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Spectacular customer service, all together now say "Peterson Portable Sawmills"!

Started by JimBuis, August 30, 2007, 07:48:24 PM

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JimBuis

You folks might remember that I recently acquired a Peterson 10" WPF. I'm not posting photos just yet as I am not yet making lumber that I want to brag about. However, I am prepared to brag about Peterson's customer service.

Last Friday afternoon, I was trying to dial in my mill and became frustrated over a couple of things and decided to call Petersons on their toll free number. Okay, you have to get the full picture. I'm madder than a wet hen. Not coincidentally, I am standing in a rainstorm calling Petersons on my cell phone while standing next to the mill. I was NOT thinking about it being Saturday in New Zealand. I just knew it would be about time for them to show up for work.  Well since it was Saturday, the calls were being diverted to the home of one of the employees.  :o :o

How many companies do you know of who have live people answering the telephone after hours? Not only live people, but the CEO of the company!! :) :)

Just in case you are wondering, the CEO, Kerris Browne, is not some boss lady who sits in her office and has nothing more going for her than a weak pulse. She KNOWS their mills. She was on the telephone with me for over an hour. She walked me through several tests and some minor adjustments while she was standing by a mill in New Zealand.

The mill was really in pretty good shape to begin with. I was just trying to understand as much about the machine as possible. She was extraordinarily patient and kind.

I just got off the phone a few minutes ago after having talked with Kerris again. This time I was not standing in the rain, so my attitude was a bit better. Her attitude was marvelous as always.

I am not saying that any of our other sponsors provide service that is inferior. However, I am saying that I don't think any company on the planet could provide service that is any better.

Good job Petersons and thank you Kerris very much.

Jim
A VERY satisfied Petersons customer
Jim Buis                             Peterson 10" WPF swingmill

Dan_Shade

That's good news.  I was up at Mark's a few weeks ago and I hardly recognized the place without that crate there :)

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

fencerowphil (Phil L.)

Bi-VacAtional:  Piano tuner and sawyer.  (Use one to take a vacation from the other.) Have two Stihl 090s, one Stihl 075, Echo CS8000, Echo 346,  two Homely-ite 27AVs, Peterson 10" Swingblade Winch Production Frame, 36" and 54"Alaskan mills, and a sore back.

Ga_Boy

Quote from: Dan_Shade on August 30, 2007, 08:09:04 PM
That's good news.  I was up at Mark's a few weeks ago and I hardly recognized the place without that crate there :)


:D :D :D

I am still trying to get use to not seeing that creat sitting as well.  Now I have to find something else to sit in that spot.

I have called Peterson for technical questions and assistance.  They always come through for the customer.
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

hansbaba

I  can attest to their customer support. I too have talked to Kerris while in a rather difficult mood myself. Their after sales service is wonderful. I just wish they were not so darn far away. Getting things can sometimes take forever.

Wife

Oh my gosh, I just spotted this one.

Jim you will be proud to know you have been successful at making me cry. A feat not often accomplished!

Seriously though, thank you very much for the compliment. This reinforces why I love being part of these sawmills and you customer's lives. Just excuse the kids smashing the soccer ball against my bedroom window when you ring.... :D
Kerris, in the background....
Petersons Global Sales Ltd
15c Hyland Cres
Rotorua, New Zealand
www.petersonsawmills.com
kbrowne@petersonsawmills.com
Ph +64 7 3480863

getoverit

I'll second or third the applause for the great customer service from the Peterson Folks!

Even after I had owned my mill for a year they were still calling me just to chat and see how it was doing. They also sent me some modifications a couple of times that I hadn't even asked for and wasnt expecting, but really cool little mods indeed.

GREAT people to deal with from before the sale to waaaaaaaaay afterwards!!
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I work all night and sleep all day

ex-Engineer Wannabe

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I simply can't resist this collection of Peterson owners. :)

I've been interested in owning a Peterson mill for quite a while now, but I'm a bit conflicted about something.  We intend on milling our own timber for a timber frame home in the [hopefully] not too distant future.  The largest frame elements should be 8" x 10."

The question is: Will this type of beam be a problem for the Peterson?[/i]  I'm inclined to believe that it shouldn't be, but then again, I've never actaully seen it done either.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist -- a real character flaw these days ;) -- so I'd really like the beams to be as close to square as I can get them before I work them.  Square rule joinery is challenging enough without built in error.

Thanks for any thoughts ... especially from the folks out there cutting beams with a swinger. :)     

"Measure twice, cut once" -- Don't know who coined this one, but he was pretty wise.

Ianab

Assuming you have an 8" cut mill, it's pretty easy.

Place log on the mill, open up the top face and saw some boards from the top of the log until you are 4" from the pith.

Then switch to 8" vertical boards or just cut off the left hand slab, depending on the log size. Leave 5" from the pith this time. Make a 5" horizontal cut under the beam from this side.

Then go to double cutting mode (blade guard off and saw from the other side of the log). Take slabs / boards from the other side until you have your 10" beam sitting there with the bottom part of the log attached. Make another 5" cut from the other side to release your beam.

The log never moves during the sawing process, so the beam should be straight and square

Only hard part is moving the beam, but you have to do that no matter what mill you use ;)

That will let you go up to 8" x 16" beams. If you need to go bigger than that you need to roll the log over 1/2 way though and saw off the other other side of the log. More technical and harder work as you have to re-level the log after you roll it. But it can be done.

Cheers

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

fencerowphil (Phil L.)

Ian explained it well, wannabe.

On the other hand, just buy the 10" Peterson and be done with it.
If you plan on cutting a lot of big beams,  that model gives you
a full 10-1/4" by 10-1/4 beam size with no double cutting. 

That model is the 10" Winch Production Frame.  I have owned two
and still run one.

Phil L.
Bi-VacAtional:  Piano tuner and sawyer.  (Use one to take a vacation from the other.) Have two Stihl 090s, one Stihl 075, Echo CS8000, Echo 346,  two Homely-ite 27AVs, Peterson 10" Swingblade Winch Production Frame, 36" and 54"Alaskan mills, and a sore back.

hansbaba

Yes the 10" mill would be easier, but how many of those beams do you need to make? I have had very good success double cutting. If It didnt work good I would not have bought the mill. I just finished a set of 4"x12"x18' beams and every one was within 1/16th" in every dimension. It does take a little practice and is work but a "properly"!!!! adjusted Peterson mill is a thing of beauty. One other comment, If your trying to cut those beams from smaller (16" and under logs) unless you have a good dog system, it will be tricky.

Captain

Bill, I just cut a complete timber frame for a gentleman, and have a bunch of 6x10s to cut if you are offering to help (again)  ;D

Captain

ex-Engineer Wannabe

Ian: Thanks for the detailed instructions, mate.  I especially like how your point of reference involves an 8" WPF. ;)

Phil: I appreciate your thoughts as well, but there are roughly 4,000 reasons why I'm considering the 8" mills. ;)  In case you're not familiar, my wife and I are on the comeback trail from Katrina.  Consequently, $4,000 saved is truly $4,000 earned [thanks, Ben Franklin]. :) 

Hans: It sounds as if you've been where we're headed.  I'd love to read more about which mill you own and the beam work you've accomplished with it. :)

Craig: Where and when?  The sooner I know, the easier it is to plan around.  I always liked the Steely Dan tune Do It Again.  ;D  Thanks for thinking of us. ;)  
"Measure twice, cut once" -- Don't know who coined this one, but he was pretty wise.

hansbaba

wannabe,
I have an 8" WPF large frame with the electric winch (BUY THE ELECTRIC WINCH!!!!) Its a fantastic machine. By far 80% of the work is getting the logs onto the bunks and lined up. I still havent gotten a loader or electric winch for the truck. (darn..) When I double cut I use a bottle cap on the blade setting to make the blade nearly perfectly flat. Also I prefer to start my double cut on the right hand side and then finish on the left. This way I have the riving knife helping me on the final cut. You also need 2 or 3 little wedges that you slip into the cut as you finish it off. The trick is to not push them in too hard. If it is done properly, the beams can come out perfect. I can usually get my beams perfectly square without any grooves or ridges on them. If you do get a mill I advise you to find someone with one and try these cuts first. I used a lucas quite a bit before I bought my peterson and I only observed a peterson twice before buying. I really wish I would have used one for a couple hours first. Even if you have to pay some one. It would have answered many of my questions and frustrations that I dealt with my first few weeks..
Sorry I seem to have drragged this on a bit. I dont even think I answered your question... Ohh well , its typed now!!!.

JimBuis

Quote from: ex-Engineer Wannabe on September 04, 2007, 11:53:32 AM
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I simply can't resist this collection of Peterson owners. :)

I'm sure glad you did not mean to hijack my thread. ;) At least we are still talking Peterson mills though.

Jim

Jim Buis                             Peterson 10" WPF swingmill

ex-Engineer Wannabe

My apologies if I did anything disagreeable, Jim.  On the other hand, look up at the bold blue text just above this dialog box ... I kind of thought the phrase, "...all together now say 'Peterson Portable Sawmills'!" was designed to endorse Peterson.  If this is true, than I'm sure you don't mind that I'm asking the Peterson folks on the FF about their mills.  After all, I am in the market for a saw ... and the company's logo is just to my left as I'm typing this???

... Perhaps I'm missing something, but your choice of thread title, as well as Peterson's logo, both lead me to believe that the idea is to sell their mills.  ???  Once again, I'm very sorry.  It's kind of a silly concept now that I think about it, but I'll be sure to get "my own" thread from now on.

Please try to have a good day ...
"Measure twice, cut once" -- Don't know who coined this one, but he was pretty wise.

Tom

No harm, no foul.  Unlike other forums, we have emoticons that help to add flavor to our posts.  I don't think that Y'all are on the same page.  Jim meant nothing about bashing you and the members haven't complained about your looking for a mill.  Don't you fellows get too "up tight" on us now.  Life is too short. :) :)


ex-Engineer Wannabe

Quote from: Tom on September 07, 2007, 04:12:49 PM
Life is too short.

This would of been a better closing to my message.  It's exactly the sentiment I meant to convey.  :)
"Measure twice, cut once" -- Don't know who coined this one, but he was pretty wise.

Tom

Ok!  That makes a good last word.  Now, lets get back to letting Jim pat Peterson's on the back.  They'll still sell you a sawmill.   :D 8)


As a matter of fact, I hear that there might even be another used one on the block soon.  PM your friendly Peterson Salesman person. :D :D

fencerowphil (Phil L.)

Of course, the cost difference is an important consideration when
comparing the 8" and 10" Peterson.   When I bought mine (used with
about 40 hrs. on it),  a secondary attraction was the fact that it had
52' of track.    That made my purchase more financially practical.  The
extra track is not cheap either.

I have said this before, and many users seem to agree:   If you do not
specifically want or need the extra capacity of the 10", then the 8" is the
way to go.  I think? Captain has said that an 8" mill seems to cut an 8" board more
easily than the 10" will cut an 8" board, due to the torque requirements and
friction factors on the larger blade.  Makes sense.

Phil L.
Bi-VacAtional:  Piano tuner and sawyer.  (Use one to take a vacation from the other.) Have two Stihl 090s, one Stihl 075, Echo CS8000, Echo 346,  two Homely-ite 27AVs, Peterson 10" Swingblade Winch Production Frame, 36" and 54"Alaskan mills, and a sore back.

Captain

Not to mention I don't want to push that big 10" frame around all the time  ;D

JimBuis

No hurt feelings here. However, I had wanted the focus of the thread to be Peterson's customer service. We have often had threads pertaining to the excellent customer service that some of our other forum sponsors provide.

It now seems that we are talking about Petersons in general and the pros and cons of the 8" versus the 10".

In the spirit of cooperation, I'll throw in my comments toward the new focus of the thread. I have only ever used the 10". I can say that setting up a 10" and taking it back down again is real work for one man. I have done it out in the hot sun on a 100 degree day alone and it was more work than I wanted to do by myself. However, it certainly is possible for a one man operation.

I understand that the 8" is a bit easier to move around and probably to operate.

I don't find the 10" hard to operate, but assembly and disassembly are a challenge.

Jim
Jim Buis                             Peterson 10" WPF swingmill

Dan_Shade

Jim, i'm sure that the 10", like with everything else, becomes easier as you learn the little nuances and tricks to make everything work.   The Petersons are pretty slick in their portability and ease of setup, I've found getting the tracks level to be slightly a pain in the butt, but it's not bad.  Of course, I can count on one hand the times I've helped saw with a Peterson.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

fencerowphil (Phil L.)

I bought my Peterson 10" WPF complete with an enclosed trailer to haul
the saw head inside.  The eight sections of rail and the cross members
ride on racks on the top of the trailer.  I customized a system of guides
to help direct the wheels of the main assembly  into travelling position in
the trailer. I installed a set of floor brackets to secure the end frames (with
the chain drives) against the walls of the trailer.   They lock into place.
One strap secures the main section with its jockey wheels snug against
the front wall of the trailer.  I put in a thick piece of soft Paulownia across
the front, so that the end frame bolts can just sink into that board without
damaging either the front wall of the trailer or the bolt threads.

Before I ever used the saw,  I took it out, assembled it and reloaded it about six
times.  I wanted to be sure that I could  readily work alone with it.  Jim is
right.   It is demanding.   On the other hand, I had just driven all the way to
the northern edge of Maryland to buy a machine that I planned to use alone
most of the time, so I knew I better be physically ready and skilled at setup.
Either I was going gitRdun, or I was going to feel really foolish!  Setting it up
became second nature within a few uses, thanks partly to that rehearsal.
(The previous owner had set it up once and never again.)

I would love to have the toys made by Fabrik for the swingers, but I'm holding
off just a while longer.   You know how it goes:  There's the son in college; the
general expenses of life; the aggravation of taxes, since I'm self employed.
There's my old railroad building with it's "Money Pit" personality, etc., etc.!
:-\
Phil L.
Bi-VacAtional:  Piano tuner and sawyer.  (Use one to take a vacation from the other.) Have two Stihl 090s, one Stihl 075, Echo CS8000, Echo 346,  two Homely-ite 27AVs, Peterson 10" Swingblade Winch Production Frame, 36" and 54"Alaskan mills, and a sore back.

JimBuis

Phil,
Tell me more about your trailer. I'd like to go the same route, but figured it would be hard to find an enclosed trailer with a large enough door opening to accomodate the center unit without having to remove the production frames each time.

Jim
Jim Buis                             Peterson 10" WPF swingmill

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