunch of good info. and I love the fact people are willing to share experiences good or bad.
I picked up my WM LT40 a couple weeks ago and sawed some cedar and live oak. Well late in the afternoon on my first day of sawing, I decided to get it over with so I hit the log clamp with the debarker. I order a new one last week. It happens, some people it takes days, weeks or years and others like me it takes just a couple of hours.
I am also going to the Texas Forestry Expo. in a couple weeks in Lufkin, Tx. anybody else going?
DJoslin
D,
I can see how easy it would be to saw something other than wood! I was moving pretty slow, so I'm sure as I get faster, it will happen!
Erik,
The overhead encompasses about 2/3 rd's of my property. It has loads of nice straight Yellow Poplar, Red Oak, Ash, Maple, Cherry, and a few Elm. Once I'm "officially" retired from the good Uncles servitude, I expect to clear out 10-20 acres- sawing everything that's usable 8)
~Mark