What if I bought a band mill that fit in the Lucas frame?
Linn Lumber
http://www.linnlumber.com/ is about 50 miles from me and a couple of years ago I talked with the owner about adapting one of his saws to fit my framework. "He was a little reluctant, like, why don't I sell you the parts and you do it?" but I'm not that good of a welder. I think he'd do it.
http://www.linnlumber.com/page11.htmlThe band mill would have at least 32" cut capability (his standard "big saw") and I might be able to get it wider with bigger band wheels. I'd have to use the Lucas trolly wheels on the aluminum rails
Advantages I see would be resaw capability, ability to cut wider boards, ability to cut slabs with less kerf loss (up to 32"), and better utilization of smaller logs. (I just spent 2 days cutting two 10" x 10" x 15' and two 14" x 14" timbers that should have taken maybe 3 hours on an LT 40. (lots of time overcoming a bad set up).
I'd center the band in the frame and have the blade at the same level as the Lucas blade rides so clearances wouldn't be a problem. Problems I see are physically mounting the saw into the framework unless I use a wheel system like the Lucas since I generally work by myself and those damn wheels are a lot of money for something that doesn't really so any sawing. And the weight might be more because any frame would be steel instead of the aluminum used by Lucas, but the motor would be lighter. maybe break even.
Any thoughts oh gurus?
Speaking of Lucas, Baileys lost the dealership for Lucas. It's been moved further inland with a start up company maned with former Baileys employees that in part is owned by Lucas. Lucas says (Warren Lucas) in part they did it to reduce the selling price of the mills to "factory outlet prices" or some such. One of the guys at
Left Coast Supplies, the new dealer, actually got sales credit for my mill when I bought it. E-mailed Sam Bailey and he told me they had 10 days e-mail notice of the change and were blind sided by it. Sounds a little like "knife in the back" business but obviously I don't know the whole story and don't have a lot of choice as long as I own a Lucas. Checking the Baileys site looks like they are starting to sell Hud-son products so maybe they will pick up there band mills. We'll see.
