New MILL Circular or bandsaw??? Brand??

[Wyoelkhunter]

Alright im new around here. So ive been doing some extensive reading on mills, im building another house (this is my 4th one sigh) but i would like to mill all my studs and rafters and a bunch of 1x for all the ceilings and a bunch of 2x random width and chink it for the siding. Im not sure if i should go bandsaw or a swingblade. Really like the looks of the petersons but they are pricey, lucas looks sweet but the adjustments on both ends seems silly and getting logs between the uprights seems like a pain if im doing longer 20' material. Wood mizers look like a good option too but dealing with the blades sounds like a lot of work. I like the sounds of sharpening a circular blade in 5 minutes myself and be back to cutting. DL timbertech 1020 sounds decent too but the info on those is minimal at best, doesnt seem like too many guys running those. Price is good on those though. Looking to stay under 20k for the mill. Checked out the Mahoe and they are sweet too but the minimax runs 30K. I live in western wyoming so it'll mainly be doug fir and probably 18''-30'' diameter mostly. Any info/guidance would be greatly appreciated. 

[Kbeitz]

Check you'r building codes before building with rough cut lumber,,

[Magicman]

First Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  Where in Western Wyoming, Afton area?  

I visited with member @AlpineCutter in Colorado this past October who is basically sawing what you have.  He has a new Wood-Mizer LT28 and there are several pictures in his Gallery.

Your decision will be based upon your budget and your available support equipment.

[Deere80]

If you are willing to spend 20K you can get into a LT35HD with hydraulics for 21K.  You will never regret the hydraulics.  Shaun in Basin MT is not very far from you also, he is the Wood-Mizer dealer.  Good thing about buying from him is in MT you do not have to pay sales tax.  He is also great to work with.

[Wyoelkhunter]

Check you'r building codes before building with rough cut lumber,,

thats the great thing about wyoming, we are still one of the free states! 

[Wyoelkhunter]

First Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  Where in Western Wyoming, Afton area?  

I visited with member @AlpineCutter in Colorado this past October who is basically sawing what you have.  He has a new Wood-Mizer LT28 and there are several pictures in his Gallery.

Your decision will be based upon your budget and your available support equipment.

Ha small world, yea im 5 min north of afton. I'll check out his gallery. Im really leaning towards a swingblade just for the convenience of maintenance. The lucas is 16k and the peterson is another 10k over that. If prices were closer no doubt i would go with the peterson but that is a substantial price increase. 

[Kbeitz]

Check you'r building codes before building with rough cut lumber,,

thats the great thing about wyoming, we are still one of the free states!

Lucky you....

[mad murdock]

If swing blade is on your list, don't overlook Turbosawmill. They are simple to set up and offer the most ease to work around with the single beam configuration. My chainsaw powered M8 Can average 200 bd ft/hr easy in softwoods. With the extension I can cut 20' long easy and if I want to slab I Can with the Alaskan cradle that rides on the beam. I can cut timbers 8" x16" Max and single side cut 8"x8". The automated models are a bit more but for about the same price as a decked out hydraulic band mill you can have an automatic swing blade that will produce easily 500+ bd ft/hr with way less maintenance than a comperable band machine. 

[TKehl]

thats the great thing about wyoming, we are still one of the free states!

Lucky you....

Not too late to change ;), but I'd hate to think how many moving trucks would be needed.  

;D

[TKehl]

it'll mainly be doug fir and probably 18''-30'' diameter mostly

Many bandmills will have trouble with logs over 24".  Not that you can't cut them, but you have to roll and "whittle" away the outside until you have something small enough to fit through the guides.  Advertised max cutting diameter is different than width between the guides...  (Dirty little secret some people don't find out until delivery.  ;))

You may want to look at an EZ Boardwalk 40 or a Woodmizer widehead if you want to go with a bandmill.

Swing mills are great to.  A lot of good product out there, more about connecting the dots between what will be the best fit.

If you are bringing the mill into the forest and dealing with big logs and limited equipment, it's swing mill hands down.  If you can move the logs, then it moves more toward preferences.

[Magicman]

Ha small world, yea im 5 min north of afton.

Up toward Alpine?  I have hunted Big Ridge and Spring Creek and took a bull out of the Dog Creek area North of you.  Also eaten square ice cream in Swan Valley.  

[Wyoelkhunter]

Ha small world, yea im 5 min north of afton.

Up toward Alpine?  I have hunted Big Ridge and Spring Creek and took a bull out of the Dog Creek area North of you.  Also eaten square ice cream in Swan Valley.  

Im just south of Thayne, between alpine and afton. Great areas, I hunt all those myself! 

[Wyoelkhunter]

anybody on here have a 1020 DL timbertech swingblade? or any experience with one? 

[TKehl]

http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=100627.0

[dgdrls]

I'll suggest a dimension mill,  look for a Mobile Dimension mill (128 series), probably find a used one in your budget.  Otherwise look to a Mighty Mite or as you indicated a Mahoe if you can swing the $$.  An earlier Mighty Mite the 412 would also be an option. 

D

[Don P]

I've run longer stuff into a lucas either by dragging it through from the end on crane mats or using a 40' run of roller tables with a 20' long 4x12 sitting on the tables and screwing chocks down to that to support the log. Gotta keep an eye on the swing and that bunk setup, it is difficult to cut through a roller.

[Wyoelkhunter]

Are the band mills quite a bit more efficient on the smaller diameter logs? If I ran a bunch of 16'' lodgepole and cut it into 1x material would i be better off going band mill? 

[Magicman]

Personally I think so but that is coming from someone that has never had or sawn with anything other than a bandmill.  ;D

[TKehl]

Depends.  My mill maxes at a 6" cut

Assuming similar HP and experience.  On a 1x6 it's probably about even with a bandmill on 16" logs when edging is considered.  1x6 through 1x12, the bandmill is ahead.  Larger than 1x12" I can't even do.  I also can't get more than one 12" wide board per layer.

Numbers go up with a bigger swinger, but it definitely has it's perks and it's limitations.  

That said, I think Magicman's LT40 super would SMOKE my mill in a competition...   

[SawyerTed]

Dealing with bandmill blades isn't bad.  It is wise to have enough on hand to saw with while a set are being sharpened.  Using a service, Woodmizer Resharp is one, is as simple as boxing the dull ones up, calling FedEx and shipping them to a Resharp facility.  In a few days a box of freshly sharpened blades comes back.  You can use a service many many times before you can pay for the equipment and learn to use it UNLESS you saw a lot. I prefer to be sawing than sharpening anyway.

I believe it is easier to start making usable lumber using a bandmill and especially the variety Wyoelkhunter is planning - framing, siding, paneling etc.  

[Mt406]

I sent you a message and my ph number.
I have both a swing blade and Band mill Call if you like.
I don't live to far from you Dillon MT

Scott

[Ianab]

Are the band mills quite a bit more efficient on the smaller diameter logs? If I ran a bunch of 16'' lodgepole and cut it into 1x material would i be better off going band mill?

A swing blade will do 16" logs at a decent rate, but it's not really their strong point. I wouldn't take MM on in a sawing race. But then I have a ~$10k sawmill. Not sure on the cost of MM's, but I would think over $50k, in this part of the world at least.
Now a manual band mill in the same price range? Yeah I'd be up for a contest there. 
Although the Sawmill Shootout isn't a real world scenario, it's interesting to note that a Lucas 6-18 outperformed a Woodmizer LX450 + Edger. And that was on medium sized logs. Only Superman could keep up that sort of production all day, but that's basically true for either mill. 
The Lucas can also handle oversize logs, logs in inaccessible places, difficult to saw woods. These things are their strong points. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Are the band mills quite a bit more efficient on the smaller diameter logs? If I ran a bunch of 16'' lodgepole and cut it into 1x material would i be better off going band mill?

Yes.  If you had one or the other already you would make do and not too badly either and you'd be sawing not thinking about it.    But you wouldn't prefer to saw 1" material with a swing mill having 1/4" kerf, especially from logs 16" and smaller, if you had the choice.  Being set up at home and having good log handling equipment to some degree would tip the scales back a little towards the swing mill.
I have both mills and am 100% portable.  The band mill has the edge on quick setup and hydraulics takes most of the work out of handling the logs.  Swing mills are touted as being portable and yes, they are, but so is a band mill when it's hooked up to your truck.

[Wyoelkhunter]

Are the band mills quite a bit more efficient on the smaller diameter logs? If I ran a bunch of 16'' lodgepole and cut it into 1x material would i be better off going band mill?

Yes.  If you had one or the other already you would make do and not too badly either and you'd be sawing not thinking about it.    But you wouldn't prefer to saw 1" material with a swing mill having 1/4" kerf, especially from logs 16" and smaller, if you had the choice.  Being set up at home and having good log handling equipment to some degree would tip the scales back a little towards the swing mill.
I have both mills and am 100% portable.  The band mill has the edge on quick setup and hydraulics takes most of the work out of handling the logs.  Swing mills are touted as being portable and yes, they are, but so is a band mill when it's hooked up to your truck.

Which mill would you choose between the woodmizer lt35 manual and a Peterson WPF 10''? I will have equipment to move logs 

[Wyoelkhunter]

I sent you a message and my ph number.
I have both a swing blade and Band mill Call if you like.
I don't live to far from you Dillon MT

Scott

Great! I'll give you a call!