Bang for the Buck!

Charles135 · May 18, 2012, 05:58:03 PM

I am in a quandary over what is the better buy, I hope you guys can provide some clarity. I am looking for a circular sawmill for my personal needs only and maybe some small jobs for friends and family. So here are my choices thus far:
I have found a 00 frick it comes with one blade and is complete. They are asking $1400. I have also found a belsaw m14. It comes with 2 blades extra teeth and a sharpener. Both have been stored outside and are complete and in good shape. They are asking $1000. Both are about the same distance from my house and have a way to load it for me. I have a power source for either mill and plenty of room for either. I know the $400 might seem petty but that is about 100 gallons of fuel to be sawing. I won't be sawing anything over 14 feet and about 24 diameter red and white oak, pine, and some eastern cedar. Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks
Charlie.

snowshoveler · May 18, 2012, 08:09:33 PM

I have a Belsaw siilar to the M14 but a lot older. It works great for me because I am pretty much sawing alone all the time.
The frick is of course a better heavier mill. However you will have to have an offbearer or some fancy equipment to help you.
I seem to be doing okay with the Belsaw and can pretty easily saw out 1000 board feet in an afternoon without hurting myself of the saw. Thats not bad for a new guy. You just have to understand the limitations of the Belsaw. If you aren't carefull with heavy logs you will have damage.
Take time and read about them here. Every question has already been asked and answered in good detail.
Have alook at Captain Crunch's gallery and also a lad called Tripp has some really neat vids on youtube.
There are also many others here with similar mills and each has helped me in one way or another.
Regards Chris

bandmiller2 · May 18, 2012, 08:52:08 PM

Chris pretty much nailed it.The frick is alot more mill and it will outlast you.Being able to walk easily from the sawyers position to handle boards is handy when your alone.What are you planning to use for a power plant,belsaws work good with a left turning tractor PTO.If you put a standard engine on the backside of the belsaw it will turn the wrong way.If your going to have to install a jackshaft you could put the engine on the backside of the frick.Have anouther good look at boath,and how their constructed.Belsaws are easier to set up.I haven't helped you much,you just have to make up your mind,myself I'd have a fricken good time. Frank C.

dgdrls · May 18, 2012, 10:26:06 PM

I can't add by experience however, I did call Fricko this spring when I started to look for a saw.
If you need parts or service he's right there for you.

How big a saw blade is with the Frick and what engine do you have to drive it?
That may be a consideration.

DGDrls

Charles135 · May 19, 2012, 09:33:16 AM

I have a few options as to a power source for either unit. For the belsaw I have a Massey Harris 55 Diesel that spins leffty I thought about using. I also have the power plant out of a International Havester TD crawler I though about usind for the Frick.

The blade on the Frick is a 56" and a 46' on the Belsaw.
The guy with the Belsaw told me he had heard that it could be beafed up to handle heavier loads, I was going to look here for some info on that.

I am mainly going to us the mill for whatever lumber needs may family, friends, and I have. I am not in it to make a living with, it will just be a hobby.

snowshoveler · May 19, 2012, 12:58:16 PM

I have cut some very heavy red pine on my little Belsaw.
You need to roll the log or cant away from the knees. Then slide it back in.
There are easy ways to do this.
I unknowingly made my log deck perfect and can slide 14 footers that are 24 inches on the top.
I did not plan on it that way but it does work very good for me.
I kind of made an operators station with clutch and throttle controls as well as setting the feed lever back a couple feet from the mill.
As I said earlier the frick is the better mill for sure if you have help.
If you are mostly sawing alone the Belsaw is the only way to go.
two friends of mine have the big mills and unless they have help (seldom) I can easily outsaw them.
While on the topic of speed...they all still need to have someone pile the lumber and do something with the slabs and sawdust.
If you are real lucky, people will buy your lumber before it needs to stacked and stickered.
Regards Chris