US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Engineer Neal Bennett adjusts logs at a portable sawmill in the Greenbrier Ranger area of ​​Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Monongahela National Forest

Modern homesteaders are enjoying a simpler, richer and more fulfilling life, and their lives are inspired by the fruits of their hard work.

Understandably, deciding to build a house or shelter from wood that you grind is a common goal of many homesteaders, and it has always existed. Those who live on wooded lands or have authorized log inventories may experience the real happiness and satisfaction that this very rewarding effort can bring.

From a monetary point of view alone, rewards may not necessarily reflect this. In fact, depending on the scope and scale of the project, harvesting and processing timber from one's own timber inventory can easily become a very complicated process. You may ask how could this happen? Well, the felling, milling, drying, and storage of various types of wood of specific trees can be a painstaking experience. This experience can quickly become more expensive and inconvenient than buying standard frame timber from a standard commercial retailer in the first place.

So, if processing wood yourself may cost more time, money, and labor, why do you do this?

There are many good reasons for this. One of them stems from the self-satisfaction of pure, hard but meaningful work, which stems from the self-sufficient heart and soul. If you want the opportunity to experience the deep satisfaction of using your own ground wood, a well-maintained sawmill will help you in the process.

This article is not intended to represent an exhaustive approach or complete authority on the subject. It is designed to provide basic maintenance skills for portable sawmills for small operations (such as homestead operations). Assuming that all safety guidelines are always followed, let's start from where many carpentry dreams are realized: on the blade!

Photo of sawn wood board from Pexels/cleyderduque

The result of a high-quality sawmill starts and ends with sharp blades.

Sawmill blades can provide the best results when properly sharpened. Housewives may use sharpening services or high-quality sharpening equipment to sharpen and fix sawmill blades.

The sharp blades provide operators with better wood production. Sharp blades provide higher precision, accuracy, fuel and time efficiency.

Blade break-in period. After installing the new saw blade, leave a break-in period. To do this, perform a few test cuts at a moderate speed. You should also limit the amount of skimming cuts made on the side that only uses the fixed teeth.

Blade tension. To obtain the best blade performance, the blade tension must be checked regularly. Proper blade tension allows higher blade speed performance. It is also a good idea to check hydraulic tension, springs and airbags.

Belt tension. After installing the new drive belt, take care to maintain proper belt tension. The new belt tends to slack. Tighter tension can better transfer horsepower and RPM to the sawmill's blades.

Impeller belt. The impeller belt must be in good condition to achieve optimal performance, because worn belts can cause blade tracking problems. Exchanging the drive side and the idling side can extend the belt life.

Blade guide. Check the blade guide alignment to prevent any cutting irregularities. The guide rails should be aligned straight, not tilted up and down, and the rollers should be clean, firm and free to rotate. If the roller is worn smooth or tapered, the roller should be replaced. The blade should have complete freedom of movement, rather than leaning on the roller flange or rear rail.

The blade is clean. Cleaning can reduce harmful wear debris on the blade teeth. It is a good idea to use a debarker on the log before cutting. Small rocks, dirt, and general debris contained in the bark can wear the blade prematurely. Debris can wear the blade and reduce blade life and cutting performance. 

The blade is lubricated. The lubricated blade improves blade cutting performance by keeping the blade smooth and clean between sharpening services. Lubrication also helps stabilize the chain pitch by reducing buildup and extending the overall life of the blade.

Feed rate. Pay attention to the feed rate. A slower speed will shorten the service life of the band saw blade. Without lag or reduced cutting accuracy, feed as fast as possible.

A very portable sawmill-chainsaw photo from Pexels/karolinagrabowska

Learn more about the different types of wood and the specific wood you are cutting. For example, the characteristics of hardwood and softwood; older, drier wood is more difficult to cut than younger, wet wood; and the corresponding appropriate cutting technology and feed rate. 

The above points will help provide a good operating experience in a portable sawmill, while also protecting or preserving its related components.

This concludes Part 1 of the basic portable sawmill maintenance.

Next: We will study engine and battery maintenance and some other aspects that will help your sawmill to keep running smoothly in the next few years.

Monica White is a freelance writer, member of the Georgia Air National Guard, and an avid runner and cyclist who loves outdoor activities and all DIY activities. She divides her time between properties in Tampa and central Florida, where she is planting a self-sufficient homestead. Connect with Monica on her outdoor lifestyle blog, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Read all of her Mother Earth news posts here.

All MOTHER EARTH NEWS community bloggers agree to abide by our blog guidelines and they are responsible for the accuracy of their posts.

Join us for the long-awaited return of the Lone Star State! Early bird discounts are now available online.

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 for cutting heating bills, growing fresh natural produce at home, etc. 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 for international subscribers-click here for Canadian subscriptions: 1 year (including postage and GST).

Already a member? Log in with your online account.

Already a member but no online account?

Already a member but no online account?