Mill base and suggestions for my setup

[TriumphTriple]

Thank you to those who helped me decided what mill to get. I ordered at Woodmizer LX50Super. I have 5 or so weeks to get ready. I picked the right spot which is right by my wood processing area. I plan to build the platform in the attached picture. The mill is 12'5" and I have a 5' extension, making it 17'5". I am going to make each track out of 2 10' 6x6 joined at the center and joined with mending plates. I'll have 5 posts with one in the middle to join the two sections of 6x6. I'll dig out the footings about a foot deep and fill with 2A modified gravel. I'll use a laser line level. I am going to put wood chips around the mill but eventually a ground level deck. First project will be making wood storage then making a roof for the mill.

So what do you find the best height to set the mill base at? Is there a benefit to lower or higher base?
Should I make the tracks 20' long or make it 17'5"? I will not be putting any more extensions on the mill.

What are some must haves for my new set up? I have a tractor with forks, chainsaw of course, cant hook, 10 blades to start with, I am going to use an existing mower cover for the head. I am going to order a logging tape, electric blower and laser line for blade cut. I don't plan on getting a sharpener for a while.

[jpassardi]

Top of the bed at knee height is best as long as you have a machine to load with.
I'd make it 17.5' so you don't have to walk around unusable length every time.

[PoginyHill]

Did you use YouTuber TimberJack's set-up as inspiration? It looks identical.

[TriumphTriple]

Did you use YouTuber TimberJack's set-up as inspiration? It looks identical.

Yeah it looks like it. I was looking for images of different base while researching. I didn't built it yet. 

[dougtrr2]

Just curious.  Have the lead times came down on all Woodmizer products or just the model you ordered.  Seems like it was just yesterday a 6 month lead time was considered fast, and now you are talking 5 weeks.  

Doug in SW IA

[YellowHammer]

I had an LT15 many years ago, had the same kind of screw feet it looks like in the photo, and got tired of it walking and flexing on the crosstie setup I had, much like the photo.  I eventually removed the feet and bolted a full length piece of 2x6 steel rectangular tubing to the mill frame itself and then my "straight cutting" problems went away, and had a stiff and straight mill frame.     

I do not like putting anything precision on a wooden base unless it is extra reinforced with steel or concrete.   

[TriumphTriple]

Just curious.  Have the lead times came down on all Woodmizer products or just the model you ordered.  Seems like it was just yesterday a 6 month lead time was considered fast, and now you are talking 5 weeks. 

Doug in SW IA

It looks like 5 weeks when I ordered but I didn't look at any other models. I was considering purchasing it last year but the lead time was too much for me.

[TriumphTriple]

I had an LT15 many years ago, had the same kind of screw feet it looks like in the photo, and got tired of it walking and flexing on the crosstie setup I had, much like the photo.  I eventually removed the feet and bolted a full length piece of 2x6 steel rectangular tubing to the mill frame itself and then my "straight cutting" problems went away, and had a stiff and straight mill frame.     

I do not like putting anything precision on a wooden base unless it is extra reinforced with steel or concrete.   

Thats interesting. I was watching lumber jacks videos last night and it looks like 2 years after he built the base it needed to be leveled again. Not sure if that is normal or not. I am sure it would have to be leveled every once in a while though. Do you think bolting the feet to the 6x6 will help, I figure at least with it moving. I think I am going to be doing concrete footers now, not 100% though.

[Menagerie-Manor]

This setup is working well and can take a beating. Poured 3 reinforced concrete piers.

[YellowHammer]

Just remember you will be rolling, bumping, and pushing logs in excess of 3,000 lbs on the mill bed.  Imagine what a 3,000 lb hammer will do and make adjustments accordingly. 

These mills take a tremendous beating, even being careful. 

[Dan R]

Robert I agree my LT 15 slides all over the concrete slab it sits on. I liked the 6x6 frame idea until your comment was posted. I was thinking of raising the mill up on poured in place and pinned to the slab concrete sleepers. Then drill the mill frame and attach heavy angle iron bolted on and anchored to the sleepers. To level the mill use shim stock under mill rails at anchor points. Any thoughts on this plan..
Dan

[YellowHammer]

Concrete and steel = 

If I was going to make a permanent place for an LT-15 style, all manual mill, I agree I would make it knee height, as there is nothing worse than bending over a sawmill.

Concrete isn't real big on side impact loads, i.e the horizontal loads that are making the mill walk already, so be aware of that, some steel rebar in the sleepers would help prevent them from potentially cracking.

You'll need lots of room to get a broom or rake under the mill to clear away all the trash and debris.

The joints on the mill frame, such as an LT15, are fairly weak and only held straight with a few bolts, and if not properly leveled and supported from underneath will "kink".  That's why I chose to bolt each of the mill rails to a straight and true, one piece steel length of rectangular tubing.  That really stiffened upon the mill frame.  Heavy angle, channel, I beam, would also work.

The way to get the mill supported and straight would depend on how you feel most comfortable fabricating, but since the mill frame dictates how straight the mill cuts, especially on mills where the bearings ride directly on top of the frame, a "not straight and true" mill frame will translate into the exact same profile into the lumber being sawn.  

I do remember that my old LT15 cut some of the straightest lumber I've ever sawn.   
  

[NCWoodsGuy]

First post for me here
One point I've never seen addressed anywhere, related to where the OP stated he would use a grill cover for the mill head. I do this, but noticed it acts like a sail. When I finish sawing  I usually block my mill head against the stops at one end, just a short 2x6 across the rails. Well one time I forgot that step and a big windstorm blew the head all the way to the other end of the rails and the head jumped completely off the rails and onto the ground ! Just a be careful reminder.

[NCWoodsGuy]

I'm not expert on mill bases, mine is far from perfect and I'm always releveling. One thing I've learned is I wouldn't want my base to be hard bolted to an immovable object like a concrete base. Several times my base and rails have rocked upwards due to log loading mistakes, mostly because I'm sawing by myself. It's hard to get a perfect view of my tractor forks and mill rails, logs often are not level on the forks etc. I figure if my system didn't rock once in a while I'd be excessively loading the rails and base.

I do like the post pic of an HM126 setup above, same model as my mill. I may mod mine to be similar.

[doc henderson]

mine is mobile and set level on jack x 6 on top of dunnage.  I have twice had a log hit hard enough to bend the jacks.  once as I tried to push it against the log stops not able to see the back.

[beenthere]

Good discussion going.
When the big log or accidentally-dropped log hits the mill, then something has to, or is going to give way. Whatever it is, have it so it is easiest to fix. 
Bent mill frame not so easy. May be easiest to realign for straight tracks or adjust the leveling jacks. Or something in between. 

[RAYAR]

First post for me here
One point I've never seen addressed anywhere, related to where the OP stated he would use a grill cover for the mill head. I do this, but noticed it acts like a sail. When I finish sawing  I usually block my mill head against the stops at one end, just a short 2x6 across the rails... Just a be careful reminder.

Welcome to this GREAT forum, NCWoodsGuy.

I have a custom built mobile band mill and I have witnessed the carriage roll along the rails many times with a stiff breeze. Just the enclosed band wheel covers is enough to catch the wind and move it along the rails. If and when this is an issue, I just usually lay a stick or something in front of a carriage wheel to hold it in place when needed. My mill being mobile has a carriage lock down that I use when finished with the mill. So yes, the wind is something to consider and be aware of on manual push mill carriages.

[chet]

Seeing as your mill is going to be a permanent or semi permanent setup and if you plan on loading with forks, my suggestion is to load a log deck with the forks. Then load the mill from the deck. In the long run much faster, and a lot safer for your mill.

[YellowHammer]

100% on that.  I had some heavy wall 4x4 steel tubing as a simple log deck and so I could protect the mill and sure nuff, sometime later I noticed I had bent both rails of the log deck, and never even knew when I did it and am just glad it was a "no big deal" vs "Oh no, my mill frame is bent!"   

[Wlmedley]

I've always used a log deck to load my mill and so far I've never had to relevel mill.I have a couple short pine 4"x4"s I use to bridge between deck and mill and gently roll logs over onto bunks. Turning logs is probably the hardest on mill as far as jarring it.

[thecfarm]

Yes on the log deck.
I just use 2 pieces of 1/4 X 4-inch flat stock to bridge the gap.

[hillsman]

TriumphTriple, I received my LX50Super in early February and am planning on a temporary setup until I can get some beams milled for the next setup. I am also not sure where I want the permanent location.  I think I  need to saw a log or two before I'll know what works for me and my location.

[Bostonstrong]

This is, indeed, a great discussion, and thank you to the original poster for starting!  I am attaching a pic of my set up.  Sorry for my ugly mug in there!  I did take some of the ideas from Lumberjack.  The basics are 4x4's set 30" apart and  36" deep with mechanically tamped crushed stone.  Each set is cross braced.  Top rails are 4 x 4's topped with 2 x 6 Cedar.  Basically knee height at the rails.  I have had it for 1+ year and typically mill only hardwood.  If I recall correctly, the log in the pic is a red oak, probably 8 ft long, 25" diameter.  Ballparking, I think that I have milled about 30 logs give or take. Monthly, I am doing the "shakedown" and checking flatness of the bunks, blade level to bunks, etc.  Thus far, I have not had any variances.  Now, I do load with a loader/forks with plans to build a log deck.  Could this set up be beefier/sturdier.....probably.  I wonder if a key variable is how the logs are loaded/turned, manipulated.  I have a pretty strong tractor and the ability to borrow larger if needed.  Take this for what it is worth....a newbie's 1st year into it!

[thecfarm]

I noted your log stops go straight up and down.
I put inch marks on mine, so when I saw my slabs I know where I am. 
4 inch mark is really 3 inches and 6 inch mark is really 5 inches and so on. So if sawing my slabs at 8 inches I set the log stop at 8 and I know I am an inch lower.