Thread: Lucas V Peterson

Both mills are good...the difference is the skill level of the operater...MM

Pity ya didn't get the opportunity to setup the mill, that will be a large part of mill ownership, but spending time with both mills will be a great way to see which fits you best.

Both make a decent product, and give good value for money. Peterson however have a number of different models with varied features - any comparison to a Lucas would have to be with the Peterson ATS to be fair, rather then one of the bigger models.

Peterson have a more user friendly double cutting feature then Lucas. It has more uses then just wide boards if you really know how to use it.

Lucas has the best backup service of any company I've ever dealt with. Anywhere. Ever.

As MM said... operator ability will make more difference between the two then manufacturer. It's a Ford/ Holden debate.

Probably should have stated that the Peterson option would be the winch production frame.
There are a couple here in town, so I'm keen to have a good look.
I have been involved with a lucas a couple of times, so I've seen how the setup goes.
Tailed for a friend a few times, just never really took that much interest.
Now that I want to buy one it's a bit different. That'll teach me.

Andrew

Originally Posted by Barterbuilt

I've been deliberating over the lucas and peterson decision.

Cheers

Andrew

Well being a new Luca mill owner in the home of Peterson - like u looked into both but came down to a deal on TradeMe (NZ's equivalent of ebay) limited use so far but this summer it has some big tasks ahead of it

I'll answer your question DB verses Lion whats that u say.

Better add another option

Spent the day today logging with a gentleman who uses a Ecosaw ( lewisaw )
I've got to say that it was one of the biggest rushes I think I've had.
Nothing like standing near the base of a tree as it goes crashing through the jungle. The noise is unbelievable.
You fellas that do this for a living have been holding back. I'm on to you now though.
He had a D5, 22T ekky and a humongous skidder. Man those skidder's are an awsome bit of kit.
Doze a path down the side of a mountain, go down in amongst the rainforest and cut huge blackbutt then skid them up.
I could barely walk up the hill and the skidder went up towing a 20 metre long pole.

Got 3 more days with him, the last 2 will be on the ecosaw.
Pics to come. Too difficult today.

This bloke really knows his stuff, the one on one is just gold. Learned so much today.

Sleeping time now


Phil, you can keep your DB, I'll have the Lion Red any day ( fished the 3 kings a few times )

Lets hope the whole thing goes better than the Ecosaw I saw in operation

There's a couple of Ecosaws. The first is the old Lewisaw as designed by David Lewis (who may well incidently have been the first swingmill guy, not Carl Peterson). I've got a fair bit of time on one... they really are a mill thats designed to carry into the jungle, and work best with two people. Quite versatile, and do a good job once you know how to work one though not as productive as a Lucas. They can however do specialty cuts better then any of the other swingmills... octagonals, chamers, cut to taper etc.
Then theres the ecosaw proper... david lewis got cancer? or something and sold the design rights to a guy who tried to turn it into something its not. He added more weight in the form of bigger engines, went stainless... basicly screwed the pooch. It went from a lightweight easily carried system to just as heavy as the rest but still less productive because it really is a two man operation to work one, and stainless has no place around a sawmill because it work hardens under vibration then starts cracking along the welds etc.
Then the rights went to D&L Doublecut out of Canada. They still manufacture the "Lewisaw" type, but in most of them have put the head into a frame and used ground rails. Head winches up/down, left/right inside the frame which runs on the ground level tracks, or there's an axle under the track and you can start fitting log loaders, chain turners, clamps etc. Haven't used one of them but they look quite good.

Thanks for the info John.
This saw is a stainless jobby, which seems to have held up well considering the timber it has cut in 10 years.
Not really what you would call portable though.
A slightly weird setup with the independant up/down and side to side... on each end.
He did have it singing though with straight sticks one after the other.

Ok only the Peterson to go now. Got one lined up for a few weeks time.

Some pics of my first logging adventure.

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The first big tree I ever felled. (after we snigged it up ) Hmmmm..... a bit of panty puckering going on I can tell Ya

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A pic of the mill and a bluegum fork we had a bit of fun with.

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The skidder and the ekky. Them skidders are big boys toys for sure, those tyres are nearly as tall as me.

Cheers

that me feind is an eco saw, the most inefficient, unuser freindly mobile sawmill you could ever hope to see (yes worse than a chainsaw mill). the skidder and ekky on teh otehr hand, hes on the right track there.

Originally Posted by weisyboy

(yes worse than a chainsaw mill).

Nothing wrong with a chainsaw mill Weisy...have seen some lovely stuff milled from them..they will take you into places where a fixed mill couldn't go.This also allows log(s) that are in hard to get places to be milled on the spot without expensive snigging costs.It is a very worthy milling tool,not to be underestimated or scorned at...i am sure there are many happy users out there that would agree with my sentiment..MM