forestor sawmills

[jamesd]

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience of using a forestor pto driven band saw?

Unfortunately i don't know the exact model of the one i've seen for sale. Its got the long benches either side of the blade as well.

[kernowstu]

Guessing it is a forestor 900 rack bench,sure that George Herridge Kings Worthy way had one,don't know if he is still there but I'am sure his boy is in the tree game.

[jamesd]

Guessing it is a forestor 900 rack bench,sure that George Herridge Kings Worthy way had one,don't know if he is still there but I'am sure his boy is in the tree game.

 

cheers, i don't know a george herridge unfortunately. Is that kings worthy near winchester?

[kernowstu]

Yes mate,also you could try Andrew Thorne (Prospect Fencing) in Alresford sure he could point you in the right direction.

[jamesd]

Yes mate,also you could try Andrew Thorne (Prospect Fencing) in Alresford sure he could point you in the right direction.

 

ok cheers might try and get in touch with him. I don't suppose you know of one still being used anywhere? They must be quite old machines now...

[The avantgardener]

I have worked two types of Forestor machine ( vertical/horizontal band) both great machines, old and still running.

The vertical is static and situated in Bolton, Lancashire, the other is mobile and owned by Nick Hilton, Woodwise Forestry, Heathfield, East Sussex.

[Graham w]

i have a 900 without the benches so put it with a stenner bench, its a good solid saw excellent for pointing posts and cutting shingles. make sure there is good sawdust extraction to keep the sawdust away from the blades and if its pto mounted remember not to lift it too high because it will hit the tractors cab lol

 

they come with four inch blades that means you will get a very good cut, i would not touch anything less

[jamesd]

Thanks for the info! Seems like they are good saws then. Its a shame none of you are closer would have liked to see one up an running. The one i'm interested in hasn't been used for probably 2/3 years so its bit rusty!

[wills-mill]

There shouldn't be too many issues with the sawhead, but you will need someone to get the bands tidy and up to scratch. The newer Forestor machines are imported machines (made by Pilous in ? ) so there is a cut off point between knowledge and spares between old UK machines and the newer ones. I think all the 900 vertical saws were UK made, and the 150 models as well.

 

West Tec are pretty switched on with them for any technical issues.

 

Westtec Forestry

 

and this page

 

http://www.westtec.co.uk/Forestor.htm

Edited May 13, 2016 by wills-mill
adding page

[Wendelspanswick]

I used to help run a Forestor Tom Sawyer horizontal bandsaw and after a disastrous event when the idiot who ran the saw decided a pair of Mole grips* made a good replacement battery clamp I made several trips to the factory in Andover to collect replacement parts.

 

*He overtightened the battery clamp and snapped it so rather than admitting what he'd done and getting a replacement he bodged it with a pair of Mole grips, it stayed like this for months until one night as he sheeted the saw over he dislodged the Mole grips which shorted out the battery.

We came in the next morning to find the saw a charred smoking wreck, a £30000 saw ruined for the sake of a £2 battery clamp.