Micro-Mill, Beam Machine, Lumber Maker, etc.

[duffontap]

Has anyone done any milling with the basic mills that just slide on a 2x4? I got one of the Harbor Freight 'Lumber Makers' off Ebay not long ago and I used it to mill up a nice cherry cant. The cuts were not very square but that may have been my enthusiasm and lack of experience at work.

My main question is this--if I have a lumber maker already that can be guided on any 2x4 or 2x6 (you can also cut down both directions of the guide board to cut two sides of a beam at once)--is there enough quality difference with the Granberg Mini-Mill to justify buying it to edge cants and rip big logs into quarters?

J. D.

 

[Semi-Hex]

I have the logosol that runs on my home made 1x6. I have no problems keeping square and true. I chose this because I would be packing all of my equipment by myself. I wanted simple and light.

 

[stonykill]

Grangerg!!!

I have both the cheap ebay mill you describe and the granberg mini mill. The granberg if FAR better than the cheap piece of crap off ebay. That reminds me, I need to sell off that cheap one.

 

[duffontap]

Thanks guys.

Stonykill--I have to admit I was torqued when I bought the 'Lumber Maker' off Ebay and found out it was $10 cheaper on Harbor Freight. What kills me is that I checked HB before I looked on Ebay and my search words didn't bring it up. I once bought a spokeshave on Ebay for $14.59 and found out they came in two-packs from Harbor Freight for $8.99. I thought I had learned my lesson about buying generic tools online.

I'm going to order the Mini-Mill right away.

J. D.

 

[stonykill]

Thanks guys.

Stonykill--I have to admit I was torqued when I bought the 'Lumber Maker' off Ebay and found out it was $10 cheaper on Harbor Freight. What kills me is that I checked HB before I looked on Ebay and my search words didn't bring it up. I once bought a spokeshave on Ebay for $14.59 and found out they came in two-packs from Harbor Freight for $8.99. I thought I had learned my lesson about buying generic tools online.

I'm going to order the Mini-Mill right away.

J. D.

you won't regret it. Its a tool, not a gimick like the other ones. Yeh, the others work, but they slip, screw up your chain, don't slide nice, are aukward. The mini mill is far superior.