I don't know anything about the Mechmaxx but if you are in the market for a sawmill, please steer clear of Norwood Sawmills. We ordered one three years ago and wholeheartedly regret it. Missing parts, wrong engine sent is just part of the nightmare.
We finally got to the point of starting the 23 hp Vanguard engine and first, the starter doesn't work, just whines and doesn't engage. Once we got it started using the pull cord, the black plastic filled module on the side of the engine (ignition module?) burst into smoke and partially melted. It appears to have melted a red wire that we think was embedded with 2 yellow wires (or that's the best we can guess as we have no good "before" pictures of those connections in any of the manuals, and we can see no place it would have connected (no empty connecters at any of the nearby wire attachments).
Once we got it cooled down and stopped the smoke, the red wire was fried and dangling (photos). We disconnected the battery to stop any current and later tried to start it again with just the pull cord. While it fired once or twice, it will not run.
I just can't tell you how disappointed I am in Norwood as a Company. I wish I had never ordered this sawmill. It's been trouble right down the line and it's plain to see Norwood management does not stand behind the products it sells.
