Forestor Pilous Bandmills

[Squaredy]

Has anyone got experience or knowledge of these sawmills?  Scott and Sargeant in Sussex sell them and they seem good value.  I am in need of a wide bandmill (4ft width milling capacity) and even a 40 year old machine of this type can cost £12,000+.  They currently have a basic 4ft capacity mill brand new for £15,942 (plus VAT I guess).

 

They are made in the Czech republic, but I won't let that put me off.  My last major purchase was Canadian built (Norwood sawmill) and the quality of that was very disappointing.

 

I do not need log handling, loading and turning capabilities, I just need to be able to slab wide logs.  I currently use a Lucas mill which converts the logs fine, but of course it doesn't slab.  Well, I do have the slabbing attachment for it but I do not rate that for professional milling.

 

Anyone got any useful thoughts?

[gobbypunk]

Hi maybe talk to Big J I know he has a Trak Met and he really rates it they do look better built than that also give the guys at Log Logic a call they make wide mills good luck with what one you do get , so wish I could afford a band mill 

Cheers Mark 

[Squaredy]

Thanks Mark.  I am aware of Loglogic, and I know the Autotrek is £30,000 plus, and isn't wide enough.  But I had overlooked the Trekkasaw, which their website says cuts 1.4m wide.  I will have to find out the price.  Thank you.  When I get one I will be selling my Lucas mill cheapish if you are interested!

[Woodworks]

Not very clued up on bandmills but have to say if I were in the market the Trakmet seemed good value having seen them at the Confor show. They sell them on Ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/old_station_yard_sawmill/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

[Squaredy]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I am aware of the Trak Met range, but as far as I can see they do not have a very wide cut.  I already have a Norwood with a 710mm cut, and I really need a 1.2M cut.  The largest Trak Met seems to be only about a 900mm wide cut.

[Squaredy]

I did indeed have a chat with the guys at Loglogic this afternoon.  The Autotrek is even more than I thought (£60,000 or so) and the other one they used to make (Trekkasaw) they haven't done for years and the guy said he didn't think they would be likely to make any more as the safety specs have moved on a lot since they made them.  He suggested I might be better off trying to find a second hand one.  So, anyone selling their Trekkasaw???

[Big J]

4 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Thanks for the suggestion.  I am aware of the Trak Met range, but as far as I can see they do not have a very wide cut.  I already have a Norwood with a 710mm cut, and I really need a 1.2M cut.  The largest Trak Met seems to be only about a 900mm wide cut.

My Trakmet with the widened head cuts 1.15m. I've Frankensteined the guide on the idle side a bit (sandwich block and roller together, like on an LT70) which has probably reduced that to 1.08m, but that's plenty wide enough. 

 

I've cut boards to 1.7m wide with chainsaw mills, but I honestly cannot see the point in wide boards. They are impossible to handle, the accuracy of the cut reduces, they rarely dry properly and did I mention the moving and handling issues!?!? Best to just shave them down and produce boards where they don't weigh over 100kg. 

[muttley9050]

Has anyone got experience or knowledge of these sawmills?  Scott and Sargeant in Sussex sell them and they seem good value.  I am in need of a wide bandmill (4ft width milling capacity) and even a 40 year old machine of this type can cost £12,000+.  They currently have a basic 4ft capacity mill brand new for £15,942 (plus VAT I guess).
 
They are made in the Czech republic, but I won't let that put me off.  My last major purchase was Canadian built (Norwood sawmill) and the quality of that was very disappointing.
 
I do not need log handling, loading and turning capabilities, I just need to be able to slab wide logs.  I currently use a Lucas mill which converts the logs fine, but of course it doesn't slab.  Well, I do have the slabbing attachment for it but I do not rate that for professional milling.
 
Anyone got any useful thoughts?

Can't really help with your question, but would be interested in why don't rate the lucas slabber. Is it just the kerf or something else?

[Squaredy]

Thank you Big J that is very interesting.  What model Trak Met is that?  And how would you rate it?

 

And yes I agree in principle with you about wide slabs, but there are species of course that are more stable and work well as a wide slab.  On the occasions I have used my slabbing attachment for my Lucas Mill to produce slabs of 1.2m or so I find customers almost fight over them, and I usuaully end up selling them unseasoned for a good price.

[Squaredy]

And in response re the Lucas Mill slabber, my problem with it is firstly speed, secondly exhaustive effort of pushing for anything more than a few minutes, maintaining the sharpness of the chain (and of course fettling the bar), time it takes to swap over from the blade and back again and lastly kerf.

 

It has its place I know but I currently have maybe 18 or 20 logs in my yard of 1m diameter or more which need milling as slabs....the thought of slabbing these with the Lucas Mill makes me feel old!