Showing reviews 1 - 10 of 21
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PROUD LUCAS OWNER
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Posted by: DOUG B from ALABAMA on 1/3/2010
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I have owned the Lucas model 6 sawmill for approx. 3.5 years. This mill was a perfect choice for what I wanted to do, build a log cabin. I used 6x6 logs and cut spline grooves on the top and bottom of each log. By inserting a 1x2 inch spline between each log and installing 1/4x1/4 inch closed cell foam tape I was able to form an airtight seal. On the butt joints I simply drilled two 1-inch holes and installed wooden dowels. A band saw would have been impossible to cut the spline grooves needed. The Lucas has been extremely easy to use. I could not have purchased a better mill for the money. I especially like the 5-minute sharpening time. Try to do that with a band saw. I can peel a log like a banana with very little loss of wood. When it comes to knots the model 6 cuts straight thru with no waves. I am not bragging just proud I spent my money on Lucas. Doug Bishop Lineville Alabama
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475 people found this review helpful.
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Lucas 1030
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Posted by: luke o from ,Fla on 4/20/2009
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Excellent mill! Took a little longer than expected to get use to. A little bit different that the 618 I was used to. Saw kerf & sawdust pile not that much different than my 618.
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514 people found this review helpful.
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Cut'em where they are!
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Posted by: Dave B from California on 8/30/2008
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We were buying lots of lumber for a local Boy Scout Camp, while there were fallen trees all around every spring. So I bought a Lucas, and we started cutting up the trees that naturally fell every winter. The camp is on the side of a fairly steep hill, where moving large logs is virtually impossible. Some of the red fir trees are over four feet in diameter, and with the Lucas, we can cut them into lumber right where they fall. We now have one building that is about 18 feet on each side that is constructed entirely with lumber cut within 100 feet of where the building is. We cut all the lumber actual thickness, that is, 2X stock is actually 2 inches, not 1 1/2. The floor is made up of 3X cuts, the studs and rafters are 2X6, and the siding is all 5/4, put on at 45 degrees. Even the stripping for the roof was cut on site. With respect to ease of operation and safety, with reasonable instruction and basic safety equipment and supervision, senior scouts over 17 were very quick to pick up on the operation, and vere great helpers.
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579 people found this review helpful.
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Lucas 820
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Posted by: Tim S from AR on 7/31/2008
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Mostly a good machine. Have cut a fair amount with it and cuts accurately and true. Kind of hard to start if it is cool. Having trouble adjusting the blade down in the cut as I grind the teeth down when sharpening. The instruction manual could be a lot easier to understand in this regard. Great production machine with two people, much harder with just one.
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1260 people found this review helpful.
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Choosing a Portable Sawmill
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Posted by: Ron M from VA on 5/29/2008
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My wife & I own a 100 acre Va Blue Ridge Mtn tract that prior to our purchasing it was used as a hunting camp. Since last 8 yrs we put lot of time and energy in making a very comfortable get away cabin but I wanted more. I spent quite some time comparing band saws vs blade saws versus what I wanted to accomplish. My intent was to used Best Practice Management for our forest making use of the timber I clear. I also cleared land to build a 60 x 40 [2,400 sq ft] pole building with an eye to making it a retirement home down the road I decided to buy the Lucas Mill and quite happy with it. Since I cut alot by myself I don''t have to turn the log which saves alot of time and energy. also have a forked tractor to move the logs around. Anyways I built the building using it and am drying wood now inside it.
In conclusion, after you determine the investment is worth it, the Lucas Mill stacks up against any other. I''ve had zero problem with it and still on the 1st blade after 2 years cutting soft & hard woods. You''ll find like any other mill, the larger the log the more you''ll get out of it but that''s not the fault of the mill. It''s basic dynamics of sawing.
Just sharpen the blades every morning, keep the choke clear of chips and use quality gas and it will be a work horse for you. I have the mill setup in a stationary position. I wouldn''t want to move it around and use it as a portable mill like they advertise but I guess you could do that. Granted it''s easier if you have 2 guys working it. I cut alot alone but never had problems with the dimensions or anything. I do get my workout!
After you buy one you figure out what works and doesn''t work best for you. I don''t cut for a living and couldn''t compete with the bigger sawmills. And it''s not something I do all that often anymore now but when I do I know I can count on it. Using my own timber I I cut, ripped, planed, etc and laid my own red & white oak floors in my entire house using the best of the best. Estimated value $ 25k.. my cost less than $ 2k. When I start to convert the pole building to a home I will cut all the flooring, structure, walls, cabinets, with the Lucas Mill. Best of luck to you. Ron
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636 people found this review helpful.
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Lucas 827
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Posted by: Ricky H from Oklahoma on 5/18/2008
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I've had my Lucas mill for three years and have sawn everything from pine and cedar to oak, hickory and even osage orange, which is the hardest wood I know of. I have had very few problems with my mill. I live in town and do all my sawing on location. Portability is very important to me and the Lucas mill is very portable. The video says that set-up takes just ten minutes, but it usually takes me fifteen to twenty minutes alone. I had a broken rail lock but had no difficulty in getting replacements under warrenty. I mill mostly large logs, the largest a 54 inch diameter red oak. I use notched skids for holding smaller logs and usually don't have problems with them moving. Turning the head to mill wider than 8 1/2 boards is difficult with one person and cumberson with two people, and slows down production. Over all I am well pleased with the Lucas Mill and it is one of the few products that I've purchased that does what was advertised.
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460 people found this review helpful.
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Lucas 830
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Posted by: Shelby J from FL on 5/17/2008
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I have a Lucas unit that I have used very little less than thirty hours and Kiln system. We processed the wood that we wanted to and now wish to pass the equipment on to another hobbiest. The units worked quite well for us we especially enjoyed the portabillity of the lucas.
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592 people found this review helpful.
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Urban logging
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Posted by: Blair G from CA on 5/17/2008
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As the owner of Saratoga Tree Service and an avid woodworker, I find the Lucas mill to be a valuable asset to my company. I have owned the 8 for over 10 years and have milled hundreds of thousands of board feet. I get some really big, old growth redwood logs from time to time and some huge fir logs. If the log is fat enough and 20 feet long, I can produce as much as 3000 bd. ft. in a day with a strong helper. My real value with this mill is when I get logs in backyards of high hardwood value. Woodworkers will pay high prices for quality Black Walnut, Black Acacia, Silver Maple etc. Most of the oak in California is of low quality but sometimes I find some real good logs. Knowing how to deal with the lumber after it is milled is the secret to making money with any mill. I have even used the mill in disposal situations. Big dead Montery Pines in a back yard can be expensive to dump big rounds. But if you mill up long 4x6 trash lumber, it chips easily and can be dumped for free as clean mulch. I own the slabbing rail as well and have made some big money with huge slabs of wood. The lumber selling business is not easy and it takes a long time to build up clients who come to you. Great machine. Dangerous machine if you are not careful. Nails are expensive to blades and down time so choose your logs with care. Milled about five thouisand bd. ft of Montery Cypress for a client who wanted it for deck and rail wood for his house. I finish processed this lumber and made even more on the project. Owning a wood chipper is a good addition to a mill because you end up with mountains of slash from every job. I have been asked to sell my machine but would only sell it if I get too old to enjoy using it. It keeps me young and fit doing this type of work.
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624 people found this review helpful.
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OneManMill
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Posted by: Steve R from Canada on 5/16/2008
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I have been operating a Lucas 8 mill for 3 years and have cut many hundred thousand board feet. Overall I am very pleased with the mill's design and performance, and with Bailey's aftermarket support. Much of my work has been for a firm manufacturing Douglas Fir flooring and the Lucas Mill's ability to easily cut edge grain lumber is to great advantage. I am able to cut very large old-growth logs with little difficulty as well. The flexibility of the mill's independent end frames gives excellent recovery possible from logs with center rot or from tapered logs.
The few problems I have encountered include a dead tach/hour meter, several snapped cam-locks and a disintegrating clutch plate in the cranking mechanism. All have been quickly addressed by Bailey's. I think the instruction manual could be made more thorough, with more detail given to the saw adjustment procedures.
Overall the Lucas Mill is an excellent machine and I am very happy with my investment.
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609 people found this review helpful.
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Lucas Mill model 825
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Posted by: Jody L from Carolina on 5/16/2008
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My father Rodney Lawrence and I bought the mill about 7 years ago after already having a bandmill. We got tired of the wavy lumber often associated with the bandmill and thought we would try the Lucas Mill. We used the mill mostly just for hobby sawing and sawing for the occasional customer. We were very pleased with the mill power and everything. My dad passed away about 3 years ago form a brain tumor and I let the mill sit for about 2 years, just changing the oil and filters once a year. I finally got the urge to start sawing again about a year ago an was afraid the mill wouldn't run. I put a new battery in it and it fired right up and I've been sawing about 2 weekends a month ever since. The only problem I have with the mill is that the two main drive belts have stretched and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to replace them. I would highly recommend anybody looking for a portable mill to look at the Lucas Mill for reliability and durability.
Sincerely,
Jody Lawrence
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614 people found this review helpful.
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Showing reviews 1 - 10 of 21
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