c/l ad Mobile dimension-real close!

[woody]

I found a MD saw very close to me on c/l. From what I've read here it's priced high. I'm new here and have only posted in the welcome area and spoke about wanting to build a band mill. I've realized that I'll want it all hydraulic as I'm getting too old to flip logs around, push the saw head and pull boards off and will likely be working alone. The hydraulic log "handeling" part will be the difficult and expensive part of a build, but I have plenty of machine's to get the log to and on the mill. I remember seeing the Mobile Dimension saw many years ago as a kid in Popular Mechanics magazine and have looked at their web site on and off over the years.
I really just realized that the way they cut, there is no log rolling, pushing the saw, edging or dragging lumber of the mill and you pulling a finished board off the mill with almost every "stroke". The inserted tooth blades make a lot of sense to me as well along with a good review (from what I've read here) of the company and parts pricing & availability. I've got some questions for you MD users & fans.
First here's the saw..  https://maine.craigslist.org/hvo/d/mobile-dimensions-1992/6595181966.html
Priced too high?
Any "flags" from the ad/pics?
What's the smallest practical log you could cut a 6x6 post out of?
I called a friend that's putting together a circle mill to tell him about it (we've both seen it behind a guy's shed) and if that is the saw it's part of an estate and his wife may be getting bad advice about the price. I have not contacted them, y'all are my first stop and we're not sure if this is the mill advertised. Thanks in advance.

[woody]

One more thing, I don't have any big timber on my place, the last owner made sure of that. The biggest wood I'd be cutting is 12-14" although bigger logs from local loggers would not be hard to come by to purchase.

[Savannahdan]

There are a couple listed on Sawmill Exchange which aren't priced much lower and look a lot rougher than the one you're looking at.  That being said I don't know what they have been selling for.  I had a Lucas 10-20 and it wasn't a lot lower in price.  I know what you mean when you talk about not wanting to get into too much log moving.  I just did some CSM work and it was work.  I got into a red oak that is wider than my current CSM mill setup.  Guess I'll have to put a larger bar on the saw. 

[drobertson]

I'm not really up on these, but the one listed and shown looks really nice, no idea on the price,

[woody]

I just went to look at it. 10 minute drive!
The owner has passed and the son is selling it for his Mom. Seem's to be confident in his $20k price
It looks well cared for, the oil was full & clean. I'm thinking $10k for a 1992 model 128 maybe pushing to $15 because I'm not driving hundreds or thousands of mile to have a look, possibly coming back empty handed.

[furu]

I just went to look at it. 10 minute drive!
The owner has passed and the son is selling it for his Mom. Seem's to be confident in his $20k price
It looks well cared for, the oil was full & clean. I'm thinking $10k for a 1992 model 128 maybe pushing to $15 because I'm not driving hundreds or thousands of mile to have a look, possibly coming back empty handed.

Sounds like you have a good plan of attack.  I have nothing to offer on pricing for that mill so can't  help with a comment with any value.

[Ox]

That thing looks like new.  I'd love to be around one sawmilling one day just to compare it to what I know about full hydraulic and full manual mills. 

If you're serious and really want it and can hand the boy cash the $15,000 might just pass.  Personally, I'd have a hard time coming down 1/4 of my original price unless I was desperate for cash which doesn't seem to happen these days anymore, thank God.  It seems the older I get the less desperate things seem to be. 

[drobertson]

Ya, it looks to be in great condition, still not sure of the money,. Even when they were new no idea,  I've seen a few run while scanning youtube, but that's the closest I've been to one. That lumber stack looks good, shows the obvious potential. They may be needing the money, and again maybe not, the old saying I hate to hear when buying is " well, it's not costing me anything, so the price is what it is,"  that said, like OX said flashing some greenery has its way of moving things along, oh, to answer the 6x6 question, log straightness for sure plays a big role, but I've found a good straight 8- 1/2" will work allowing for some wain at times,  my memory fades a bit, but the rule I think I use to use was add 2" to the log for the cant size, up to a point, 6x6's being that point.  I hope you get it for the money that works,

[woody]

We talked again today (he called) and I told him I might be in for $15k but was uncertain due to MD's questionable future and for his full asking price, a basic NEW hyd bandmill is only a short walk dollar wise. I emailed MD with the s/n & model and a question as to the mills history and their future (existence) for parts several years down the road. I also had a friend who talked to friend that actually used this mill and the c/l pics in c/l was at his cabin. He provided a link to a WM some where down south telling me to skip it. I'll try to talk to him in person but in my thinking, I'll just keep looking or start welding. It's the hydraulics that's my biggest obstacle building my own mill.

[Kojba]

They might still come down in price, and that sure is a good looking mill!  I wouldn't give up too soon, I really love to see the swing mills work.  The only downside to a swing mill, might be the mobile aspect of sawing.  I've set up in some places that were pretty tight, even for a band mill.  Not to mention the law of level ground, I'm not quite sure of what you would need with a swing mill when mobile sawing.  They seem to dice a log up quickly and accurately, and the sharpening process should be a lot easier, and less costly.  Good luck either way!

[Stevem]

The original concept of the MD was a mobile saw (two wheel bolt on trailer) that could cut any size logs in the woods that were being left as culls.  Bolt a ladder works (board and block) on the end of a log and put the frame on the extended ladder rungs.  Came with lag bolts and a soft face sledge to drive them in. They have since migrated to mostly trailer mount with metal stand pipes and a metal cross bar to slide the saw on, rugged and durable! Twas the first mobile saw I ever ran and I cut some monster logs with it. 
Very accurate and they can cut 12" deep (but only 4" wide base model). looks like it has the wide, 6" trim saw blade for deeper cuts. You can cut two 2 x 6s in one pass with two trim saws (horizontal blades). Hydraulics were never an option but many have added some basics for log loading.  Track extensions are (were?) available.  Best kerf 5/16" but normal was 1/4".  Most parts are off the shelf but the engines had some modes done for or by MD.

[woody]

The mill's still sitting there, c/l ad is down to $17.9. He's got my number

[Kojba]

Hope you get it!

[woody]

This M/D saw is gone, happened to be driving by the other day and it was hitched to a pick up and haven't seen it since.
Thanks for all your support, the hunt continues. Actually more like waiting for one to fall in my lap