used Timbery M100

[A.O.]

So I have plans this week to go look at a used Timbery M100. Its in running order and the guy has a stack of logs to cut so I'm going to go play for a couple hours. He also has a larger mill he said we could run too.
 I'm excited to go play sawmill, never even touched one before.
 I'm thinking I've narrowed things down to this used one or a new Woodland mills HM126.. depends what kind of deal I can get on this used one..

Used ones at my price point are pretty much non-existent!

Wish me luck!

[Ox]

Good luck and you're doing the right thing.  Hands on is priceless experience.

You might just make a new friend and the price will come down.

[starmac]

Hope it works out good for you. I do not know anything about the timbery mill, but any decent band mill properly set up will all cut fine lumber, some are just more refined and robust.
Some are also much easier on the sawyer, BUT they all are capable of turning out the same product, for the most part.

[A.O.]

Hope it works out good for you. I do not know anything about the timbery mill, but any decent band mill properly set up will all cut fine lumber, some are just more refined and robust.
Some are also much easier on the sawyer, BUT they all are capable of turning out the same product, for the most part.

Again , I'm really leaning towards a Woodland mills HM126... But open to options if this turns out ok.

[A.O.]

And maybe I'm overthinking this, or maybe not. One of the things on the Woodland mills mill I like is the way the  "carriage" is set up, the cross pieces the logs sit on are like 3 1/2" taller than the tracks that the saw rides on, allowing the use of forks to load or unload a log. The Timbery has almost no clearance there.. at least on their site pictures.. I'll check closely when I see it. Seems to me this would be a great feature, yes?

[Ox]

That is a nice feature, yes.  My bunks are the same, practically, but I still need to tilt the forks to let the log roll off and onto the mill (don't forget to put up backstops!).  Even though in theory one should be able to simply lower the forks leaving the log on the bunks and gently slide out perfectly, this seldom works out in the real world.  If you had a perfectly flat concrete floor big enough for the mill and machine with forks to both sit on keeping them both at the same perfect level, this might work like it should.  In the real world ground irregularities prevent this from happening.  At least on my property it does.  There isn't a level place to be found, not even under the house.  Maybe way down south or out in the desert this would work better.

[A.O.]

That is a nice feature, yes.  My bunks are the same, practically, but I still need to tilt the forks to let the log roll off and onto the mill (don't forget to put up backstops!).  Even though in theory one should be able to simply lower the forks leaving the log on the bunks and gently slide out perfectly, this seldom works out in the real world.  If you had a perfectly flat concrete floor big enough for the mill and machine with forks to both sit on keeping them both at the same perfect level, this might work like it should.  In the real world ground irregularities prevent this from happening.  At least on my property it does.  There isn't a level place to be found, not even under the house.  Maybe way down south or out in the desert this would work better.

I have a lot of flat land, but level it is not! I have my barn/shop/garage (30x40metal building) sitting in a clearing with maybe 1 1/4- 1/2 acre open space adjoining it I'm going to use for the mill, drying platforms, etc. Will probably try to level out an area where I put the mill.

At first I'll just be setting the logs up there with a grapple, that and a bucket is what I have now till I can get forks.

[Ox]

I'd use the grapple for moving logs and forks for moving stacks of lumber if you need to move said lumber stacks.  But if I had to choose just one it would be forks because they can be used for all things with milling.  Of course, I don't know if I'd want to keep changing implements all the time either, so probably forks would rule the day.

If you have mostly flat land, it wouldn't be too hard to grade out a flat spot so that forks work great on your mill.

[A.O.]

I'd use the grapple for moving logs and forks for moving stacks of lumber if you need to move said lumber stacks.  But if I had to choose just one it would be forks because they can be used for all things with milling.  Of course, I don't know if I'd want to keep changing implements all the time either, so probably forks would rule the day.

If you have mostly flat land, it wouldn't be too hard to grade out a flat spot so that forks work great on your mill.

It only takes me all of about 2-3 minutes to change from bucket to grapple and to forks if I were to get them. They make forks that I can attach to my bucket good for about 1500 pounds or so and I might go that way as opposed to 5-700 bucks for dedicated forks.
Yes, the grade by that building is not to bad and all sand so it wouldn't be too hard to do.

[starmac]

I do not like using forks, grapple or anything else to load my mill. It is a simple matter to make a temporary log deck, or a permanent one, which is even better if your mill will be stationary, then just roll the logs on to the mill itself.
It just takes a millisecond to damage a mill with a tractor, fork lift or other equipment.

[HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader]

Agree 100% with Starmac on loading deck. Of course, we built the hyd self loader on our WM design build. Of course, it all depends on the height of your log bunks on the mill. I would have the log bunks at thigh high no matter what mill I was using. You would be amazed the power you have in the upper legs for bumping logs around.

I was designing a portable loading device while on the other forum, and got laughed at, so, I quit. Frank Pender was going to help me market it.

[Cutting Edge Saw Svc.]

I agree 100% also.  Loading logs directly off forks falls into the category of "not if, but when" something is going to get damaged.   

Build a simple log deck (elevated if need be) with a couple arms that fold down, sit in sockets, etc. that will allow you to roll the log onto the mill with total control.  Tried and proven method, plus you can stage multiple logs at one time, which saves wear and tear on the tractor and yourself.

Woodlands, Timbery, Norwood or just about any mill in the "hobby" class isn't going to take much abuse.  Especially the backstops.  Even the most experienced make mistakes.   


Harold, care to start a new thread about this loader you're referring too?  Sounds interesting.   

[HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader]

The portable loader ?

[Ox]

There.  You see how simple and one tracked my mind usually is?  AO started asking about forks and bunk height and that's the only place my mind went.  It never even touched on a log deck or any other method of loading.  I'm glad you other guys are here to pick up where I fail. 

[Cutting Edge Saw Svc.]

The portable loader ?

Yes Sir.

[HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader]

Let me try to activate this feeble old brain, and remember what I had in mind. 

 AO never said if he had a wife or kids, that I remember. If so, things can be handled much differently and easy.  Think skid tongs. 

[A.O.]

Let me try to activate this feeble old brain, and remember what I had in mind. 

 AO never said if he had a wife or kids, that I remember. If so, things can be handled much differently and easy.  Think skid tongs. 

Well I do have a wife and 2 kids, both grown and out on their own, not sure how that effects things... and yes of course I have skidding tongs also... What does this mean??

[drobertson]

I'm piping in, and will add, regardless of the mill, having a log deck, whether its nothing more than two logs or ties, cant timbers you saw on the mill you get, it is as much as a  time management issue as much as it is one that could result in a mill knock off the blocks or even back stop damage.  I know for a fact I would make a couple ramps to roll a few logs up and make the deck right off the bat. If you could make them the same height or just a bit higher that would be the ticket. 

[HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader]

AO, my wife used to help me at the mill here in CR. She is 4' 7" tall. We ran a Peterson and she learned what to watch for and how to help guide things around the mill. 

At the river saw site, in Fl. we used skid tongs hanging from a chain from the bucket of a backhoe to grab logs and set them in a stacked pile right at the loader. I could eventually set the tongs on a log and snatch it off the ground and travel to the stack and set the logs up on the stack and detach the tongs while never leaving the seat, all while my son was servicing the mill and cleaning around it.

 We cut new 6"X8" X 24' long timbers for the pontoon boat on 17' of available track of the mill, and took them down to the boat, all with tongs and chains. I have photos to back this up.

 I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just throwing out different ways to skin a log.

[A.O.]

AO, my wife used to help me at the mill here in CR. She is 4' 7" tall. We ran a Peterson and she learned what to watch for and how to help guide things around the mill. 

At the river saw site, in Fl. we used skid tongs hanging from a chain from the bucket of a backhoe to grab logs and set them in a stacked pile right at the loader. I could eventually set the tongs on a log and snatch it off the ground and travel to the stack and set the logs up on the stack and detach the tongs while never leaving the seat, all while my son was servicing the mill and cleaning around it.

 We cut new 6"X8" X 24' long timbers for the pontoon boat on 17' of available track of the mill, and took them down to the boat, all with tongs and chains. I have photos to back this up.

 I'm not trying to be a smart ass, just throwing out different ways to skin a log.

I a can easily pick up and set down logs with my grapple, no tongs necessary

One of you guys got a pic of your log deck set up?

[bandmiller2]

As the guys have said its poor form to load logs on the mill bed with a machine. A serious miller will have the mill at a handy working height to save his back. If you have a machine to load logs on your mill use it to load a log deck instead. Have removable ramps between the deck and mill so as not to hamper your free movement. A log deck is also a handy place to store boards that need edging. Frank C.

[drobertson]

A.O, I don't have a picture, but they are simple enough to explain, and as Bandmiller said, having the mill bed up at a working height that reduces the bending over sure helps.  It's kind of a give and take proposition, so weigh out this for  your self.   As to your situation, and just getting started, and I'm pretty sure you will have at least a few changes along the way as to mill set up, log handling, lumber handling, slabs and the such. Just to keep it simple, I would suggest to saw out two cants that are even or a shade higher than your mill bed, and like folks said, have some movable ramps two, three foot long you can move once the log is on the mill. Place the cants on the load side of the mill centered up to give you your best position for the logs,  moving them in position once on the bed can be a pain.  Spread these deck cants apart from each other so that you can comfortably lower logs between them with the forks on your equipment. but not so far that they are further apart than the length of the logs.  I'm pretty sure you will have a few changes as you saw through a few logs, 

[A.O.]

 So I did some Google surfing and found a bunch of pictures of peoples log decks. Makes sense to have a little staging area for the logs. Thanks, and this is why I came here... looking for advice and ideas.. thanks.

[starmac]

AO, even when I saw offsite, the very first thing I do is stage a couple of logs for a log deck. My loader is hydraulic and has a loader, so it is a simple matter to stage two logs wide enough I can get the forklift between them, but narrow enough that I can still stage 8 footers on.
It just makes things so much easier when you can stage several logs at a time.

Now it will be different matter if a guy is sawing some of the knarly stuff I see pictures of guys sawing.

[A.O.]

So the plan is, he is going to bring this thing over here, his tractor has died (red flag) and he has no way to put a log on it. He says he as it on a old boat trailer so he can bring it over and we can cut up a couple of my logs here...  Probably Monday..

Hmmmmmmmmm