Does anyone know the price of the new(ish) Baker 3638G mill?

[mountainlake]

The new Timberking B2000 looks like a good mill for $22500

All of the goodies, 32" between the guide rollers, No 100 chain turner, computer setworks and it's built simple with a lot of over the counter parts unlike some mills that are over engineered and complicated. Steve

 

[Can8ianTimber]

I like the B2000 but I don't know why it is so much better than the 1600. You can get the 1600 for 15k and add hyd log turner and log loader for 2k. So having the computer set works would be nice and a couple other options but it does not seem to be worth the price dif.

It does not seem to add up to me.

 

[mountainlake]

I think the B2000 is built a little heavier , also by the time you add all the hydraulics and computer setworks the price would be close. The 1600 is a nice but but after running a B20 for 7000 hours I'm spoiled and the B2000 is a much improved mill at a great price. Besides the hydraulic feed and up and down the 2000 will have the loader, chain turner, toe boards ( Wouldn't be without them) log stops up and down, 2 plane clamp and the setworks which really speeds things up. I think to get that other brand with all the features and capacity it would cost well over $30000. Steve

 

[TraditionalTool]

I mean this in every aspect of the mill. Whether the bed sags under a 4500lb log, or the blade tracking system sucks, or the band wheels are untrue, etc etc. Band mills work under close tolerances. From the set in the blade, to the saw assembly to the carriage and bed assembly, it all counts. Any one major design flaw is enough to discount a machine from a potential lineup of choices.

As for using tires in place of proper band wheels, I think its a poor idea.

Coal,

I agree, but was just not sure what you were referencing specifically in this thread. Most of the logs I'm working with are 28' and 32' long, since that is the size of my house. The logs are 16"/24" tip to butt, and weigh approx 3,000-4,000 lbs. This is with the sides milled off, they are 8" thick.

So, yes I agree with what you say.

My logs have had the sides milled off them already, but in the future I would like to be able to do the same thing to do.

I used a heft mill that was built by an Amish guy, which has a 30HP diesel engine on it. This is what the results look like:

On this home I have the wall logs all milled, but I still need the rafters (6x10 doug fir is spec'd by the structural engineer), and I also need the rafters for the porches also, the t&g for the ceiling and inside walls, 2x6 t&g for the 2nd floor, etc...as you probably know there is a lot of wood in a home.

This is what drove me to start looking for a mill. Truth be told, the biggest factor for this type of work is the length that the mill can handle, 32' is pretty long for most sawmills.

The above picture was the work I completed last May/June, and I just got the timber out west, and working to get it setup soon.

Here's what I would like to be able to do, produce these type of logs, the top 2 logs were done last May/June, but the 4 underneath are 28 footers. Those top logs are a part of what you see in the top pic.

Weight is an important factor.

 

[log master]

Sorry I sold my Norwood mill before we moved last year. (900 miles one way) As for the Cooks MP32 there is no hydraulics it is all electric options. Have you looked at the MSG mills. They have a sawhead that spins around and cuts both ways. You can even set it so it cuts siding in both directions. They have electric chain log turner and clamp set up on the bed. You run it with a joystick that looks like it cam straight off a fisher v plow. It drives with electric and will stop itself after the cut and even has set works. It looks good if your going to be stationary.

 

[TraditionalTool]

Sorry I sold my Norwood mill before we moved last year. (900 miles one way) As for the Cooks MP32 there is no hydraulics it is all electric options. Have you looked at the MSG mills. They have a sawhead that spins around and cuts both ways. You can even set it so it cuts siding in both directions. They have electric chain log turner and clamp set up on the bed. You run it with a joystick that looks like it cam straight off a fisher v plow. It drives with electric and will stop itself after the cut and even has set works. It looks good if your going to be stationary.

Ah, I hadn't realized that on the Cooks, but good point, electric vs. hydraulic. That slipped by me. I haven't looked at the MSG mills.

I mean this in every aspect of the mill. Whether the bed sags under a 4500lb log, or the blade tracking system sucks, or the band wheels are untrue, etc etc.

Coal,

Been thinking about this today, and this was one of the reasons I had been shying away from some of the sawmills that use angle iron for the bed. It seems that having tubing is much stronger, even if the angle iron is welded to the top of it. All angle iron is not created equal either.

In that regards, several of the sawmills mentioned in this thread have stronger beds, like the Bakers, Cooks, and Logmaster. The Logmaster uses pretty hefty tubing for the bottom of the trailers.

Would appreciate any advice on working with logs as I'm working with, mostly in the 3000-6000 lb. range, the higher being before milling the sides off, and the lower being after the sides are milled flat.

For discussion, I saw a thread here where SawyerRob bent the cross member on his Norwood mill, and potentially these logs could do more damage than the smaller log he was working with. Maybe the Norwood bed is too light for this type of work?

 

[Coalsmoke]

Actually, it was on my mill that I bent that bunk. I am using my LM2000 in a commercial application. Does it work, yes, is it ideal, no. I'm sawing 10 - 15,000 board feet a month on my Norwood LM2000, which is more than most Norwood owners put on in a year. I am convinced that the Norwood is a good homeowner mill, equal to any manual mill in its class. I had a real heavy log with a knot protruding from it and bent the bunk when I turned it as the 3000 lb log was pushing down on that one bunk. It has been a month and a half since I contacted Norwood and they have yet to give me an answer on whether this is a warranty item, since its a new bunk and the only one that has bent, all the old bunks have been fine with previous knots and large logs, sort of seems like the steel quality may have gone down over the last couple years. I suspect they hope I will not pursue this further, and honestly, I don't have the time to worry about it much more.

In regards to metal strength, my previous business was a metal fab company, and what most people know is that square tubing is stronger than angle or channel due to its design properties, but what most people do not realize, is that square tube also uses stronger steel (16,000psi higher tensile strength), so square tube over channel or angle iron frames can really be a big deal.

Ah, I hadn't realized that on the Cooks, but good point, electric vs. hydraulic. That slipped by me. I haven't looked at the MSG mills.

Coal,

Been thinking about this today, and this was one of the reasons I had been shying away from some of the sawmills that use angle iron for the bed. It seems that having tubing is much stronger, even if the angle iron is welded to the top of it. All angle iron is not created equal either.

In that regards, several of the sawmills mentioned in this thread have stronger beds, like the Bakers, Cooks, and Logmaster. The Logmaster uses pretty hefty tubing for the bottom of the trailers.

Would appreciate any advice on working with logs as I'm working with, mostly in the 3000-6000 lb. range, the higher being before milling the sides off, and the lower being after the sides are milled flat.

For discussion, I saw a thread here where SawyerRob bent the cross member on his Norwood mill, and potentially these logs could do more damage than the smaller log he was working with. Maybe the Norwood bed is too light for this type of work?

 

[TraditionalTool]

Actually, it was on my mill that I bent that bunk.

My bad, I thought it was SawyerRob.

I just got the brochure from Logmaster today. Their brochure is actually more impressive than their website, and a complete price list is included.

In regards to metal strength, my previous business was a metal fab company, and what most people know is that square tubing is stronger than angle or channel due to its design properties, but what most people do not realize, is that square tube also uses stronger steel (16,000psi higher tensile strength), so square tube over channel or angle iron frames can really be a big deal.

The Logmaster stuff sure does look sturdy. It looks like he puts angle on top, but the angle forms an upside down V for the carriage to ride on. The mills sure do look impressive. Thanks for mentioning them.

 

[log master]

The Logmaster and Cooks both use the upside down angle iron for track. The Baker uses 1/2" by 1/2" solid steel for the track. The Logmaster and Cooks both use a chain and sprocket set up to move the carriage. The Baker uses a stationery chain that use to drives up and down the track. There is a lot less moving parts on the Baker. The Logmaster is awesome and I would love to have a LM4 in my yard, but it's still a lot of money. I am from the school of think big, but stay small.