Baby mill reccomendations??

[Stevem]

I'd opt for longer forks just for the reach.  With the shorter forks you have to get closer to what ever you want to lift and sometimes you just can't or don't want do that.  As to wider most have adjustable width capability.

[A.O.]

I'd opt for longer forks just for the reach.  With the shorter forks you have to get closer to what ever you want to lift and sometimes you just can't or don't want do that.  As to wider most have adjustable width capability.

Thanks, A couple people have told me the same thing. Wasn't even thinking about reach, but that makes perfect sense!

[furu]

I can think of no downside to the longer forks except maybe maneuverability.   
Not having the extra length can be something that you wished you had many times. 
Money diferential does not seem that much, at least when I have priced the difference as I am in the market as well.

[drobertson]

I would get the 4' forks if I had to do again,  I made my stickers 42 inches long, which made the lumber stacks 42" wide.  I'm not sure what the standard is, I do know the reason for my 42" number was so that my bundles would fit into a dip tank at the flooring mill I sold to. And later found that 42" works on loading semi's too. Other folks may have some better input and ideas for you.

[starmac]

48 inch pallets work well on semis, they need to be touching in the middle and on 99% of the trailers anymore that leaves you three inches of trailer on each side, flush with the rest.

[A.O.]

Again, Remember this is just a personal use endeavor. Cannot imagine having to load or unload any semis.(other than when my mill shows up!) Mostly moving drying decks around in the yard depending on what I'm cutting. And maybe eventually loading and unloading a solar drying shed or something.
My only fear is getting forks to big for my 37hp Kubota.. not sure how much weight difference there is, but I know leverage can work against me if stuff is too far out there.

[starmac]

The weight thing is real, some folks leave their bucket on and just hang forks on the front of them, and I have run big commercial cat loaders that would not handle as much as a farm tractor like that.

Another thing is the longer they are, the more they move side  to side, too far out there on a loader, which is already out there it can sometimes be a pain trying to work in a tight place, every little movement of the wheel is multiplied considerably.

[A.O.]

The weight thing is real, some folks leave their bucket on and just hang forks on the front of them, and I have run big commercial cat loaders that would not handle as much as a farm tractor like that.

Another thing is the longer they are, the more they move side  to side, too far out there on a loader, which is already out there it can sometimes be a pain trying to work in a tight place, every little movement of the wheel is multiplied considerably.

I'm not looking to get those forks that go on the loader bucket, just the quick change ones that go on instead of the bucket, or grapple.

[drobertson]

I'll add one more thought to ponder, and it's basically a simple one, from a stacking stand point. stacking 4' wider or the 42" wide whatever is just easier for me from one side of the stack.  Its' a manageable stack, it has a good solid foot print for going up,  and its pretty much an industry standard, (for some reason or other), so for these reasons alone I stuck with it. I had a customer that liked going wider, I always told myself it just made him feel like he had more lumber, I really never asked him, I like the part that it makes great weight when you do have to go up, in aiding in weighting down the lower stack.  Stacking heights in regards to layers is another question. How many layers before beginning a new stack?  A lot of this has to do with the lift capacity of what's going to be lifting the load. Just a little figuring of the weight per bdft will help in deciding this.

[A.O.]

Makes sense, I'm thinking of trying some different sized stacks Maybe 3-4 feet wide and see what works for me. I'm even thinking a narrower stack may dry quicker given the same height of stack. All boards would be closer to the outside of the stack, yes.. or just overthinking again?   

[drobertson]

yea it seems like that would put more air to more boards.  Just not sure on how high you would want to go, three feet was as narrow as I would go for stacking, and this was stack of 12" wide stock I did however do some single stacks of wider stock wide stuff, I mean wide stuff like 15" to over 20" stuff,, and this was mainly due to not having that many, and wanting to keep weight on them, so I just stacked them up. ended up moving again and again, so this lends itself to that double handling crap that I just really am not a fan. The 42" width stack just worked well for me, it was stable, it worked out well for most all rough sawn width dimensions, in that tallying was made easier, (for me) ect. it really don't matter, just what works for you.

[A.O.]

Yep, and I'm sure I'll go back and forth a bit till I figure stuff out.

[A.O.]

So I took a 2 hour each way drive today and got a set of 4' forks... I "think" I am ready for my saw delivery day after tomorrow!





Now I just have to learn to use them smoothly! ;-)

[drobertson]

Man them there are some kind of sweet!  how much, and where did you have to go for two hours of driving?

[A.O.]

Man them there are some kind of sweet!  how much, and where did you have to go for two hours of driving?

Hold your hat! $500 cash!! ouch... Brand new..

About an hour north of Charlotte, Lexington NC Not too bad a drive.. took the scenic rout home, 85 going into Charlotte was a parking lot.. major construction and rain,

EDIT TO ADD: I guess really not that expensive for what they are.. just for how my wallet is!

[drobertson]

Price is good I reckon, there use to be  a tractor place in Florence, my dad and uncle use to go get all kinds of this and thats at a good price, not sure the name, they carry bout everything known to farming and such just for the future record, it'd be a fair piece easier than going to Charlotte,  either way you are way ahead of the game now, looking right fit in there,

[A.O.]

Price is good I reckon, there use to be  a tractor place in Florence, my dad and uncle use to go get all kinds of this and thats at a good price, not sure the name, they carry bout everything known to farming and such just for the future record, it'd be a fair piece easier than going to Charlotte,  either way you are way ahead of the game now, looking right fit in there,

Agri supply is of what you speak in Florence. I go there on occasion.  And yes. lots of tractor and farming stuff, not too much on the Skid Steer type stuff which this is. Kinda like Harbor Freight, you really need to pay attention to what you are buying. They have good stuff, and not so good stuff.

And yes, I'm bout set for this new adventure.... and that's good, cause I've spent all my money, and then some!

[drobertson]

Ten four, that's it, could not remember, Dad, and Uncle Pat use to go, mainly for the (bro) time I think, brother in laws getting away for the day!  man I can hardly wait to see you getting in the dust,,

[starmac]

You are probably as prepared to have your first mill as anybody I ever knew of.
Makes me laugh, thinking about the day I finally brought mine home. I backed it in the truck shop to service it, well finished that so decided to unhook it and learn the easiest way to set it up , well once I had it set up, I'm thinking I should at least saw something, so now I find an old piece of 4x4 dunnage and saw it up. My friend and neighbor was here drooling, so then we went and consfiscated a couple of small firewood logs.

The biggest thing I learned, was this was not rocket science, and never saw in your shop, it takes forever to get all the sawdust out.

[A.O.]

You are probably as prepared to have your first mill as anybody I ever knew of.
Makes me laugh, thinking about the day I finally brought mine home. I backed it in the truck shop to service it, well finished that so decided to unhook it and learn the easiest way to set it up , well once I had it set up, I'm thinking I should at least saw something, so now I find an old piece of 4x4 dunnage and saw it up. My friend and neighbor was here drooling, so then we went and consfiscated a couple of small firewood logs.

The biggest thing I learned, was this was not rocket science, and never saw in your shop, it takes forever to get all the sawdust out.

"You are probably as prepared to have your first mill as anybody I ever knew of." THATS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WAITING SO DAMN LONG!!   

Got a big dust collector in my shop.. but no room.

I understand cutting up whatever you could find just to try it out.

SO.. what was your first mill?

[starmac]

It was, is a LT40 hydraulic.

It is an older one with the 24 horse onan, but it does very well. In 96 they did some upgrades tat would be nice, but at the end of the day their would not be a lot of difference in what I could do, and none as far as quality, s I will stick with my old one.

If I was 10 years or so younger, I would probably upgrade, and maybe try making a mill pay, as it is I do not run commercially, and doubt I will.

[furu]

Yes I have to agree you are definitely ready and waiting.  Can't wait to hear from you on Thursday when it arrives.

[A.O.]

If I was 10 years or so younger, I would probably upgrade, and maybe try making a mill pay, as it is I do not run commercially, and doubt I will.

But I thought you were working on a 3 year contract to do some cutting with it... is that not running it commercially??

[A.O.]

Yes I have to agree you are definitely ready and waiting.  Can't wait to hear from you on Thursday when it arrives.

Cant wait to hear from me on Thursday either!

[starmac]

But I thought you were working on a 3 year contract to do some cutting with it... is that not running it commercially??

Yes it is I guess, but the mill is not the contract either, The contract is the timber cutting, and the mill is just to help out with cutting some large dunnage for the camp units we have to set up and some bridge decking. I had mis understood too, we will just use it the first year. My truck has stay there the whole three years, but I have since  found out that there is a way I can bring the mill back after the first season, I didn't know that was going to be possible.

Also while it is commercial it isn't in a way too, and I have now made a deal where no money will change hands for it's use, but it actually pays me too, if that makes sense.
The mill will probably work less than 2 or 3 weeks out of the 8 month gig, nothing I would buy a new mill over.
Also my mill has the full hydraulics, the only real difference in it and a new one, is some improvements on the toeboards  and the log clamp, it is pretty much as easy to use, just not quite as fast as a new one , especially a super 40 or bigger.  mine has no setworks either, I don't need or really want them for what I do, but If I was making lumber everyday for the public I would want them.