What's an edger worth?

[Trapper John]

I am considering an edger and I found an American No. 5 that looks in running condition.  It has two tables one about 7 feet and the other around 6 feet.  What's the going price for such a machine?  What should I look for?  Any info can help.

[Stuart Caruk]

My old POS edger is worth its weight in gold... to me. Your mileage may vary.

You can look on woodmizers or Norwoods site and get an idea of new prices for a single or a twin blade edger.

IMHO, a single blade edger isn't worth the effort. A twin blade edgeris really nice to have. So are long infeed and outfeed tables and a roller on top for a board return. just don't try to stuff a flitch through the edger that doesn't fit, or you'll instantly regret it.

[Trapper John]

This edger has 5 blades.  Why would you use 5 blades?  To make some kind of lath or strip?  Could you power it with a Honda twin?

[Ianab]

Why would you use 5 blades?

Dimensioned lumber.

Cut a ~16" wide by 2" thick flitch with your sawmill, feed it straight into that edger, and get 2x4s out the other end.

I'm guessing that you could remove some of the blades, or at least park then out of the way if they weren't needed. That would reduce the power needed if you are only actually using 2 blades.

[Trapper John]

Without any kind of fence, do edgers  always cut straight lumber?

[4x4American]

When I cut boards to get them out of the shed I send them all through the edger.  So if I was cutting 2x6's alot of the time I oversize them say 6-1/2" or 6-3/4" and send them through the edger at 6".  If the board has a crook I can straighten it up.  But, if you push it up against the fence it will just follow the fence and keep the crook.  You have to use the shadow to line up and feed it through straight as you can and it will make it straight.  If my setup wasn't setup for pallet cutstock I wouldnt even bother with that for framing lumber but since it gets pushed through the edger anyways I figure might as well touch it up.  Morale of the story, the fence doesnt make it straighter.  but if you're going for exact width over straightness throughout the length of the board (like for my pallet stringers I dont care if theres a crook over 8' because I'm gonna cut them shorter anyways I care that they are perfectly at 3.5") then the fence can help just make sure its over far enough to tickle the edge of the board enough.  Eh

[Trapper John]

Thanks guys for opening my eyes to what an edger can do.  I was thinking it would not be that useful to me as I could edge everything on the head saw.  I understand now how much faster and accurate the edger would be for making lumber.  I think I'm sold.

[paul case]

This is the one I have.

http://www.riehlsteel.com/products/sawmill-board-edger/

PC

[moodnacreek]

Many edger's do not cut straight.  I have seen edger's with a fixed fence for the saw that fixed and a short fence that shifts with the movable saw [ behind it ]. There are other fence systems; some with canted press wheels along side the out feed  fence.  A good edger doesn't need any of this most of the time.  Strips of  bark  get caught in any fences behind the saws.  My edger has 4 rather aggressive  feed rolls and cuts straight in easy  boards but not in 3 inch hardwood.   what I do is guide  the plank with the help of an over head shadow lite on the fixed saw. This works good for me and sure beets putting the stuff back on the carriage.

[Trapper John]

What is an overhead shadow light?  Do they usually come with the machine or is it something one builds? 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

The edger I wanted was worth a lot to me until WDH bought it out from under me.  :D :D :D

[killamplanes]

Well here's a 2x4 maker. This is pre-osha :D variable  feed in/out.  Not really the best design for a straight up "edger". Better suited for resizing boards...if it was worth it's weight in gold I wouldn't have a worry in the world 8)

[Peter Drouin]

 

 
WM one works well for me, Has a 26 horse Cat.

[4x4American]

Here's my 2x4 maker.  34hp perkins diesel pulls them well.

[killamplanes]

How many saws will it pull 4x4 America . How much hp. I find and edger is great if there's extra manpower. But a one man operation with a bandmill is probly better off doing it on the mill.

[Peter Drouin]

That's a mean looking saw 4x4.

[JB Griffin]

Any functioning edger is worth its weight in gold around a sawmill.

[4x4American]

How many saws will it pull 4x4 America . How much hp. I find and edger is great if there's extra manpower. But a one man operation with a bandmill is probly better off doing it on the mill.

It does pretty well with 3 saws cutting 1-1/4" pallet sringers and I've run hard maple
and hickory through it with slightly dull blades at full tilt.  I bet it'd pull a forth blade, shoot if you were cuttin 1/2" pine I bet it'd pull as many blades as would fit lol.

[JB Griffin]

Rule of thumb for circle saws. 3-5hp per inch of wood sawn per saw.

Example- 3 saws cutting 2" thick requires around 30hp to run at a good pace.

[killamplanes]

That explains the couple hundred horse jd engine that powers a neighboring mill gang saw. He said he can put up to 13 blades on it. Man can it cut pallets stock. He calls it the sawdust maker. And boy does it make it.  Half there day spent on circle mill with 3 blade edger and other half sending cants through chop saw then into gang saw.. minimum 3 people 4 is better for wheel loader movements.

[JB Griffin]

Theres a local mill here thats has a Corley gang saw with 15 saws in it.
Its setup with lumber saws, an edger set up and tie and cant saws. 200hp 3ph.