Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22

Thread: I'm in the game

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648

    I'm in the game

    I ordered a Woodland Mills HM-130 Woodlander this morning and will pick it up tomorrow at the Buffalo, NY warehouse which is only 20 miles from my house. I debated the pros and cons of spending the extra money on the trailer option, which led to spending even more to get the ramps and winch package, but I think it's the best option for my needs and situation.

    I'll post some photos and comments of the assembly process as it happens later this week. I have a few nice 22" walnut logs to give it test run on and can't wait.

    John

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
    Posts
    8,973
    I was just looking at a video of that one last night. I had never heard of that brand before you mentioned it. Nice toy!!! I know you'll have fun with it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    may I suggest not practicing with the walnut there is a lot to learn if you have never ran one.

  4. #4
    Looks like a nice mill John. I am excited for you. Please let us know how you like it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    Quote Originally Posted by david privett View Post
    may I suggest not practicing with the walnut there is a lot to learn if you have never ran one.
    I'm hoping you folks will help educate me, so please do. What pitfalls should I be aware of? A friend recently built a bandsaw mill and he reports having very little trouble from the get-go, and one would sure expect there would be lots of issues with a homebuilt unit combined with a new user. So maybe that has jaded me into thinking this is going to be far easier than it looks watching the videos. Any advise is appreciated.

    And if anyone has actually drawings of a shop built sharpener I'd be very grateful to get them. I'd rather not reinvent the wheel. I see lots of YouTube videos and I'm sure I can replicate what people are showing, but it would be far easier to work of actual drawings or at least sketches and parts list.

    Meanwhile, I'm biding my time untl the Noon to 3PM window to pickup the mill. Excited? Just a little.

    John

  6. #6
    Very glad to hear you got a new band mill on the way!!!! Keep us posted and forget about how hard it is to run or how easy it is to mess up...I found neither to be true. Wood is wood and you will only learn by running the machine. Might want to cut down a few pine trees or whatever tree you might use the boards off of that is common to your area or one that you have easy access to and mill two or three logs of that just to get the hang of it...after the first one I bet money you will be clamping up one of those walnut logs and going for it!!! Best of luck and keep us posted sir.

    Edit: another way to look at it is that if a hillbilly like me can do it.......anyone can!!!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    have you gotten yourself a peavey or a good cant hook yet you will need one for rolling the log. Not a timber jack they look similar but not interchangeable tools.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    Quote Originally Posted by david privett View Post
    have you gotten yourself a peavey or a good cant hook yet you will need one for rolling the log. Not a timber jack they look similar but not interchangeable tools.
    I had one peavey already to use with my very manual chainsaw mill. But I bought another from Woodland Mills because it can be clamped to their trailer for transport, and so that a friend can help roll logs if/when I have help. I bought the ramp and winch system, too, so getting logs onto the mill should be a low effort task now. And I plan to try rolling logs/cants with the winch, like Norwood shows on one of their videos using a cant hook on the end of the winch cable. I'm hoping the winch will make muscle part of the job much easier.

    John

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Siebert View Post
    Very glad to hear you got a new band mill on the way!!!! Keep us posted and forget about how hard it is to run or how easy it is to mess up...I found neither to be true. Wood is wood and you will only learn by running the machine. Might want to cut down a few pine trees or whatever tree you might use the boards off of that is common to your area or one that you have easy access to and mill two or three logs of that just to get the hang of it...after the first one I bet money you will be clamping up one of those walnut logs and going for it!!! Best of luck and keep us posted sir.

    Edit: another way to look at it is that if a hillbilly like me can do it.......anyone can!!!!
    One of the guys I admired most in my corporate days used to call himself a hillbilly who went to college! I'm sure we'd get along well, Martin. I picked up the mill and trailer crates at the Buffalo warehouse yesterday afternoon. There were lots of crates getting ready to be shipped and I saw several chippers being loaded on a semi while I waited for my stuff to be loaded. This is their US distribution center so it's probably not surprising to see their stuff to ship out nearly every day.



    With about 3" to spare on each side the guys loaded my two crates onto the trailer.



    The trailer and ramp crates unpacked on my garage floor. Everything was beautifully packed. And I'm blown away with how robust the parts are and how well machined and welded they are. Most stuff is galvanized.



    I'm excited to start putting parts together. Some assembly required!

    John

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Western, NY
    Posts
    63
    I'm excited for you John! Based on your experience with re-sawing lumber on your bandsaw, and your chainsaw milling, you are well equipped with the knowledge to hit the ground running. I had limited experience, and find the actual cutting to be the easiest part. For me, the hard part has been all of the logistics of getting the logs on the mill, leveled, rotated, clamped, etc with it being completely manual. I am going to make some much needed upgrades to make these aspects of the milling more enjoyable.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    Well, at least you have a tractor, Tony. Regardless though, you are right, milling is the easy part, and it should be even easier once I get the bandsaw mill up and running. Getting the logs to and onto the mill is by far the hardest part. Of course, when you hit metal 3 or 4 times in a log milling is a lot less fun, too.

    I had a few hours this afternoon to start putting the sawhead together. I'll start by saying Woodland Mills does a fantastic job of packing everything safely and in making unpacking easy. On of the only things that is preassembled at the factory is the actual sawhead and motor. You can see it here in the crate now that most of the other parts have been removed.



    The directions are easy to follow, too. Each step gives a list of exactly which fasteners are needed and how many, and the instructions and drawings show what needs to be done. So nice to follow directions written in clear English by people who have actually put their product together. The crate is very cleverly designed, and makes removing the sawhead easy even for one person. the front of the metal crate unbolts from the rest and folds down onto some 8" tall beams. After putting down some cardboard you just tip the sawhead forward and lower it onto the cardboard, then slide the whole thing out.



    All the parts needed are bagged in clearly labeled bags when necessary.



    After installing the front posts up through the mating tubes in the sawhead and bolting on the lower carriage assemblies (also factory assembled) you simply stand up the whole unit. I did this alone w/o difficulty and I'm not a big or young guy.



    Just following along with the directions I installed the rear posts, the top yoke, , the very cool looking lube tank, the dashboard, and lift assembly. This is where I was before I had to go tend to other chores, ie - things my wife needed.



    Rain is forecast for much of the next several days so I'm not sure how much more will get done on the sawhead. Not much more to do on it actually. But I have the trailer parts in my garage and will put that together if the weather is poor. It all has to get done so it really doesn't matter which I work on.

    John

  12. Wow!!! Thanks for the photos. What you need now {if you don't already have it} is a stock pile of logs to mill!! I remember the very first day I had my mill set up and ready to go...I milled logs for 12 hours straight, it was so much fun. Of course sticker stacking it all wasn't quite as much fun. I think I spent almost as much time the next day cutting up all the stickers to stack with. The fun is about to begin for you Mr. TenEyck!!!!!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    cleveland,tn.
    Posts
    385
    let the fun begin, does your tractor have a front end loader or a back hoe attachment? that will make it more fun easier.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    Quote Originally Posted by david privett View Post
    let the fun begin, does your tractor have a front end loader or a back hoe attachment? that will make it more fun easier.

    What tractor? No, no tractor, nor any other easy means of moving logs. This is what I use. It will pick up a log up to about 30" diameter, one at a time of course, and will go behind my car or an ATV. I don't own an ATV, but my next door neighbor does and let's me use it whenever I want.



    My chainsaw mill can handle some big logs, and will still be the only way I'll have for cutting slabs over 22" wide. Thought you might enjoy a picture of it with the largest log I ever had on it.



    Same neighbor, who owns every machine imaginable at his gentleman's farm 120 miles distant (unfortunately) brought these two red oak logs to me. He wanted a 3" thick mantel for his boss; the rest was mine. We parbuckled it up onto my mill using his truck.



    There was some beautiful wood in those logs.




    This was the slab for the mantle:



    And this is the stack of lumber and slabs I got out of them.



    The milling part of this is going to get a lot easier but the schlepping part still needs work.

    John

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    ...I don't own an ATV, but my next door neighbor does and let's me use it whenever I want.
    You have great neighbors!

    Keep the pictures coming. When you get the mill up and running you might start a separate thread so the messages and new pictures aren't buried deep in the thread. Perhaps add a link to the end of the new thread so someone reading could continue following seamlessly?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •