How To Buy Lumber From A Saw Mill And Save Money. Wooden saw mill

How To Buy Lumber From A Saw Mill And Save Money

When you first began woodworking, your most likely source for wood was your local big box store. It’s easily accessible and everything is organized and laid out in front of you to look over. The other advantage is that everything is already cut to size and dry. Therefore, you can start using it as soon as you get it home.

Two of the big negatives to buying from a big box store is limited selection and cost. Typically, (at least in my case) the big box stores have very few options to choose from when it comes to species of woods. In my area, the only lumber options available are pine, cedar, oak and poplar.

If you are lucky, you may live in a city that has big box stores that specialized in hardwood lumbers. These stores typically offer numerous options when it comes to various species.

Though it may not appear bad, the cost of lumber in big box stores is VERY expensive. You don’t realize it because you don’t have anything to compare it to. Buying your lumber directly from a sawmill can be significantly less, though there may be additional preparation needed before it can be used as we will see below.

Buying from a mill may seem overwhelming at first. However, every encounter I’ve ever had with a mill has been positive. I typically learn something new on each visit just in general conversation with the workers. If you can overcome the first time jitters of this buying method, I think you’ll come to love the options and advantages associated with direct purchases!

Sawmill Sizes

The first step to buying lumber from a sawmill is finding a mill that will sell to the general public. Your geographic location will play a role in the level difficulty of finding a local mill. The mills that you come across will generally fall into one of three categories: large commercial operations, small regional mills and small family run mills.

The large commercial mills generally will not sell to individuals. These are large scale operations that FOCUS on selling tractor trailer loads of lumber over something a single buyer may need.

In my opinion, the small regional mills are the best level to buy from. There is a chance you may run into the same issue as the large operations who won’t sell to an individual. However, don’t let this discourage you as these mills likely have a kiln which will be a huge time saver for you.

When you call, be prepared for them to ask how much lumber you are wanting to buy. They may have a minimum order quality (MOQ). If their MOQ is higher than the amount you need, consider finding another woodworker in your area that is interested in splitting an order with you in order to meet their buying requirement.

The small family or portable mills are the smallest and most likely mills willing to sell to an individual. If you visit one of them, it’s likely you will be asked to come to their house or farm to view their lumber. Most of these operations have a small portable sawmill that cuts the logs into slabs.

These mills will offer less add-on services, such as a kiln or plane and surfacing, than the larger operations. These operations will most likely be the cheapest of your options.

How to find a mill?

The most common way to find a mid-size mill is doing a regular Google search. I will typically search the name of the local city and the word sawmill or hardwood lumber. Don’t be surprised if the sawmill’s webpage is dated or even non-existent once you click on the web address. It is extremely rare that I find a website for a mill that has relevant and current information.

Many times, it’s loaded with broken links and if I’m lucky a phone number. Don’t let a poor webpage deter you from calling them though. Many of the small operations just don’t have the resources to build fancy web pages.

To find a portable mill, I have the most luck searching on Craigslist and sometimes Typically, doing a search for “sawmill” or “rough cut lumber” will turn up a few leads.

One thing I have found is that these mills don’t have a consistent schedule for posting ads. I would suggest getting in the habit of searching for a mill every few weeks even if you aren’t in need of purchasing lumber at that very moment. In some cities, Craigslist ads expire after 7 days. Most mills don’t repost every 7 days, so there are times you may search and find no leads for a couple months.

It’s best to go ahead and save some contacts when you find them. Otherwise, Murphy’s law will hit and there will be no listings when you need a supply.

Topics to Understand

Buying lumber from a saw mill will be different than what you are accustomed to when going to your local hardware store. I’ll go through the differences below so you know exactly what to expect.

1) Board Feet

Before calling a mill, it’s best to get a general idea for how much wood you are looking to purchase. Sawmills measure lumber quantity in “board feet.” Another way of looking at it, it the volume amount of wood that you are purchasing. It may sound complicated, but it’s not bad. So when you call, be sure to tell them the amount of wood that you want and make sure you say “board feet” so there’s no confusion.

Board feet (BF) is calculated using the following formula assuming all numbers are in inches: (LENGTH x WIDTH x THICKNESS) / 144

Therefore, the board feet of a 2×4 that’s 8 feet long would be the following: 2 x 4 x 96 / 144 = 5.33 board feet

Therefore, if you call a mill and they tell you that their walnut pricing is 2 a BF, the 2x4x8 in our example would cost approximately 10.66. Lumber will vary by species of wood.

Some mills will also vary their based on the difficulty to obtain the size you are wanting. For instance, if you are seeking a very wide board, or very thick, expect to pay a slightly higher amount because its a less common size.

TIP! I’d advise ordering about 10% more than what you think you will need. Buying from a mill will result in more waste, but it’s still cheaper than the store!!

2) Measurements

One minor difference that you need to be aware of before visiting a milling is centered around how they measure board thickness. Thickness is stated as a fraction of fourths.

For instance, let’s assume you are looking for lumber that is 2 inches thick. A mill will state the thickness as 8/4 (pronounced EIGHT FOURTHS). When you dived 8 by 4 you get an answer of 2, which is the two inches that we started with.

One last example would be if you wanted a 1.5″ board. This board would be called a 6/4 (SIX FOURTHS).

3) Moisture Content

When you arrive at the mill, you will likely notice right away that their wood is stack with stripes of wood in between each board. This is often referred to a “stickered” wood. The reason the mills do this is to help the boards dry quicker and evenly.

When a tree is initially cut down, it has a very high amount of water contained within the trunk. It’s not uncommon for a pine log to have a moisture content (MC) of 100% when it’s originally cut down. A 100% MC indicates that half of the weight of the log comes from water and the other half is the wood itself.

Once the mill begins cutting the log into boards, more of the wood is exposed to the surrounding air allowing it to dry quicker. This is why the mills sticker their lumber to allow air to move freely between the boards.

Moisture Impact On Wood

It’s important to ensure that the moisture content of your lumber is at the proper levels before using it in a project. The goal is to get the wood to the point where the wood no longer expands or shrinks based on the surrounding moisture in the air. This is referred to it’s equilibrium moisture content (EMC).

The moisture content of wood is impacted by the relative humidity of the environment that it is in. Therefore, if you live in an area that is humid, the wood will take on some of the water in the air which in turn causes it to expand. Likewise, if the humidity levels decline, the wood will lose some of the moisture it contains, thus causing the wood to shrink.

This can cause serious problems using wood before it has dried to the correct levels. For instance, a few years ago, I built a walnut table top. The wood had dried for a while, but still wasn’t where it needed to be.

Being impatient, I ignored it and told myself it was “close enough.” The problem didn’t appear quickly. However, after about 6 months, I began to notice that the boards had started to come apart in sections. I’ve put the task off, but the repairs that are needed will take quite a bit of time. Something that could have been avoided had I remained patient.

I highly recommend that you take a moisture meter with you when you visit a sawmill. Moisture meters are very easy to operate. In fact, most just require that you press a single button for a reading. Personally, I really like the General Tools MMD7MP model that you can find here. It’s a great beginner model. If you would like a deep understanding of moisture meters and how they work, you can check out my article here.

What Moisture Content is Acceptable?

The acceptable moisture content levels vary based on your project. Generally, for a woodworker, you will want to get your MC down to around 6 – 8% before using it. This will vary slightly depending on your location. For a (free) detailed scientific explanation of how moisture content occurs, take a look at: Wood Handbook, Wood as an Engineering Material. If you aren’t interested in the entire 500 page article, at least take a look at table 4-2 on page 83. This table gives you a general idea of what the moisture content should be for your area based on current temperature and humidity.

How Can I Dry My Lumber?

The easiest method to have your wood dried is to buy it after it has been sent through a kiln. This is why I mentioned above that it’s best to purchase from a regional saw mill. The mid sized mills are more likely to have access to a kiln. Due to space and costs, most of the small portable mills only have the ability to use the air drying method. It is likely that the mill will charge you a higher rate per BF for kiln dried wood, but it is well worth the extra fee.

A kiln works similar to an oven. The lumber is loaded into a large chamber and sealed shut. Depending on the kiln, different methods are then used to send heat through the chamber. Kiln drying makes it much easier to control the moisture content levels during the drying process. Another benefit is that the kiln method is excellent at killing any bugs that may be living within the wood.

The amount of time lumber must remain in a kiln can vary significantly based on the species of wood. According to this Wikipedia article, “Modern high-temperature, high-air-velocity conventional kilns can typically dry 1-inch-thick (25 mm) green lumber in 10 hours down to a moisture content of 18%. However, 1-inch-thick green Red Oak requires about 28 days to dry down to a moisture content of 8%.”

There are plans online for building your own kiln at home. Many of these plans involve using solar energy as their primary method for heating their makeshift chambers. I’ve never tried doing the method myself, but it’s something I’d be willing to attempt if I didn’t live in a neighborhood.

Air Dry

If the saw mill you purchase from does not have a kiln and making your own kiln isn’t an option, there is one additional option. You can create a setup similar to the mill and sticker your own boards so they can dry on their own. The negative side to this option is that it is a slow process. The general rule of thumb for air drying is that it takes 1 year to air dry 1 per inch of lumber thickness. So in other words, if you have a board that is 2″ thick, it could take up to 2 years for it to dry completely.

How to Measure Moisture Content

Fortunately, there are moisture meters on the market that make it easy to measure the MC of your wood. You can pick up a basic model for as little as 20. Just ensure the meter you get its for wood as there are similar meters made that only measure soil. These meters take their reading by sending small electrical currents through the wood. The quicker the current flows to the next sensor, the more water that is contained within the wood.

There are two different types of meters available – pin and pinless versions. Pin versions have 2 needles that stick out of the unit. You take a measurement of the wood by pushing these pins slightly into your wood. The pinless version, just as the description states, comes without pins. For these units, you simply lay them on top of the wood and they are able to take their measurements. As with anything, there is debate between the two sides as to which is better. Personally, I prefer the pinless version because I feel it’s easier to take a measurement.

4) Wood Cuts

The next area that you should be familiar with when buying from a mill is the different cuts that are made to a log. You won’t need to be familiar with this topic when you are looking for your mill, but it is good to have a firm understanding prior to actually visiting the mill, especially if you are allowed to pick and choose your lumber.

Some mills will allow you to look through their stacks of wood and you are able to pick and choose which boards you want to purchase. Other mills will require that call in your order and when you arrive, you are given a stack of pre-selected boards. Either method will work. However, if you are looking for a certain grain finish or pattern then its best to go the route of picking your own pieces.

When a mill receives a log in they have three general methods to cut it. These cuts are referred to as: Riftsawn, Quartersawn and Plainsawn. If you could cut the same log with each of these different methods, you would get a distinct difference in appearance and percent of usable product from each. The picture to the left shows how each are cut from a log. Below I will

go into further detail on the difference of each cut and how it impacts you.

Riftsawn – This cut is defined as a cut that takes place between a 30 and 45 degree angle to the center of the log. These cuts will have very consistent grain and pattern features. This type of cut is most desirable by those making furniture. These cuts are most poplar on table legs where the maker desires a matching finish across all pieces. You can see from the photo below that all four boards have grain features that match throughout.

Quartersawn – Quartersawn cuts are made by dividing the log in to quarters to perform the cuts. The advantage to these cuts are that they are less likely to warp over time. They are also more likely to dry and shrink evenly thus making them stronger, especially in the case of red oak. Famous furniture maker Gustav Stickley, once said of the quartersawn method “(it) renders quartersawn oak structurally stronger, also finer in grain, and, as shown before, less liable to warp and check than when sawn in any other way.”

Plainsawn – This is the easiest cuts for the mill to make, therefore these cuts are also the cheapest if you are taking logs to a mill and having them cut. These cuts also produce the least amount of waste because the mill is using the entire log and not worrying about grain patterns. As you can also see in the photo below, the grain patterns are much more irregular.

5) Milling Process

The last part that we need to cover is the milling process for your lumber. Milling is the process of converting a cut piece of a log into a straight and workable board. When a mill cuts the initial log using any of the three methods we described above, they typically use a Band saw. Since they are cutting an imperfect rounded log the cuts with the Band saw are not going to be perfectly straight and parallel.

Some mills won’t provide any additional services after the log is cut. Others may provide services that include planing and/or adding a straight edge. It’s important to know what you are getting to ensure you have the proper tools at home. The mid-sized mills are more likely to offer surfacing services than the small portable mills. If you elect to have them surface the boards for you, expect to pay 50 cents or so more per board foot. I highly recommend paying the extra fee. It will save you some time later. Even if you pay an additional dollar or more per BF to have the mill kiln dry and surface your boards, it will still be cheaper than what you can get in the stores unless you are buying a species that is hard to find.

Surfacing Options

Wood surfacing from a mill is referred to a S2S, S3S or S4S. This stands for “Surfaced # Sides.” For example a S3S stands for “Surfaced 3 Sides.” I’ll go into more detail below on the meaning of this terminology.

None – This is the most common option available. It’s the cheapest, but it will require the most work once you get it home. When you buy a piece of wood that hasn’t been surfaced at all, you are getting a board that’s only been cut from a log. It may even have a “live edge” meaning you can see exactly where the bark was peeled off of the tree.

In order to properly prepare wood that the mill hasn’t surfaced, you will need a jointer, planer and table saw. The first thing that you have to do is get a straight edge for your board. This is accomplished by using a jointer. If you are interested in more detail on what a jointer does, check out this article that I wrote. You will have to run the edge of your board over your jointer numerous times. Each time it will cut away a small layer of wood. After enough passes, you should have a straight edge to begin working from.

After you have a straight edge, you now have the ability to run it through your table saw. Simply place the flat edge against your table saw fence and rip the board to your desired width. The last step is to run your board through your thickness planer. The goal here is to trim away small amounts from the faces of your boards until you reach your desired thickness.

TIP! If you need to buy a planer and jointer but only have the budget for one, you have options! I recommend buying a thickness planer. For your jointer – look at hand tools. Hand planers have been used for hundreds of years. You can pick up used ones on eBay.

S2S – This type of board indicates that the wood has 2 sides surfaced. These boards will have been planed therefore the thicknesses should be consistent throughout the board and both faces should be smooth. These boards will NOT have a straight edge. Therefore, before using them, you will need to run them over a jointer or use a hand plane in order to get a straight line to cut to width.

S3S – Boards in this category have been planed like the S2S boards, but they do have ONE straight edge. This will allow you to avoid having to use a jointer. You’ll just need a table saw in order to cut your boards to your desired width. If possible, I would recommend having your boards finished S3S at the very minimum. This will save you time once you get them home.

S4S – If you’ve only used hardware stores to source your lumber, then you are already accustomed to boards that have been prepared using this method. These boards will be straight on all four sides with parallel straight sides. There should be no prep needed before starting your project. This will be the most expensive option, but I recommend it if you can find it.

Below is a recap of some of the questions you should ask when calling around to mills. I’ve also included a few things to take to the mill when you visit.

Questions to Ask

• Do you sell to the public?
• Do you have a minimum order quantity? If so, what is it?
• Do you have kiln dried lumber available?
• Can I look through the wood or do I need to order ahead?
• What grade lumber is available and their prices?
• Depending on whether you have a jointer and planer – Do you offer S4S lumber?

Things To Take The Mill

• Pencil
• Tape Measure
• Moisture Reader – Again I recommend the MMD7NP, which is here.
• Phone with Board Foot Cost Calculator app
• Gloves
• Rope and straps to tie down the wood

How to Mill Your Own Lumber: A Step-By-Step Guide

Milling your own lumber is a labor of love. But for a craftsman, a DIY sawmill setup can be a great way to get unique wood material and reduce the total cost along the way. What are your key options, tools, and considerations? Get started with this step-by-step guide.

Let’s say you need some wood for your next woodworking project—a piece of furniture, a bar, a barn, whatever you’re envisioning. You could just go to your local lumber yard and buy the wood you need.

But if you’re a hobbyist, or novice woodworker, the price tag for wood has been making you think twice about that lately, here’s an idea. Have you considered milling your own lumber?

DIY sawmilling isn’t the simplest woodworking challenge for your workshop or garage, but it has many advantages. Given recent lumber price spikes, the potential cost savings over time is a big one. The logs you’re starting with will be free, or at least dirt cheap.

Plus, milling your own lumber can be much more satisfying for a craftsman. It lets you decide the types of cuts, sizes, species and desired grain. You’re not limited by the only-what’s-most-popular selection at the lumber yard. And if you have a big property with a lot of trees that you need to clear? Milling the lumber yourself is faster and cheaper for an enthusiastic hobbyist. You’ll make better use of your own resources in the process.

So, what does it take to start milling your own lumber? Let’s walk through the key considerations at a high level in this step-by-step guide.

The Right Tools for the Job

First, make sure you have the right space for your sawmill setup.

One of the best things about DIY sawmilling? You can store your wood for drying right by your shop for easy, anytime access. But you do need a good amount of room to do that!

You’ll also need to make sure you have all the components to turn usable logs into timber, including:

Handling equipment – How will you get the logs? How will you load them onto your sawmill? A good skid loader, a heavy-duty trailer, winch, and cant hooks are among the essentials.

Bucking tools – A good chainsaw with both a ripping chain and regular chain is a key tool for trimming your logs to lengths for milling.

Fuel and/or power supply – Make sure you can get the power you need, whether it’s with a gas-powered saw or an electric mill. If the latter, you’ll need to decide whether to use a single-phase or three-phase saw. You’ll also need to ensure you have the power to accommodate it. on that later.

Protective equipment – Not just guards on the machine, but all due safety measures to protect your eyes, ears and appendages. Milling involves powerful, dangerous machines that warrant caution.

Finishing tools – As I’m sure you’re aware you won’t be able to lay your new flooring from a fresh rough board. You’ll need finishing tools to get useable boards. Some of these tools include a jointer and planer to make smooth unique cuts of wood with good symmetry

The mill itself – That brings us to step 1 below …

Step 1. Building a Sawmill

Your first consideration in building a sawmill is what type of saw you’re going to use: a chainsaw or a bandsaw. It comes down to how you’ll be using it.

Will you be cutting smaller-diameter logs of softwoods (evergreens such as firs, spruces, and cedars)? A chainsaw mill is a way to go. It’s less costly and more portable.

Or will you be cutting bigger logs and more hardwoods, from deciduous trees such as oak, poplar, cherry, and maple? A bandsaw mill is going to cut more hardwood more efficiently. It’s a thinner blade, which means less kerf (material lost during cutting due to blade thickness).

The second big item for your sawmill is the frame. You can find hundreds of various choices of plans and instructions online. Consider the effort required and the price of raw material when looking at simple structures like this wooden setup. Or more elaborate welded steel systems incorporating hydraulics.

This part of the process is likely to be your most time and labor-intensive.

If you have a bit more budget, you could buy a turnkey, portable sawmill with the frame already included. Be prepared to spend thousands of dollars. But you will save untold time and get to milling your own timber faster!

Besides the mill, you’ll need auxiliary equipment, including bucking, loading, unloading, and holding apparatus to protect the builder.

Bucking is the vital step of cutting logs into usable milling lengths. This task is particularly important for a smaller, home-based sawmill operation. A good bucking setup means you only need the capacity to mill, say, an 8-foot board instead of a 20-footer.

Although you can go basic with bucking and cut your logs on the ground, that requires more advanced skill. It also risks damage to the blade (or you). Instead, you can build a classic sawbuck, an X-shaped sawhorse frame that holds the log up off the ground.

For handling (loading, unloading and holding), a good winch paired with a ramp is ideal. If you’re more mechanically inclined, you could incorporate a hydraulic handling system like this.

Step 2. Finding and Picking Logs

The real fun begins once you’ve built or bought your sawmill and it’s time to try putting it to use. Where will you find your wood?

If you have a large property with a lot of trees, that’s an obvious place to start looking for useable lumber. Yes, you can mill dead trees, for the most part, just be sure to inspect the log for the important aspects of timber that is healthy and useable. This is especially true if you get to them quickly, which you should be able to if they’re on your property. You’ll need to be on the lookout for rot, and pests in each specific log. You want a healthy log that hasn’t been lying on wet ground for a year to get the best yield.

Even so, a sawmiller or carpenter may find lots of high-grade lumber in dead trees. And even if it turns out to be better suited for firewood, you learn a little more along the way.

Many DIY sawmill operators and hobbyists also find success partnering with tree services and reliable supply sources for the best trees. Connecting with land-clearing construction contractors is another fertile approach. And there’s always Craigslist or Post your “wanted” ads, and watch for homeowners trying to get rid of felled trees. Careful: trees from residential areas often contain metal (staples, screws, etc.). This may cause you to take a much more active role in the inspection of the log before you have useable timber. Metal and sawmill cutting don’t mix well!

What species should you look for? That’s up to you. Whether you’re dealing with pine, walnut, ash, or cedar, it helps to be familiar with the type of tree and its attributes.

Step 3. Prepping the Logs for Milling

Here’s where that bucking stand you built, as well as your handling equipment, is crucial. It’s time to get that log into a good condition before attempting to make your first cut.

Be sure to cut your sawlogs longer than what you want for the final lumber product. Most experts recommend a 4- to 6-inch trim allowance.

Meanwhile, examine the whole log. Look for any catch points or defects in the bark that could cause problems in handling while on the sawmill. Take a look at the ends to see if you need to remove any wood checks or roughness from initial chainsaw cuts.

It’s also a good time to seal both ends of the logs, which reduces cracks and promotes even drying of the lumber.

Step 4. Using the Sawmill

With your log prepped, you need to get it into position. Using your winch or hydraulics, get the log onto the frame. Try to position it evenly relative to the saw blade. You may need to account for taper in the log by raising the smaller side so that the pith stays level with the log.

At the same time, you need to decide how you want to orient the log for cutting and getting the best character in the cuts. A good craftsman is always looking for wood with character. So be sure to position your wood to show off knots and other features.

Then clamp down the log tight on the log rests/frame. You don’t want your log rolling due to vibrations from the blade’s power.

You have several options for the types of grain pattern on your rough boards or planks. Your choice will determine whether and when you rotate the log during milling. The three typical grain patterns include:

• Plain – Sawing right through the center of the log all the way down.
• Quarter – Sawing the log into quarters at a radial angle, then plain sawing the quarters from there.
• Rift – Sawing and turning many times to produce more high-quality logs (but also more waste).

The final act of using your sawmill is a long but crucial one: final drying of the harvested timber to prevent warp.

If you plan to air-dry instead of building a kiln, you need good air circulation, a level storage location to build your pile of lumber, and shelter from the elements. After that, the drying process can take up to several months until the moisture content equals the humidity of your local environment.

You may also be willing to build one of the various types of kilns to speed up the process, but this will increase the overall cost of the project, which may not be something that a home hobbyist is willing to do.

But congratulations! You can admire your work in the meantime, and after that, you’ll have good quality wood that you know was made by a real craftsman.

The Importance of 3 Phase Converters in a Sawmill

Don’t forget about power considerations for your awesome new sawmill setup. Gas-powered systems remain common. But if you want to cut the exhaust fumes and reduce noise in a small shop, consider an electric-driven sawmill.

Single-phase electric sawmill blades are available. But sawmilling takes rugged power. For greater workloads and efficiency, a three-phase-powered sawmill might be a better option.

But if you have a shop in a residential or rural area, you may have a single-phase electric utility service. That’s where a three-phase converter comes in handy. It converts your single-phase electricity to smooth three-phase power for your sawmill.

Plus, with proper sizing, you can run your entire shop off a single rotary phase converter. Saws. Dust collectors. Drills. Sanders. You can run it all with the smooth startup and balanced output of American Rotary phase converters.

Customer Service, Manufacturing, Distribution 2305 Stonebridge Road | West Bend, WI 53095

SECRET Sawmill Techniques for a Waste of Money Log!

Portable Bandsaw Mill

This project is one of the first Pixel and Timber products of 2018. This powerful new tool borrows e-bike technology and the latest advances in thin kerf bandsaw blades to empower woodworkers to harvest their own lumber from urban trees felled due to disease, clearing or severe weather — turning an otherwise wasted resource into beautiful, sustainably harvested lumber.

Project Background

Most of the time, when a tree comes down or is taken down in your neighborhood — due to disease, severe weather, or removal — it is diced into manageable logs and hauled away to the nearest landfill. The landfill waste associated with managing urban forests is significant. Reclaiming this otherwise wasted urban wood for use as lumber is an opportunity to both reduce urban wood waste and reduce the cost of creating beautiful wooden objects for use or sale.

Buying Lumber Directly From a Sawmill. Money Saving Tips

For woodworkers, the idea that any amount of valuable hardwood — let alone beautiful character wood with a story behind it — is being deposited in a landfill is a travesty. According to the U.S. Forest Service Education and Resource Center, “reclaimed wood from all dead and diseased trees could equal nearly one quarter of annual hardwood consumption in the United States.” What isn’t dumped in a landfill is most often recycled for firewood or mulch. And for arborists, this waste is a missed opportunity to turn cost into profit. According to David T. Damery Brian C.P. Kane of the University of Massachusetts, “finished wood products can bring as much as 100 per pound of material at the retail market place. Contrast this with the 90 per ton cost for tipping fees when disposing of wood debris.”

The Portable Bandsaw Mill

The portable bandsaw mill is exactly the tool a woodworker needs to turn fallen timber into usable lumber. With their thin (1/8″) kerf, these saws provide maximum output from every hour of a users’ labor by reducing the waste of every cut. Smaller mills can be moved easily in the bed of a truck and are stored in a small barn or large shed.

Despite its name, however, a portable saw mill still must be transported by truck or as an integrated trailer. And these devices force a user to maneuver a log to the mill — often requiring a skid steer to extract fallen urban wood from difficult-to-reach locations. It also costs a fair amount and can’t be easily moved to where a tree has naturally fallen. Due to its size, cost and the ancillary equipment required to support it, such a device is better suited to a user who wants to operate it as a business or as part of a larger business.

Because professional arborists and sawyers may be cutting thousands of board feet per year, to their profit, and are already likely to own the trucks, forklifts, or front end loaders used to transport the raw logs, the portable bandsaw mill is the right tool for professional users who can justify its cost and size. The woodworker who simply wants to extract otherwise wasted urban wood would find it hard to justify the cost and footprint of even the smallest commercial bandsaw mill.

The Alaskan Saw Mill

The Alaskan saw mill is a simple jig that attaches to a chainsaw, enabling it to rough cut boards at fixed depths along the length of a fallen log. The Alaskan saw mill provides a portable and low cost alternative to the portable bandsaw mill and couples this to extreme portability. This simple device allows a user to hike to fallen trees — inaccessible to vehicles — and extract boards without the high cost of owning a bandsaw mill and the heavy equipment required to feed it. For users who already own a professional chainsaw, the Alaskan saw mill is an affordable method for occasional milling and likely the best device currently available for woodworkers seeking to sustainably harvest urban wood.

The downside of the Alaskan sawmill is the wide kerf — often 1/4″ or more — associated with its chainsaw foundation. This means that for every four cuts taken out of a log, an entire 1″ board is wasted to sawdust. For the arborist making the decision between paying to waste drop this wasted wood at a landfill and making a profit on it, this inefficiency may be a non-issue. For the hobbyist trying to make the most out of every log and hour spent outside the woodshop, kerf waste of this magnitude can be an issue.

Just as fishermen who start with a spinning reel often switch to fly fishing and eventually to the purity of single fly Tenkara, woodworkers too eventually gravitate toward ever greater levels of purity in their work. The recent explosion of slab-based wood products is just one example of this phenomenon. Examples of live edge and slab furniture — those which celebrate the natural beauty of a large slab of wood — abound in craft ale houses, restaurants and condos as well as every copy of Dwell published since 2010 (along with perfect, albeit perpetually barefoot, children and bowls of green apples). For woodworkers wishing to embrace the purity of this type of work, merely purchasing (at exorbitant cost) a large slab can be dissatisfying. The desire to cut their own is a constant longing.

Quality Tools

Every craftsman has had the experience of buying a crappy tool and then begrudgingly buying the nice one that you should have bought later, after the crappy one fails. Experienced woodworkers have learned this lesson a hundred times. Those who make it a more serious hobby rarely fail to buy the very best tool they can afford, with the knowledge that it will save them time, money and frustration in the long run. With easy access to information and education, more amateur craftsmen are learning this lesson at ever earlier stages in their practice. Further, frustration with the proliferation of cheap, plastic junk is making zealots out of those who have already learned this lesson. Whether they are experienced or new woodworkers, any user of a Lee Nielsen hand plane will appreciate the rugged elegance of a design that marries high quality materials and processes with a simply functional design.

Tangential Technologies

Two exciting technologies that contributed to the development of this device are the proliferation of bicycle hub motors and extremely thin kerf bandsaw mill blades. The availability and increasing affordability of these two technologies make them perfect for adaptation to a new device targeted at a very tiny market — one in which producers can’t financially justify the invention of purpose-built motor technology, for example. The e-bike market has exploded over the last ten years — largely around advances in battery and hub motor technologies. Bicycle hub motors — permanent magnet DC motors with integrated planetary gearboxes — offer a low rpm, internally powered wheel with durable mounting components (e.g. 10. 12mm axles). And thin kerf (.025035 in.) bandsaw blades are likely to allow the use of smaller diameter bandsaw wheels (without causing blade fatigue and failure) and lower torque motors.

Product Description

Our design for a portable bandsaw mill marries thin kerf blade technology with dual 500. 3000w bicycle hub motors and a simple structure inspired by a traditional frame saw. This device allows users who are not professional sawmill operators to mill urban wood on-site with neither the heavy machinery of a portable saw mill nor the kerf waste of an Alaskan saw mill, providing maximum leverage to a user with a minimum footprint.

Electrical: To compete with high powered Alaskan saw mills, this design takes advantage of emerging hub motor technology from the e-bike market. Brushless DC motors are paired with an integrated planetary gearbox to deliver extremely high torque at relatively low RPMs. Hub motors are available in multiple levels of output ranging from relatively low power 500W (2/3 HP) to 3000W (4 HP). Providing higher torque than their gas-powered contemporaries and used in tandem with a thin kerf blade, this device should deliver all of the power of an Alaskan saw mill with less kerf waste and much less noise. The device will be wired and able to be powered from a truck, building, portable generator or e-bike battery pack. A Shore 80A urethane wheel is cast around each hub motor (with a mechanical bond through each spoke hole) to increase its diameter and enhance friction on the blade. The motor controller and inverter are housed off-board in a IPX6-rated enclosure cast in glass-filled urethane.

Mechanical: The frame of the device is inspired by a traditional frame saw. it utilizes a 1.25″ square woven carbon fiber tube as its main compression member. A pair of machined aluminum forks bookend this tube and pivot around an end cap which incorporates an auxiliary handle. Tension is applied to the blade by a rod that runs above the main tube and is threaded on both ends into a pair of opposing aluminum tie rod ends. A flat plate is mounted to the compression tube and can be adjusted up or down to determine the thickness of the slab to be cut. The plate is long (like a jointer plane) to ensure a cut that is consistently parallel to its guide. Adjustment rods can be moved independently and pivot at their base for angled cuts. Square carbon tubes ensure alignment, and a small window in each clamp allows operators to see depth markings (not shown).

Usability and Safety: The vertical handle is for pushing the saw along the length of the log and houses the trigger which activates the device. The horizontal handle steadies it. For safety, the device can only be operated when both triggers are depressed. This prevents an enterprising operator from trying to manhandle the saw by himself and ensures that both sides of this high torque device are secure before it’s started. A pair of mirrored bearing sets guide the cutting portion of the blade and prevent it from riding off of the wheels. A pair of matched covers protect operators from the blade. Each cover is cast in glass-filled urethane to capture and absorb the energy of a blade that comes loose (rather than letting it rattle through a steel guard and into its operator).

Portable Saw Mill

Fallen tree? Our saw mill services are the perfect solution to turn your old tree into usable lumber! We offer Mobile Milling and Drop Off Milling options. Bring your log to us or we can bring our Portable Mill to you.

What’s Included

• Custom dimension slabs, beams, cross-sections, and lumber
• On-site milling and Drop-off milling
• Re-sawing and Upright Bandsaw with run-through table

Wood Saw Mill Services

On-site milling With Mobile Milling we bring our Portable Saw Mill to you and mill the log where it lies. This avoids maneuvering large logs out of tight spaces, tearing up lawns with heavy equipment, and resizing logs to make them smaller and more manageable.

• Once a tree has been cut down, we assemble the mill around the log and mill to your custom dimensions
• We leave the lumber on-site with you once we are done.
• We also offer options for kiln drying. Head to our Drying Curingpage for more information.
• Logs greater than 40″ diameter may need to be trimmed to fit the mill.
• 200 /hr on the job including set up and clean up time
• Addition fee could be added depending on location and equipment needed

Drop off Milling Bring us your logs, stumps, or other tree pieces to be milled to your specifications.

• Drop off your log and custom dimensions and we get everything milled.
• Pick up the lumber once completed or leave the slabs with us for Air and/or Kiln drying. Head to our Drying Curing page for more information.
• 160/hr of mill time

What to Expect

Before we begin milling, the customer must sign an agreement to accept the lumber as-is after milling, understanding that the wood will change and move as it dries. We do our best to estimate the amount of time required to mill each log before cutting however foreign objects in the tree and repositioning the log can change the actual time.

After milling, we recommend air or kiln drying your slabs before using them to ensure the best results for your finished product. Once a slab is dry, it may require planing to create a smooth and level surface. We would be happy to talk with you about how to properly dry and plane your slabs or we can get you a quote for those services.

Types of Wood Milling

We can cut all types of wood to varying shapes and sizes.

• EZ Boardwalk Model 40 Bandsaw Mill: Cuts 40″ dia by 16′ long logs, stumps, and burls into slabs, beams, cross-sections, and dimensional lumber. This is the mill we use for most milling jobs.
• Chainsaw milling – our custom-designed power feed chainsaw mill cuts beautiful, flat slabs, beams, and lumber. This type of milling can cut up to 32″ diameter logs
• Band-saw milling – The 14″ upright Band-saw has a custom-designed powered feed table. This allows us to cut dimensional lumber, beams, and mantels.
• Free Hand Cutting – For pieces larger than 40″ dia. We use a chainsaw and guides to cut Cross-sections (wood rounds) as well as bucking and sizing large wood pieces. This method is typically used on wide stumps, irregular root zones, and burls.

Sawmill Services

At Albers Farm Forest, we have complete sawmill services available for our customers. Just drop off your logs, and we’ll cut them, kiln and dry them, and plane to your desired thickness.

We utilize a modernized, Wood Mizer sawmill that uses a motorized and fully hydraulic saw to cut the logs into lumber. We strive to get the best out of every tree. Our sawmill is also capable of cutting crosswise to a certain length depending on the scope of your specific project. We service southeast Minnesota and the surrounding area with our sawmill services and turn logs and trees into custom lumber at the best prices.

Contact us today for more information on how we put our sawmill to work for you.

Why use a sawmill?

Our customers have many reasons for using a sawmill. Some are home or property owners who lost a tree due to construction, pests or storms. They don’t want to see a potential asset go to waste or end up in a landfill or a fire. Others are woodworkers who realize the variety and value of processing, milling or drying their lumber. Whether there’s a pile of logs left over from tree removal or just one particular tree you want to be salvaged, we can help. Working closely with you from start to finish, we strive to produce the highest quality lumber possible from your trees.

HOUSING MATERIALS

At Albers Farm and Forest, we can create any style or size of wood products for your new construction or remodeling project.

Hay and Farming

We have farm in our name for a reason. We provide the good people of southeast Minnesota