The Lucas is Alive

[Can8ianTimber]

OK so I took a break from shop building to set up the Lucas and mill a log because I could not let the mill sit there any longer.

So I threw an 18' hemlock under there which was 20" on the small end with the hopes of making some 6x6's

I leveled the tracks up side to side and over the length just went with the contour of the log.

After the first couple cuts. So I found myself on the wrong side of the machine after each set of cuts. I had to walk around the mill to pull the free board off.

One cut 6x6

Set up from the other side trying to cut a 6x12.

I did not get the rest of the 6x12 cut. Ran out of time. Will post another picture shortly.

MAN THIS SAWDUST IS ADDICTING!! LOTS OF FUN.

 

[RPM]

Hmmmmm ... me wants one!

 

[BobL]

Good to see it up and running

 

[BlueRider]

It looks like they have redesigned the gear boxes from when my friend got his. if so this was the only weakness and was actually a dangerous one. Not so much dangerous while milling as dangerous when changing the height. With the old gear box if the handle got loose while you were lowering the mill it would free wheel and could hit you on the back of the hand or like one guy I know, it hit him in the face.

If I was going to get into miling for a business the Lucas is the mill I would be looking at in any size. They produce some of the most acurate diminsional lumber for the speed and cost ratio. Everyone I have talked to that has used one is always amazed at how acurate they cut and at the same time they have so much flex and wiggle.

As for walking around after each series of cuts if you make your first cut starting at the end so you have to pull the mill and the second cut in the push mode you will be able to off load the board. this means that you will have to push the mill without making a cut once for each cource in the log. Well that realy only applies if you end each course by cutting off waste, but I think you get the ideathat you start by pulling and finish a board by pushing. If yo have a helper you just reverse this.

stock up on replacement lucas teeth and find a good shop to braze and regrind them or buy several blades and send them to bailey's. Our local shop tried to use some teeth that were "closes in size" and then reground all the teeth to that size. the result was not enough side relief and the blade ran hot and dulled quickly negating the savings of what it cost to have it sharpend localy vs sending it to bailey's.

 

[tlbsg]

thre are good mills out there that cut accurate timber without flexing and wiggling

 

[TraditionalTool]

Lookin' good Can8ian! looks like a fair amount of waste, although I've heard people say there is less waste in a circular swinghead sawmill. That is most likely determined by what type of timber/lumber one is cutting.

 

[BlueRider]

thre are good mills out there that cut accurate timber without flexing and wiggling

You are correct but what I was trying to say is that the lucas excells in acuracy for the cost and speed. I have used a fully hydrolic woodmizer and it is a very stout and acurate mill, but when you speed up the milling you loose acuracy as the blade will drift. In fact the same friend owns both the woodmizer and the lucas that I have milles on and he bought the Lucas so he could get more acurate diminsional lumber such as 2x4 & 2x6's. And at half the cost it will cut a log into 2x6's and less time than a his hydrolic wood mizer.

I was also trying to convey that the side to side flex and wobble of a Lucas are normal and that it will not affect the quallity of the lumber it produces.

 

[Can8ianTimber]

Lookin' good Can8ian! looks like a fair amount of waste, although I've heard people say there is less waste in a circular swinghead sawmill. That is most likely determined by what type of timber/lumber one is cutting.

Yeah there was a lot of that waste on that log b/c it had quite a hook on the one end and I was not really going for smaller boards. Also I was just kind of figuring it out. I see now that supporting the log on either side is very important. As I got to the last couple cuts the log wanted to move b/c of lack of wieght. It was a good learning experience. Can't wait to put some more hours on it.

 

[TraditionalTool]

Yeah there was a lot of that waste on that log b/c it had quite a hook on the one end and I was not really going for smaller boards. Also I was just kind of figuring it out. I see now that supporting the log on either side is very important. As I got to the last couple cuts the log wanted to move b/c of lack of wieght. It was a good learning experience. Can't wait to put some more hours on it.

Looks like a great mill, and the price was right! That was a great deal.

I saw you were trying to swing the head and cut a 6x12. How did that work out? I've heard from a couple people that it is not as easy as assumed, but was curious if you could shed light on that. The reason I ask is that one of the big reasons my mentor convinced me to go with a bandmill is that it is way easier to cut grade material such as 6x10s, 12x14s, etc...the swinghead seems faster at anything 6x6 or smaller, in the case of the 600 series Lucas. A 6x6 is still a pretty useful beam. The ability to handle not only most any diameter along with being able to extend inexpensively are definite pluses for the Lucas. A Lucas and a bandmill would be a great combo.