What would be considered high hours on a preimium brand bandsawmill?

[marcusthgault]

I cannot get the search function to work btw (and have used it before)
I am going to look at a Baker ;D 3630 tomorrow or Tuesday.
With all hydraulic ;D everything(I counted 10 hyd slice control levers, in 2 banks of 5)
About 2000 hours I have been told.
PS
I will soon have spent as much travelling to look at second hand mills as would of bought a new one ???

[isawlogs]

In my opinion 2000 hours is not a whole lot of hours on a mill, but, .... if the mill was not well maintained it could be too many. I have a LT40HD with well over 7000Hrs on her with original Onan engin I have changed the hydraulic pump at somewheres near 5500hrs. Paint has faded to a pinkish tint but mill is still good.
  Very hard to determine what would be reasonable hours on a peice of machinery with out knowing how it was kept.

[ladylake]

2000 hours is just getting broken in good.  Steve

[Magicman]

I would have no concern about the hours.  Use is much different from abuse which you should be able to easily see.

[ladylake]

 With all hydraulics you really shouldn't have any problems, I made over 7000 hours on my TK before having to replace hoses.   Steve

[ozarkgem]

I cannot get the search function to work btw (and have used it before)
I am going to look at a Baker ;D 3630 tomorrow or Tuesday.
With all hydraulic ;D everything(I counted 10 hyd slice control levers, in 2 banks of 5)
About 2000 hours I have been told.
PS
I will soon have spent as much travelling to look at second hand mills as would of bought a new one ???

I know what you mean going and looking at stuff. I spent 1000.00 on gas looking at Bobcats before I found one. Sadly most people and all dealers just flat out lied to me on the phone. When I pointed out what was wrong they "acted" surprised and said they had not known about the problem

[Chuck White]

I wouldn't think 2,000 hours would be much on the Baker!

If everything works, you should be able to start sawing as soon as you get it home.

[drobertson]

As mentioned, it depends on the abuse, maintenance and history of the mill itself.  some mills just have inhere rant issues, I would ask or want to know why they are selling just because,  Is there a history with this mill?
Lots of issues?   Blades guides might be in question.  Bells and whistles come with a cost and often times headaches.   2000 hrs as mentioned is just broke in, if it has all the bugs worked out, down time and the cost of getting up and running is another story.  The price is the first factor, the possible battles the next. 

[marcusthgault]

Gentlemen above, thank you all.
At 54 with some limited mechanical experience, what you say concurs with what I intutively  figgered.
And well cared for good condition trumps all but stupid high hours.
The reason for my question was that a gentleman on another forum(who mills timber professionally) suggested 2000 hrs was trouble.
Used to hydraulics on older ag tractors, so no worries there.
I did wonder.
thanks again,
Marcus

[Cedarman]

We are all electric.  Probably 22 to 23,000 hours on our WM resaw and 14,000 on our LT30HDE.  Saw as good today as the day the paint was new.  Same hydraulic pump, same electric motors, just a few bearings over the years and some electronics on the LT 30.
Normal wear items are no big deal to replace.

[marcusthgault]

Seriously impressive
Us "Norn Iron" folk generally dont be so good at looking after kit, be it cars, tractors or the environment :.
regards,
Marcus

[marcusthgault]

Well, I viewed the Baker mill today, a 3630, saw it working cutting spruce (very POOR timber when grown in Ireland, with growth rings 6 to 10mm thick) running  a 2" band.
But cutting quite slowly, definately not "blue streaking", as per some You tube vids
The 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 band wheels were away for recrowning.
A 2007 model, in reasonable nick, with a few signs of wear & repair to be seen.
Just have to figger what to offer.
Far more mill than I need, but affordable, an  ah kin "grow" into its capabilities.
Oh!
And buy a Genny,
which Mr. salesperson reckons only needs to be a 50KVA to drive 40HP worth of apparently "soft start" electric motors.
Hmmm?

[ladylake]

Spruce is poor timber over here too and hard to cut straight in wide cuts, maybe why it's cutting slow.  Nothing wrong with too much mill, way better than not enough.  Steve

[Magicman]

Having to buy/use a generator to run an electric motor is a kick back, at least it would be for me.  That is an inefficient setup.

[mikeb1079]

perhaps instead of a generator you could look into a phase converter?

[marcusthgault]

Magicman,
I am in 2 minds re the 3 PH Generator aspect, on the plus side it would allow me to purchase "off the peg" Euro spec equipment, which is nearly all 3PH powered.
For smaller items an absolute "no brainer"
On the negative side, I do not understand electrics, especially 3PH, whereas a petrol or diesel engine driving wheels and a hydraulic pump.
I can understand, well kinda leastwise. . . I like to imagine.
Mikeb 1079,
Not enough "oomph" in our megre single Ph supply.
Transformer only rated for 16KVA, so the neighbours on the same line ud def be complaining.
thanks
Marcus

[customsawyer]

I would say the number of hours are less important than the kind of hours. ;)

[marcusthgault]

Well, I quit being chicken and made like the Pig.
I committed !
So now the owner of a 3630 Baker stationary model.
Let the larning begin 8)
Still need a sexy big 6 cyl ;D  diesel Genny,
Oh, an sommat to cut   :.
But should be housed and all gennyed-up (if not quite perhaps genned-up) for next spring.
regards,
Marcus
PS
A few Baker mills working, and apparently highly regarded, in Scotland.

[ladylake]

Congrats on your new mill, should be a good one with mostly if not all hydraulics.  Steve

[Magicman]

Congrats on the plunge now get cracking.   :D

[marcusthgault]

thanks folks