Learn what you need to know when choosing the right portable sawmill for your homestead.

Portable hybrid sawmill tips for buying a portable sawmill

Portable sawmills are divided into three categories: chain sawmills, circular sawmills and band sawmills. They are available in a variety of styles and operating systems, and they are priced to suit any budget. "Which one to choose," said Will Johnson, president of TimberKing, a portable sawmill manufacturing company, "it depends on what you plan to use it for."

He said the variables are how much wood you plan to saw and how quickly you need to cut it. The third variable is the hour to complete the board you need to give him. When choosing the right portable sawmill for your home, here are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of sawmill:

From a cost point of view, chain saw mills are inexpensive, so they are very suitable for homesteads and farms. The starting price is less than $100. But these factories are relatively slow, which means you can only use them for major projects if you have a lot of time. Even with special chains used for logging, they still make rough cuts; the finished surface requires further milling.

They waste a lot of wood. “Generally speaking,” said Erin Domagalski of Hud-Son Forest Equipment, “chain saw mills have 20% more cuts (blade width) than band saw mills.”

Most chain saw mills require heavy-duty power heads. Your current chain saw may not be enough to run it, and a new chain saw-which can double the cost-may be required. Special-purpose chains and rods are also required.

Most chainsaws are used with a frame you build around the log you are cutting, which can be a slow and awkward process. For these milling cutters, it is particularly important to align the first cut, as this surface can be used as a guide for the remaining cuts. The Alaska Mark III of Granberg International is a good example of such a chain saw mill. Exceptions such as Total J100 (available through Tilton Equipment Co.) consist of a rail and bracket system, where the log is fixed by the base bracket and the saw is inverted on the rail.

For a time, all sawmills used round blades. This is still the case for most large commercial operations. Their main benefit is speed. The cutting speed of a circular saw is much faster than a band saw, but the disadvantage is that it is expensive and usually has a larger cut, so more wood will be wasted. The quality of the cut is often rough.

Circular sawmills are often transportable, but not easy to carry. Once moved to the work site, it may take a whole day for them to be erected. In most cases, a staff of three to five people is required to operate efficiently and safely.

Older circular sawmills used vertical blades mounted under the bed, similar to a workshop table saw. Modern blades are placed on top of the head, with safety guards, like a radial arm saw. A good representative is the Mighty Mite "D" series sawmill, which starts at $29,500.

A novel method is Lucas Mill, an Australian design imported by Bailey's, which uses a special five-tooth, horizontally mounted thin cutting blade to cut logs sitting on the ground instead of lying on a bed.

Today's portable sawmill industry is dominated by band saws. Technology allows them to be used in so many configurations and operating systems that they have almost replaced circular sawmills.

Although slower than a circular sawmill, the band saw machine is truly portable whether it is with an integrated trailer system or in a pickup truck. They are simple and safe to operate; they produce less waste due to smaller incisions; create a smoother surface, requiring less milling; and are flexible enough to cut specialty woods such as wobblers, shingles, and partitions. And they are more affordable, starting at about $3,500.

According to your needs, they are configured as small manually operated mills; as medium-sized devices with power head and basic hydraulic device; as industrial-strength mills, equipped with power head, built-in peeler, hydraulic log handling system and computer The internet.

When choosing a belt grinder, one thing you don't have to worry about is its cutting quality. Almost all modern strip steel machines can produce the same high-quality surface, almost no final finishing work is required. Configuration and cutting speed are two important variables in each category.

However, don't care too much about the production speed claimed by the manufacturer, says Will Johnson of TimberKing. "Productivity numbers are almost meaningless," he said. "There are too many variables-including log size, wood thickness and the speed of the operator-unable to provide real production data."

Determine if you really need any specific bells and whistles for a given model. For example, while full hydraulic systems are helpful, they can quickly push the price up to $30,000.

The manual belt grinder is equipped with a floor or an elevated bed. The ground bed is usually located on a mill transported by truck. Using them makes it easier to process the log, but may make the operator more fatigued due to constant bending. Overhead bed grinders are usually transported by trailers, which makes the operation more convenient. But log handling is more troublesome and requires ramps, elevators or other equipment.

Manual belt grinders can be used for commercial cutting, but are considered best for personal use on farms and small areas.

Upgrades to manual mills are those equipped with an automatic carriage feeding system, and in some cases, automatic settings. Most do not include log handling hydraulic systems. These mills are much less labor intensive and suitable for custom sawing. They are also a good choice for people with physical limitations or jobs that require a lot of cutting in a short period of time.

Belt grinders in the mid-price range include hydraulic log loading, turning, clamping, and in some cases, hydraulic toe boards. They are considered ideal for custom cutting and production.

At the top of the production line is a high-volume belt mill. These come with complete hydraulic and electronic operations and can be used for larger production, custom sawing and commercial wood manufacturing.

When you consider buying a sawmill, part of your decision should include the necessary accessories you may need, such as log handling equipment. If you can use diagonal hoops and pea stalks to do this job, then a manual grinder may meet all your requirements. However, if you want to cut larger logs that require a separate log lift, a hydraulic mill may make more sense.

Using some PVC, fluorescent shop lights, some chains, and some other materials, you can create a low-cost growth light setup for starting seedlings indoors or growing plants throughout the year.

Understand the docile temperament of traditional American guinea pigs, understand their foraging habits, and help protect them by raising breed awareness.

Author and poultry breeder Gail Damerow shares how to protect your flock from predators large and small in your area.

In MOTHER EARTH NEWS for 50 years, we have been committed to protecting the natural resources of our planet and at the same time helping you protect your financial resources. You will find tips to cut heating bills, grow fresh natural produce at home, and more. This is why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing to our earth-friendly auto-renewing savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you can save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of "Mother Earth News" for only $12.95 (US only).

You can also use the Bill Me option and pay $17.95 for 6 installments.

Canadian subscribers-click here

International subscribers-click here

Canadian subscription: 1 year (including postage and GST)

Copyright 2021, all rights reserved | Ogden Press