D&L double cut mills

[karl]

Anybody seen, run or own one of these mills?
I have brochures/pricing but they aren't reall helpful as to how these work.
Any dealings with the company?
thanks

[Captain]

I saw one in Bangor last year, pretty neat conceptually.  Like a MD on a 4 post bandmill frame.  

Independant Sawmill and Woodlot did an article on them a couple of months ago in the Oct/Nov 2003 issue. They reviewed a TS30D 6x12 mill.  If you send me an IM with your address, I'll be happy to mail you a photo copy of the article.

Captain

[Haytrader]

Duke has one and really likes it.
Oh DUKE, where are you?
I will send him an E mail to get his attention.

[duke401]

yep, i got one an wouldnt trade for enything in its price range. they are simple an easy to run . lindesy is a good guy to work with the main problem is he is 7 hours north of the wa.state line in canda. what do you relly want to know
duke

[duke401]

i guess it is probly better than half way around the world. i had a blade problem an it took about 9 days to get them.
 befor i bought the d+l i had made a band saw an was thinking about making a blade saw of some kind. so i call across the pond to get a blade an they said at lease five weeks an freight was more than the blade if it was air mailed an still two weeks.so i called the x-brand an i got one in 7 days. the x-brand is a good cheaper mill too.
  then haytrader told me about the d-l, i am too big too walk all day long back an forth. the d+l is set from the back of the mill it has board return  wile you are sawing you just sit there an let the saw do the work. to get an equel it would cost at least twice as much.
duke 8)

[karl]

Duke
Yep- they are a fur piece from here! Got a dealer in NY though.
Which model do you have?
The info I got is pretty basic, would like to see the HDC  and Twin saw 30 in action. twin saw a bit more than I want to pay first time out, me thinks.
I am not near as big or as old as I think I am sometimes, but got high mileage- getting so that I don't mind the machine doing more of the work! Like the idea of power feed and board return. Simple is good too, least I'm hoping that since I've been called simple. :D
I will be cutting 24"dia or less in soft woods and even smaller in hdwd- I like wide boards from my pine-not over 16" though- do you have enough power for full cuts?
Do you turn the log as on a band mill or just cut top to bottom?
Probly think of another 20 question - but I'll wait til next time for those ;)
thanks
karl

[Percy]

Heya Karl
A freind who is part of our local sawmilling association  here in Terrace has a D&L. It has a kubota,same as my Lt70, has two saws, the biggun cuts to a 12 max  and the little one cuts a 6 inch max. He is capable of cutting a 48 inch log. Has hydraulics up the wazzoo, can turn a log.....sorta....and has about  4 clamps to hold the log in place. I watched this mill in action and was generally impressed. Julius(the owner) has installed a trough conveyor, lenghtways, right under the mill to deal with the fluffiest sawdust(lots and lots of it) I have ever seen. This mill can barf lumber, specially when it has a sound big log.

I really liked the idea of all them clamps holdin the piece strait but you cant lift one end of the log to deal with taper as there is no toeboards and the clamps wouldnt work as they pinch the log from the bottom. He has had some greif from the clamp system but seems to have the bugs worked out. I do lots of resawing for him and he cuts the bigguns for me. He has had the mill for almost a year and has no regrets.

Depending on what you are gonna do/cut, it would be a good choice in my opinion. For instance, when cutting birch/grade sawing, well Julius doesnt do it as the numbers dont work that well compared to my setup BUT on dimentional lumber from big Spruce, it does a great job fast.

I watched the D&L video with Julius before he bought his mill and they have several different models ;D

[duke401]

Karl
my mill is a syencro[sp] saw but i had them custom build it to cut 36 inch logs an short as 30 inches long. it has a 25 hp an 5 hp on the drive, at first i didnt like the two moter idea but now after running it, it is the way to go. for what i was doing 8 inches is enough an saved a lot of money over the ts30. i have cut mullberry an no problem.i am getting ready to try some hedge [osage orange] just to test it.have cut some walnut .
 the best thing is that the boards are edged as they come off the saw.
 i was trying to get lindsy to let me run the ts30 at bangor, i know what mine will do, with twice as much hp it would be unbeliveable or at lease close to the swingers. maybe i could get haytrader to back me up we need to get out of kansas for a while.
duke

[karl]

Percy- Sounds like your friend has a big mill(barfs lumber eh?)
I ain't ready ta play with you big boys - just wanna salvage the free logs and cut 20-30m a yr pine. Good point about no toe bds- quite a bit of EWCedar here- lots of taper.
Didn't realize they had video- will ask for one, really understand stuff better by seeing/doing. Thanks for the post.

Duke- Hadn't even considered the syncro- my first thought was "how the H----do they keep the teeth from hitting each other if the saws are intermeshed". Must be gear driven eh?Two engines don't scare me- a friend had a TK with two engines. I like that edged off the saw part.Like to cut to 12" though. Hmmm. Need one of each size :D
If you and Haytrader can come halfway across the country to go to Bangor, I ought not have an excuse for drivin' four hrs!
Thanks for the info.

[duke401]

 where is the shoot out this year, lindesy though it was in ohio this year.
 yes 12 inches is better but for what i do i could not justify that much money. mine will do every thing the ts 30 will except cut 12 .
 they do inter mesh they run out of the same gear box [slick] one other problem is help, the people pulling the boards get to tired, keeping wood in front an wood away is a job.with three people one running the loader an one pulling you can cut some wood.
duke