Peterson or Lucas

[getoverit]

I bought the 10 inch, although at the present I have only been cutting 1X8's of hickory. The extra 2" is there if I need it.

The real reason I got the 10" is because I figure at some time I will be cutting 2X10 pine floor joists. the 10" mill can and will cut most any kind of board needed for construction.

The only thing I wish I had done different was to get a larger engine with it. The 13hp Honda I have will cut what I need (even hickory), but it would be a lot faster with a larger engine.  I'm shopping right now for a larger one and sooner or later I'll find a bargain on a bigger one. In the mean time, I can cut boards faster than My wife can stack and sticker it

[treebiker]

Thanks Sam,  I think Bailey's is a great company.  I've bought many things from Bailey's thru the years such as Bailey's  Wire-Core Lanyard System and the Maasdam Rope Puller. Throw lines and weights. Even Little Lumber Jack outfits for the boys. The list goes on and on. Good Products from good people. Thanks ,from Treebiker

[treebiker]

Getoverit, Can you put an 8 inch blade on a 10 inch mill

[Captain]

In the ATS models, moving to a 10" does not add a great amout of weight.  In the WPF models, there is a BIG difference between the standard 8" frame and the standard 10" frame.

The blades on any swingblade are not just a bolt-on interchange.  The goemetry of the swing mechanism is setup for the size blade on the mill.   In your question, if you could bolt an 8" blade on a 10" mill, the cuts would be 2" away from intersecting in both directions.  Makes for a hard time removing the boards 

Captain

[BOSS]

Hi, im new to this forum but have been milling professionally for 4 years now way down in New Zealand, i run a peterson 8 inch WPF(large) with a 24hp honda as well as a dedicated slabber so my comments could be a little biased especially since I'm based in the same town their built in but i have seen both machines in action and know the agents for both companies in NZ, so heres my two cents worth.
If your looking to do some serious milling in the near future then i would recommend the peterson 8inch WPF with at least a 20hp motor, it can mill logs up to 1.8 and i have done up to 2.3m dia. by lifting the mill and rotating as when needed, as for length you generally can cut 5.9m comfortably.Otherwise you just add more track which bolts right on. You can cut 8 x 16inch beams easilywith double cutting and a few wedges in just a few minutes. It's moving them thats the hard part.  A 20hp should be a minimum if u want to do a job fast and i recommend 6 tooth blades. as for fitting a 10in 2 a 8in on a WPF, well u cant as their is a definite size/geometry difference between the two. Setting up the mill in experianced hands can take as little as 15 minutes depending on terrain, especially as the mill fits on a standard trailer(1.2 x 2.4) once broken down, and service is generally second to none.Ive covered the basics, but you should really contact both companies and get all the info you can, Rex, Craig or trevor are always willing to help at Petersons so good luck on whatever you decide. Cheers

[jpgreen]

1.8m = 5.9 feet

2.3m = 7.5 feet... 

5.9m = 19.3 feet.. 

[doublecut]

HI treebiker.
Welcome to the forum. We also have a swing blade that you may or may not heard of the Ecosaw and the D&L Swing Blade ( soon to be introduced ). Both a 8 Inch Mill but would be worth your time to look at while making your decision.
YOu have come to the best place on earth for sawmill information. You will also find that this tends to be one big family .So welcome and have a look at the 2 mills i have mentioned. Do let us know if you have any questions
doublecut

[treebiker]

Hello Sawyers,
Is the kerf larger on a 10 inch or do you still get 3/16 like you do on the 8 inch?
Do you also get 3/16 on the Lucas and all other swingers?
Thanks,
Treebiker

[treebiker]

Hey Fellows,
I need to some sawdust fly.  Any swingers between Atlanta and Birmingham?
Thanks,
Treebiker

[scsmith42]

RE the kerf on the Peterson 10", according to their manual you can order blades in a variety of kerfs.  The recommend a thinner kerf for hardwood, and a thicker one for pine.

I'll let Craig comment on the specific kerf sizes; I'm away from home for a few weeks and don't have the literature available.

[Captain]

The plate size on the 10" is flat out bigger.  It is thicker in kerf...approaching 1/4"

Captain

[treebiker]

Is achieving 3/16 kerf on a 10 inch mill out of the question?

If some has a swingblade mill in northwest GA. or northeast AL. please contact me.

Thanks,
Treebiker

[Eagle View]

Treebiker--
This is Eagle View in Fort Payne, AL.  Phone 256-635-6746. I own a Peterson ATS 8" with 25hp.  If I can help, give me a call.

[Captain]

Alas, the plate thickness of a 10" mill blade is nearly 3/16", absolutely mandating that the kerf is wider for blade side clearance.  Gotta have that plate thickness to have the stability in that size of a blade!!

Captain

[Dan_F]

What made the decision for me was price. Being right out of high school  two years ago I didn't have much money so I bought a lucas 613 with extensions for $5,000. Have cut around 200,000 bdft now and still runs great. Coustomer service is the best. I had alignment problems and Sam and I spent about 2 hours going over the mill. Can't say enough good things with the service. The lucas can also take a beating too, logs rolling and equipment contact. We use a cat 966 to load logs and its a little oversized I'm goin to change the engine over to the 18 hp, its the best weight to power ratio and I will be ablt to cut fir a lot faster.

[jpgreen]

Welcome to the forum Dan, where you from?

Ken- if you're sawing that well with the 13hp and the 10" blade, I bet the 8" with the 13hp might do pretty good on my Pine and Doug Fire back here.

Thing is the far majority of the logs I run into are under 36", so all and all the WoodMizer is the first choice for me.  Problem is there's an old growth every now and then.

Craig- how much would an ATS 8" (set up for a 13hp) be with no engine?

[getoverit]

I'm sure this hickory I'm cutting wont last forever, and anything else besides hickory should go through the mill like butter. I got a load of really nice pine logs from Flurida_BlackCreek this week, and as soon as I can finish welding my new log arch together I'll move the pine logs over to the mill and give it a shot.

as always, pictures will come along with it when I get to milling the pine

[jpgreen]

Don't forget to postpics of your arc Ken.. 

[Troy]

JP - Would that ATS be for YOU?

[Captain]

Sawmills without engines are not on my price sheet.  I'll have to check.

Captain