Anyone tried the new LX50 entry level Woodmizer mills?

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

For a long time I dismissed most people questioning whether it made more economic sense to get a $3000 bandsaw mill than a big chainsaw and Alaskan mill and gear and spending $3k on that. Is sort of apples and oranges comparing a top of the line brand chainsaw to a bottom of the line offbrand bandsaw mill. Can't cut down trees with a bandsaw mill, can't cut rounds, can't mill big trees with an entry level one, etc. But obviously a bandsaw mill makes more sense for softwood lumber production if say, you want to mill lumber for a house you're building, which I want to do in the near future. Just the entry level ones didn't seem worth considering for the most part, quality-wise. But I saw that Woodmizer got in the entry level game, with some made in Poland designs that are a big upgrade on the old LT10 and even make you wonder why you'd spend twice as much for an LT15.

The LX50 at $3295 and LX50Super at $4295. The LX50 seems the equivalent of the Woodland Mills HM126 for a fraction cheaper and probably better built given Woodmizer's track record, and the 14hp LX50Super w 12' bed and beefier frame seems a much better mill for about $600 more than the HM126 with upgraded 14hp engine. Pretty sure I'm going to get the Super when I start making lumber to build a house. Lot of folks say once you get an entry level mill, you'll always want to get a more serious one down the line, but I'm never going into the business of slab or lumber sales, so the Super as a complement to all my chainsaw milling setups seems like it would cover everything I needed. Seems way too many people have overinvested in slab production businesses and there's not nearly enough sales to justify major capital expense. Just saw someone here in Texas trying to sell their ($70,000 new) Woodmizer WM1000 for $60k because their hardwood business was closing. Was thinking, good luck with that.

 

[djg james]

For a long time I dismissed most people questioning whether it made more economic sense to get a $3000 bandsaw mill than a big chainsaw and Alaskan mill and gear and spending $3k on that. Is sort of apples and oranges comparing a top of the line brand chainsaw to a bottom of the line offbrand bandsaw mill. Can't cut down trees with a bandsaw mill, can't cut rounds, can't mill big trees with an entry level one, etc. But obviously a bandsaw mill makes more sense for softwood lumber production if say, you want to mill lumber for a house you're building, which I want to do in the near future. Just the entry level ones didn't seem worth considering for the most part, quality-wise. But I saw that Woodmizer got in the entry level game, with some made in Poland designs that are a big upgrade on the old LT10 and even make you wonder why you'd spend twice as much for an LT15.

The LX50 at $3295 and LX50Super at $4295. The LX50 seems the equivalent of the Woodland Mills HM126 for a fraction cheaper and probably better built given Woodmizer's track record, and the 14hp LX50Super w 12' bed and beefier frame seems a much better mill for about $600 more than the HM126 with upgraded 14hp engine. Pretty sure I'm going to get the Super when I start making lumber to build a house. Lot of folks say once you get an entry level mill, you'll always want to get a more serious one down the line, but I'm never going into the business of slab or lumber sales, so the Super as a complement to all my chainsaw milling setups seems like it would cover everything I needed. Seems way too many people have overinvested in slab production businesses and there's not nearly enough sales to justify major capital expense. Just saw someone here in Texas trying to sell their ($70,000 new) Woodmizer WM1000 for $60k because their hardwood business was closing. Was thinking, good luck with that.

Lack of sales is why I never got a BSM. Would be fun though.

 

[Franny K]

I have not run or even seen that model. You throw out the prices on their website does shipping costs from Poland get added? I would try and get something with 19" band wheels not 16". Not sure if someone spending in the $60,000 range is going to go private party sale but most of the sawmill builders have a long wait time and a new one unless you pay to have it delivered from out of state will have sales tax. There are a few no sales tax states like New Hampshire. There is an 8 minute video at the Woodmeizer site.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I have not run or even seen that model. You throw out the prices on their website does shipping costs from Poland get added? I would try and get something with 19" band wheels not 16".

Saws are in US, manufactured in Poland instead of China like most entry level mills are. Free shipping. Would love to have a more capable 19 inch wheel rig, but can’t see $9-10k for my limited use. If I got access to some major timber stands, might be different.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Lack of sales is why I never got a BSM. Would be fun though.

I only make any money turning wood into something woodworking, and even then it's a struggle to find customers for my niche expensive work. Not much money in any natural resource harvesting - at least for those doing the work- just the finished products.

 

[HavinFun]

Lucky you to have a need for the saw. Something I’d like but no need just yet. The Poles (an ally) have great manufacturing, and the quality level of materials should be better than if sourced from Asia. Plus, your financial exposure is small, so even if you want or need to sell it down the road you most likely will not take a bath in it. The PO of my place cleared and milled 18+ acres and built the house and three barns with the wood. A lot of work, but the timber is actual size as name and quality is good.

 

[sean donato]

One of my co-workers has been considering buying one. Keeps pestering me about it. Tbh I haven't seen anything on it thats better then my cousins Hudson or any other entry level band saw mill I've been around. It's a very far cry from a real production wood miser, but I guess thats the point.
I will say this, I rarely use my Alaskan since my cousin got his band saw mill. Even on hard woods it's faster and way less screwing around then the Alaskan.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

Watching

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

One of my co-workers has been considering buying one. Keeps pestering me about it. Tbh I haven't seen anything on it thats better then my cousins Hudson or any other entry level band saw mill I've been around. It's a very far cry from a real production wood miser, but I guess thats the point.
I will say this, I rarely use my Alaskan since my cousin got his band saw mill. Even on hard woods it's faster and way less screwing around then the Alaskan.

Hud-son seems to make a nice mill, but $6495 for the roughly equivalent Homesteader series with slightly bigger log capacity and smaller engine. Assuming it's Woodmizer quality even if entry level, I just don't see anything out there that touches the capability of the $4295 Super for the price point. The $3295 basic version isn't much to write home about compared to competition, but I don't see anything that matches the Super for the money. I think anyone with access to a working bandsaw mill would do nearly everything on it rather than use an Alaskan, but it's not an apples to apples comparison when someone else has done all the work of setting up the bandsaw mill and all you have to do is show up and use it. I've seen a lot of people say on a hobbyist to small scale production level, they at times can be more bother than they're worth to set up and maintain. To keep me from having to invest in heavy log moving equipment, I'd always want to use both. Alaskan to mill big logs to a few 6 to 10" thickness slabs for manageable loading and moving, and then bandsaw mill to take them to the sizes you want.

 

[sean donato]

Hud-son seems to make a nice mill, but $6495 for the roughly equivalent Homesteader series with slightly bigger log capacity and smaller engine. Assuming it's Woodmizer quality even if entry level, I just don't see anything out there that touches the capability of the $4295 Super for the price point. The $3295 basic version isn't much to write home about compared to competition, but I don't see anything that matches the Super for the money. I think anyone with access to a working bandsaw mill would do nearly everything on it rather than use an Alaskan, but it's not an apples to apples comparison when someone else has done all the work of setting up the bandsaw mill and all you have to do is show up and use it. I've seen a lot of people say on a hobbyist to small scale production level, they at times can be more bother than they're worth to set up and maintain. To keep me from having to invest in heavy log moving equipment, I'd always want to use both. Alaskan to mill big logs to a few 6 to 10" thickness slabs for manageable loading and moving, and then bandsaw mill to take them to the sizes you want.

Set up is what you make of it. My cousins mill is mounted on a old trailer frame that's been narrowed and beefed up. Set up doesn't take long. Level up the trailer with the Jacks and start loading. It's a larger mill then the lx50. I'm pretty sure it will take a 28 or 30 inch log. I'll have to ask him the next time I'm down there, I'm pretty sure it's a 30" model since it will basically cut everything I can with my 36" Alaskan mill. Not a 100% apples to apples Comparison, but till more people get the cheapo wood miser it's anyone's guess as to their quality. I'm really hoping my co-worker gets the base model wood miser unit, I already offered to help with the first time set up, but he's still looking (read price shopping new vs used.) Will be interesting to see one in action for sure though. The price is at a very good for its offerings.

 

[Lightning Performance]

You should really look at it this way what are you going to cut with it say lumber but lumber up to what size?

I like big logs. Chainsaw is the only useful way once I expand again to longer cuts over seventeen feet. New tracks are being installed at the house so that won't be an issue. Having that portable switched to an automated feed and electric head is all the mill acually needs, now, had issues, and it cuts up to 32". 14hp commercial can be updated to the new Vtwin types. The base model in 36" Range Road is now a 36" 22hp Vtwin with an electric carriage head. It's a simple electric trailer like thing they redesigned to fit the screw drive overhead rack. Most people dump those and go with a cable and rollers with the trailer jack setup. Getting that right to your specifications matters the first time. I wanted a rack on cables. It can't snap the winch insides and collapse. My cables carry the the load only. They do not adjust the four post head height. The rack does that. Two post is lighter. Four is more stable.

If you only plan to make say 2x12s my bandsaw isn't what you want. I cut mostly slabs or things of that nature so production speed for boards isn't need but now wanted. It is easy for me to have two or three saw heads on the new track system I'm designing for my place at home. Twin sheds. One on each end of a ground mounted track setup. Having a hydraulic deck mounted on my trailer is where this 32" bandsaw will likely end up riding deck mounted tracks. Considering pulling the head to bump up this single cylinder engine a bit. Already found a bolt-on twenty two twin if needed. Probably switch to electric on the band at home and chain mills at home.

Flush deck height, hydraulic deck, no gas or diesel engines, tiny gantry crane to offload and a mini winch to roll monster long logs, priceless. I can then receive large logs here. Probably add a tail hold in the back to grab things off flatbeds.

If you want to make boards a 22" cut, Vtwin or a fourteen horse power plus bandsaw is all you will ever need to go fast. Having it mounted on a trailer is better than setting up on the ground imho.

Switching mine to a simple trailered rig. The portable factory frames are weak imo and they barely support themselves. My 10k decked over in wood boat trailer is aluminum Ibeam. Plenty of room and length compared to any 20ft flatbed car hauler. Just no room on my narrow car trailer with fenders there. This trailer does add the new problem of log loading ramps and a winch on a post. It should be fine. Might cut off the surround railing on it. 2x2 steel box tube a foot high on the perimeter. It came already together. Updating the axles and brakes. Tail has ramps no beaver. Still switching forward rigging right now and putting on a smaller toolbox that is much shorter off to one side. Setting up all the parts, wiring, additions and hardware in advance. Ready for axles with brakes. Leaning towards hydraulic surge on the front axle and electric on the second. It will be heavy loaded with a saw, arch, gear and wood or logs on the move. Trying to avoid using triple axles.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

You should really look at it this way what are you going to cut with it say lumber but lumber up to what size?

I read some more old threads since putting this up and saw someone mentioning the Range Road had way more capability for the buck than anything else out there in entry level land, which seems to be the case. I hadn't thought it through a lot, I thought maybe I could mill most of my 2x wood for stick building but don't know I want to stick build and then learned that a lot of places require graded stamped lumber and you have to find an inspector to grade the wood which seems more trouble than its worth for the relatively small cost savings in overall house cost of milling your own 2x wood versus buying it. More interested in post and beam construction maybe combined with steel I-beam construction.

I think ultimately I'd get the most use out of an entry level bandsaw mill for resawing and leveling dried wood that I chainsaw milled, for woodworking use. Not sure it's really something I need to build a house with, beyond maybe making a lot of 3/4" exterior paneling with one. Would be in Florida in a place with hurricane codes and I think fairly strict county codes so might be a lot harder there to do a non-cookie cutter contractor build than I realize.

Used to have access to a wilderness ranch in north central Florida that my uncle was a caretaker on where he built a simple off grid one room pioneer cabin from wood he milled there, but he died 10 years ago and the family that owns the ranch has limited access ever since due to unrelated manipulations by someone who tried to fleece them out of it. My friend from the family who lives there says it's possible someday I could salvage trees from there, but has put me off for years over liability concerns/access concerns the family was working out. They had a temperamental ancient Woodmizer on a trailer there the ranch owned that my uncle used but it's apparently barely worth repairing the state it's presently in.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I read some more old threads since putting this up and saw someone mentioning the Range Road had way more capability for the buck than anything else out there in entry level land, which seems to be the case. I hadn't thought it through a lot, I thought maybe I could mill most of my 2x wood for stick building but don't know I want to stick build and then learned that a lot of places require graded stamped lumber and you have to find an inspector to grade the wood which seems more trouble than its worth for the relatively small cost savings in overall house cost of milling your own 2x wood versus buying it. More interested in post and beam construction maybe combined with steel I-beam construction.

I think ultimately I'd get the most use out of an entry level bandsaw mill for resawing and leveling dried wood that I chainsaw milled, for woodworking use. Not sure it's really something I need to build a house with, beyond maybe making a lot of 3/4" exterior paneling with one. Would be in Florida in a place with hurricane codes and I think fairly strict county codes so might be a lot harder there to do a non-cookie cutter contractor build than I realize.

Used to have access to a wilderness ranch in north central Florida that my uncle was a caretaker on where he built a simple off grid one room pioneer cabin from wood he milled there, but he died 10 years ago and the family that owns the ranch has limited access ever since due to unrelated manipulations by someone who tried to fleece them out of it. My friend from the family who lives there says it's possible someday I could salvage trees from there, but has put me off for years over liability concerns/access concerns the family was working out. They had a temperamental ancient Woodmizer on a trailer there the ranch owned that my uncle used but it's apparently barely worth repairing the state it's presently in.

For what you do setup a tiny band on a trailer or just use a twin bar chainsaw mill. Doubles production on small hobby stuff. Plus they look cool. LP ftw. A Honda 13hp is a cheap clone powerhead. Put your csm on tracks. Pull the carriage when not in use to use the bandsaw. Seen a csm mounted on the front of an old pickup truck front rack with wheels mounted on angle iron welded to an expanded steel bed landscape trailer. It was originally an equipment trailer. Real simple setup. It might have been an old light bar tured into a carriage. Aluminum or tube steel is light weight.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

For what you do setup a tiny band on a trailer or just use a twin bar chainsaw mill. Doubles production on small hobby stuff. Plus they look cool. LP ftw. A Honda 13hp is a cheap clone powerhead. Put your csm on tracks. Pull the carriage when not in use to use the bandsaw. Seen a csm mounted on the front of an old pickup truck front rack with wheels mounted on angle iron welded to an expanded steel bed landscape trailer. It was originally an equipment trailer. Real simple setup. It might have been an old light bar tured into a carriage. Aluminum or tube steel is light weight.

Lots of good ideas there. More out there in options than I've thought about if you're willing to spend a bit of DIY time. I ought to leverage my basically competent welding skills into making more frames and tracks for milling. Just keep waiting til I move to somewhere with a bit more room and not butted up against residential neighbors. The Procut chainsaw mill carriage system on a trailer seems a great style rig to aspire to building to use with lo pro. Much more useful than a Logosol. And you can absolutely mow through softwoods with it. Twin bar chainsaw mill sounds cool, never seen one.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Lots of good ideas there. More out there in options than I've thought about if you're willing to spend a bit of DIY time. I ought to leverage my basically competent welding skills into making more frames and tracks for milling. Just keep waiting til I move to somewhere with a bit more room and not butted up against residential neighbors. The Procut chainsaw mill carriage system on a trailer seems a great style rig to aspire to building to use with lo pro. Much more useful than a Logosol. And you can absolutely mow through softwoods with it. Twin bar chainsaw mill sounds cool, never seen one.

Seen two decent ones online. A wide spur drive or doubling the clutch were what I saw. The dual clutch was lacking with 1/4" chain. The other was spline together 028 drums on regular 3/8" chain. One facing opposite the other with NK loops. Shims set the board width. Assuming they made the parts on a gear hob. Probably easier to use harvester drums and drive configurations. They have single key slot types that could drive the second drum. Rim size match is all that matters. 20" lp with two chains would be a fast ten pin setup to make boards on a rolling mill.

Waiting to move is a waste of time. I wait almost ten years to get screwed on a real-estate deal. Should have moved my life forward where I'm at and used my tiny place more efficiently. We don't rent so there is no hurry to move. Been here over twenty years now and will be here for at least three or four more. Was buying a near five acre place with large commercial buildings on it and three acres of mostly hardwoods. Have to start from scratch again so building here is my best option until a larger peice is purchased.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Waiting to move is a waste of time.

Amen to that. Just did a small amount of restructuring of my backyard, adding a sunport over a small uncovered slab area on the backside of the garage and moving the planer from there to another small covered structure in the yard I just had some yard machines and my bandsaw I nearly never used under. Now the 220V bandsaw is in a good place to use. And my chopsaw and some other things are housed under there too. Plus I don't just have to depend on a canvas cover to keep my planer dry anymore which it never really did in heavy rain. Getting some good use out of the bandsaw lately has been a revelation. Fantastic woodworking tool when you learn how to use it properly. Should have done this all from the start, not kept thinking "don't build anything, you're gonna move".

With the bandsaw I let some of my old stupid cheap ways corrupt me when I first got it and got these Powertec $13 blades for it thinking well Powertec is cheap but usually adequate quality. Should have paid attention to folks who said nothing less than Timber Wolf. Even then the TImber Wolf 3/4" resaw blade I bought didn't really work out, dulled too quick. I broke the 1/8" cheap Powertec blade finally cutting some patterns and bought a Timber Wolf 3/16" blade to replace it and rhat thing has cut my nasty hard burl red oak beautifully. Might pull the trigger on a $150 Laguna Resaw King carbide tipped blade one of these days to try resawing again with it. It's a 14" Delta with a riser so can do up to 12" resaw, normally underpowered except the guy I bought if from replaced the original 110V motor with a 3hp Grizzly 220V motor so should have all the power it possibly needs for 6-12" resawing, just a good blade has been lacking.

But yeah, not lacking at all for outside space, have a ton of open yard available since I cleaned everything up that I could put a long track CSM or bandsaw mill in if I wanted. Have used the "when I move" thing as just procrastination excuse to avoid doing a lot of stuff I could do - sometimes get that way about tools too, "if I had this then I could do this" when realistically I can do nearly anything I want with what I have, just takes a little more effort sometimes. Do a hell of a lot with what I have, but could always do more. Just keeping a clean workspace is half the battle. When I stop using my table saw and runoff table as a workbench for chainsaw maintenance/repairs or leaving half-finished wood projects all over it, it's amazing how much more I can get done. Finally using the table saw and my mid-size crosscut sled for it on a more regular basis again, have cleaned trimmed a ton of small project size pieces with it lately that were cluttering my shop and freed up more room. When I have semi-finished "blanks" done for various projects of trimmed and planed dried wood, I can transfer them to my climate controlled storage unit of finished and semi-finished products til I need them.