# Bandsaw mills



## Keener (Jan 20, 2004)

Anyone out there with a woodmizer mill ?
I would like to know how many hours on your mill and what kind of reliability you have experienced.
Even if you don't own one perhaps you know of someone elses experience with one regarding reliability over the long haul.


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## Newfie (Jan 20, 2004)

I just got an LT40G25 in November, so I can't speak to long term reliablity, although their reputation speaks volumes. As a company from sales to delivery and training they are absolutely outstanding.

There is some sort of Forestry kind of forum(wink,wink) where there are tons of bandmill guys with lots of hours. About 40 hours on my mill and I haven't been able to break anything yet and it doesn't seem to require endless hours of adjustment and maintainence. Makes some sweet lumber,easily used as is without planing for exterior projects. Beats the bejezzus out of the old chainsaw mill.


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## Pacific (Jan 21, 2004)

A friend of mine has a Woodmizer mill I think it has close to 3000 hours on it well used and abused but it still cuts wood good. I think Woodmizer is the best mill you can get there are quite a few out there now.

If I was going to buy a mill it would be a Woodmizer its proven performer I know my friends mill has cut many logging truck loads of wood.


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## Keener (Jan 21, 2004)

Newfie, what optional equipment did you get when you got the mill. What do you think are the essentials?

Pacific, I seem to recall you are on the Gulf Islands, I'm on the big island north of Victoria. Does your friend cut mostly cedar, fir or other?
How much per meter does a guy have to pay for decent fir and cedar and can you even get cedar without powder worm around here?


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## Pacific (Jan 22, 2004)

I'am on the Sunshine Coast  

He mostly cuts cedar because there is so much demand for it with all the new house construction that is going on here. I don't know what he buys the wood for I never asked I usually haul the finished product to the customer or I'am hauling wood for him.

I don't know how many Woodmizers on the coast now there must be atleast 5 of them then there are other brand sawmills mostly band.

My dad used to have a mobile dimensional the ones made in Oregon he sold it a few years ago after he built the house. The forestry was a real pain in the azz trying to pinch him for stolen logs that he didn't have. 

The mobiles were good for cutting large beams and dimensional lumber like 2x4s 2x6s etc you couldn't cut finished cedar like the bandmills can. The blades on the mobile cut a heavy kerf it creates mounds and mounds of sawdust.

The money is in cutting cedar cutting fir or hemlock isn't as profitable the big seller is 10" cedar bevel or 1x8 and 1x10s for board and batten siding. Some of the cedar loads I have hauled are pretty expensive value wise a 1.5 ton truck load of cedar siding is alot of $$$$


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## Newfie (Jan 22, 2004)

*"what optional equipment did you get when you got the mill. What do you think are the essentials?"* 


In my opinion the power feed on the saw head is indispensable, no pushing involved. (standard equipment on LT40 I believe) Other than that, the debarker is a real nice addition and worth the extra bucks. I also got the log deck package which includes toeboards,to accomodate log taper, and the winch/log turner. The manual toeboards work well.

I have a Kubota to load the logs so the winch hasn't seen any use but it was part of the deal. I haven't used the manual log turner(it works in combo with the winch mechanism) as I've found it easiest just to rotate the log with the cant hook.(also included)

My mill came standard w/ 25hp kohler gas and it seems pretty straightforward. On eof the setworks packages would probably be nice but it seemed like an awful lot of extra money to spend just so I wouldn't have to do some simple math.


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## Bill G (Feb 2, 2004)

In this area you cannot swing a dead cat without hitting a portable mill. You may laugh but I am dead serious. Within a 50 mile radius there is a huge number. As for lifespan that all has to do with how well you take care of it. In my opinion the weakest point would be the engine. A neighbor had a old LT40 that never saw a shed and had little care. I really do not know how many hours he had on it but probably around 1500. When he wanted to watch football instead of work he decided to sell it. We bought his dry kiln and he offered me the mill at $18,000 which is more than he paid for it. I was thinking $8000 he was at $18,000. Well it is true a sucker is born every minute and he sold it.

Bill


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## Keener (Mar 7, 2004)

Newfie,

How are you doing with the mill?
We bought a used Woodmizer about one month ago and are in the steep part of the learning curve.
At this point with the little I have learned I think it might take quite a while to become proficient.
Do you sharpen ypur own bands?


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## Newfie (Mar 7, 2004)

Hey Keener,

Probably about the same as you, still in the steep part of the curve. The mill has sat idle for about 2 1/2 months except for one log. Holidays, January too cold & windy, February harvesting firewood.

Have to say that once you figure out what you are doing, you quickly can figure out how to avoid the beginners mistakes and get incredible yields. I needed some 2 x4's for a project just after Christmas so I pulled 3 logs out of the pile to mill up. Managed to easily get all 24 2 by's out of one 17" log!! I hate it when the by product of cutting 6 x 6 timbers is 4 or 5 1 x 6's.

It's mud season now so I'll probably finish splitting the firewood and then start milling the lumber for my new equipment barn.

As for sharpening I haven't used enough blades to need to worry about sharpening yet, but I plan on using their resharp program. The cost seems right and the turn around time as well.


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## Newfie (Mar 8, 2004)

Keener,

Forgot to ask, what model did you get? What kind of options does it have?


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 8, 2004)

*hey*

Wood mizers rule and are the fastet mill in my opinion on the market.


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## Keener (Mar 8, 2004)

Newfie,

We bought the LT 40 HDG (not to sure on the last 3 letters) it is fully hydraulic.
Log lift, toe boards, ect.
We are doing our own sharpening as we got the grinder and setter with it.
That is a steep learning curve as well.


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## Newfie (Mar 9, 2004)

Sounds like a cool setup,Keener. I think at this point hydraulics would just help me make more cutting mistakes quickly. That's cool that you have the sharpening (and setting) rig also. I couldn't see spending the extra 2 grand. If I was sawing full time, maybe. Don't get discouraged it'll get better.


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## scottr (Mar 9, 2004)

*Sawmills and Sharpening*

You guys might want to check out this magazine. www.sawmillmag.com


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## Newfie (Mar 9, 2004)

Yeah, I've been subscribing to that magazine for 7 or 8 years (maybe even longer), ever since I first saw a woodmizer. I found last months review of snowmobiles almost as helpful as their woodworking tips on working with glue. I don't find it nearly as useful as it used to be. A journal that has lost its way in the woods.

Thanks for trying to be helpful though.


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 9, 2004)

I get that mag, its a good read.


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 9, 2004)

Forgot to mention, I've got to go to WoodMizer's headquarters next we to pick up my LT40Super Hydrolic


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## spencerhenry (Mar 12, 2004)

*woodmizer wavy cuts*

i have a woodmizer lt40 super with the diesel. have been haveing problems getting flat cuts. i some really crappy logs with streaks of rot, but also some good ones. used to be i could cut small stuff (8-10") with no problem, now i am having problems all the time. whenever i hit a knot even small ones (3/4") i get a small wave. adjusted the rollers, replaced the blade wheel belts, tighten the drive belt, put on a brand new blade (9s wm). cut one piece ok, second wavy cut, maybe 1/32 +-. not bad but not perfect. am cutting dry dead engelman spruce, logs up to 36" but usually around 20" any ideas. tried to call tim cook but it was too late today. woodmizer guys have never milled this species. some tell me to use 13 .055 1.5, next guy tells me to use a 4 .045 1.25


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## Keener (Mar 27, 2004)

Sorry to take forever to reply but I had to become more educated before even guessing what the problem might be with the knots.
Just recently I had a timber framer tell me that it has been his experience that it is very difficult to cut a straight line in a species such as spruce or Western Red Cedar because the knots are so much harder than the surrounding wood. A bit like hitting an embedded rock. The band hits the knot and because there is so little support in the surrounding wood the band flexes.
In cedar slowing the feed a little for the knots seems to help.


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## spencerhenry (Mar 28, 2004)

thanks for the reply. that is what everbody seems to be telling me. if that is true, no hook angle will work perfectly, 13 for the soft part is no good in the knots, a 4 is better for the knots(?), but not as good for the rest of the log.(?) but if the wood is too soft to "hold" the blade, then it stands to reason that a more rigid blade should help. like a .055, 1.5" blade. i have those sizes in 13 and 4. will try a test on my next big logs and see what happens. used up all of my logs and wont get any for a while. i like cutting lodgepole pine, and doug fir better, but generally the customers want engleman spruce. it is nice wood. personally i think the lodgepole is better, it has alot more color, tighter grain, and mills better.
thanks for the info
sam


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## Keener (Mar 28, 2004)

Do you cut for people on their site or do you have a semi permanent site and haul in?
Also I would be interested to know how you market your service and or lumber.


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## spencerhenry (Mar 28, 2004)

i keep my mill at home almost all of the time. i had one job resawing some doug fir into 1/4" material to be wrapped around bent beams. that job i hauled the mill to aspen. all the other timber i have cut, i cut at home. i am cutting spruce for structural and decorative beams and posts. currently cutting 1x for siding on a job. all i do to sell material is go around to all of the construction sites and ask if they have any rough-sawn posts or beams. i have made several sales that way, some up to 6mbf. to make some sales, i lowered my prices. i am not making ???? for my time, but getting some recognition, hopefully it helps out in the future. i am a framing contractor, so i have some connections already. the job i am framing right now, i supplied all of the rough-sawn. about 7mbf. sizes from 2X6 to 8X18. i keeps me busy and i am making some money. i mostly buy logs from various people, but also do some tree removal and easement clearing. when possible i take those logs too. i pay about 40 to 45 cents a bdft for good standing dead spruce.
sam


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## Newfie (Mar 29, 2004)

*"i pay about 40 to 45 cents a bdft for good standing dead spruce."*


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## Oregon_Rob (Mar 29, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Ryan Willock _
> *Forgot to mention, I've got to go to WoodMizer's headquarters next we to pick up my LT40Super Hydrolic  *



Is it next week yet? Would love to hear your plans. Do you have a market...
Seems like this cold be a slick deal for you.


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## Sawfiler (Aug 31, 2005)

*Setworks.*

Is anyone out there dissatisfied with their setworks? I was helping a friend up date his and it looked horrible. The setworks used an infrared light and a bunch of sensors mounted behind 4 rows of holes the whole way up and down. Plus the solenoid shutoff for his hydraulic motor was about 8-9 ft. away from the motor. So after the solenoid was shut off the leftover pressure in the 8-9 ft. line caused some drift. Are most setworks like this or did he just get a bum deal?

-Sawfiler


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## Keener (Aug 31, 2005)

I have heard mixed reviews on the WM setworks, even from their reps.
I know of at least one case where the mill was returned and exchanged for one without setworks because of the frustration.
I also know that many small production mills make money because they use setworks.
Guess it depends on what day it got built


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## John brayshaw (Mar 10, 2018)

Keener said:


> Anyone out there with a woodmizer mill ?
> I would like to know how many hours on your mill and what kind of reliability you have experienced.
> Even if you don't own one perhaps you know of someone elses experience with one regarding reliability over the long haul.



I’ve have owned three Wood-Mizer’s over the past 20 years although they cut good and are pretty Orange, futuristic looking —you will experience numerous electric problems as time goes on. I am on their million board foot club and was on their pro sawyer network here in New England till last week. Two of my LT 40s caught fire in the electrical control box over the years. On my lt40 super remote and a brand new LT40 I purchased out of NY branch—Which they replaced the new mill in two days the whole MILL great service!! The LT 40 only had 17 hours on it. my LT 40 super remote had 800 hours on it when the electric boards caught fire on both and burned out all my electronics for a second time, second Mill. Had to end up disconnecting all the set works and electronics with a Woodmizer engineer on the phone. I now run it manually.
Their customer service is second to none though I will give them that for sure You will never meet a guy like a guy named Doug H. that works there —talk about valuable employees!! that guy is a champ!!
Let’s move on with the Cons::
The paint on the entire machine will start to fade in a year or two real bad as it’s painted and not powder coated like others. You will constantly have to adjust the machine to the bed as well as your side dogs Constantly. If you are a timberframer get a four post mill!! The Wood-Mizer is great for cutting boards but for finished beams you’ll find that most your cants will be out of square- and to get them square takes up a lot of time . That is really the big problem with woodmizers design —with the cantilevered head and the “two” weak side dog supports. Those side supports will constantly move out of square from the pressure of your center moving clamp dog. You will have to adjust the head constantly from under the machine as well which means a lot of shut down time if you do a lot of portable cutting. The hydraulics are also very slow in the cold weather even with the super remote—there does not seem to be much of a difference to me between the single pump and two pump design on the super in overall speed of the moving components. The 12 V wiring and all the electronics will cost you lots of money over the years with replacement motors and consumables. On the diesel model they put the diesel gas tank above the drive electric motor so diesel dripping on it will eat the motor contacts away —the diesel and lubemizer tanks they put on the machines are cheap and do not seal well at the caps and eventually deteriorate with sunlight. The blades will constantly break at the welds. There diesel engines with belt and brake design will not cut any quicker than a 25 horse power twin Kohler gas in a cheaper model as The drive belt will squeak and stop on both if you try to burn through quick — The blade will only power through so quick so I don’t find the engines in power make any difference to resistance of cut. If you get their set works it’s slow as molasses— you can run it twice as fast manually. All in all it’s a high maintenance mill—Just wouldn’t recommend it if you were going to be making a lot of beams for building post & beam style. I am actually moving to another mill competitor next month. Also they push the Christianity card as part of their company mission but if you talk to the individuals inside that work there that was a thing of the past or past owners. Another thing their cutting throat is real small on their bigger machines?? —most competitor machines now are 35-37 inches between the guide rollers versus Wood-Mizer’s 28 that’s the max you can finish out is 28 inches With a Woodmizer. Wood-Mizer just recently came out with a four post machine x-450 because their cantilevered head can’t cover the longer throat distance They are trying to get to. There cantilevered head On the outside point blade roller always needs to be set an eighth of an inch difference from the inside of the other blade roller which is a pain in the butt as well keeping constant.
Do not drop Or let anybody inexperienced drop a board or slab on the open,-unprotected-head drive chain or you be will done for the day.
I could keep going on and on another -OK—I will!! Haha —- the thing with the remote units: the remote plastic wire protector that moves back-and-forth with mill — will break apart in cold weather, intermittently or if water freezes on them in the track this is the skeletal covering of the wires that moves back-and-forth with the mill PITA!!. I guess in honest conclusion my main problem with woodmizer over these years is squaring beams up and getting good cuts. They’ll tell you whatever you want to hear —just like everyone else out there To sell a mill. I’ve made a good living over the years with mine but the repairs motors and electrical problems have cost me greatly. A major thing also to consider in closing Do not buy an older used mill of theirs! A lot of parts for their older Mills —Wood-Mizer has obsoleted or discontinued making, stocking etc.. Woodmizer lost contracts over the years with Kabota and other diesel and gas engine companies with their engines, parts and such —I think they have Yanmar now —good luck to anybody trying to get parts for anything woodmizer don’t have or use anymore!!!
If you have or purchase a Woodmizer mill with the Kabota diesel, cat diesel, Lombardini diesel or Onan engines and need any parts or consumables associated with those Mills beyond basic stuff —you will be **** out of luck. most those items they will tell you are obsolete and they don’t stock or make anymore. That’s the another majior problem with the company.

The Cons:
-Great Customer Service!!
-Great technical support !!
-Easy and quick to set up and get going
-Awesome offset leg supports Not in line with each other.
- excellent trailering 
- very attractive people are drawn to it 
-Low noise impact With good compact design
- rugged toe boards 
-ease of sight down log


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## northmanlogging (Mar 12, 2018)

Keener said:


> Anyone out there with a woodmizer mill ?
> I would like to know how many hours on your mill and what kind of reliability you have experienced.
> Even if you don't own one perhaps you know of someone elses experience with one regarding reliability over the long haul.


Don't know much about them personally

But there are several mini mills around here that run Woodmizer, and have for decades.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 12, 2018)

The shop here was a Woodmizer dealer for quite a few years. 

My buddy runs an LT40 now, they've had several mills, first was bought in the 80s.


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## KiwiBro (Mar 12, 2018)

John brayshaw said:


> I’ve have owned three Wood-Mizer’s over the past 20 years...[snip]


Thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed review.


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## 2dogs (Mar 12, 2018)

KiwiBro said:


> Thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed review.


And all in one breath.


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## bitzer (Mar 14, 2018)

2dogs said:


> And all in one breath.


And only 14 years late


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## KiwiBro (Mar 14, 2018)

Never too late to teach/learn. Obviously up to each reader to decide if it was a breathless hatchet job or sincere feedback.


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## Canyon Angler (Apr 21, 2018)

I'm building a mill based on the Linn Lumber design.


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