Harbor Freight saw mill review with an oak log.
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- Опубликовано: 9 дек 2017
- Just a review and operation of a harbor freight sawmill. It will cut 20" wide and just over 8"long. At the end I go through a complete cut. This blade is not a new blade its been through an oak log and a few pine logs already.
“R” I moved the operator handle off the support enabling me to plank off larger logs. Put it in a small mill shed out of the weather and yes I am happy with mine. Produced several thousand board feet of oak and pine. Stay warm thanks for sharing
i have found that rubbing just a little transmission fluid on the tracks and wheels helps prevent the sawdust from building up
Great video. Looks like a decent mill and you got it figured out. Thanks for sharing.
I sure love my harbor freight sawmill...ive made afew changes on it but all in all its good for the budget
I have the same mill. I built a little shed over one end of the track that I can retract the head all the way into to keep it out of the weather and I can keep the peripheral stuff that I use with the mill in there. I also build a base for mine out of pressure treated 4x6's and that makes leveling it much easier.
One thing you may want to consider doing is buying a 10 pack of the HF balc tape and make a nice thick tape seal over all of the hand holds for comfort and over the ends of the assorted tubes to keep rain out. I doubt they bothered to paint the inside further than you can see.
The other day I picked up a line laser from ebay and I want to make a mount for it on the far side of the blade guard so that the beam will shine down the log roughly where the cut will be. It can be tricky to judge by eye how deep to go with your initial cut if the log as a taper and or a bend to it. The line will make it easy. I also want to weld some studs to the bottom of the carriage so I can bolt on some free weights. I think having more weight low to the ground will make it more stable. I also want to weld on some braces to stiffen it up a bit.
All that being said, it cuts pretty well out of the box. The tape is quick and dirty and effective. I think the laser will be quick once I figure out how to mount it, and the welding is a rainy day project.
Thank you for the informed review. Best wishes.
Buying this! Thank you for the great review!
I have one of these sawmills and have had 3 different sawmills. I also rented a woodmizer and of them all this makes the best lumber. It is not fast but setup right it makes near perfect lumber. A good foundation is what make it saw right. I have built a trailer under it and added track so I can saw 18' logs. I love it.
I got the same saw,I modified my rails and a few other little things,I cut 16 ft 8x8 oak all day long with no problem.
I have one much similar if not the same. I built a single pitch roof over mine with lumber salvaged from a distillery so it just over 24 foot deep. Let's me keep it out of most of the weather except hard blowing rains. I also put tape on bare handles to give me a better grip when sweaty or wet. I built me a concrete piers for my bed to set on. Makes leveling a breeze.
I like this review ,straiht forward no bs .
I have a harbor freight pressure washer with the predator engine for 4 years now. Still starts on the first pull.
Great review. Thank you
I also bought this mill about 3 years ago and you are 100% accurate on everything you said, awesome hobby mill but not something to consider for a business or even just to get a business started., and I even have a dedicated screwdriver for cleaning out that wheel as you said. Just have to be careful because that wheel is Aluminum or some aluminum alloy and mine scratches really easy.
A quick fix to 98% of the sawdust mess is hanging a shallow bucket from a home made hook right at the ejection port. make it a double hook so it doesn't swing crazy and make them open and solid because you have to lift the bucket off that hook every few passes to dump the pure sawdust with no dirt, leaves, or other stuff. Awesome if you use the sawdust for specific things or sell it. I bag it up in all the spare chicken feed bags and use it all over for different things.
I have my own review half made and should be up soon.
Mods I have planned are a cover / scraper for the wheel, better Dogs to hold the Log, A Jig or clamp system to hold small or thin boards for cutting or removing the live edge, an extension of the track, and improving the water drip system.
To keep the guide wheel clean, one manufacturer used 1/4- 5/16 wire rope (slightly frayed) clamped on the frame, riding in the wheel grove.
Be careful with anything rubbing on the wheels, they are Aluminum. I have this mill and one of my winter projects this year is a flip type cover for the wheel and some sort of scraper/brush like you described out of heavy knotted wire but for the track on both sides of the wheel.
i have found that rubbing just a little transmission fluid on the tracks and wheels helps prevent the sawdust from building up
Make a scraper out of some hard plastic to keep the rollers clean wont damage the rollers and will keep them polished
Put a wire brush mounted on that far side guide wheel to keep sawdust out while you move it- should be held with a spring tension would be self-cleaning
or make a little hat with the handle part of a bleach bottle to keep water off the wheel.
I figured out the sawdust/wheel problems stems from the wet sawdust clogging up the exhaust chute. If you keep it cleaned out then the sawdust doesn't build up around the housing and drop on the wheels and clog them up.
I mounted a wire brush just above the wheel and its solved the problem just never got around to getting that video done.
Got it, thanks.
Ralewine03,
Now, I'm really confused. The saw HF has on their web site right now comes with a 301cc engine. They list that size engine as having 8 hp yet you gave Phil Perry a price for a mill with a 13 hp engine. Is it really available with a 13 hp engine or did you perhaps misunderstand Ric? I ask because I have a brandnew 13 hp engine and need to know whether it'll fit.
I just gave him the price of the mill. I am not aware of any horsepower changes there was no option to upgrade.
I really enjoyed your video. And I hope to encourage you the keep on improving and demonstrating improvements in your life experience. In the line of structures perhaps a sloped roof 3 wall Shack or storage shed would be a neat demonstration and very useful to your cabin or Homestead. I like to see someone demonstrate double barrel stove one on top of each other and have a tube going through the top Barrel into the cabin. And then there is hot water heat which is the preferred new method of heating one's dwelling. But so say this is not the most romantic nostalgic way of doing it. In Truth if I was going to do it I would try to utilize a steam boiler that is pressurized steam to make some electricity. My concept would be to live in a barn structure with an insulated room bedroom utility and another utility room with the steam tractor engine or steam boiler engine stationary in the living nativity room.. I also point out that most of my contemplation is based upon some RUclips experience and some farming background. Also don't forget to make time to read or listen to the good word that is the Bible.
Amen Bro.
You said don’t use the center wood because it will split ? Let me know about this .
I put Pam spray on my wheels. It helps keep them clean
Harbour freight and Woodland Mills machines look very much alike. Same, same or different?
Basically the same but Woodland Mills adds a few nice extras. I have a HF machine and have pushed it through a lot of logs. Another post mentioned Cook blades....right on.
You need to feed that saw way faster because going to slow just dulls the teeth,you want to see sawdust not powder.If the blade is dull change it!
WRONG! going to fast overheats the blade and causes blade to follow the grain and shorten life of the blade.
I have 5 acres in South MS full of pines. I wonder if i could make lumber for a house.
You sure could!
Check building codes, most require certified lumber. You can get lumber certified.
What length log can you use on the mill?
a little over 9'
why you have to push so hard is the blade dull does it always cut that slow
You don't have to push that hard you can do it with one hand. This blade was used an that is an oak log. It don't cut fast if you try and go too fast the blade will heat and you will end up with waves down. the cut. It's not fast but doesn't take long to cut up a log.
Plus the log is frozen duh
I'm looking at buying one. Why so slow?. Is that just because the engine too small?.
The blade was old and the log was frozen. I also wanted to show how long it really takes most videos cut out and cut back at the end. If it's a hobby it's a good mill if you are looking for a professional woodmiser this is not it.
@@ralewine03 ok thanks for that. I'll be using it to mill my own wood to build dressers and other furniture. Things to sell. Sick of box store prices and personal mills around me charge more than they should.. stepping stone to later move in to a bigger mill to then sell lumber.
Hunter hudson and sawyer make one that is much heavier and made in usa for about the same price as this
Haven't looked recently but at the time there was nothing even close. Would much rather have bought U.S.
Gary Teague do you have a web site for them ?
Maybe a chain fall over a limb you could have put it together without bending it or hurting your self
Normally I load it with the tractor but the snow and ice wouldn't allow me to get close
@@ralewine03 not making fun of you I am heavy equipment mechanic and I can't tell you how many times a tripod or big tree limb has helped me split and repair equipment when I'm on a job site alone
Oh I know. I have a winch and pulley system I also use. I am probably going to have to find a kind or build something to put a new motor in a Bayliner Cabin Cruiser.
price ?
About 2 grand.
That was the longest duration cut ive ever seen. I think i'll pass on that sawmill
1 that was a used blade through solid oak
2 the log was frozen.
3 if you have $5 to $6,000 to spend buy a better mill.
@@ralewine03 I guess i should have worded that differently. I wasnt trying to be rude, after i read your reply and re-read my comment it sounded pretty bad. Thanks for the great review, and explaining why the cut took so long. The reason i would pass on it is only because i would want something bigger if/when i ever get one, not because of how long that cut took.
no problem. I actually went slow and filmed the whole cut. That was a problem I saw when I was looking everyone speeds up the video or edits out the middle. nobody showed a whole cut.
You are awfully young to be huffing and puffing like that. COPD? I hope you are OK.
Mountain Crest Farm I was a wild child 8 broken nose and 3 collapsed lungs.
I hope everything works out for you. That huffing sounds like me, but I have an excuse...I'm 63 and have been a smoker since 13. I HATE to see young folks that sound like me. Take care.
Have you considered about 4" thick natural edge (1 edge) slabs to sell as mantels? a 5 ft chunk of that, unfinished, is about $100-150 around here. Planed and finished a lot more.
I just do my stuff there are 3 large operating sawmills with in 15 miles of me. This area was developed from mills. The old Singer companies saw mill and cabinet operations is 8 miles away.
Hmmmm i only have two lungs oh 3 times right
Junk
Sure if you are expecting a $10,000 mill for $1,200 but for the price I have done a lot with it.
sorry but due to inaudible sound or no sound i had to give this vid a thumbs down I which the whole vid if it just had sound i would of given a thumbs up sorry
Must be something on your end the sound is so good you can hear me breath!