Skillmill users, SPEAK UP

johncinquo · August 08, 2007, 02:46:38 PM

I see some threads on skillmill owners, but not much on how they have been cutting, users comments. Are they stacking up to your expectations? Likes, dislikes, c'mon give us a 3rd party review. wear and tear? Standing up to continued use.

You aus, er, New Zealanders comments dont count! End user out in the field or back of the barn hands on reviews.

Yep, I am asking for a good reason. :D

Riles · August 08, 2007, 10:31:53 PM

I haven't cut anything with mine yet, I've been too badly sidetracked with all the things that need doing from the move here and working on the farm. But I can give you my impressions so far.

Rule #1, see it in action before you buy it. The impressions you make in your mind by reading the literature are not necessarily accurate. Case in point: I read that the Skillmill runs on house current and automatically assumed that was 120V. Shoot, my tablesaw runs on 120V and that's all a skillmill really is, an upside down sliding tablesaw, right? Well the motor is 220V, so I had to go out and buy another generator.

It's portable, but you can't just load it in the car and drive to the logs. The rails have extensions bolted to them that allow the motor carriage to cut the full 13 foot length of a log. These extensions run the total length out to about 16 feet, too big for the minivan. The best way to move it is going to be by trailer, unless you have a pickup with ladder racks. I don't have either. The motor and bed it's attached to weigh in at about 90 pounds and the label on it says two man lift, so you won't be throwing it over your shoulder for a half mile hike into the woods. There's going to be a best way to handle each situation, you're just going to have figure it out on you're own. It is portable enough that I have to worry about someone carrying it off. I have logs stacked up on the farm ready to go, but I can't secure the mill there.

You can't use it directly out of the box. There is no electrical plug attached, which makes sense once you start thinking about where you're going to plug it in. Your dryer and oven plugs (the only 220V outlets in most American houses) aren't the same and are different from the outlets on generators, which may be different between manufacturers. There is an ungodly number of 220V plugs available, you have to commit.

Assembly is straightforward, I had a couple problems with attaching the lift chains and squaring up the motor carriage. You'll need metric tools. The knobs that hold the rails in place don't seem to hold very well, but it's too early to call that a valid observation, I haven't cut anything yet.

Peterson also insists that you use GFI protection, and the best way to do that is to wire it inline. If you're not comfortable wiring plugs and GFI circuits, you have to turn it over to an electrician. (Peterson recommends using a professional anyway). The cord on mine was nicked in shipment between the motor and the e-stop switch. I didn't have a problem rewiring the motor end (BS/Electrical Engineering), but I wasn't going to mess around with the safety gear. I had trouble finding an electrician to work on it and ended up taking it to a motor shop (they did the plug and GFI at the same time). Looooong turn around time.

The mill comes with two blades, each blade has two, yes two, teeth. Certainly speeds up sharpening. You get a diamond file and a dressing stone.

Vendor support is super, Peterson had no trouble picking up a phone to call me or the motor shop doing the work. They paid for the nicked wire repair.

I have a tractor with forks, logs on the ground, trees in the woods, cant hooks, generator, chainsaw, diamond sharpening wheel and grinder, anchorseal, moisture meter, gloves, ear protectors, eye protection, metal detector, I even have trusses for the sawshed. What I don't have is a decent way to move the mill and the ability to secure it.

I could use a little more time, too.