The Forestry Forum

I have a Thomas Saw Mill.  Not my first choice but, can't justify upgrading.  My saw head is raised and lowered by crank, sprockets and chain.  Anyone ever upgraded this system to electric?

Bandit, which Thomas do you have? I am sawing with a 6013, and its main weak spot is the chain and sprocket set up. Something like 13 links to the inch, not real intuitive. Also the scale is hard to read without climbing up on it.

macpower,you have the one that is made from round tubing and you have to reach kinda inside the motor to slow it down after each cut?Mine works by the chain too but I can see my ruler at a quick glance.I did have a ruler all set up for ½,¾,and one inch,just to make sure it was going to work.Now I have to make it pernament.At that time I bought the biggest one they had.I did not care much how the smaller ones was set up.As much as I use it I could of gone by with a smaller one,but just did not want to do that.Mine cranks up and down very accuarte.The only time I have trouble with it is when I do something wrong.I can really crank it up and down at a good clip and most time I can get it right without having to play with the cranking part.
Bandit,I take it you have a hard time with yours?Or just don't like crank it up and down.I'm cranking up a 20hp Honda and I think it goes up very easy.And that is a bad shoulder that is doing the cranking.I really don't know how you could convert it to electric,but I know it can be done.The reason I bought the Thomas was the way it was set up,very simple and I can move the bunks and cut a piece of wood 2 feet long without building a jig to do it.

The 6013 is square tube, the engine sits on top. 2 post head with the sprocket and chain set. I find the ruler scale very hard to read without jumping up onto the mill. The repeatable accuracy is good, if you can read the mark. I find that dropping below then cranking up to the mark works best. It does work out to 13 clicks, or chain links to the inch. Makes for odd math, I would like to have something that clicks at 1/8 or 1/4.
These mills are simple and pretty bullet proof and all I'll ever need. I do dream of something orange and hydraulic, maybe when I retire ;D