elmnut
ArboristSite Operative
Any comments on Norwood mills? I am looking at a mill with a 20hp Honda, saws a 32" diameter log(supposedly) almost new, 4000.00. All comments about this set up welcome. Thanks!
Norwood bandsaw mill
- Thread starter elmnut
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deeker
Tree Freak
I have owned the LM2000 for just over two years. Does a great job!
I have the 23hp briggs and scrap iron engine. Also a great motor.
I make money with it. And as a hobby. It cuts a 31" log, and what ever length you have of track. I use the Cooks 1 1/4" blades, about half the cost of the norwoods. I also have the tooth setter and sharpener from Norwood,
no complaints. However, if I got more into the commercial milling I would get a hydraulic bells and whistles mill.
Kevin Davis
Ruff Cutts
I have the 23hp briggs and scrap iron engine. Also a great motor.
I make money with it. And as a hobby. It cuts a 31" log, and what ever length you have of track. I use the Cooks 1 1/4" blades, about half the cost of the norwoods. I also have the tooth setter and sharpener from Norwood,
no complaints. However, if I got more into the commercial milling I would get a hydraulic bells and whistles mill.
Kevin Davis
Ruff Cutts
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elmnut
ArboristSite Operative
Thanks, I am hoping to mill unique logs that can be used for rustic furniture etc... more as a hobby than a profit center.
Backwoods
ArboristSite Operative
They are not a bad little mill, but do seem to be a little light on clamping ability. When you are cutting odd shaped logs, you may have to get creative in the way you clamp it in place. (Telephone poles are the only true round logs and do not count as a log)
The mill has a good solid framework for the head and as long as you are gentle with the bed frame, it will hold up as well. Keep in mind that the band that you put on the mill will affect how it cuts. Cook and Woodmizer are putting out good bands now, timber wolf bands and a few others are made out of to soft of steel, (to extend band life on small wheels) but they do not hold there set as long.
If you decide to get this mill set it up on a concrete slab or cut yourself a pair of beams to place under the frame to give it added support, That goes for any of the small mills. The more you can stiffen that frame the better as you will want to cut a 36” log some day and it can be done with a little chainsaw art.
Then again it really is cheaper to take your log to someone that has a sawmill and pay them to mill it for you.
The mill has a good solid framework for the head and as long as you are gentle with the bed frame, it will hold up as well. Keep in mind that the band that you put on the mill will affect how it cuts. Cook and Woodmizer are putting out good bands now, timber wolf bands and a few others are made out of to soft of steel, (to extend band life on small wheels) but they do not hold there set as long.
If you decide to get this mill set it up on a concrete slab or cut yourself a pair of beams to place under the frame to give it added support, That goes for any of the small mills. The more you can stiffen that frame the better as you will want to cut a 36” log some day and it can be done with a little chainsaw art.
Then again it really is cheaper to take your log to someone that has a sawmill and pay them to mill it for you.
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Sawyer Rob
Addicted to ArboristSite
Norwood has sold a LOT of Lumbermates, and you will hear a lot of good things about them from "owners"... I've sawn some big logs on mine, and it's done all i've asked of it...
I've been sawing a long time on Lumbermates, and i haven't broken my first band yet. I think a lot of that is because i sharpen them "properly", and i keep them sharp.
Another thing... The debossed beam frame and track is a lot stronger than non lumbermates owners would have you believe. I've yet to have any problems with the two LM's i've owned.
As for clamping, if you use you noggin, that's not a problem either. On really big logs, i do use a wedge under the log to the bunk at times, along with the clamp, and it works just fine.
Norwood is a good company that sells a quality product...
Rob
I've been sawing a long time on Lumbermates, and i haven't broken my first band yet. I think a lot of that is because i sharpen them "properly", and i keep them sharp.
Another thing... The debossed beam frame and track is a lot stronger than non lumbermates owners would have you believe. I've yet to have any problems with the two LM's i've owned.
As for clamping, if you use you noggin, that's not a problem either. On really big logs, i do use a wedge under the log to the bunk at times, along with the clamp, and it works just fine.
Norwood is a good company that sells a quality product...
Rob
oldsaw
"Been There, Milled That"
What Rob said. Good mill. The carriage assembly could be beefier, but the rails are no problem...until you plow into them with a Cat...no, it wasn't me. But it was just a little "hit" and we were back in operation in an hour, no worse for the wear.
Cut a lot of lumber on one.
Mark
Cut a lot of lumber on one.
Mark
EPA
ArboristSite Member
Here are some pictures of the Norwood LM2000 in action. I’ve had the mill for 4 years with No complaints Best mill for the $$$ JP
Milling a big 30+” Pine
clamping a small log with homemade cam clamp
offing 16” Pine boards
Milling 24’ 12”x12” beams
Milling a big 30+” Pine
clamping a small log with homemade cam clamp
offing 16” Pine boards
Milling 24’ 12”x12” beams
deeker
Tree Freak
A cottonwood log.
A doug fir log
doug fir
finished product
The mill handles larger logs. And does a great job.
Kevin
A doug fir log
doug fir
finished product
The mill handles larger logs. And does a great job.
Kevin
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Tree Bones
ArboristSite Lurker
How much is a "lot of lumber"?
I am nearing the one million bdft mark on my Wood-Mizer LT40HD
SawyerRob
"I've been sawing a long time on Lumbermates, and i haven't broken my first band yet. I think a lot of that is because i sharpen them "properly", and i keep them sharp."
I sharpen my own blades and get between 5 and 10 thousand bdft per blade and about 5 to 10 sharpenings on average.
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EPA
ArboristSite Member
WOW: I think it is fair to say , as a firm suporter of the Norwood LM2000 I would be happy to trade it to anyone for a WM LT40 Hyd //-- course I wouldn't tell anyone on the Norwood site but $8000 vs $34000 would be hard to turn down // We gotta keep talking Apples to Apples EPA
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
oldsaw
"Been There, Milled That"
How much is a "lot of lumber"?
I am nearing the one million bdft mark on my Wood-Mizer LT40HD
SawyerRob
"I've been sawing a long time on Lumbermates, and i haven't broken my first band yet. I think a lot of that is because i sharpen them "properly", and i keep them sharp."
I sharpen my own blades and get between 5 and 10 thousand bdft per blade and about 5 to 10 sharpenings on average.
Just in the "thousands" of BF, many more thousands I wasn't there for. It's a friend's mill.
Mark
EPA
ArboristSite Member
CK the pictures in this post---Norwood is 4 + posts EPA
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Ok so does it cut very true? Also I have a grapple truck will
the bed take setting the log down with it,or should you make
saw horse out of tie cuts to make a bed that they can then roll into
place to be cut?
the bed take setting the log down with it,or should you make
saw horse out of tie cuts to make a bed that they can then roll into
place to be cut?
EPA
ArboristSite Member
Husky: The mill will cut to a 1/16"or better (set up properly and a sharp blade) I load the mill directly off the forks on my tractor --again with care- I've knocked the mill around a few times .
With BIG logs (24+" x 12+') its best to set them on a skidway and roll them in by hand.
I lost a 16"x12' hardwood off the forks at about 2 ft above the bed, it struck a log post, bounced off ,hit the bed and knocked the carrage off onto its side on the ground /// a real mess // -only damage was to the log post support-
3/4" bend in the 1 1/4" steel rod ($50.00) picked up the carrage,and the log and sawed up the log //---Pictures of all this if requested / EPA
With BIG logs (24+" x 12+') its best to set them on a skidway and roll them in by hand.
I lost a 16"x12' hardwood off the forks at about 2 ft above the bed, it struck a log post, bounced off ,hit the bed and knocked the carrage off onto its side on the ground /// a real mess // -only damage was to the log post support-
3/4" bend in the 1 1/4" steel rod ($50.00) picked up the carrage,and the log and sawed up the log //---Pictures of all this if requested / EPA
I've seen the Lumbermate, and I think it's a very good saw. -SawyerRob knows what he's talking about.
Mills in the manual range have some variance, keep in mind part availability, service, etc.
If I were to buy another Mill, Norwood would be in the running.
Don't know whereabouts in NY you are at, but TA Schmid in NY makes a respectable mill (I've owned one for 7 years). It will swallow a 36" log between uprights, -the true cutting width is around 24" wide. The setworks are what makes a mill. www.taschmid.com. I don't bother calling them anymore, after my first 6 months learning curve, the parts are all available at any bearing warehouse/Napa store.
-Don't know how they compare in price nowadays.
Joe
Mills in the manual range have some variance, keep in mind part availability, service, etc.
If I were to buy another Mill, Norwood would be in the running.
Don't know whereabouts in NY you are at, but TA Schmid in NY makes a respectable mill (I've owned one for 7 years). It will swallow a 36" log between uprights, -the true cutting width is around 24" wide. The setworks are what makes a mill. www.taschmid.com. I don't bother calling them anymore, after my first 6 months learning curve, the parts are all available at any bearing warehouse/Napa store.
-Don't know how they compare in price nowadays.
Joe
fireball33
ArboristSite Lurker
sawmill
I like to check out your toys and would like someday to get a smaller sawmill
but you definitely have a nice looking area around to enjoy.
keep up the good work and nice pics
Kevin
I like to check out your toys and would like someday to get a smaller sawmill
but you definitely have a nice looking area around to enjoy.
keep up the good work and nice pics
Kevin
elmnut
ArboristSite Operative
Thanks for all the comments!
arcadia
New Member
I just purchased a used Norwood 2000 with a 23HP Honda, I cut a few times with it but have not set it where I will do all of the milling
Mike
Mike
