Sawing in the snow

delgra · Dec 3, 2011

Saturday in mid Ontario and we just finished sawing the last of the Balsam Fir and the Cedar. Had a minor ice storm at the start of the week, out of power for 3 days! Many thanks to Honda for that ultra dependable 5k generator. The Kioti was a perfect sawing partner, loading and unloading the mill and piling the lumber. And to think just 3 years ago we were totally dependant on Armstrong! We get too soon old and too late.....you know!

Willl · Dec 3, 2011

Very cool.

That's quite a up draft....

delgra · Dec 3, 2011

Thanks for picking up on that updraft!! Wind has chamged now.

roger4400 · Dec 6, 2011

Hi. Just looking to buy a Gilbert sawmill with a 25 hp Kohler.....how do you like yours and would you buy another one ????? Any problem with the engine in the cold weather??? Thanks and best regards, Roger

Coyote machine · Dec 7, 2011

In case no one has welcomed you to the TBN site: Welcome!

What's the average daytime temp where you're milling the trees?
How much snow do you have now?
Here in VT we have 0 snow right now!

MotorSeven · Dec 7, 2011

Nice looking mill. I have a WM LT-15 and love it. I'd trade you some frozen tundra for bucketfulls of rain right now....looking out my back door at flood number 2 of "Winter 2011".

pickeringchris · Dec 7, 2011

Great pics. I live in Pickering right by the 401. Not a spec of snow yet but last night I was 15 miles north and it's completely white. Was really pretty.

haroldy · Dec 7, 2011

I am near peterborough .We only have maybee an inch on the ground

delgra · Dec 8, 2011

Here in Combermere we have 2" and its -3C or 29F, nice and sunny! Its not my mill, but works ok, and its a push which I wouldn't buy. At 13HP its also underpowered. Cuts cedar and balsam ok, but forget hardwood. I like WoodMizer mills and there is another one I think its a Lucas that runs ip tooth circular saws! It may be from Aus, but the videos really impressed me. I would rather sharpen a circular blade than a band which is a lot more expensive. Before I had a tractor we loaded the mill by hand. If you don't have the tractor I would buy a hydraulic mill as handling 14' heavy Balsam by hand is tres brutal! Pre tractor skidding was done with a Honda 350 4 wheeler and a skidding cone from Nova Jack, but the Honda isn't a very good fork lift!

roger4400 · Dec 9, 2011

Thanks for the answer. So I might look for a used 20 hp mill. To pull I also have a cone and a foreman 400 for the smaller logs but for the ""biggies"" I use my 1643 Massey and a Farmi winch....last summer we had a big wind and ｱ 20 nice pines 18 to 24 in. were trown to the ground, I just cannot see them die on the ground without trying to mill them.....but I do not have a sawmill and just looking for an affordale one . I can afford 5 to 6,000$ at the most for a good mill, I do that for fun, not business..
You like Woodmizer....but strangely on their mill, the sawdust is thrown on your feet!!!! and to load you have to go behind the mill to get a log. With a Gilbert or a Norwood, sawdust goes the opposite side ( less dust in your face) and after a cut you are on the good side to load a log....or I'm I missing something...Best regards. Roger