Older Jackson Lumber Harvester Manual

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Im thinkin of getin Us One    Anyone here have or run the rider manual carriage or have seen them running? as I have tracked one down not to far from Us and I think it would be a good deal at $4500 asking price It 16' Rider Carriage with a 471 (crook) and an JLH Portable Edger form what I have read and found on the net they look a good productive portable mill that would lend itself to sawing solo when needed and can be set up from site to site easily 

I assume like most 16' carriages it will cut 20' on the standard track  extending it aint to hard  and The max log I reckon would be about 30" dia and if someone has one how dose the tube frame go for rust the carriage looks strait and not abused or modded in fact the whole mill looks pretty tidy n strait and it would come up looking and running awesome with abit of tlc and paint I think 

http://www.jacksonlbrharvester.com/archives/brochures/JLH%20Portable%20Sawmill%204%20page%203%20color.jpg

http://www.jacksonlbrharvester.com/archives/magazines/1951%2011%20Popular%20Mechanics_Mobile%20Lumber%20Harvester.jpg

Regards Chris

[fishpharmer]

Here is a Jackson Harvestor on display at Perkinston, MS.
They cut a lot of lumber in their day.
 

[Meadows Miller]

 James Im thinking that to mate as I read your thread Im wanting to get something that I can cut our own stuff on but would belt it out on it  had to also    Hell I use to saw from 1600 2000 per day cutting 4x1 & 1½ pine out of 4" to 12" dia in 8 & 12' logs on the table top mill on my lonesome and the only setworks it had was a bloody tape measure and a couple of marks on the table Mate  I think it will make a bloody nice mill but I would have to set a say 2000bft min job to set up at and if its only a hand full of logs they can bring em to us  heres a pic of the table top we knocked up when I was 18

 

[bandmiller2]

Chris,I watched one operate up in Maine with a 471 Detroit and was impressed with the production and portibility.The old boy had the Detroit mounted on a 1 ton dodge flatbed lined up with the tire flat pulley on the mill.If your a traveling man you'll love it you will cover many miles by the end of the day.Chris I think Jackson is still in business mayby they have a manual. With a good engine those mills are fast,they use a rope drive wrapped around a drum.Seem to recall you oiled the rope but mayby that was just old Herbie that did that. Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Frank I remember reading one of your posts on another JLH mill and you said Herbie could get there at 6am and be ready to saw before 7am or something like that  what sort of production did he get ?? Mate its also a JLH Portable 4" deep Edger that comes with the mill he brought it in 81 and sawed a heap off timber with it for his Home ,Barns a Couple of 300' long Poultry Sheds and a Hep off Custom Sawing he said its a shame hes getting too old n wore out to run it as he loved using the mill  I aint lookin forward to that day either Mate

Now Gm Is stuck as he has not used it in afew years but said it ran great and was a real good runner the whole time he has had it  that aint a huge drama as I have helped Frank My Mechanic unstick afew motors that have been sitting Idle for a little too long as it usually only takes a head gasket abit off time and some emery paper n diesel  to have them up n running again Worst Case is I throw a kit in it  whats a GM 471 NA kit run at in the States these days

I emailed Jackson Lumber Harvester about the Mill and I got a reply back on sunday off all days  and they are getting onto it and sending some stuff to Us said to them to send a rough price on a New hyd portable mill as you never know I might jump the fence on this one if I like the ole girl 

I think I have made My mind up 

Ahh for those off you reading and wondering how in the hell do you get a 4" board out off a 4" log  I call it Shaving but i will only do it on pallet decking boards  i take it down to 3½ or 3¾ wide  and thats if the customer has no problem with getting the odd couple of boards that are narrow 

Regards Chris

 

[Meadows Miller]

They also said on the site that they will saw any log upto 24' long on the 16' carriage so it wil suit me down to a tee 

[Ron Wenrich]

I run a Jackson automatic portable mill.  I'd suggest you go look for one of those.  The belt is included.  We run ours with a 671, and you could consistently produce 10 Mbf/day with a 4-5 man crew.  With green chain, you probably could get rid of one guy.

The automatics are easy to work on.  You can get parts at the local hardware store.  I sawed 23' switch ties on the one we had.  You can find these used for about double what you're paying.  I really liked the one we had.  You can turn logs super easy on the automatic. 

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Something like this
 
 

 

 

 

 I didn't like being so close to the blade, and, I had a #2 Corley Production mill for several years.

 The 2 guys running this rig were busting their butts. Not for me at any price. I'm not as young as you, though. 

[bandmiller2]

Chris,I have no idea about Herbies production as he was just giving a demo.You have to remember those old Jackson ride ons were late 40's technology.I do think they will still hold their own with any handset mill. Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Thanks Ron and FDH Im looking for an Auto Mill Too Fellas    :D   But untill then Im looking for something that I can buy <$5k and get running pretty easily within a week or so and this mills only a 100 mi away  As I will at Home with Jesi and Mexi for the next 8 to 12 weeks starting on the 25th untill the paperwork lands in Australia and I will have to come home and get that organised    as we need to saw about 15mbft+ of timber for the House Additions Fence ,Carport and Ent Area and A New Man Cave as you can see I dont like having nothing to do and I want to make the most of it before working will get in the way of doing those jobs 

 Fdh thats exactly the one  it dose not worry me being close to the saw as its prob about as safe as when you see blokes leaning over the sawline at the end of a cut plus I spent afew years operating Benches benching pine and h/w where you spend all day walking inline with the saw and your hands only been within a 1' of the saw at the end of the cut on most pieces so it looks pretty safe for me to operate     I was thinking of adding Hyd to this carriage as it hasn't done a heap off work and we could prob get the Dogs and Setworks from Jackson and other components together for a pretty reasonable price   but I might just reco it as is and use it for the first 6 to 12 months while we are getting organised with a block of land to work and eventually live on as we are looking at two blocks atm one 23acres and another 30 acre block and getting the gear together for a bigger static mill 

The way Im looking at it for the money it wont take long to go pick up or alot to get back in action again and even if it dose the timber for the house and some other milling over the next 12 months while we are getting going that it will have payed for itself plus I could always set it up on the drive into the big mill 

Ron do you have any pics of the setworks as I know roughly how they work on the JLH  but need a refresh 

Regards Chris

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Thanks Frank nothing wrong with old gear as the idea has been well tested and it just worked for the last 160 odd years with the ride ons I think they where building them up untill the 70s Im thinking it might be a Bama Mill 44 to 59 but the fella could have brought it new for all I know    I reckon 2000 per day wont be asking much of the ole girl esp when you consider it has an Edger that comes with it  I Like the Idea of the rider as I can mill on My own or with Jesi or someone else tailing  the main thing I like about it it is not huge and its fully portable which is the main thing for the start 

Im trying not to break a rule which is no debt but it will be unavoidable if we get bigger Ill have the cash to pay for it and and if I keep it busy it will pay for the next mill I have no doubt about that Mate 

Regards Chris

[bandmiller2]

Don't think you could go wrong mate with that old Jackson,I believe they were the best designed portable circular.If I recall dogging is fast and easy as your standing right there, would be nice to have a log turner though,sounds like a job for an outback engineneer.A temporary portable dead deck can be made as two super heavy duty saw horses,then put on the mill for transport.The mill could always be sold at a later date when/and if you set up an automatic. Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Jesi and I got it as it will do the job and wont take alot to get running  that and the fact there is something we both enjoy wich is reserrecting and seeing older equipment run again instead of letting a piece of history rust into the earth again we will post some more on it and add some pics over the coming days and weeks 

Regards Chris & Jesi 

[Magicman]

Good to hear from you Chris.  I had been wondering how things were going.  I know nothing about that sawmill, but I am sure that it is in good hands.   

[bandmiller2]

Chris,good news you and Jesi got the old Jackson.I'am sure it will pay for itself in short order and can be kept as a portable if you do go automatic.Dang,I know where theirs one hideing in the woods been resisting it as I have two mills now and need it like a call from the IRS.From what I've seen they were the best of the portables and many notches above the typical farmer mills.Don't rush to pull the old Detroit apart.You can pull the covers off the side and look at the pistons and rings giving them some penitrating oil and time and likely free her up. Frank C.

[beenthere]

Chris,good news ............... look at the pistons and rings giving them some penitrating oil and time and likely free her up. Frank C.

Frank
I'm sure you meant Blue Creeper..