OliB

Having looked into a few mills recently, one of the companies who looked interesting were the one you suggested looking at, trak-met in Poland. Mills look great and their basic mill is €3500 plus €650 to increase cutting head to 1200mm. Only reason I didn't buy from them is a massive issue for me, their mills are 3phase electric only, and I don't have that. But if you do they could be a bargain.

Another thing to consider is getting certified to grade timber. I am currently looking at this. In England its a different system for hard and soft wood. Softwood grading costs over £1200 from quotes I've had, but hardwood between £500 and £800. All hardwood with moisture content over 20% or any dimensions over 2" or 4" (cant remember which off top of my head) is graded as green. But if you offset the cost if this against being able to grade timber for your own use and what you can sell on it's worth it. I've downloaded the trada handbook on grading hardwood, and it's nothing that someone used to milling, or working with timber would find difficult.

Well, having spoken to Matt the timberking dealer in the U.K., it sounds like the 1600, for the money, can't do what the the 2000 or Lt 40 can do, in terms of log handling. I think my main options are 2000 or Lt 40, and the 2000 is currently beyond my price range. Woodmizer have made me a great offer on the Lt 40, so I think I'm going to place the order. They can also deliver in 8 weeks rather than timberkings 12 weeks, and much of the funding for the mill is coming from the budget for building a new house, which needs timber sooner rather than later. I'm not realistically going to scrape together the extra £7000 to make the step up from Lt 40 to 2000, so considering my first budget was for a Norwood mill I think I'm going to be very happy with the lt40, so long as i take care with setup. Woodmizer have thousands of happy customers, so even if the cantilever head isn't to everyone's satisfaction, I hope it will be to mine. Thanks again for all the input!

I'm going thru something similar at present, except where building regs specify 6x2 I'm using round log 8" top dia plus with one side flattened to fir roof board too, and notched to same thickness where it sits on wall plate. Building inspector has been notified, but yet to comment. At many times the mass, and only using clean logs without evidence of any structural defects I have my fingers and toes crossed that we will get the green light.

Thank you all for very informative and interesting debate. A few people express dissatisfaction with woodmizers cantilever head, especially on older models. But others seem to find it cuts very well with good setup and manitenance. Perhaps the issue is that it's difficult to get a proper set up, but sticklers for perfection do well. In the mean time I spoke to a guy in Alabama, with a fantastic Alabama trawl, last night selling a Logmaster LM-4 with 52hp CAT diesel head. at $42500 dollars with all attachments including a debarker and 6foot by 3 foot blade sharpener its sounds fantastic, and only 50 hrs on it, basically new, but a bit too much of a stretch for me, as the comparison is a new Woodmizer at £24k including all hydraulics and trailer and shingle/lapsider. Other option is a new Timberking 1600 at £22k plus extra for lapsider. Sadly lacking setworks, but otherwise comparable to a woodmizer.

By no means am i ruling out a used lm4,just commenting that 50hp CAT should set me well up. My only concern is that Ed might not find me a used one within the next few weeks, and having passed up on the woodmizer offer I have no mill for the jobs that I need to do asap. If I could definitely source a used but nearly new lm2 or lm4 I would jump right on it at those prices. Seems very similar to timberking. Under these circumstances other options as I see them would be TK 1600, WMlt40 or lt20. I honestly have no idea which direction to go.many have commented that woodmizer are overpriced, but with the good offer I have that is not the case. Their customer support is pretty obviously excellent so the only niggle would be claims that it doesn't same produce straight lumber, which Woodmizer clearly refute. But for the money is a timberking 1600 the equal to a lt40? I cant make the £8K difference between lt40 offer I have and a timberking 2000.

Just spoke to Ed, couldn't get Herman. Logmaster are focusing on the LM1, but may recommence LM2's next year! Ed says LM2's don't come up often, but may be able to find me a LM4 within the next 4 weeks, which has a 51hp Cat diesel sawhead! Bit more than I need!

As per other threads, Yes! But would be looking for for mobile and hydraulic options.

A newer used mill is an option, but every advert I contact has been sold!

Thanks, I've emailed Logmaster, and discovered from my email account that I have set them an email months ago when looking into mills back then, but no response from the email listed on their website. Do have an alternative address I've had quotes from TimbkerKing for 1600 and 2000 which look similar, except more hp in the head and a few extra hydraulics on the 1600, and no setworks on 1600. The 2000 is considerably more expensive than the Woodmizer Lt40 i've been quote for, but the 1600 a little cheaper. I've emailed the polish company Big J suggested, Trak-Met, who respond very quickly and in perfect English, bust sadly even their mobile mills are 3-phase, which I don't have access to. The mills look awesome! I've also found a used 1996 Woodmizer 5 hours away, but looks like a bag of nails, and at over £10k possibly not worth it. Don't need another machine that spends more time broken than working, and needs oiling every use. Hudson look good, but don't have a CE approved mobile mill with hydraulics, and without being mobile or hydraulic the only benefit of a bandsaw over my Logosol M8 and alsakan mill combo is speed of each cut, and kerf. The guy at TimkerKing UK has been very helpful, but for what I can stretch to, the 1600,I may be better off with a Lt40 with setworks, full hydraulics and the lapsider for the same price. He said that if woodmizer are prepared to offer such a good discount they must be desperate for a sale, which makes me think I may be better off with a woodmizer? Have to make a deposit of 20% this week to access the Woodmizer offer if I'm going down that road. I've been talking to them for nearly a year now, so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and make a decision very soon. Looks like my main options are Timberking 1600 or Woodmizer Lt40. Both the same price, but Woodmizer has more hydraulics, setworks and would include a lapsider and shingle maker, which I need. Main advantage of the TK 1600 over WM LT40 is the log loader can handle a heavier log. Unless Logmaster are contactable, their mills look awesome, and at £21k for a new one imported, and less for a used one, sounds like best value. I'm not going to have the opportunity to invest this much in a mill again, since I'm building a new house, and by milling much of the timber I can save between £12k and £15k, which goes along way towards paying for it. I just want to make the right decision, and Woodmizer seem to have a very hardcore following, but equal measures of critics.

A few weeks ago I was very close to ordering a Norwood HD36, but in another thread comments suggested a woodmizer might be more substantial for the money once fully hydraulic. Last week I was very close to ordering a woodmizer, just hanging on to sort out the cash for it, and was offered an 11% discount if I order by this week coming. Now I have discovered this discussion, and both timberking and logmaster seem to blow woodmizer out of the water. I realise this is an old thread, but if it's possible to import a logmaster for £21k, that's hands down cheaper than woodmizer, even after the discount. The timberking and logmaster look fairly similar, but price wise the logmaster seems much cheaper, and from this discussion may run on a lot less fuel. Anyway, anything is going to be quicker and easier than my Logosol M8 Alaskan combo, so I probably won't look back either way.

Thanks ShooTa. Mortimer Firewood, thanks also. You can't be based far from me?

I'm not sure that even still qualifies as oversize. Almost needs a new category all to itself!

Kimtree, a friend of mine just grinds his own blades 3 times on a grinder then gets new ones from a local company at £12 a pop. He argues that by the time you have spent mega bucks on a sharpener/tooth setter, or loads getting them sharpened with someone else, that it works out financially the same but with less hassle. £1000 buys a lot of £12 blades! I'm probably going with Woodmizer after much internal debate, and think I can justify the cost. I will try what my friend suggests, and hang on to the used blades. If I end up needing to buy a sharpener, I'll then have plenty of blades to sharpen for the future! Anyone else tried this?

Where abouts is it?

Does anyone know of or have for sale Western Red Cedar in Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire or Mid Wales? Min 10" top dia, preferably 20"-25" top dia. Various lengths required. Either 25 or 50 tonne needed. Douglas would be a (not very) close second. Cheers, Oli

Thanks Big J. Yes I intend to use the mill mobile sometimes, but also around the farm it's easier to be able to move the mill between log piles. So mostly onsite. As discussed in this thread, a very important consideration is support and spares. Woodmizer seem to offer good support, and I've been assured most spares would be available on a next day basis. I have emailed a few manufacturers in America, and only had 1 email in response, which wasn't very helpful. However some pretty amazing looking mills, but if I cant get a response to sales emails, that's not very helpful, and may indicate terrible likelihood of getting spares. Does anyone else have a good relationship with a company in america/europe? I haven't tried contacting European manufactures. However as per comments to follow, I have a good/maybe great offer from Woodmizer pending a deposit paid by Friday. Apologies if I'm hijacking this thread, but hope it is relevant, as I was about to buy the Norwood when I started commenting, and maybe going through the same thought process. I've had an offer from Woodmzer. Apparently there is roughly 11% (depending on what attachments are purchased) off Woodmizer LT's 15, 20, 40 ad 70 ending Friday. Open to all if they pay a deposit by Friday. Not sure why I wasn't made aware of this during previous communications, or why I can't find details of this on the UK website. But if anyone is able to find a deposit by Friday there is an 11% deposit available, pending an 8 week lead time. This puts the relatively more substantial alternatives to Norwood HD36 at a lower price point. Ive been quoted for the Lt20 at £18881 +VAt and the Lt40 at £24164 +VAT. Both mills are mobile with hydraulic options including log loader, log turner, log clamping system, 2 roller toe boards, setworks and 10 blades. Thank you very much to Big J for the comments. If I make a deposit by Friday I can access a pretty good discount with Woodmizer. I'm going to hold off for as long as I can, but right now I'm leaning towards the woodmizer offer. Oli

Anyone have any experience with Norwood customer services and parts?

Are you using an auxiliary oiler? It's recommended/essential for longer bars, and 50" certainly fits the bill! by the time you are getting to the end of each cut at that width in oak your chain is probably dull and hot. An auxiliary oiler would help, and so might a break half way thru?

Should have added that the hd36 at just over £18k wouldn't include a trailer, and only has one roller toe board, but the quoted woodmizers would be mobile and have 2 toe boards. So if you add a trailer that's another £1580, and another toe board for £910 making the HD36 more expensive than a Lt20 at about £20640. But I really like norwood's policy of being able to start basic and build up. £7k for a pretty nice looking mill that you can add to when budget allows is a winner. The basic manual versions of woodmizer mills include setworks and a power feed/sawhead, so the static lt20 comes in at £12800 from memory, and the lt40 just under £20k. So it looks like norwood mills cost less, but the hydraulics cost more. and from what Big J and Wills-mills say if you want full hyrdraulic options wm may be better. From other comments it seems if you want a manual mill and don't regularly mill large stuff/hardwood the HD36 would be fantastic.

Input from Big J may have changed my mind. I've been looking at Logosol's spring campaign, selling the HD36 for just over £7k, with "complete hydraulic package" for £4570, total £11690 plus VAT. Too good to be true? Yes, apparently the wording and picture in the advert (still live on website) are wrong, and the total for the spec advertised is over £18k. Same attachments with a woodmizer lt20 only a touch more expensive, about £19.5K, and a sturdier looking machine. The Lt40 is £25K, which is a bit more expesive again, but by all accounts a workhorse. My options are probably fully manual HD36, or fully hydraulic Lt20, maybe even the lt40. Kind of in limbo. The lt40 might even produce more timber than I can sell, giving me a little extra time to turn timber into more profitable items? Wills-mill, are you speaking from experience that prolonged milling of 3 foot oak may be too much to ask of the HD36? As 2-3 foot oak will probably be my preference. However, you would definitely need the hydraulics to regularly handle logs that size, and it may simply not be worth the investment, pointing to woodmizer again? Or is it a bit of the emperors new clothes? A woodmizer rep told me that while the HD36 looks very similar to the Lt40, the "quality is compromised". Is it really? or is there a bit of a unjustified prejudice in favour of woodmizer?

Where?

Just about to place an order for one. Would equally like to have warts and all input.

If you could get it out at over 7m I'd be interested depending on distance? I'm in Shropshire.