Mighty-Mite Hyd Mill - Need info - DILEMMA!

[SineWave]

Hey, guys,

I was planning to build a mill, and I have a HFT 22 hp engine, and I bought a Linn Lumber Model 1900 bandsaw head, and I have a trailer that I plan to build the mill on ... but I just saw an ad where a guy is selling a Mighty-Mite bandsaw mill, and I'm not sure whether I should continue my own build, or whether for $10k I would be better off buying this guy's mill and slapping my engine on it and starting to saw wood.

Does anyone have any info on these mills? It sounds like what I was planning to build. He says it was manufactured in mid 1990s.

Here's what the seller says about the unit. It's a Mighty-Mite, "the biggest one they made" or words to that effect.

The Deutz-Ruggerini 25 hp engine doesn't run. (But he says my 22 hp HFT Predator motor should work fine. I guess I'd have to change the driven pulley size, however, for a gas engine.)
He says it has a 3-groove driving pulley, with 2 belts going to the saw, and 1 belt going to the hydraulic pump.
He says it is all hydraulic – it has a hyd-driven winch to parbuckle logs up onto the saw, it has a hyd motor to drive the saw carriage, and it has hyd-driven idler pulley clutch, hyd log handling, hyd raising and lowering of the saw, etc etc
He says it has no electric motors except for the engine starter.
Table is 30' long and it will saw logs up to 26' long x 36" diameter.
He said the brochure claims it will cut 30' to 40' per minute.

Here are a few pics:
NOTE FROM ADMIN: OFFSITE PHOTOS NOT ALLOWED. IMAGES MUST BE IN YOUR FORESTRY FORUM ALBUM/GALLERY

What do you guys think? Should I continue with my own build, or would I be better off buying this guy's mill for $10,000?

If I continue with my own build, I would still need to buy:
– all the steel for the track, and steel for the bulk of the saw carriage
– all the hydraulic motors and cylinders and lines and spool valves
– all the steel for the log lifter, log holder, log flipper, etc etc
(In other words, all I have so far is the bandsaw mill head, the engine, and the raw trailer.)

In the "negatives" column, the seller says that he has never actually run the saw. He said he planned to use it to cut wood to build a barn, but that he scored a good deal on all the lumber he needs, so he's selling the sawmill to finance the concrete for his barn.

Thanks in advance for any insights.

Jeff

[Crusarius]

I am currently building exactly what you were talking about Linn lumber 1900 kit. I already have about $4000 invested and it will not have hydraulics. I bet I could easily add $6000 in hydraulics to get to that point. Sounds like a pretty decent deal to me. I only have a $6000 budget so that limited my options.

[Kbeitz]

I have built my mill and i say buy it...

[Crusarius]

asmuch as I love the build this is probably one of those times I would agree with Kbeitz

[47sawdust]

That mill caught my eye as well.They are still in business and you can get parts.I might consider an engine rebuild.I'm not interested in the mill to purchase,I'm happy with what I have.It has a lot of good features and for the price you could soon be sawing soon.
Happy shopping.

[JRWoodchuck]

I would do some investigating on all the hoses. From what I understand is they are not cheap to replace. (I know very little about hydraulics)  but if they all needed to be replaced you might be upside down pretty quick. I built my mill similar to a Linn and I have about $6000 invested into it. With no hydraulics. So it could be pretty awesome.

[DanG]

When you factor in the money that could be earned in the time it would take to build a mill, the purchase is a no-brainer to me.

[grouch]

The only dilemma I see is deciding whether you are more interested in building a mill or using a mill. Nobody can determine that except you.

[Ianab]

And if you have the skills to build a mill from scratch, then fixing up / repowering a 99% complete and basically operational one should be a walk in the park. Sure all those hydraulics could be fabricated, but that's a HUGE job to get it all working right, and it's not going to be cheap for all the parts involved.

So I'd suggest going with the complete MM, plan on spending a couple of days overhauling and tuning it up, then get sawing.

MM have been making mills for a while now, and are still in business. That would suggest that their mills are decent machines and some backup support should be available.

[Stuart Caruk]

I started building a mill years ago and never finished it. Had a job and was going to buy a used woodmizer LT40 with no hydraulics. Bought a new LT35 hyd instead. Great saw, paid for it by it's 3rd job. Sold that and am now waiting form my LX450 diesel to arrive.

I'd buy the used one and fix it up, but for just a bit more money you could go buy a new one and go to work now.

[Klicker]

SineWave Keep thinking about it and someone will buy it and make the decision for you :D  go for tif you don't like it sell it. Rod

[dgdrls]

I say purchase MM,  I would however try to get the Diesel running or buy a replacement, skip the gas motor route.
MM should be able to help you with the original sale and parts,

Best
D

[Den-Den]

It is your decision to make but I am going against the grain to recommend you continue your build.  I am speculating that building will be more work, less money, more satisfaction.  I am also speculating that the engine is not all that will fail to work and that replacement parts will be expensive.

[Ga Mtn Man]

The videos of Mighty Mite mills I  found on youtube aren't doing Mighty Mite any favors...might just be the operators though.  I do like the look of their blade sharpener.

[Coltbodi]

As a fabricator/welder I say keep building. I didn't look into MM mills, but If you continue your build you can make it exactly the way you want it. If you build it, and build it right, then you know it will last and it will be set up how you like it. If I didn't have a mill basically  given to me then I would watch videos on people running lots of different mills, see the stuff I like and don't like, and start fabbing. I have a TimberKing 1600 and I already did a number of mods to it to get it the way I want it. But I like fabricating and working in my shop. It all depends if you enjoy fabricating and having things the way you want them or if it pleases you more to just buy it.

[reedco]

       Until you`ve  owned or run a mill you wont know what to build.  Buy the use it then decide to build what you want or keep sawing!

[SineWave]

Hmmm...thanks for the replies, guys. I'm still up in the air! But maybe looking at the mill in person will get me off the dime.

I appreciate the advice.

[AlaskaLes]

Good Morning,  Just getting my sawmill fix over coffee and I saw this post.
I believe that Ozarkgem and myself are the only members of the Mighty Mite owners group here.

I was looking for a Timberking when I found a guy up here selling his Mighty Mite MK 4B.
Sounds like the same mill your looking at. 
Ours was bought new by the PO in 2002 and we picked it up in 2012 for 20K.
The new price in 2012 was right around 35K plus shipping.

It has a 25hp Isuzu diesel; full hydraulics; I can cut 25'6" and that's pretty much max.
Now I'm not trying to stir up the WM hornets, but I have checked them out in person and listened and read the entire Woodmizer upgrade thread.  I can say that you would have a very hard time taking my Mighty Mite away and giving me a Woodmizer in it's place.

It needed a little love and benefitted from some small upgrades, but it has been an excellent tool and worth every penny. 
So, if you can get one for 10K and some wrenching...DO IT!!!!
You'll be money ahead and have a better saw than all of your buddies.

There isn't a lot of info out there, so if you need specifics, send me a PM.
We're running to beat Winter, so it may take me a few days to reply.
-Les

[SineWave]

Thank you, Les. That's good to hear.

[47sawdust]

Doesn't seem to be listed anymore........someone must have snapped it up.

[bandmiller2]

It is possible to build a better band mill than you can buy but its unusual. Band mills evolve and it seems you need to build two or three to get everything right. Frank C.