Best small band mill (and why!)

[Big J]

I'm at the start of the process of applying for a rural development grant that will hopefully see me with a band sawmill, JCB type loader, additional kilns and storage and a few other bits and bobs.

 

It's going to be a long process, and I think that the choice of sawmill is going to be one that needs a lot of thought.

 

I won't be able to afford a large mill, so I'm essentially looking for a good quality, and ideally portable manual mill.

 

The two that I've narrowed it down to are the Timberking 1220 and the Lumbermate LM Pro.

 

The Timberking is around £5,000 plus Vat and the Lumbermate £6300 (but I think that you get a trailer package as standard with it).

 

I'm not considering Woodmizer as there is no longer a distributor for them here in Scotland, and all accounts seem to suggest that they aren't up to the specification of Timberking. The Lumbermate I know less about, but a bit of research suggests that it could be a consideration.

 

So, I was hoping to glean a little information from folk who've had experience with these specific machines, and things to look out for from those who run band mills, but don't have those models.

 

Here is a link to the Timberking 1220:

 

Welcome to Frank Gamwell Mobile Sawmill Blades

 

And the Lumbermate:

 

Bandsaw Mills | Bandsaw Mill LM Pro | LOGOSOL

 

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

Jonathan

[tommer9]

The lumbermate is a good machine. I nearly bought one, but the company had just started dealiing with Hudson instead, so i had one of those. Very pleased with it.

Just Saws: Hud-Son Saw Collection

[hplp]

I was looking at the timberking at the APF and over all of them, that is the one that I would go for..........but its so simple, if I had time and space, Id nearly build one....

 

H

[John Hughes]

If you are going to be sawing day in day out I would not consider a mill without hydraulics. Most logs I mill on my Woodmizer I will flip 5 or 6 times , firstly to square it up and then to cut the best face or relieve tension.

The hydraulic turner makes this effortless and I can also adjust for taper with the toe boards.

I cut the occasional hardwood butt but mainly saw fairly small diam softwood.

 

I also own a Lucas swing mill which is great for big logs in inaccessable places. It is incredibly efficient at breaking down large diameter logs in anything up to 8 x 8.

8 inches is plenty wide enough for me as the timber will be planed and glued up if I need wider boards. My planer is 12in wide but my thicknesser can take 24inch.

 

John

[delabodge]

If you are going to be sawing day in day out I would not consider a mill without hydraulics. Most logs I mill on my Woodmizer I will flip 5 or 6 times , firstly to square it up and then to cut the best face or relieve tension.

The hydraulic turner makes this effortless and I can also adjust for taper with the toe boards.

I cut the occasional hardwood butt but mainly saw fairly small diam softwood.

 

I also own a Lucas swing mill which is great for big logs in inaccessable places. It is incredibly efficient at breaking down large diameter logs in anything up to 8 x 8.

8 inches is plenty wide enough for me as the timber will be planed and glued up if I need wider boards. My planer is 12in wide but my thicknesser can take 24inch.

 

John

 

I second the above,,,,the hydraulic lift is so handy,along with hydraulic loader,,get a mate to drop off ten logs and you can roll them and load them yourself,,the woodmizer is hard to beat, and theres some good second hand ones around,,,

[liamjordan]

i saw the timberking at the apf and they looked pretty snazzy, we have a norwood lumbermate, and its a bloody brillant bit of kit, would recomend it to anyone, we had ours second hand and never had to fix anything on it, touch wood

[Big J]

Thanks for the replies folks!

 

I've got a lot of research to do (and grant applications too!) before anything is decided, but I think that it most likely to be between the Timberking and Lumbermate. I've all but discounted the woodmizer as numerous people have highlighted flaws with them (not running on two rails but one causing weaving of the band for example). Speaking to a miller yesterday who's just invested in the LT70, he said that they've had a lot of problems with it.

 

Unfortunately at the moment, I think a mill with hydraulics is going to be out of my price range. The difference, for example, with the Timberkings between the manual mill and the basic hydraulic mill is £5k + vat or £20k + vat. For a low volume producer such as myself, it's too much of an expense. Would a good forklift not be able to easily reposition a log?

 

Glad to hear positive reviews of the Lumbermate. Given the fact that the LM pro comes trailered and with a 23hp motor for £6,300 + vat, it's looking like the best contender. I do need to speak to Willie Dobie down at Logosol about them.

 

Thanks for the advice - keep it coming!

 

Jonathan

[tommer9]

If you are going to be sawing day in day out I would not consider a mill without hydraulics. Most logs I mill on my Woodmizer I will flip 5 or 6 times , firstly to square it up and then to cut the best face or relieve tension.

The hydraulic turner makes this effortless and I can also adjust for taper with the toe boards.

I cut the occasional hardwood butt but mainly saw fairly small diam softwood.

 

I also own a Lucas swing mill which is great for big logs in inaccessable places. It is incredibly efficient at breaking down large diameter logs in anything up to 8 x 8.

8 inches is plenty wide enough for me as the timber will be planed and glued up if I need wider boards. My planer is 12in wide but my thicknesser can take 24inch.

 

John

 

I second the above,,,,the hydraulic lift is so handy,along with hydraulic loader,,get a mate to drop off ten logs and you can roll them and load them yourself,,the woodmizer is hard to beat, and theres some good second hand ones around,,,

 

I totally disagree with the hydraulic thing. I think its an expensive luxury you can do without. I have never felt the need for it (and regularly mill 17' long 3' diameter hardwoods) and a big cant hook has always been fine, and my mill is 2' off the gound on its wheels too. Furthermore the oldes and biggest mill in cornwall, a stenner rack saw based machne, has no hydraulics, using cant hooks too. Each to their own, but for me its more to go wrong, and alot of money which IMO is unnecessary.

Furthermore, I think woodmiser are trading on a name they made when they had no competition to speak of. I have been taking more and more work off mizer based outfits as they are producing warped boards as the beds have been bending under the weight of big oak logs......

[liamjordan]

these pictures might be a good enough review of the lumbermate. We ram masive oak buts through it and it copes fine Also we manage to turn them with our Fordson Major Loader, or a Fordson Major with mounted Hiab, you dont need expensive mill hydraulics

[Cackhander]

We've recently bought a Lubermate and have no complaints. However, when we bought ours the trailer kit was not included, so I'd check up on that if I were you.

 

If you're in our neck of the woods sometime, you're welcome to come have a play with our machine.