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Anyone have experience with Good Wood Sawmills ?

Started by plantman, July 08, 2017, 08:58:39 AM

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plantman

https://goodwoodmills.com.au/

The price is reasonable with these mills however they're cut size is slightly limited and there are no slabbing or planning attachments. I do like the single track design which seems easier to set up than a lucas or Peterson. And because the saw head is smaller I would think they are easier to push and pull all day.

TKehl

One of the biggest complaints people give about the Lucas mills is that you have to walk to both ends to adjust height.  Watching the video, you have to walk to both ends of the Good Wood mill to adjust height AND/OR width.  Separate trip to each end for each board.   :-\ 

Are there US distributors?  If not, what are shipping cost?  Will you need a freight forwarder?  Depending on what engine they used, you may have to get one engineless and supply an engine to meet emissions requirements to import.

I like the design of their log turner.  Simple yet rugged.  Haven't needed on yet, but maybe...

Design seems similar to a Mobile dimensional made lighter and with one swing blade instead of two stationary.  The monorail design within endframes seems to limit log size a bit.

Couldn't find max cut width, but based on blade diameter it's between 6-7".  If that's true, with 28HP, that's a big engine for the blade.  Won't run out of HP! 

With all that said, it also seems pretty expensive compared to other makers in the same size category.  (Or maybe that's a phantom caused by the exchange rate??)

If you like the monorail, be sure to check out Turbosaw as well.  (Link on left)  I think they offer a slabber in addition to swing blade, but they came along after I had bought my mill so I haven't dug into their offering very deep.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Savannahdan

Been racking my little brain regarding the Goodwood Log Rotator and whether it might be handy for quartersawing.  It looked like it worked smoothly in the video.  The carriage didn't seem to have tires for rolling it for setup.  Interesting mill.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

plantman

Current exchange rate is $1.316 US dollars to 1 Aussie dollar so that brings the cost down substantially. I believe that the Honda engine is 22 hp . The blade cut is about 7.25 inches but you can double cut
The end stands look light enough for one person to handle. I imagine the engine is on wheels. There are videos of the setup on youtube. The specs say the max log diameter is only about 3' but that wouldn't stop anyone from simply moving the mill over or blocking it up to mill a larger log.

plantman

Specs say max cut dimension is - single cut 190mm x 190mm and double cut  400mm x 170mm

plantman

Yeah here's a video of the setup. It does look a little heavy for one person to move around but it looks nice and sturdy like you wouldn't get a lot of movement while cutting. However it does look a little tedious adjusting each end before cutting a new piece of lumber. Maybe not a big deal if you're cutting big pieces.  Looks like it would last 40 years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsBy-ur5U8k

plantman

Price is $12,840. plus freight US dollars.
The lucas is definitely easier for a one man operation unless they put wheels on this thing. Still I like it for it's sturdiness and price.

MbfVA

 Oh my God, it has LEVELING  teeter_totter teeter_totter built into each of its feet. Send me one.
www.ordinary.com (really)

MbfVA

Quote from: plantman on July 08, 2017, 07:35:42 PM
Current exchange rate is $1.316 US dollars to 1 Aussie dollar so that brings the cost down substantially.

I think you meant the other way around?

Aussie buck is $0.76 USD.  But it does decrease cost to US buyers.
www.ordinary.com (really)

plantman

6 of one, half dozen of the other. If you go to www.stockcharts.com and type $usdaud in the search bar you'll get a chart of the US dollar to Australian dollar. So if I'm reading it correctly I would divide their price by 1.316

Quote from: MbfVA on July 09, 2017, 02:48:48 AM
Quote from: plantman on July 08, 2017, 07:35:42 PM
Current exchange rate is $1.316 US dollars to 1 Aussie dollar so that brings the cost down substantially.

I think you meant the other way around?

Aussie buck is $0.76 USD.  But it does decrease cost to US buyers.

plantman

I don't find anyone complaining about the Luca mill and perhaps their design is the best all-around design but I think the videos never show anyone trying to move the mill side to side or front and back. It just looks a little flimsy. Maybe it works well all the same and if I was moving the mill up a mountainside in Peru maybe I'd be glad it didn't weigh more but I'm not so I'm not that concerned with it being lightweight.

MbfVA

 On second look, doesn't it resemble the turbo saw concept as much as anything?
Not quite as polished or expensive looking, kind of off-the-shelf and rough and ready looking, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Single center rail and support structures at either end.  The main disadvantage I can see so far, assuming it can be transported as to satisfy those that wish to,  is how long the rail can be without a sag, certainly the same engineering problem that turbo saw has faced.

I see a similar sort of concern some folks have with wood-mizer and its cantilever concept.

Note to Jake and to the orange mob, I'm not criticizing either concept, just pointing out the challenges, solved or unsolved.  Surely some folks see a problem in the PetersonHi-Lo concept.  Except for my hitting my head on the Hi rail a couple times, I find it works quite well.

The problem with some engineering solutions is that they don't appear intuitive to the layman.   In fact, that relates to the biggest challenge for science and engineering, and, related, for statistics--if the results of the scientific method applied don't "seem" to make sense, as defined, to the Lehman, the lemon simply throws up his or her hands and says can't possibly be true, I "know" what my more basic sense(s) are telling me, what I see.

It reflects the frequent occurrence of uninformed observation overcoming informed investigation & study.

Pointy-headed intellectuals, anyone?  A free dinner at my restaurant to anyone who can identify the originator of that expression without consulting Google or similar. I heard the man say it at a rally in my hometown, which I was assigned to cover as a yearbook photographer for my local high school.  The year was 1968, hint.

And I am not believing how stupid Siri is when it comes to spelling common words, especially putting in a proper name instead of what I said.  LEHMAN??  LEMON-- wait a minute, that is Siri describing herself.
www.ordinary.com (really)

mad murdock

FWIW, I find the Turbosaw answer to configuration of the mill to be the best of any options available. Easy loading, unloading of logs/sawn boards. The minimal flexure of the beam is a non issue, I have the std M6 with the 2 meter extension. It is a very nice mill to work with and around.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

plantman

Well when you think about there are plus's and minus's.  The design of the Turbosaw, the Goodwood saw , Mahoe saw, or the Mobile Dimension saw all utilize a single beam on which the saw runs . It's good because you don't have to align two beams parallel or level to one another but it also means that the entire beam has to move left and right to move the saw.
Alternatively the Lucas , Peterson, D&L all use a carriage which runs the length of two tracks and only the saw moves left and right on the carriage. This design means that the two tracks do not have to be built as sturdy or heavy as a single trussel and the tracks themselves do not have to move. Intuitively, to me this seems like a more simple sturdy and failsafe design especially when the length of the mill gets longer.

NZJake

Hi Plantman,

You are certainly correct. The frame design such as the Peterson low tracks allow you to extend pretty much any length in manual configuration. The Lucas to some degree offers the same advantage. However these mills must contend with track alignment, offbearing/loading restrictions.

One of the bigger issues is twist when sawing vertical cuts with the 4 post wide frame design. I'm sure most owners would argue against this fact. But are you actually really aware of what that vertical blade is doing as its moving through the log? I recall regularily holding the frame while pulling the handle in order to pull straight (you sometimes get a feel for exactly where you need to pull from to insure its cutting straight). As the plastic wheels wear this becomes more of a problem. This has an affect on your end product, it may only be a mm here or there but it does add up. The single beam design means the carriage is coupled and fixed to the beam reducing a big part of that variable.

Yes we do have challenges to contend with regarding ultimate un-supported length. We have really had to beef up our beam to contend with this problem during our products development over the years. But I do feel we have identified our length limitations and have worked within them. This has meant we've had to give a lot of our portabillity away, hence the introduction of Jockey wheels with every mill. The M10 now comes with heavy duty ATV tires.

But probably the biggest advantage our frame design offers is when it comes to automation. Because the carriage is fixed very close to the beam the chances of getting in the way of its cutting process is significantly reduced. Imagine being caught between two tracks as the 4-post carriage heads your way.

Like everything you really need to weigh up what your requirements are. If its long length beams our mill may not be the answer. But if it's high production, one man mobile solutions... I'm thinking we may be a consideration.

FYI our Turbosawmill design is capable of automating later on from the manual version. The chainsaw driven design is the exception.

Cheers.
Jake.

Wife says I woke up one morning half asleep uttering thin kerf and high production, I think I need a hobby other than milling?

plantman

Thanks Jake. I'm sure I would understand all this once I had the chance to operate all these different mills. One unfortunate for me is that the county I live in will not allow businesses to mill wood at residential property. So in order for me to get into this business I would need some industrial property or a farm not in my area. I'm bummed out because it looks like a lot of fun and good way to earn some extra cash.

MbfVA

 Put it inside a building, with an electric motor powered mill? I hate to see all the research you've done go to waste.

Why don't you update your profile so we can see where you live, and we will get a busload of people to come down and try to get you a special use permit with your local governing body.
www.ordinary.com (really)

plantman

Yes the electric powered mill is a good idea and it really makes sense from many different perspectives.
First, if I were doing this as a full time business it would be nice to be inside anyway where I could operate any hour of the day.
2. I understand that neighbors don't want to hear a motor going 10 hours a day. There are plenty of landscapers using mowers and blowers but they are usually in and out not working all day at one location.
3 the majority of properties in my area are less than 1/2 acre so everyone is pretty close to each other.
4. I live just 40 minutes from the George Washington Bridge outside of NYC in a densely populated suburban area. The good thing is that because there are no mills I can get all the free logs I want from tree services. If there were mills I would have to pay for the logs. So I guess you just can't have your cake and eat it too.
5. I could buy property about a hour away that is more rural, I would just have to transport the logs there. Not a big deal since I own a heavy truck and trailer.
6. I get the feeling that if this is for me I will find a way to do it, I'm persistent.
7. Another good thing about my area is that it's relatively wealthy so people have the money to spend on luxuries like wide slab tables just to show off !

dgdrls

Quote from: plantman on July 14, 2017, 10:01:46 PM
Yes the electric powered mill is a good idea and it really makes sense from many different perspectives.
First, if I were doing this as a full time business it would be nice to be inside anyway where I could operate any hour of the day.
2. I understand that neighbors don't want to hear a motor going 10 hours a day. There are plenty of landscapers using mowers and blowers but they are usually in and out not working all day at one location.
3 the majority of properties in my area are less than 1/2 acre so everyone is pretty close to each other.
4. I live just 40 minutes from the George Washington Bridge outside of NYC in a densely populated suburban area. The good thing is that because there are no mills I can get all the free logs I want from tree services. If there were mills I would have to pay for the logs. So I guess you just can't have your cake and eat it too.
5. I could buy property about a hour away that is more rural, I would just have to transport the logs there. Not a big deal since I own a heavy truck and trailer.
6. I get the feeling that if this is for me I will find a way to do it, I'm persistent.
7. Another good thing about my area is that it's relatively wealthy so people have the money to spend on luxuries like wide slab tables just to show off !

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