Woodmizer Opinion
I am of the opinion that the Woodmizer mill is just too fancy, Who needs all the electronic crap they come with, when something goes wrong with that garbage you need an electronics degree to fix it, they look great but sometimes I wonder if I drop a log on it will it break in half, another thing that bugs me about the WM mill is the price, you would think that the biggest Bandmill company in the world would have the cheapest mills out there.Woodmizer is crap!
Just My opinion
OH here are some plans for a log loading trailer
Check it out over at http://www.sawmillplans.com
25 Comments:
I love my woodmizer, its one of the best mills out there the cost makes it worth every penny.
I believe WM makes good sawmill equipment and bandsaw blades. They back that up with strong support and service for years after you have your mill.
Actually woodmizer is a good product just a bit fancy for my tastes, all those wires and relays make it impossable to fix yourself I guess thats why they have a good waranty.
I live in upstate NY.I just recently purchased a 1991
Woodmizer Lt 30 with only 341 hrs on it.It was a dream come true not just for me but my Dad who always wanted a sawmill,pass on 24 years.I paid a fair price and can now see its quality over others I checked out thru the years.I called Woodmizer they sent me info and a vidio I watch over and over.I can see how they have establish a fine reputation.I'm sure theres a number of high quality sawmills out there,but they couldn't beat the price I paid for this one..Minds 16ft.8 bed with the manual switches no electronics involved.
I live in upstate NY.I just recently purchased a 1991
Woodmizer Lt 30 with only 341 hrs on it.It was a dream come true not just for me but my Dad who always wanted a sawmill,pass on 24 years.I paid a fair price and can now see its quality over others I checked out thru the years.I called Woodmizer they sent me info and a vidio I watch over and over.I can see how they have establish a fine reputation.I'm sure theres a number of high quality sawmills out there,but they couldn't beat the price I paid for this one..Minds 16ft.8 bed with the manual switches no electronics involved.
I posted my feelings about Woodmizer mills here:
http://sawmillmag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1873
Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to actually saw with one yet.
Oh yeah...
Is there anyone that believes or can match the BF/hr claims that WoodMizer puts in their promo material? I have a Timber Harvester, and I can make about 1000 bf in an 8 hour day by myself. That's with all the hydraulics and the automatic stuff.
WM claims something like 400 bf/hr with a comparable mill (log loader, auto feed, hydraulic turner, etc).
I have no idea how that can be done, unless you're totally ignoring things like grade and quality and safety.
I have sawed close to the 400bdft/hour a few times.
When my Lt40 Hd runs well and the logs are nice and everything goes well.
I usually average 200/bdft/hr or 250 if some kid is around to get the logs on and offbear
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Any body that ever reads the WM warranty closely will realize there is no warranty , andf I've never , never , never ever , cut any where close to what WM claims , because of the constant electrical and mechanical failures of my $ 35,000 mill .
Additionally, in my case WM told me it would cost me a minimum of $3000 to send ine of the factory reps to at my fried electrical system with 1.4 hrs on it . It ran 53 hrs. before a rep came six months and dozens of calls, letters , e-mails complaints of all types etc.nd I've met dozens of others .
The warranty even states in essence " every thing you've been told up to now has been a lie " READ IT BOZO ...
I am very pleased with my LT40 I have been running my mill pretty much every day for the last 27 months. I have had very few problems with it and my rep in Aylesford N.S. along with other satisfied WM owners have helped me 100%. I have found that the
Warranty they have is 100% I have left a full time job to work on my own and would not change a thing.
Have been looking to buy a mill and am torn between a couple different models and makers. WM seems to have all that I would want but the price is over 3x as much as a fully hydraulic unit from Turner mills with all but the electronics. Loyalty seems high amoung all brand users but the depth of sarcasm towards others is troublesome to say the least. I am going to be placing an order for a mill within the next month but cant decide w/ 100% confidence due to the lack of honesty from the majority of owners. If you have any problems at all with the units you have lets hear about it so that the problem can be fixed and those that like me are inexperienced can learn from the pros that have been doing it for years. Lets hear what you like about the features of other makes that you have seen and have some positive input... thank you
I just recently purchased and 1982 wood-mizer LT30. 31st ever made. I currently have it in 50 parts. Putting new bearings and cleaning off rust. I know where every part was and where it goes. I am very impressed with the engineering. Pulled this from a pile of saw dust axles were locked tight. But everything else works. Power up-dn, carriage drive. All the parts are available locally. I have looked for a long time at others. I'm very pleased. Will let you know how it cuts after its all back together. But I'm not concerned the adjustments are very clear. Have talked with WM and they have been very helpfull but high on their parts.
interesting thread
I have sold several types of equipment in my life and I own a woodmizer LT40 hydraulic.
I have to say that a lot of equipment owners do not deserve to own the equipment they buy. Most are just too stupid and non mechanical to be a good owner. They are a danger to them selves and a threat to any one with in a half mile of the machine, regardless of the type of machine it is.
In regards to warranty, it is fortunate that the companies have enough good brains in their collective heads to write the document to dis allow for collecting warranty benefits from the shear stupidity of incompetent owner/operators that destroy the equipment for no reason other than total incompetence and stupidity.
I will grant that even those of us that take the time to educate our selves by reading manufacturer's information, watching and talking with a other competent amateur and professional owner operators , attending industry seminars etc, do have warranty issues on ocassion, and when we have them the warranty is a great asset. I can tell you that Wood Mizer warranty is one of the best in the industry.
As far as WM's pf/hr the WM numbers are very reachable with one experienced sawyer and a helper that can follow instructions with out having to be told every move to make. As for my partner and myself we consistently hit the WM numbers and more. We have no problem doing 500bf/hr when sawing in reasonably good timber. Even in small wood we get close to the 400 mark with out a lot of trouble. There are several things we do to make our sawing productive and much of that is what saves us time and makes our numbers work. A lot of that has to do with set up of the area around the mill and sorting of the timber prior to sawing. When you take all of those things into consideration WM's numbers are pretty much bang on the money for us as an over all average. Our best per hour production is just over 600 BF when you only take the 3 hour segment of time that we did nothing but saw logs of 26/28 inch diameter and 12 foot length. If you take the rest of the work involved in the job into consideration we averaged just over 460bf/hr.
As for Woodmizer being a "fancy" mill, I would say it is a fancy mill for those that do not understand how to fully utilize those fancy options to enhance production. For you Woodmizer builds a manual mill that is not only very competitive but any thing but fancy.
I will also say this. After spending at least 2 or 3 days off bearing and doing load prep for each of 5 other brands of mills including circular and band mills, I bought a Woodmizer be cause it is simply the best designed portable mill money can buy in todays market. For me it is the John Deere of the portable saw mill industry.
Ditto to the previous comment. I did have problems with my mill (LT40 '97 Super and WoodMizer did everything necessary to resolve the issues. Some folks enjoy complaining like victims. Grow up!
AP, Kentucky
got batt,and alt,problems?? may be.replaced both still drawing power away
Anyone out there own a Lt 40 Super with a 51 Horse Perkins diesel on it? If so are you having any problems with this engine? If so send e-mail to norahgrg@yahoo.com
This is a very subjective topic, vis a vis Ford vs Chevy etc.
Have an lt40 superhdd51 with "cat" engine
I have read a thread on The forestry forum that says this is actually a perkins.
Don't know if this is true, but no probs so far with only 100 hrs or so on it.
My friend and neighbor who saws a lot has this engine and the only problem is cold starting at idle.
He has to block the throttle open a little to get it to run.
I think he has 2000 t0 2500 hrs on it.
Question: My LT30 forward speed control is becoming inconsistent, hesitating during cutting, as if it's sticking to the rail. I'm not sure it's sticking to the rail. The sticking seems more associated with the analog speed control. Any thoughts? Write to me a jimmycasno@yahoo.com. Thanks, Jim.
Question: My LT30 forward speed control is becoming inconsistent, hesitating during cutting, as if it's sticking to the rail. I'm not sure it's sticking to the rail. The sticking seems more associated with the analog speed control. Any thoughts? Write to me a jimmycasno@yahoo.com. Thanks, Jim.
I have owned 4 bandmills 3 were woodmizers, 2 lt40s and 1 lt 70. They do build a good mill but they also dont care to lie to you. When I bought my used 70 from them they said they would completely go through it and everything would work on it. It arrived here and the laser didnt work and the debarker wasnt on it. I called them begged them for weeks to send the debarker and laser they finally sent the debarker and to this day I never have received the laser. One of their tecs told me he had more important things to do.And it was not wired for 240 like they told me it was.So i had to pay 2500.00 for them to come to missouri and fix it. This aint all I could go on and on.I thought they were a christian based company.
Ah...where do I start?
Woodmizer mills....I have cut over 2 million board feet of lumber on them.
I have had the LT40G24H and now I have a LT70D62R.
Both are great mills.
I have specialized in cutting ovrsized logs (logs too big for the big mills, > 20 inches diameter.)
I cut timbers and 3 x 12 x 16 footers due to the demand in our area.
I am shy to admit my production from either mill because you will all say BS...but the fellow that pays me for the custom cutting pays the bill without complaint.
LT 40, with my son, produced 1000 BF per hour consistantly.
My LT70 has averaged 2750 BF per hour....best day was 3100 BF per hour....(30,000 feet for the day) of 3 x 12 x 16.
Yep that puppy can cut.
I have 2 people on the back end stacking lumber. I do have an edger that helps alot...about 30 % of the production comes off the edger....it is an industreal edger with a 3-71 detroit power unit...(yep 100hp really shoots them boards thru)
BUT....and there is always a but!
It has taken me 2 million board feet to hone all the little gems of knowledge I have.
Sharpening the band and setting the mill are so important.
AND....being sure to keep up with all the maintanence that keeps the mill in linement.
The mill runs for 10 hours a day and I do 2 hours of band maintenance and mill maint/lubrication each day.
Yes it breaks down....but woodmizer has been great hepling me get it going again.
There is a fellow named Gary at the Salmon Arm woodmizer in BC canada that actually made a living on a mill before working for woodmizer. That boy knows them mills....even the new ones that have all the electronic bells and whistles.
Ever need answers about them mills....call him...superknowledgeable guy...and great to talk to.
Now if you wanna chat about bandsaw blades......you wanna talk to Tim Cook with Cooksaw. He knows sawblades....he can be a bit intimidating at times because he will go really deep into how to solve yuor sawing problem....and he is right that there is usually 4-5-or even 6 things that are probuably wrong with your mill which is not allowing you to achieve the max production.
Please do not say I am full of BS in these posts and say there is no way I can be doing what I am doing.
Man up....email me or call me and I will explain how it can be done to you directly.
email is pa_of_6@hotmail.com
PS...not everbody likes Chevy....that is why there are Fords.
So if you do not like woodmizer...try a lumbermate...then you will understand why you have to rebuy a woodmizer.
i myself own a lt40 super with the cat motor and havnt had a problem out of it ive sawed 600 bf in an hour an half if you havnt ever run a mw mill dont put them down because there great mills...
I sawed over one million bf of hard wood never had one problem.My mill is a wm lt40 hydraulic no auto cluch or set works Simple to repair if needed No problem to get parts if needed not like some no name sawmills.I luv my woodmizer
Really band mill company is cheapest company.but woodmizer has been great hepling me get it going again.
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