chainsaw powered band mill?

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I'm with aggie on this one, I'd like to see it going for awhile longer. I'd really like to see another picture or two of that LM4 in action.

I see that I got 'tarded again. It's a LM3, not LM4. They are pretty much the same except for the engine (43HP vs 51HP). This particular one has rail extentions added by the factory to cut up to 30' long. Here ya' go.

 

[flht01]

I see that I got 'tarded again. It's a LM3, not LM4. They are pretty much the same except for the engine (43HP vs 51HP). This particular one has rail extentions added by the factory to cut up to 30' long. Here ya' go.

Are those fence post in the background of the second picture mill cut? If so, did you treat them before building the fence?

30 foot cut, I'm impressed

 

[woodshop]

This thread has had some interesting reading for sure. Debates like this are great for anyone with a true desire to learn about mills and milling equipment as long as the participants maintain respect for the other's opinions' even if they disagree. Let's keep it going!

Key word here is "respect". I honestly don't want to necessarily knock somebody else's product, but I would like to compare the pros and cons of each system. There are BOTH in EVERY mill made. I've said several times in different threads that I know very little of the Logosol products other than what I can see on thier website, and the few posts here. I liked TedChristiansen post on his reasons for why he likes his Logosol WWM system. What that did was fuel my interest, and as I said, I would LOVE to not only talk about it, what it can and can not do, but I'd like to see it in action. What I'd love to do is RUN one, or be there when somebody did.

My main goal here is INFORMATION... I really do want to find out the good and bad about the different systems. In some cases, like aggies 43HP LM3, I figure in my book the only con would be I could never afford it.

Now Sawyer Rob's Norwood... that I could maybe afford if I had the space. That looks like a mill I could really use, and maybe even make some money with.

Well, got my Baileys package today with the breaker/spinner and 100ft of ripping chain. Time to feed my csm.

 

[woodshop]

I heard a rumor (from Woodshop, I believe) that Ripsaw is introducing a larger model soon. Can anyone confirm this?

Are you talking about their Ripsaw XL4? It is basically a ripsaw, but yes a little bigger, and rides on tracks with a 4 cycle engine, similar to many other low end bandmills on the market now. You can get up to an 8HP engine for it, which they say will cut hardwood 10 ft/min, and softwood 15 ft/min. I say low end meaning relatively low price, and not necessarily designed for heavy duty production work. I've never seen one, nor talked to anybody that has, but my take from what is on their website, which is not necessarily as informative or as full of pics or video as I would like, is that if I was going to buy a full blown bandmill, I would want something bigger, like a Norwood or an LT-10 or 15. Of course both of those are much more money... you get the picture.

 

[woodshop]

A friend of mine drags his logs to his mill with his car useing a chain on the trailor hitch. He then uses Norwoods log loader to roll them right on the mill. Another friend unloads his logs on a slight incline, and then rolls them down to and onto the mill with a canthook... There are many ways around all of the log issues without "having" to have a tractor.

My mill can easily be moved with an ATV, and it can sit right on the ground, so getting a log onto the deck isn't all that bad...Rob

Thanks Rob... I've pulled logs through the woods with an ATV and chain... it didn't work all that well, but eventually I DID get the log to where I wanted it. I always figured that if I did get a place that was big enough for a mill, and then got something like your mill, I would have to invest in a tractor with a three point hitch that would turn it into a mini-skidder. But as you say, you don't HAVE to have heavy equipment. Point I guess is, there are lots of ways to get around problems. Hey... I move 2000 lb logs using an automobile floor jack... there are ways around stuff for sure.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Am i right that an XL4 is just under $3,000.00??? Well, i've sawn with both the Mizer LT10 and 15. Personally i wouldn't even consider the 10. The 15 is a pretty nice saw, but the Norwood LM2000 is more saw for less $$$$ with many better features over the 15.

Back to the XL4. Norwood has an Lumberlite 24 that i have also sawn with. It's "also" under $3,000.00 and it blows the LT10 out of the water... I'll bet you it would blow the XL4 out of the water too...

Ever see a LL24??? They are a LOT of saw for the $$ they cost, and i know guys sawing with them nearly every day and are very happy with them.

The Norwood LM2000 IS a bigger heavier mill that will take a steady diet of big logs, but the LL24 did impress me for it's size.

Rob

 

[woodshop]

Back to the XL4. Norwood has an Lumberlite 24 that i have also sawn with. It's "also" under $3,000.00 and it blows the LT10 out of the water... I'll bet you it would blow the XL4 out of the water too...

Ever see a LL24??? They are a LOT of saw for the $$ they cost, and i know guys sawing with them nearly every day and are very happy with them.

The Norwood LM2000 IS a bigger heavier mill that will take a steady diet of big logs, but the LL24 did impress me for it's size.

Rob

...IF I had the space, I would opt for something with more guts than the XL4 or maybe even the LL24. I'd beg, borrow or steal till I got a bigger rig that could handle more production. I like the LM2000, I think they got more than a few things right when they designed it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Thanks Rob... I've pulled logs through the woods with an ATV and chain... it didn't work all that well, but eventually I DID get the log to where I wanted it.

I have a friend who skids some really big logs with his 4 wheeler. He bought an Norwood "arch" and it lifts one end of the log when you drive ahead with it. He has no problem at all useing that arch even on some fairly big logs....

Another way he hauls big logs is with a trailor he built for that purpose. He uses it when he has to go down the road, or further away for a log. Here he is "parbuckleing" a log onto it,

I do a similar thing, only on a bigger scale as i have bigger equipment....

Rob

 

[woodshop]

Another way he hauls big logs is with a trailor he built for that purpose. He uses it when he has to go down the road, or further away for a log. Here he is "parbuckleing" a log onto it,

Now THAT is interesting... doesn't look all that difficult to build. For logs that size this looks OK. Much over 20" though, would have to be a pretty sturdy trailer, like those you see made from the back of a an old pickup truck. I've looked at those arches you can get for ATVs and tractors... there are several brands advertised in the Sawmill and Woodlot mag. Right now, don't have the room for one. Thanks for the pic

 

[dustytools]

I have a pic. posted on first time milling on homemade carriage and rails which shows a log trailer that I made from a piece of guardrail a cee-channel a couple of lawn-mower wheels and tires plus a homemade axle from some one inch round stock and 2x2 angle-iron. Simply back it up to the log with the ATV, place the short section of guardrail (ramp) against the log ,then pull it up with a come-a-long and chain and off you go. Works great for me. I tried to re-post the pic. here but couldnt figure out how to do it. Sorry.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Are those fence post in the background of the second picture mill cut? If so, did you treat them before building the fence?

30 foot cut, I'm impressed

Dunno, this mill and property belongs to a friend of ours. I'm sure they were cut on a mill somewhere.:hmm3grin2orange: Just kidding, I know what you mean.

There is a place in Houston that will accept pine lumber to be pressure treated with their regular loads. The name is Bayou City Lumber and they seem to be good people.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I just was playing with the virtual Lumbermate on Norwood's site. Pretty cool.

http://www.norwoodindustries.com/buildsawmill.aspx

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Moving Logs

The only way to go!

:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

And here i thought THIS was the only way to go!!!

 

[flht01]

Dunno, this mill and property belongs to a friend of ours. I'm sure they were cut on a mill somewhere.:hmm3grin2orange: Just kidding, I know what you mean.

There is a place in Houston that will accept pine lumber to be pressure treated with their regular loads. The name is Bayou City Lumber and they seem to be good people.

There's a place about 30 miles north of here that will cresote milled lumber, recommends letting it air dry about 2 months first. I'll give Bayou City a call and get a fews prices. Thanks for the tip.

 

[flht01]

I just was playing with the virtual Lumbermate on Norwood's site. Pretty cool.

http://www.norwoodindustries.com/buildsawmill.aspx

That Norwood mill was tempting, I mean really tempting. The only thing that kept me from placing an order was the shipping costs, they wanted full shipping costs for every item. No discount for a package mill. I can understand that, shipping by weight that is, but just couldn't do it knowing I could drive a couple of hours and pull one home from the Logmaster builder.

Keep hanging around those websites and you'll end up with one. You knnow that LM3 needs a little company :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[flht01]

I have a friend who skids some really big logs with his 4 wheeler. He bought an Norwood "arch" and it lifts one end of the log when you drive ahead with it. He has no problem at all useing that arch even on some fairly big logs....

Another way he hauls big logs is with a trailor he built for that purpose. He uses it when he has to go down the road, or further away for a log. Here he is "parbuckleing" a log onto it,

I do a similar thing, only on a bigger scale as i have bigger equipment....

Rob

The Cook's mills use a 12 volt winch to load logs on their non-hydraulic mills using a setup like that. I watched a video of them loading a 39" +/- log that looked to be about 10' long using that setup. It was too big for the mill to saw, they loaded it to prove the bed could handle it. Considering the jump in price from a completely manual mill to a hydraulic mill, I thought it was a good "poor man's" loader.