New kid on the Block

Woodbuzzer · February 10, 2011, 07:15:28 PM

I just joined up and want to say Hi to all you Sawmillers and tell a little about my sawmill experience.In 1975 I bought aFrick sawmill .It was made in the early 1900s,had a 22 ft. carriage with only 3 headblocks,and came apart in 2 sections.It also had the old fastioned clutch type feedworks.I ran that mill with a 6 cylinder Buda engine.In 1978 I sold that mill and bought a new Frick 00 and powered it with a 471Detroit. I ran that one untill 1990 and unfortunatlly I ran into some bad times and had to sell it.I have missed it ever since.Since then I have been employed as a carpenter at a college,am now getting close to retirement from there,and guess what-Im looking to set up another mill-Ilooked at some of the portable band mills ,but I like the circle mills better.There seems to be quite a few out there for sale.It has to be a Frick of course,and a Detriot has to power it too

Jeff · February 10, 2011, 07:17:58 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Holmes · February 10, 2011, 07:20:09 PM

Welcome to FF Woodbuzzer. Good luck with your search. You may get lucky here looking for your new mill. Holmes

Magicman · February 10, 2011, 07:21:30 PM

Let me add my Welcome to the Forestry Forum also.

clww · February 10, 2011, 09:12:42 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum!
This is THE place for information PERIOD!

paul case · February 10, 2011, 09:40:57 PM

welcome. pc

woodpeckerlips · February 10, 2011, 11:35:29 PM

Welcome,
I run a old frick 00. Look up the sawmill exchange online. Watch the penny saver and farm cronical papers(or what ever they are called in your area) I'm in Virginia and I know of a few around for sale. Find you a old country store and ask some old timers. call up some auctioneers and tell them to keep on the look out for one. You'll find a couple if you put some feelers out! Glad to see another frickster here. Stay away from those rubber band mills! You'll have to change your whole wardrobe if you get a band mill. Checkered pants and beany hats, you won't know if people are laughing at your clothes or your mill! He he ha ha

Tullivor · February 10, 2011, 11:50:45 PM

Wolcome to the forum. This is the site if your looking for equipment, have any questions or are just bored and want to learn something new!

Woodbuzzer · February 11, 2011, 06:58:58 PM

Thanks for the replies!I really like the FF.I have looked at the sawmill exchange and seen some nice mills,but they are mostly down in Penn-Virginia area.I also have seen some on craigs list,but mostly are out of state.Im sure Ill find one even if I have to travel.Oh by the wayWoodpeckerlips I dont have any checkered pants,and dont plan to buy any anytime soon!!!No offence bandmillers,but I just like circle mills(espessiallywith Detriots winding in the background)better :D

Meadows Miller · February 13, 2011, 05:55:24 AM

Gday

And Welcome to The Forum Woodbuzzer ;) ;D ;D ;D 8)

I'll agree with those comments after owing a bandmill I still look at them and think yeah maby one day ;) but I recon Ill always be a circular sawyer the old Meadows I have will see me out once I get it running in the next few months ;) but she might get afew upgrades over the years though to an auto ;) ;D 8) with a band resaw if i am sawing alot of inch ;)

Have you seen www.fricksawmills.com you can still buy a new 00 handset for about the $30k mark Frick and Meadows are still the only company's I know off that will still do a new handset mill ;) ;D 8)

Regards Chris

bandmiller2 · February 13, 2011, 07:00:53 AM

Welcome Buzz,find the local sawsmith they know who has what.There are many handset circular mills around now and low demand for them.Seems the small/hobby guys want bandmills and the bigger guys buy modern automatic mills.Spent my working life fixing Detroits their a remarkable engine but I much prefer an old cat loafing away beside me. Frank C.

Banjo picker · February 13, 2011, 07:12:21 AM

Quote from: Woodbuzzer on February 11, 2011, 06:58:58 PM
.Oh by the wayWoodpeckerlips I dont have any checkered pants,and dont plan to buy any anytime soon!!!No offence bandmillers,but I just like circle mills(espessiallywith Detriots winding in the background)better :D

Welcome to the forum hope you enjoy it as much as I do.... 8).. I was unaware that I was improperly atired ....Do any of you kind folks know where I could possibly purchare a nice pair of checkered pants... ;D...Tim

Meadows Miller · February 13, 2011, 07:16:31 AM

Tim I don't know were you would find a pair of them ??? ??? Im sure denim will do just fine Mate ;) :D ;D ;D 8)

Woodbuzzer · February 13, 2011, 08:58:03 AM

Thanks for the site Meadows Miller! When I bought the 00 Frick back in 78,I payed 7800 for it.That was when they were made in Waynesboro PA. I went there to pick it up,and they gave me a tour of the factory .Now there made in Ohioand cost 25-30gs,although it looks like they come with steel track ways.My 00 came with a 10 ft mandrel,but only came with the tracks,and I had to make my own ways.I used pressure treated 6x6 southern yellow pine for them.I didnt want them to rot,as I have seen that happen to so many mills.Another reason was that I always soaked the logs down with water to loosen up any dirt,witch would make the saw stay sharper and run cooler too.

Woodbuzzer · February 13, 2011, 09:36:16 AM

Hi Bandmiller.Yepp,I like the cats too.Agood friend of mine has an old D4doser,and as long as he start the pony itll tick em off fine. As the saying goes-If its not a Cat,its a Dog!!! Buzz

Holmes · February 13, 2011, 10:01:34 AM

Quote from: Banjo picker on February 13, 2011, 07:12:21 AM
Quote from: Woodbuzzer on February 11, 2011, 06:58:58 PM
.Oh by the wayWoodpeckerlips I dont have any checkered pants,and dont plan to buy any anytime soon!!!No offence bandmillers,but I just like circle mills(espessiallywith Detriots winding in the background)better :D

Welcome to the forum hope you enjoy it as much as I do.... 8).. I was unaware that I was improperly atired ....Do any of you kind folks know where I could possibly purchare a nice pair of checkered pants... ;D...Tim

Tim: Try Johnson Woolen works unless you want to really be styling then you should try to Raulph Lauren ;D ;D Holmes

Corley5 · February 13, 2011, 10:04:42 AM

Welcome 8) Good to have another circle mill guy here ;D

Meadows Miller · February 15, 2011, 04:44:32 AM

Gday

Buzz yeah they come with a pretty slick fully braced frame that uses 4 or 5x3 tube with the husk attached to it ;) Jerry was saying when I was speaking to him a couple of years ago when I was looking at one ;) That the idea is you can shift it around on a tilt slide or crane truck and just lay it down on some Ties/sleepers bolt the two ends of the track to the center part of the mill with the carriage and husk on it hook up you power plant and your good to go Mate ;) ;D 8) I think you can buy the towing package to make it a portable mill to ;)

I think once you hear and run a Circular Mill Nothing Else Compares ;) ;D 8)

Regards Chris

weisyboy · February 15, 2011, 05:20:25 AM

gday and welcome

mad murdock · February 15, 2011, 01:13:39 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum. Being on the forum is almost as fun as making sawdust! :D

Woodbuzzer · February 16, 2011, 07:08:46 PM

Lets see-30,000 for a new Frick mill,3-4000 for a good used power unit,new 48'' saw2000?,2000for concrete,etc for setup.Thats 40,000 .Thats cheaper than the bigger band mills,and will saw ''circles'' around them too-Buzz

Meadows Miller · February 17, 2011, 05:46:31 AM

Gday

That sounds like the go and would be Supporting an old name in American Sawmilling too Mate ;) ;D 8) 8) 8)

And I got that part covered too Buzz ;) New B.H Payne 48" 7/8 gauge saws are advertised at $1395usd at www.arsaw.com Mate ;)

Regards Chris

Woodbuzzer · February 17, 2011, 07:24:30 PM

Thanks for the info on the saw blade.Thats not a bad price-I paid around 1000 for a 48'' simonds back in the mid 80s.How old is the meadows mill that you have,and what species of wood do you guys mainly saw down in the land down under?-Buzz

Meadows Miller · February 17, 2011, 08:57:01 PM

Gday

Buzz Shes an 84 model #2 deluxe that was the first one to come to Australia they took the manual carriage off the tracks and added a full auto one in 86 they then traded the manual carriage brand new Mellot 4A log turner (as They where the Dealers for both Meadows and Mellot for Australia,NZ and the Pacific rim ;)) the same year for a second hand A4 or 5 ring debarker thats where it sat in Jims yard for about 20 years as Jim wanted $16 k for the pair when I contacted him in 2000 and had been trying to get around to having the cash to buy them for afew years Just before Jim passed away in 06 he said I could have it and anything else I wanted in the yard for $1k a piece

I have everything now to rebuild the the mill too as new condition inc Saws ,Hyd feedworks and a 6354 perkin's 125hp diesel motor All I need to do now is get the steel for the tracks ,ways and such the old Table top mill is going to donate its self for parts and steel to become a 4 strand log deck Mate ;) ;D 8) 8)

Regards Chris

Woodbuzzer · February 19, 2011, 01:17:47 PM

Hi Chris- Sounds like youll have a nice set up . I had a Case 400 skidder with a 4 cyl. Perkins in it.It ran great.I also had a Mellot 4 a turner on my mill.It turned most of the small,and medium sized logs with no problem,but it would sometimes slip off the bigger logs.I wish I had a No5 chain type.They are alot faster,but alot harder on the carriage.Anyway it sure beat a peavy :DBuzz