2022 model wood mizer lx 55 or Timbery 120 vs. lt15 start

[WV Adam]

Hello, I'm a new guy here, I am looking for a mill to use on our farm for personal use, building repair and construction etc. I have hired a mill operator before with an Lt 40 hydraulic, we supplied the labor, log moving, board stacking and what not. Last year a good friend loaned me an lt 15 regular, that I got to use for several months. We sawed out all the boards for a sheep barn. I really liked milling myself, more than watching the custom operator, and I enjoyed the work involved. I only need a mill for my personal farmstead use, I do not want to, or plan to do any work for others, or to sell boards. As I'm sure all of you know, mills are a little scarce right now, but in some brands and models, supply seems to be improving. Here in lies my dilemma. After reading for hours and hours on here and other places, watching lots of videos, and a trip to a dealer over the last couple months, based on potential availability, budget and need, I narrowed things down to three choices that are available with a three month or less lead time. I'm not really interested in waiting over a year, at this point, and with the projects I have in mind. 

The choices are: 
woodmizer lx 55 with upgraded 16hp engine. 

Timbery 120 with upgraded 16 hp engine. This mill I have seen in person and can pick it up myself in person, no waiting at all. This mill looks well made and I was more impressed with the construction than I thought I would be.

Woodmizer Lt 15 start. (comes standard with 16 hp, engine) I have a good many hours of experience with an lt 15 regular, but I believe it had the 19 hp engine / electric start, etc. but was a manual mill. 

All mills are basically in the same price range within $1,000 of each other, similarly equipped, with the exact same engines, all three are made in USA in the same factory.  This is only my opinion and observation, and I'm looking for others;

Pro's; lt 15 start; probably built a bit heavier, 2 more inches of width capacity, I have experience with similar, time tested sawhead design, bigger bandwheels

Con's; lt 15 start; Have to reach up and throttle the engine up and down with the lever on the engine itself, not the blade engage, 16 hp max engine choice. you manually push on the same side the sawdust blows out, the push bar looks like an after thought to save costs, which it does. extensions cost more, this mill is the highest price base model. 


Pro's; woodmizer lx 55; Its orange and says "woodmizer" which is probably actually important if you needed to re-sell the mill at some point, as its a rural known household brand name. It looks like this mill was designed from the ground up to be a manual push mill. I like the up / down, it raises and lowers really easy,and locks solid in position, log scale location, and blade engagae location, blade engage automatically engages engine throttle, best I can tell. It pushes very smooth, you push from, and all controls are on the clean side / not saw dust side. I could add 2 bed extensions and cut 20' + with the extra money the lt 15 start costs. This mill is the lowest cost of the 3 buy a good bit.

Con's; woodmizer lx 55; Newer less time tested model, different wheel drive mechanism, smaller bandwheels, no quick band release lever for tension on and off. (set tension with ratchet wrench)

Timbery 120; Pros; all the same Pro's as the lx55, minus the orange paint and brand recognition, (its basically the same) I can buy one today and pick it up.
 Timbery 120 Con's; Same con's as lx 55, but also this mill costs significantly more, for the less well known brand, but, I can buy in person with no wait time, no shipping delays, no partial order etc. My comparisons only relate to 2022 models, I realize earlier models had a lot of differences. 

Sorry so long for a first post, I hoped to give good detailed information, so I could hopefully get some good thoughts from the folks on this forum, I've just read on here for a long time. Any thoughts, advice, information on the mills themselves, and also the usual accuracy (is 8 weeks usually 8 weeks, or more like 12+) of woodmizers estimated ship times, all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Adam

[Nebraska]

Lots of good things can be had with patience.  Do you have deadlines, your hurry for the mill is? Of your choices I would vote LT15.  Cooks,  EZ Boardwalk  and Timberking  all make mills that are worth the wait as well. Welcome and good luck on your journey.

[WV Adam]

I had checked with Cook's first, I think they have a very impressive manual mill, they are 72 weeks out on orders with a deposit. Ez, if I remember correctly, isn't taking new orders until 2023, but I could have mixed them up with a different company. I also got to thinking whether I actually needed as much mill as the Cook's and lt 15 regular are. My only hurry or time constraint is that I need to build a corn crib, and a hay barn addition this fall. I was just going to borrow my buddies lt 15 mill again, but he has a lot of projects this fall as well, and he also works a day job, so we can both only cut boards here and there when time allows, so he's going to need his. My whole idea, and maybe it's wrong, I'm completely open to suggestions and thoughts, was that the two projects I have, would easily save  the cost of the mill. I need to build the projects this fall with or without a mill. I priced the lumber at the closest pine sawmill, and they are $1.00 a bf on the materials, they are the closest and are 1 1/2 hours away, I've bought from them before, good wood, good people. If I don't have time to cut trees myself, I can have pine logs delivered from a local logger, for about .25 cents a bf. Because I'm not in the sawmill buisiness, I don't count my time on milling wood, as I really liked turning logs into boards and beams. So my thoughts were, if I waited the year and a bit, I'll have already spent the $6-$7,000 in materials for those two projects, and then I'd have no mill and no bigger project justification for one. If I get one in the next couple months, I can have the boards cut and ready from working in the evenings, then when I'm off work for a week at thanksgiving, and 2 weeks at Christmas, I'll have the time to construct. Then both would be done before lambing starts in mid February, and I'd have a mill for other projects, already paid for in lumber savings. This could be completely flawed logic, that's why I was asking on here for your all's thoughts. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Id go with the LT15. It's the best one of the three and has highest resale potential and value. 

[WDH]

Agree with Dennis.  The LT15 will most likely have the highest re-sale value.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   Where in WV are you located?

    The LT 15 sounds like best deal to me. Can't you add a power feed in the future if desired?

[red]

I also vote for the LT15 

[Gere Flewelling]

WV Adam- The sawdust addition is powerful.  You are wise to seek the advise of others on this forum.  From what you have described, my suggestion would be to purchase what ever mill of the three you can get the quickest to get started on your project.  This will give you time to get your immediate project underway, It will give you a chance to run your own mill within your own time constraints, and once you have your corn crib constructed you will have a better understanding of what the mill you purchased is capable of.  You may find that is all you need, or you may decide the features of the higher grade mills are more desirable and that they will then be worth the extra expense, and wait to purchase one.  If better is what you might desire, you can then order one and saw with the one you purchased with the plan to sell the current one to the next person who will have the same desire to saw that you may have now.  It will be a little easier for them as they will have you to advise them of the first hand experience.
A little bias on my part, but I can understand not wanting to walk in saw dust.  Not a problem with a Cook's mill.  "just saying". ;)

[WDH]

Yes to the power feed on the LT15.  It made a huge difference for me when I ran my LT15 which I operated for 14 years prior to getting the LT40HDD35.  

[WV Adam]

Thanks for all the thoughts and comments, I'm taking in all the information and opinions for sure. I think one thing I definitely need to clarify, is I'm talking about an LT 15 Start,  Start is not a regular L15. If a regular one, like I think some guys are thinking of, was available and in the same price range, this would be a easy decision, and I'd be right there with you. LT15 Start, at least from what woodmizer says, cannot add power feed, does not have the crank feed mechanism, push only, and there is no available engine up-grade, also has a shorter log bed etc.  A regular lt15 has a 52+ week wait time and costs over $3,000 more than the mills I was looking at, including the lt 15 start. It still may be the best of the bunch, I wasn't sure if that would change any recommendations or not, just thought I'd throw it out there. 

[WDH]

Thanks for the clarification.  My first LT15 had a 15 HP Kohler with an 11 foot bed.  It was not the LT15 Start.  The second one had a 25 HP kohler with a 17 foot bed.  That was a fine mill.  As far as a manual mill and set up stationary, that is one of the best options short of hydraulics. 

[Southside]

May as well tear off the band-aid and get a Super 70.  :D

[WV Adam]

 :D South side, I like the way you think! In all seriousness though, farming is my thing, outside of God and family, I love the most. I really enjoyed sawmilling, but I like it for making the farm better. I did not mind the manual mill at all, we sawed a few thousand board feet for my barn with an LT 15 regular, and it was plenty of mill for my needs, maybe more than what I need.

[thecfarm]

WV Adam, welcome to the forum.
Can't help you on which sawmill.
But it takes time to get the wood out of the woods.
I do what you want to do. 
Not bad cutting the trees and getting the logs out for time. 
The time is limbing the trees and getting the tops out.
Get yourself a peavey or a cantdog from Logrite.
Sponsor on the left, nice people, made in the USA.
You will need at least one to turn those logs and cants!!!!
Must have tractor? to get the logs out?

[Daburner87]

I think you should take a look at Woodland Mills HM130 Max.   Got mine in just under 3 months, and that was when the supply chain was at its worst. Very comparable to the LT15, while being cheaper.  Its a good solid machine, and with the money you save vs the LT15 you can get extended tracks, extra blades, and more accessories.   I got Kasco blades from the guy on this forum, big improvement over stock.

[booman]

Order the LT15 regular now and get the clock started.  Then buy a small used mill to use in the meantime and maybe make or save enough money to make up the difference in price.

[booman]

Then sell the used mill when the new one comes in.

[WDFL]

Just went through the same decision, called WM to order the LX55.
Ended up with a LT15 Start as the sales rep suggested it, said it was a much better all around saw and much easier to assemble, especially since I was already going with the upgraded engine that is standard on the LT15 start.
The LT15 Start was about $1000 more.  Ordered early April, received late July.
I ended up purchasing a bed extension and GO trailer, so spend about $3400 on upgrades.

If I could do it again I'd just go full LT15.
The electric start, crank feed (which allows powerfeed to be added), and the extra bed addition are the reasons.

I also looked at the Woodland mills, but I like supporting a USA-based business.  

[thecfarm]

WDFL, welcome to the forum.
Don't forget about Logrite.  

[olcowhand]

I bought a Timbery 120 last year, along with the upgraded 14 HP Engine. The Mill is solid, and as you have already stated- is identical to a WM LX55. I had a few glitches during assembly, but these were resolved quickly. I hope I'm not disclosing any secrets when I say that when you call for Technical Support, it's the friendly, knowledgeable folks at WM that answer the phone.
I have no complaints regarding the use of this Mill, as it does everything one would expect of a Manual 14 HP Mill. I've milled everything from Red/ White pine to Hard Maple, with a couple of those logs using up every millimeter between the guides- with no problems.
I sometimes have to goose the manual throttle lever to max RPMs on the motor, but I probably just need to adjust the cable. Also had to loosen all fasteners in the carriage assembly to square/ plumb the posts to the rails, but overall- I think it was pretty easy to tune.
Best of luck in your decision making.....
Steve

[WV Adam]

This forum is Awesome! I have got a lot of good information from this topic and in messages. I'm still checking in and planning which way to go.

[Slingshot]

...
  WV Adam;...Here you can check out the differences in the LT15 Start and the LT15 standard.I think you would be well satisfied  with the LT15 Start.

LT15 Portable Sawmill Walkthrough | Wood-Mizer - YouTube




__________________________
Slingshot 

[WV Adam]

Hey Slingshot, I checked out that video, thanks for linking it. They mention the engine on the standard lt15 is key start, but don't say anything about the hp difference , I believe on the lt 15 start it's a recoil pull 14 hp, same as the lx 55. If anyone knows the standard engine hp on the regular lt 15 gas, I'd be interested to know, as that is likely one of the biggest differences. 

[Orland]

WVAdam, I have an lx 55 and love it. It is currently set up in Danese and would be willing to let you come run it on day if you would like. I have the upgraded 14 hp engine.

[mrwoodpecker]

I have a Lt15 start, built own designed power feed, works great but just as easy to push.  14 hp engine, never bogged it down once even in large seasoned oak, plenty of power, starts with one light pull every time.  As far as throttle control I added a knob extension, so when I am cutting I run it at full and it is at easy reach not a big deal.  I did happen to luck up on a bed extension so it is the same length as regular Lt15, I would recommend you buy an extra one also, and you will need an extra clamp set, order that also.  It is a tough mill, sturdy built and I have probably cut about 500 logs on it and never had to adjust a thing on it.  It is my hobby mill and use on my timberland. Under a shed and on a platform and anchored, use a log deck to roll logs to the mill, would never use a front end loader to lay logs on directly. There is a reason it has sawdust ports on operators side.  It would be impossible to clean out mill with it on the deck side! I have the mill elevated up to knee high, having it right on the ground will kill your back in no time.  I also just hang a five gallon bucket from the sawdust port and empty it as it fills up no big deal either.  It paid for itself in about 1 month after sawing and selling the wood.  Now I just use it to saw what falls down and for a friend or two.  In reality on a good day I can saw about 3-4 good logs, that is all that I want to fool with.  The easy part is sawing, the other is removing slabs, stacking and stickering lumber, turning etc. that will eat up the time.