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I have an LT28 with the crank handle feed. Would power feed be nice? Yes, but I do fine with the hand crank for my needs. I saw only for myself, and not for hire. I feel that I wouldn't like the push feed that some mills come with, seems it would be harder on the back after a day of sawing. While I haven't sawed a lot of lumber on mine yet, and am no expert by any means I will say that I don't think you will go wrong with a Woodmizer.
I'm in the same situation. I have been researching mills for the last few months and have decided on the Woodland mills HM130. The upgrade from the HM126. The tracks are the same according to the drawings already posted on the euro website. They gain the extra width by using a movable blade guide and adding stainless covers to the log bunks with additional stops a little wider than the adjustable ones. The four post frame should be a bit more ridged as well. The upgrade in horsepower is also a plus. I like the movable blade guide as the logs I have are smaller in diameter.I have a deposit on the HM130, I'm told they will start shipping next week. Its a little more than I wanted to spend originally but I think the engineering and thought put into the design is worth it. If you have a welder and the skills they even have the plans for a trailer already designed and posted on the website to download. All the engineering is already done for you, nice touch!
Roundhouse:You mention pine and maple. These are two species that turn blue internally in the heat of the summer. I would caution you to study up on this issue before harvesting any trees of these species.Gerald
First cut and you will be hooked, by end of day you willing be wishing for hydraulics.The Mills you are looking at will do the job. Personally I would not want to saw for someone else with out hydraulics. To much work for limited dollars. But for a hobby sawyer with just a few logs a year to saw any of them will work.
I got the price directly from Woodland Mills. They said the launch was suppose to be this week and delivery available after May 2. They have been helpful and will send you more information if you email them. The LT28 is a lot more mill and more than twice the price. At this point in life I doubt there is a new career in my future as a sawyer, however, investing in good equipment has its rewards. I only intend to saw for my own use and selected the mill to suit my projected need. If you intend to make it a side business your needs will exceed mine.
I can say that you would not be disappointed with any of the Woodmizer mills, the quality and ease of use is top notch. Based on the other mills you are considering, you should also look at the LT15. I purchased my LT15, just the base model, then added the power-feed and trailer package as funds allowed. I can mill upwards of 200bf an hour by myself, which I think is fairly good for a manual mill. The indexing wheel/gas-strut assist (for saw head height) and available power feed are my two favorite features of the LT15 and LT28 models. As to the hand crank which you asked about earlier, it is a decent system for a manual mill. The head on the WM mills is a lot heavier than some of the other brands, and while you can push it through the log, the crank makes it much easier. Generally you crank the head through the log, then pull it back with the handle. The handle also gives you the option to push the head if you so desire (which sometimes I'd do when I was just slicing boards off a narrow cant, ie easy going). As I mentioned earlier, I have since added power feed and never looked back. Not only is it less tiring, but you can be doing other things while the saw head is making the cut, like stack boards, etc. Good luck with your decision.
I am not familiar with the bandmills you have mentioned however, one more to consider is the TK1220. I own this model and super happy with the mill and what I can do with it. yes, all manual but still an excellent mill. Yes, has a hand-crank, much more efficient than pushing. I have pushed my mill but that would get tiring quickly, much more control with the hand feed. I highly recommend you purchase an extension rail for almost any mill you buy. I can cut over 20 feet on my TK1220 actually about 20' 6-7". The nice part about an extension is much less demanding where you load your logs, versus squeezing them onto a shorter rail.
A couple observations, may be of use. I've had a couple different mills and have sawed on several others. Every mill has its good and bad points, some come down to real life, some personal preference. As with any starter purchase, get one you think is best with the reality in mind that you may run it for a while and may want to upgrade, one you figure out what you really want. So resale value in your area would be paramount. I had an LT 15 and sold it in one week for only slightly less than what I bought it for new. Some sawmills just don't lose their value as much as others.Also, horsepower is king. Portability is important- not necessarily to saw other people's wood, but it gives the ability to move the saw around on your own property, or roll it in a shelter, or back it into the garage for maintenance, etc. Hand crank is easier than pushing, auto feed is easier than hand crank. Bands and band sharpening are important. I got a call from a guy last week who said he didn't realize when he got his mill that nobody local would sharpen his bands and the company didn't have a decent resharpening program.Pulls or electric start? Try pulling a rope starter a few dozen times a day, instead of just turning a key.Anyway, good luck
As mentioned by WDH, the power feed was very easy to add, literally took me less than 30min. The trailer package on my LT15 was also easy to add, took less than 2hrs. I'm sure the LT28 accessories would be the same, everything is pre-drilled and ready for accessories to bolt on. A few more things for you to think about, the newer LT15 mills are nothing like the old ones. They have received many improvements and are more robust and productive than the older ones. Also to note, the LT15, LT28 and LT35 all use the same saw head, the difference is in the bed design and the available accessories. A 25hp LT15 should be just as productive as the 25hp LT28, main difference is the LT28 can accept larger logs and can accept the log deck package. The LT28 is a nice step up from the LT15, but didn't fit my budget at the time (and I don't buy things on credit). If you can swing the LT28 I say go for it, if not I'd pick the base model LT15 over any of the others you listed.
Roundhouse,I would look at how much you will cut in the next couple years as far as species, size, length. Buying to little of of mill will hamper your efforts, to much mill, waste of dollars unless you plan on cutting and selling mill. If you are only cutting 10-20 trees per year, you could get away with small hobby mill. If you are planning on expanding as time goes by and cutting more get a bigger mill. Sorry that I could not be of more help. Would be happy to let you cut some on my LT40HD. Will be cutting some starting next week.
Quote from: WLC on April 25, 2016, 03:42:54 AMI have an LT28 with the crank handle feed. Would power feed be nice? Yes, but I do fine with the hand crank for my needs. I saw only for myself, and not for hire. I feel that I wouldn't like the push feed that some mills come with, seems it would be harder on the back after a day of sawing. While I haven't sawed a lot of lumber on mine yet, and am no expert by any means I will say that I don't think you will go wrong with a Woodmizer. Thanks! That helps. From what I've read elsewhere there are two "speed" settings for the crank. Do you change this depending upon the density/size of the log you're cutting? or do you switch it to a faster ratio to return back to the start, then slower for cutting?
Thanks, when I try setting things up for an LT15 on the WM website I can't find an option for toeboards, do you know if these aren't available? It looks like a lot of other options do transfer over to the LT15.This is why my wife can't stand me when I'm truck shopping. I weigh options and prices over and over.What others have said about not going in the hole to have payments on a mill makes a lot of sense, I'm having second thoughts about over extending to buy an LT28, I just don't think I can justify it with limited time to use it.The endorsements of the LT15 had me giving that a second look. I could still go for the 25 HP option, trailer and power feed. That would run me just over 10K, about 2500 less than the LT28 without powerfeed (3300 less than the LT28 with powerfeed). If I put off the trailer and power feed until later the gap widens even more enticingly.Also, the Woodland Mills HM130 is now up on their site with specs, pricing etc. When I run the numbers there I can buy it, and an extra length of track, with a trailer purchased separately for around 7000. This would exhaust the sawmill fund but not require payments. I do like the idea of a double axle pontoon trailer for a smoother ride and stability in case of a tire blow-out. This biggest drawback in operation would be the 14 HP engine and lack of power feed.
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