Timberking

qbilder · Aug 28, 2010

Anybody using a 1220 Timberking mill? I'm considering buying one. I had my mind made up on a Linn but am now having second thoughts. I'll be quarter sawing almost everything except slabs for furniture and live edge trim. 95% of my cutting will be hardwoods, too. Both saws have about the same cutting capacity but the Timberking just looks so much heavier. I'm heavily considering the Timberking. If anybody uses one & can maybe offer me some honest feedback, i'd sure appreciate it. I plan to buy one of the mills next month, end sept. I'm also considering a Wood Mizer LT15 but I have nearly all but eliminated that from my choices. And I do have extensive experience with the Linn as one of the family's farms has this exact mill we use to make ash fence boards. Here's links to the two mills i'm considering. Thanks much in advance.

http://www.linnlumber.com/app/inventoryapp/a__bandsaw_sawmills/inventory_view/66-0-62-1.html

http://www.timberking.com/NS/accessdetail.cfm?PID=38

huskyhank · Aug 28, 2010

A neighbor has a Timberking. I've watched and helped him but don't have much to compare to other than CSM. It seems a nice machine and easy to run.

CooksSaw · Aug 30, 2010

Timberking makes a good mill. Please consider Cook's Saw as well. We are known in the industry as the originators of the 'Heavy Built Sawmill'.
If you have specific questions we can answer please give us a call at 1-800-473-4804 or visit our site www.cookssaw.com

Thanks,
James

Can8ianTimber · Aug 30, 2010

I bought a used timberking 1600 about 3 months ago and I have been mostly impressed with it. I know it is a lot different than the 1220 but in general the company makes good mills.

Before I bought it I was going between it and the large Linn mill. I have used the Linn 1900-A for a day and I did not see any real problems with the mill. The only issue would be that you can cut 36" wide but I don't think a 1 1/4" band can really cut 36" wide with consistant accuracy. I think that would be a problem with any 1 1/4" bandsaw with large capacity. If you have the budget I would highly recomend a used 1600. From what I have seen they go for 10k - 11k and are so much more of a mill than the 1220. Bad think about the 1600 is the log dog system SUCKS. I have another system in mind that I want to have fabed up. I am going to to a post on it when I get into it.

qbilder · Aug 30, 2010

Thanks a bunch for the replies, fellas. My budget is max $7G's but i'd prefer to stay below that to have room for extra bands & such. I don't mind the physical labor. I'm young enough & actually enjoy the hard work. I don't need any extras or luxuries.

I'll mostly be quarter sawing maple so a solid dog system is a must. There will be some large oaks & cherries, too. I'll cut just about everything, just mostly maple. I won't use the mill a whole lot, maybe 15-20 logs/year average. What i'm looking for is a basic machine with a larger throat opening, good cutting height for quartering, solid dog system, and dependable guide system. I have seen things I want in this mill, that mill, etc. but not everything I want in any mill. I got about another month before pulling the trigger so i'll keep searching. Thanks again to all.