iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Turbosawmill M6 first imperessions (chainsaw version)

Started by otherguy, April 16, 2017, 11:44:35 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

otherguy

I wanted to write a little something about my first impressions since I have received so much help/information from Forestry Forum.
I received my M6 back in late January, took a while for me to put together due to other things interfering.  I have only cut 2 logs with it so far at my house just to get use to it, but I have another log waiting for me at a co-workers house.  I also bought the cradle assembly to hold my Alaskan mill, so I can still slab if I wanted.

First Impressions Review:
Overall I am very pleased with the mill for what I want it to do and what I need.  I think knowing what you actually need and what you are going to do with the wood goes a long way in helping a person decide which type of mill is right for them.

• M6: I went with the M6 version because it can double cut a 12" wide board, and for my woodworking I have hardly needed anything over 9" wide and talking to other woodworker friends they have to cut wide boards down to fit on their joiners so I don't see 6" as a limitation.

• Portability: I like the fact that I can take the mill to the log and setup over it and just mill it and then haul away boards, this one of main reasons I went with a swing mill, I just don't have the equipment to move/handle logs on a regular basis.  I need the ability to get the mill to someone's back yard and mill the log right there, especially as in my co-workers house where there is limited room between houses.  I can do this by myself but having a second person would just make it that much easier.

• Quality: The machine seems very well made and very sturdy.  Can't really imagine what major piece would break/wear out first on this, guess maybe the steel cable that you use to raise and lower the machine.  I'm sure it will have it's normal wear and tear of smaller items.

• Cutting: The cutting is pretty easy and I like the consistency of the saw marks vs the Alaskan which seems to always have gouges in it when I did it, thus more machining to smooth it out.  Sharpening the blade only takes a minute or two for me which is nice, just sharpen on the mill and back to cutting.

• Issues: So far I have two small complaints with the mill (again only used it twice)
(1) the ruler guide, wish it was something more than just eyeballing the rubber that slides up and down the cable, it doesn't go over to the ruler so you just have to eyeball it which could leave you with different dimensions at each end. I did put a zip tie around the rubber and the zip tie sticks over the ruler but still not the best.
(2) They did away with the remote throttle on the saw carriage (still have it on the slabber cradle) and while this isn't a big issue most of the time it does show up when double cutting so you have to deal with it for a couple of cuts.  It's hard to reach the throttle when double cutting since you have to stand on the opposite side of the saw head, makes it hard to reach, may just end up using a piece of Velcro or something to hold the throttle down when doing this particular cut.

I have posted some videos, couple showing milling, couple on modifications made, and one on showing how to setup the mill around the log.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2m3S9RyJxkCJ6CrS8QJbhA

I will be posting more reviews of it once I get to use it more and get more comfortable with it, just want to work out kinks that I know are my issue and not the mills.  I will also be posting more videos when I can. Now that the weather is getting warmer I am not sure if I will mill this summer, have to do some research to see if the chainsaw head could handle it.

Any questions about the mill let me know, I will try to answer with what little experience I have at this point.
Thanks.



You will notice in the picture below I have both the saw carriage and the slabbing carriage on the beam.  This way I could either cut boards or slab if I wanted without a lot of changeover.

Savannahdan

Nice to have a review of the mill.  Like that it is able to carry both milling carriages.  I'll watch your videos later after getting with family for dinner.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

nativewolf

Thank you very much for the good review.  First impressions matter.  Another forum member, out in OR?, bought one too recently and I'd like to hear his impressions if he's reading this.

Have you sawn any hardwoods?
Liking Walnut

xlogger

I hope to have my turbosaw running this week. I got the dedicated slabber with the 13 hp Honda. Jake had come up with a better pointer and I hope I get it soon. You are right the rubber piece on the cable is not even close to what should be there. Jake is being good to work with, I came up with some improvement ideas and he agrees and is working on that. I should have my mill put together and will post pictures and tell the results soon.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

otherguy

Quote from: nativewolf on April 16, 2017, 04:05:28 PM
Thank you very much for the good review.  First impressions matter.  Another forum member, out in OR?, bought one too recently and I'd like to hear his impressions if he's reading this.

Have you sawn any hardwoods?

The hardest thing I have cut out of the two trees is Honey Locust, there were times I had to push slower.  I did get some plates made that bolt the horizontal guard of the mill, this will add weight and allow the mill to cut better in harder woods, I got the plate design from Turbosawmill, but had them made locally.  I will do a video showing them when I can.

Quote from: xlogger on April 16, 2017, 05:09:45 PM
I hope to have my turbosaw running this week. I got the dedicated slabber with the 13 hp Honda. Jake had come up with a better pointer and I hope I get it soon. You are right the rubber piece on the cable is not even close to what should be there. Jake is being good to work with, I came up with some improvement ideas and he agrees and is working on that. I should have my mill put together and will post pictures and tell the results soon.

Hmm, I will have to shoot him an email and ask about this pointer, hopefully he can send me two of them.

Kbeitz

Quote from: otherguy on April 16, 2017, 06:54:40 PM
Quote from: nativewolf on April 16, 2017, 04:05:28 PM
Thank you very much for the good review.  First impressions matter.  Another forum member, out in OR?, bought one too recently and I'd like to hear his impressions if he's reading this.

Have you sawn any hardwoods?

The hardest thing I have cut out of the two trees is Honey Locust, there were times I had to push slower.  I did get some plates made that bolt the horizontal guard of the mill, this will add weight and allow the mill to cut better in harder woods, I got the plate design from Turbosawmill, but had them made locally.  I will do a video showing them when I can.

Quote from: xlogger on April 16, 2017, 05:09:45 PM
I hope to have my turbosaw running this week. I got the dedicated slabber with the 13 hp Honda. Jake had come up with a better pointer and I hope I get it soon. You are right the rubber piece on the cable is not even close to what should be there. Jake is being good to work with, I came up with some improvement ideas and he agrees and is working on that. I should have my mill put together and will post pictures and tell the results soon.

Hmm, I will have to shoot him an email and ask about this pointer, hopefully he can send me two of them.

If you think Honey Locust is hard to cut try a log stop...
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

mad murdock

I got mine going but need to do some final tweaking to get it tuned up perfect. I just need about an hour or so of uninterrupted time. I hope to get it done this week so by n ft weekend or the weekend after, I can get on a job I need to get done. One thing that is in my favor is it has been raining so much this winter that I have t been able to do much at all due to the extremely wet conditions. Yesterday was the first real good day we have had for months. My first impressions are I am very impressed with the simplicity, and the quality of the construction. I have milled 3 small logs with it so far, and it is light ing fast!  It is very impressive for its diminutive size. I bought mine after much thinking and comparing. The 6" chainsaw powered version fits the bill for me better than the larger one, as ease of moving the mill and remote setup is going to be where most of my focus is. If I find I want to upgrade later on to auto feed and a 8" cut, it will be a simple bolt on add on.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

Thank You Sponsors!