Here’s a fiercely independent California sawyer who says the TimberKing 1220 handles FAR MORE than TimberKing says it does. What do you think?
“First of all, I don’t like working for other people”
“I’m 60-some years old, originally from the East Coast, and I’ve been in California for 10 years. I’m a furniture maker by trade and I’ve worked in the woods and with sawmills the better part of my life. I don’t like working for other people and owning this TimberKing 1220 helps me not have to.
I used to make a lot of high-end furniture, but nowadays, people in California seem to lean toward primitive-looking interior and exterior furniture, like 1700’s primitive American styles.
“I think the 1220 will do far more than TK says it will”
I like this TimberKing 1220. Personally, I think TimberKing underrates it. I mean it’ll do far more than they advertise it will. I can put maximum diameter logs on it on a regular basis. The redwood log in my picture is 32” in diameter. I think the 1220 is much more than an entry-level saw and I’d like to see TimberKing promote it that way. It’ll handle wood larger than what it’s rated for. I have one log close to 40” and I probably could do it on the saw if I whittle it down a little. The motor and bed are strong enough. The 1220 may not be as powerful as TimberKing’s upper level saws but it’s robust and really built. It’s a solid saw, no bells and whistles, not hydraulic, very simple, and it gets the job done.
I looked at five or six saw brands. TimberKing people are nice to deal with and everything about the 1220 looked good. I couldn’t afford a bigger model but I saw I could add things like the wheel kit. I collaborated on the wheel kit design with them. And when I have questions or issues I can talk to them and feel they really know their product and are willing to listen. I’ve sent them ideas — they don’t always incorporate my suggestions but they always listen. They’re good folks, that’s what I like about them.
Free Trees
I’m sawing various softwoods like fir, redwoods, and Himalayan Cedar. And hardwoods like eucalyptus, White Oak, sycamore, acacia and other species, too. I air dry what I cut and Napa’s constant breezes are good for air drying. I use thicker stickers between boards than most — 1-1/2” — to let the boards dry quickly. I get 3” thick slabs down to 15% in three months or so. Then it takes another six months to get them down to about 12%.
I’m a tree scavenger! I cut responsibly in private stands and work with tree services. I picked up 50 or 60 logs when Pacific Gas and Electric was clearing out some eucalyptus. They were happy because I’m just 15 minutes from where they were cutting instead of them having to haul them 2-1/2 hours to dispose of them.
“What I’ve cut almost pays for my mill”
These days, I’m cutting cants for garden and walkway borders and fence posts. I cut 400 or 500 board feet of redwood to build raised garden beds. I figure that was mixed grade wood worth $9 a board foot. That adds up to at least $3,600 worth of wood, or half the base price of this saw! Add the 5” x 7” x 7-1/2’ cants I’ve sawed, at $4 apiece, and I’ve almost paid for my mill.
His hands-on tips for sawyers.
My advice for those thinking of getting into sawing? Besides a saw, get two cant hooks – 4’ and 6’. Make sure you have a light axe. Get some 8” felling wedges – very handy when you do multiple cuts or cut a log in half. Stick wedges in the open kerf and they’ll lift the wood to prevent binding. Depending on your blade, that’ll help preserve your blade’s set. Get a pulp hook or pickaroon to grab sawn boards off the cant. They help you move stuff around and get a production rhythm going.
And for California sawyers, because of our EPA requirements, you need to use the absolute best grade fuel you can find. I use Chevron 92 octane. Today’s ethanol fuels suck the water out of the air and foul your carb. So if you’re not going to run your saw for a while, drain the carb and run it dry. Keep up with maintenance, tighten the bolts and so on. One other thing — get ready to work because sawing is a workout! Actually, I’m a diabetic and this really helps me.
It’s a pleasure operating this mill and working with TimberKing. It’s a great saw. I don’t have any problems with it.”
— Mr. T.K.A., TimberKing 1220 Owner, Napa CA
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