The Perfect Mill advice please

[Stephen Blair]

Hi guys, I am buying a mill and want 1 that can handle anything I give it.

I know wood mizers are mobile but I want to be sheltered as it will be wet weather days that it will be getting used, do they come with shelters?

Can I get a pto version that will go behind the valmet ? That way I can crane load it.

 

These are all ideas BUT I am aware of the impracticalities of some things in real life compared to in my head.

 

What's the best set up, the budget is open on this, so best idea and reason why will win:thumbup1:

 

( within reason ish!)

[Chris Sheppard]

I've not seen a mobile mill with a shelter before other than if you had a shed in the yard to work in. To be honest, I think you'd probably find a shelter would end up getting in the way for loading as most mills seem to require you to walk in with the head.

 

I found a good set of waterproofs and about 5 or 6 pairs of gloves usually got through even a typical cumbrian rainy day.

 

to be able to handle any diameter, I reckon you'd be into Lucas/peterson type mills, though these are limited a bit on slabbing wide boards compared to a bandmill.

 

We managed to get some pretty big butts (can't remember exactly as was a while ago but were bigger than it should have been)through a woodmizer by taking a slab off each side first to narrow it down - if it was way too big then alaskan it into more manageable bits?

 

I always fancied a lucas/peterson type of machine but having spent more time on bandmills (Lumbermate 2000, woodmizer and a couple of static Forestors) I think I'd be more inclined to go bandmill and an alaskan.

 

I've not seen a PTO mill other than the old forestors but surely there'd be no reason you couldn't tow a woodmizer or similar onto site behind it anyway - they both run on red anyway and reckon a sawmill engine might use less than the valmet over a day anyway.

 

I'd have said to get the most out of the crane, you'd have been better off placing the tractor next to the mill rather than in front of it anyway.

 

Go and have a day with Stan - he's very patient

[liamjordan]

you looking at buying new or old? by what you said about handeling anything a big old stenner or forester is what you want, but having said that we push some fair size stuff through our norwood, probably bigger than recomended.

 

I guy i know has a mobile pezzolato mill and its brilliant, im not sure on the model, will take some fair size stuff, and he found it cheaper to buy the eletctirc version and then buy a second hand pto driven generater that he ran off his mog, so that could be somthing to think about

[twmarriott]

if cash was no issue and i could have anything, i'd have a big traveling horizontal such as a tom sawyer, you put the log down and the carrage with the blade runs through on tracks, great bit of kit, nice wide band 3-4 inch borrowed one in warks a couple of times. not that many about never seen another though and very expensive when put in too.

[kernowstu]

the laimet saw mill is the only mill i know that comes with a purpose built canopy,and is pto but on a blade not band. but have seen others in curtain sider lorry backs.if you went down the line of mobile mill only one in my mind is the trekkasaws

[twmarriott]

trekka saw is a good idea but we had loads of trouble with the blades, basically if you work them in hardwood, the pulleys are too small for the blades and they crack up in the gullet. i would have tried a stellite one but not at the price they were.

if they could be made to work (maybe we just had some bad blades?) i would not hesitate to buy one.

[taz]

Mobile saw mill | eBay

[tomtrees]

If money is no object have a look at this. Can take some really big stuff.

 

 

LOGLOGIC // Product Range // Autotrek Mobile Sawmill System

 

 

Other wise swing mills can take big stuff. I got a the peterson I have no problem with the mill apart from the chains breaking dont get the ATS.

[tommer9]

TBH steve I wouldnt touch a woodmizer with a bargepole nowadays. The Hudson range and the norwood range are superb mills, far more capable and cheaper than a mizer. Mizer just cornered the market in the uK for years. They have big issues with accuracy though, due to the beds bending, especially when you get the longer ones. They are also not that capable when it comes to larger logs unless you spen uber money on big model.

The trekasaws are superb too, but as for cover, you need to either house it in a barn, with plenty of airflow, or a lean too on a shed/ monopitch roofed shed with an opening the length of the bed so you can load the mill.

Or man up......:lol:

[scraggs]

I am looking for the perfect sawmill and have come to the conclusion there isn't one

lucas and peterson are a great idea because you can build them up around the log if access is tricky but as I have just found out petersons slabbing unit is not CE approved I am not sure about the lucas, peterson do the dedicated slabber but it's aother £11k on the price of the swingmill, the other thing with both slabber attachments is kerf and speaking to someone today who has used one they are slower than an alaskan, plus side is speed of being able to cut constructional size timber also the ability to add to the track length is handy.

So bandsaws, the only one that appears to be mobile is the trekkasaw but there isn't a lot of info out there on how easy they are to move and set up, I am now looking at a woodmizer LT40 but it only has a 28" cutting width so not really what I am looking for.

i'm at a bit of a loss with it at the minute, the trekkasaw is looking the best but appears to have limited track length and also the issue that twmarriott said, If I had time I would consider making one that fits all the requirements I need but of course that won't be CE approved so limited to use, and besides I have way too many other projects on the go at the moment.