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engine size

Started by rlahaise, September 14, 2011, 03:04:46 PM

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rlahaise

Hello,

I have been checking out the forum for a few days now trying to learn from the collective experience before I dive into my first bandmill.

I have operated a couple of home built mills as well as a Mobile Dimension saw so I am not going into this totally blind but I would like some feedback on engine size and guide systems.

I will be using the mill for personal use milling primarily spruce/pine/fir with the occasional alder, poplar and soft maple when I am lucky enough to find the logs..  Diameter will be under 24".

I have a large hay shed to set up in so it will be mounted solidly on skids.. no power feed and high production is not a big deal as I am not trying to make a living with it.

I have narrowed my choice down to two, the first being the Woodland mill <woodlandmills.ca>. It sells for $2799 and comes with a 9.5hp Kohler with a Centrifugal clutch and guide blocks for the blade with a rear bearing.

The other one is a Timbery mill, powered by a 9hp Subaru for $4195 or a 14hp Subaru for $4495 this mill uses ceramic blade guides and a manual clutch, cam style dogs..


I looked at the Norwood as well but I am uncertain about the look of the frame rails.. with the other models I see building my own extensions etc being a reasonably simple option. I think the screw type log dogs would be a pain.

I know this might start a brand flame war but I would appreciate any input and advice from the masses..

This is my first post but I hope to contribute more in the future.

Thanks in advance

MM

I've sawed lumber with a mill that had an 5hp briggs,one that had a 42 hp Kubota and about everything in between. Just depends on how fast you want to saw! :D The less hp you have, the slower you'll saw. Those smaller hp mills usally uses .035 or .042 thick blade. They don't like the thicker blades. So, i guess it just depends on how much money you want to spend on the mill and how much time you want to spend cutting those logs. Might be a good idea to go saw on each of those and weight it out from there. I sawed on an LT20 in Alaska in July 01' and loved the time i spent cutting on it! It had a 5hp briggs on it. We made a lot of lumber in a two weeks. (about as much i could saw in a day on my LT40)  :D Good luck! matt
M.L. Morrow
812/614-1825

hackberry jake

I've been super pleased with my ez boardwalk Jr. It uses a 13hp Honda and sells for around $3600
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

Magicman

I know nothing about either sawmill, but I can Welcome you to the Forestry Forum.   :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

bandmiller2

Mill engines are like tractors, its hard to have too much power.Get a larger engine than you think you'll need. Oh and welcome Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

WDH

I would not opt for anything less than 15 HP unless you are going to be cutting only a handful of logs a year.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

losttheplot

If your not in a hurry you may get lucky finding a used mill.
Its surprising how many show up once you start looking.
 
I had an Alaskan mill for a few years before I got my (used) Lumbermate 2000.
It has 13hp and at first I thought it was amazing! Lately thoughts of bigger motors have been floating through my head......

I got the mill for the occasional log....
I have put over 10,000 bdft through it in the last 6 months or so. Its amazing how the logs start showing up once you start looking   ;) ;) 

The carriage runs on angle iron, its not hard to build more track with 4x timbers and bolts ...

If I did not have one already, I would be headed down to Victoria, BC. to look at a Norwood 2000 with 28ft of track, sharpener, setter and a 15hp Kohler that's in your  price range ($3900).

Its listed on Used Victoria in the tools section, and I have no connection with the owner.

Get all the power you can, you will never think "man I wish I had a smaller motor" !

Just my two cents
DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK !

hackberry jake

Oops, correction on the boardwalk price. Guess its went up to $4000 now. And the biggest thing you have to base your HP off of is log diameter. If you have a lot of smaller logs, then you won't need many ponies. If your woodlot consists of large mature maples, than a mill with more hps would be far quicker. Or you could be like me and use a 13hp Honda powered mill with a big throught to handle em. Just takes a little longer. But its easier on the pocketbook.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

Bill Gaiche

Welcome riahaise, TheLT10 or the LT15 would fit your needs. Diffrent brand but very good mills. Here is where you can check for some information. bg

Wood-Mizer Canada West
4770 46 Avenue Southeast
Salmon Arm, BC V1E 2W1, Canada
Tel: (250) 833-1944

Bandmill Bandit

after watching the Vids i would be inclined to go with the LT10 or the LT15 for 2 reasons. NUMBER 1 You are not very far from Salmon Arm which makes access to parts and service very convienient for you.
I think the LT 10 and 15 are a better built and better value mill for the money.

Welcome to the Forum
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Ironwood

There was a used LM2000 in the for sale section for $4500. Hard to beat that price/ capacity situation. The new Norwood is NICE. I saw it at Paul Bunyan last fall. The rails did not impress me at first either, but I thought it would be hard to improve the LM2000 (I have one) and I must say they rebuilt an already great mill into an outstanding one.

LT15 would be good too, I really like the Norwood though.

          Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

kelLOGg

Another consideration in engine size is band life. I have learned on the FF (and confirmed by Cooks) that a larger engine can extend band life because it will allow the band to take bigger bites and thus cut more with fewer revolutions. The enemy of band life is the constant flexing while running. (One of our members actually removes tension alltogther when the sawhead is returning for the next cut.) A band driven by a small engine will take small bites, make more revolutions during its life and break sooner. Reducing the tension to as low as possible will counteract this. That is what I am experimenting with now.
Bob
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

rlahaise

I went to the local WM dealer and ran a couple of boards off a cant with the LT-15, this is apparently a new upgrade as it was powered by a 2 cylinder kohler..

They didn't have a LT-10 setup to saw but I tool a look at one still on the pallet.. definately alot less saw but they are under $4000 compared to $7k for the base model LT-15..

So I am back to the idea of a Timbery with the larger motor.. the woodland runs a 9.5 and.LT-10 with a motor upgrade is still only 9.5 ponies..

Now I am just questioning the ceramic guides vs rollers. I'm a vet on a meager dissability income so I can't afford to save a few bucks if it means ill be unhappy with the blade guide performance..

Great forum btw..learning more every day

rbarshaw

Larger bandwheels will also extend band life.
Been doing so much with so little for so long I can now do anything with nothing, except help from y'all!
By the way rbarshaw is short for Robert Barshaw.
My Second Mill Is Shopbuilt 64HP,37" wheels, still a work in progress.

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