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Thread: Putting together the Woodland Mills HM-130 Mill and Woodlander Trailer

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    ...You have no idea how much sawdust a chainsaw mill can make; easily 4 times that of the bandsaw. ...
    I've never used a chainsaw mill but, zounds, I've never thought about it but can imagine the piles of chips! My mill is stationary so if I don't shovel often enough I'm walking on six inches of sawdust.

    Before I bought the Woodmizer I considered several chainsaw options but what convinced me to spring for the bandmill was the narrow kerf.

    JKJ

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    WNY
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sonny Kemp View Post
    Thanks a lot John !!!!!! I had my mind nearly made up till you started all this.Lol Just kidding . I think you've convinced me this is the way to go.Its very little more money than the 2 I was considering and a lot more machine. I most likely will get the 130 without the trailer. Thank you much for the pictures and insight.
    The HM-130 ground unit offers a lot of capability for the money; I'm sure you will be pleased. And it's easy to assemble. I think it took well less than 8 hours with no surprises.

    John

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
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    Central Wisconsin
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    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    I placed a phone order with Woodland Mills this past Monday and on Tuesday I picked up my HM-130 mill and trailer crates from the Buffalo, NY distribution center. Picking it up saved me the shipping charges and since it's only 20 miles from my house it was an easy choice. The only way to pick it up at the distribution center is by placing your order by phone. Online purchases don't have that option. The sales folks I talked with at Woodland Mills were very helpful and knowledgeable.

    The two crates just fit on my trailer.
    John
    John, thanks for sharing. That looks like great fun right there!

  4. #19
    Got a HM 130 should be showing up tomorrow! Super excited!

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Moses View Post
    Got a HM 130 should be showing up tomorrow! Super excited!
    Isn't it the HM-130Max now? That unit has a 30" cut limit. I sure wish they had come out with that upgrade last year. My only complaint on the HM-130 is the 22" cut limit. It makes it nearly impossible to handle a log greater than about 26" diameter, despite WM's claim of 30". OK, my second complaint is the 7" max depth of cut limit, but that's a common problem with all units in this price range.

    With logs less than 24" diameter the HM-130 is a great unit. You'll love it. Two important tips:

    1) Check the belt tension before you run it, and after an hour or so. It stretches when new and will slip.

    2) Even more important, make sure the rpm is in the 3600 rpm range. The directions are poor on how to set the throttle cable tension. If the rpm is too low the centrifugal clutch will wear out fast. I know.

    John

  6. Trailer length....

    I've ordered the same mill and its backordered but now I am wondering if I should have gotten the longer trailer. Seems the 10 1/2' length is a bit limiting and the 16' 10" trailer is a bit much to manipulate through a wood lot. I think that trailer is over 23' total length.

    What are your thoughts on the trailer size that you have?

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by MATTHEW POWELL View Post
    Trailer length....

    I've ordered the same mill and its backordered but now I am wondering if I should have gotten the longer trailer. Seems the 10 1/2' length is a bit limiting and the 16' 10" trailer is a bit much to manipulate through a wood lot. I think that trailer is over 23' total length.

    What are your thoughts on the trailer size that you have?
    Tough call. The theoretical max. length log on the shorter trailer is 10' 3", but unless you have a front end loader anything over 9-1/2 ft is really hard to get up the ramps and keep within the cut window. Smaller diameter logs can be slid fore or aft with a lever, but once you get to 24" that's nigh on impossible. So the longer version makes a lot of sense - until you think about moving it in close quarters. Hook that up behind a pickup and you're nearly as long as a semi.

    I bought the shorter version because I make furniture. I don't need anything longer than 8 or 9'. I designed my wood shed and solar kiln for 10 ft long lumber, so I'm pretty much locked in. Of course no sooner did I advertise milling services than several people asked if I could mill 12' or 16'. But those are the exception; most people are fine with 10 ft max. You'll have to decide what best meets your needs based on what you want to build or the services you want to offer. The good news is, if you buy the shorter version you can always buy the extension kit to lengthen it should the need arise.

    John

  8. Its a decision thats driving me nuts. I ordered a bed extension and the short trailer. The extension kit is for normal on the ground use and not for actually extending the trailer. I feel like with a couple more leveling jacks I can make an add on track section to mount over the trailer tongue. Possibly shortening the extension a bit to fit. Seems there are some saw stops to be in the way but hoping that can be worked around.

    From your hands on experience with the trailer, what is your gut feeling on my idea?

  9. #24
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    The tongue projects about 3' in front of the bed of the trailer. Adding a 6' section of bed without moving the tongue would only be possible if it folded or was removed or transport. I think you would need four additional leveling jacks to support it adequately. All in all, it looks difficult to me, but I'm interested to see what you come up with.

    John

  10. My thoughts are either a folding design or just bolt it on with more jacks. It absolutely has to move in some way to transport. Its heavy but if it was hinged it would be pretty fast to deploy. Honestly I dont know why they dont offer that already. Hinge at the track and a 2" square tube mounted under it to handle the jacks . Unhook it from the vehicle and fold it down over the tongue and stabilize and level with jacks. When deployed, the hitch would be totally covered by the track

  11. #26
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    I'm sure it can be done, but I imagine if Woodland Mills thought about it at all didn't think they could sell enough to justify the time it would take them to develop that option. If you come up with a hinged system that weighs less than 100 lbs or so I'm all ears.

    John

  12. It could be a giant heavy mouse trap, but if you have a log loading winch already available it seems like it could easily serve dual purpose and lower down the extension

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by MATTHEW POWELL View Post
    It could be a giant heavy mouse trap, but if you have a log loading winch already available it seems like it could easily serve dual purpose and lower down the extension
    As I was contemplating how you could fold the extension up/down, that idea came to mind. The problem is it only works to lower it onto the tongue and back up off the tongue. You still have to lift it off the trailer and lower it back down onto the trailer manually. I guess you could build a tall mast off the tongue to use the winch to lift/lower it onto the trailer, but that just complicates things further. FWIW the log loading winch doesn't pivot so you would have to reconfigure it to do so. And while the loads needed to move the extension should be OK, heavy loads to the side can easily deform the bunk the winch is mounted to. I know. Norwood's winch mounting system is a real step up over WM's. It's much more robust in how it mounts, can be left in place even when milling, and rotates to any angle. I bent the snot out of the WM's winch mast trying to roll 2000+ logs up onto the mill, so I built a more robust mounting system and now use a 3500 lb ATV winch off the battery. Much improved and easier to use. I use it for loading logs and rotating logs too heavy to handle with the cant hook once on the mill. It's not as slick as Norwood's but far better than the OE version. If you plan to roll heavy logs onto your mill be prepared to upgrade the factory winch system.

    John

  14. #29
    Just some off the cuff thoughts. Make the axle/spring assembly a removable unit. Build a tripod lift to elevate one end of mill to allow the assembly to be slid out, then lower mill to blocking resting upon the ground. Make ( I see you have a welder) your log arch wide enough to span mill, allowing for backing logs up over mill. When traveling, place mill in center of trailer, over axle, with a couple tension cables run over mill and to ends of trailer to prevent flexing. Just some ideas. You can take these ideas and a buck and get a senior coffee at Mickey D's, just be sure and have the buck. Shows what they are worth, doesn't it.

  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Wrenn View Post
    Just some off the cuff thoughts. Make the axle/spring assembly a removable unit. Build a tripod lift to elevate one end of mill to allow the assembly to be slid out, then lower mill to blocking resting upon the ground. Make ( I see you have a welder) your log arch wide enough to span mill, allowing for backing logs up over mill. When traveling, place mill in center of trailer, over axle, with a couple tension cables run over mill and to ends of trailer to prevent flexing. Just some ideas. You can take these ideas and a buck and get a senior coffee at Mickey D's, just be sure and have the buck. Shows what they are worth, doesn't it.
    Bruce, it's really not that hard to parbuckle logs up onto the trailer mounted mill. The winch assembly is small and I carry it in the back of my Subaru when pulling the trailer. If I had to bring a log arch with me in order to load logs I'd have to make another trip with another trailer to carry the arch and ATV to pull it. Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me unless you were setting up for a week or more of milling and had to transport logs from the outback to the mill. When I take my mill on the road the owner is responsible for getting the logs staged where the mill is going to sit so all I have to do is roll them to the ramps, steering them if required to get them lined up correctly. On flat level or gently downhill sloping ground it's easy even alone. Of course, the optimal arrangement is a landowner who owns a front end loader - and wants to help. Then we really get wood milled. They put the logs onto the mill and carry away the lumber.

    John

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