You Guys Looking At New Bandmills,

[gemniii]

Since a lot of this thread seems to be either Norwood chearleading or ragging on the new mills, which only Sawyer Rob has used, what about the assembly?
Anyone know if the new mills are going to be pretty much factory assembled?
Put the rails together and put the head on?
Or lots of little pieces?

I've read so many stories about how it can take a day or more for one plus persons to assemble them.

 

[OlyPenSawBoy]

Since a lot of this thread seems to be either Norwood chearleading or ragging on the new mills, which only Sawyer Rob has used, what about the assembly?
Anyone know if the new mills are going to be pretty much factory assembled?
Put the rails together and put the head on?
Or lots of little pieces?

I've read so many stories about how it can take a day or more for one plus persons to assemble them.

Yesterday during a discussion with a NW sales rep I was told the MX34 would come with assembly instructions, no assembly video would be provided because it is "much simpler" to assemble than the LM2000 has been in the past. I presume this is true or possibly NW just has not created the MX34 assembly video yet.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Since a lot of this thread seems to be either Norwood chearleading or ragging on the new mills, which only Sawyer Rob has used, what about the assembly?
Anyone know if the new mills are going to be pretty much factory assembled?
Put the rails together and put the head on?
Or lots of little pieces?

I've read so many stories about how it can take a day or more for one plus persons to assemble them.

Sawyer Rob has time on one of the new mills? As far as I knew / know, he's just riding the bandwagon.

 

[gemniii]

Sawyer Rob has time on one of the new mills? As far as I knew / know, he's just riding the bandwagon.

Well he wrote:

I on the other hand have been sawing with ceramic guides for some time, so i KNOW what they are like.

I (perhaps mistakenly) took that to mean he knew what the guides were like in the new machine.
Would the part work the same in any machine?
Like if I dropped my 7.3L diesel into my wife's Civic Hybrid? Same exact performance?
And he has pointedly ignored every time you questioned his hands on time.
He's got all those juicy close up pictures.
So I figured he was so busy using it that he couldn't figure up the hours he spent on it, and may be under a partial NDA.

I'd hate to think that all this trumpeting was based solely on marketing, pretty pictures, and specs.

That would be as bad as people posting that a mill was "cheap chinese junk" "underpowered" "flimsy" "not made in America" based on a picture on HarborFreight.com with no hands on experience. Like they have.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Well he wrote:

I (perhaps mistakenly) took that to mean he knew what the guides were like in the new machine.
Would the part work the same in any machine?
Like if I dropped my 7.3L diesel into my wife's Civic Hybrid? Same exact performance?
And he has pointedly ignored every time you questioned his hands on time.
He's got all those juicy close up pictures.
So I figured he was so busy using it that he couldn't figure up the hours he spent on it, and may be under a partial NDA.

I'd hate to think that all this trumpeting was based solely on marketing, pretty pictures, and specs.

That would be as bad as people posting that a mill was "cheap chinese junk" "underpowered" "flimsy" "not made in America" based on a picture on HarborFreight.com with no hands on experience. Like they have.

In those pictures what he has is some sort of ceramic guide retrofit on a standard "old style" Lumbermate 2000. That's not Norwood's new MX34 mill in the pictures.

 

[Can8ianTimber]

Here is what I don't understand.

Some people think it "looks" great.
Some people think it doesn't or whatever.

Since as far as I can tell no one actually has hands on experience with this machine.

THIS IS PEOPLE SHARING OPINIONS.

I really think people are smart enough to understand that if someone else thinks a mill looks great, that they have never seen, then they are not sharing facts but only opinions. The same goes for people who think it stinks.

I don't really understand all the bashing of sawyer rob for sharing what is obviously an "OPINION".

Just because you are pasionate about an opinion does not mean you are trying to convince people it is a fact.

 

[TraditionalTool]

Hey, come on guys, give Rob some slack, he started this thread and looks to have done some research and it sounded as if he has talked with Norwood about it. He does use a Norwood 2000 all the time.

There is nothing wrong with being excited about the new features, IMO.

I'm not sure they are worth $1k more, but even Rob said he was told it would be a little more and didn't expect $1k more.

My $0.02, I never took it to mean he had spent too much time on one, although he did criticize me asking how much time I had spent on any of the ones I'm interested in...that's ok, the mill I used would slice up a Lumbermate in short order...that said, I keep hoping someone wants to pony up to the MX and sell their 2000 off at a good price...:help: (any takers out west?)

 

[BobL]

Well he wrote:

I (perhaps mistakenly) took that to mean he knew what the guides were like in the new machine.
Would the part work the same in any machine?
Like if I dropped my 7.3L diesel into my wife's Civic Hybrid? Same exact performance?

I don't see the comparison you are making. BS Guides generally cover a wide range of blade sizes and once someone has the hang of how to set them correctly it should not be that big an issue.

 

[TraditionalTool]

And BTW, speaking of which...I don't see very many used sawmills selling, most of the sellers seem to be asking too much money...there was an LT15G15 on ebay recently that didn't meet the reserve and was bid up to $4500. I honestly don't think they are worth that, but the seller obviously thinks it's worth more just sitting in the snow...

The new sawmills are looking more attractive all the time, given what some folks think the used mills are worth.

Of course the few I've seen that are priced right seem to sell REALLY quick...it's a buyer's market, IMO.

EDIT: I wonder if it's just coincidence that the color scheme on the new MX head reminds me of a Woodmizer LT300?

 

[Coalsmoke]

Well, I'm not in the market of buying or selling mills, but I have had 2 good offers on my mill since the news of the new MX34 has hit the market, just I'm not interested in selling. But, we've been through this before, just like this whole opinions debacle comes up every couple of months. People are quick to forget that it is opinions of men and machine that have shaped our countries. Can we get off this damn horse now? :deadhorse:

 

[TraditionalTool]

Well, I'm not in the market of buying or selling mills, but I have had 2 good offers on my mill since the news of the new MX34 has hit the market, just I'm not interested in selling.

Well, honestly there is no reason for you to sell, I'm betting your LM 2000 is working just fine, and you have probably made some of the upgrades that were also added to the MX, possibly.

That is why I stated several times before, it's not as if one mill will work for me and all the others won't. I think any of them would work fine for my needs.

I'll just keep my eyes open and keep looking, one day something will come up used in my area that will fit my needs, or I'll end up buying a new one.

 

[TraditionalTool]

I see the new price list for 2010 has been updated on the Norwood web site.

The price on the Lumbermate 2000 went from the following in 2009:

$4890 - 13HP engine
$5290 - 15HP electric start engine
$5890 - 23HP electric start engine

To the MX34 in 2010:

$6995 - 16HP electric start
$7595 - 23HP electric start

Not for nothing but that is about $1700-$1800 increase for the new model.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Pretty substantial increase eh.

 

[Can8ianTimber]

Personaly I think they should keep the LM2000 around and give sawyers the choice. You want the new model for the extra $ go for it. If you want the battle tested LM2000 then cool.

People like choices!!!

 

[TraditionalTool]

Pretty substantial increase eh.

Coal,

A little too substantial for my blood. However, the Lumbermate 2000 I found with a 23HP V-Twin on it suites my blood level just fine. :biggrinbounce2:

See my other thread I started...

Personaly I think they should keep the LM2000 around and give sawyers the choice. You want the new model for the extra $ go for it. If you want the battle tested LM2000 then cool.

People like choices!!!

I agree Can8ian, I just don't think the improvements are worth the additional cost, but that's me...and why I'm buying a used Lumbermate 2000...