D&L Timber TechnologiesD&L Timber Technologies says it manufactures the world’s only 180-degree swing blade mill.
These rugged wood processing centres are Canadian engineered and manufactured for longevity and performance. Dimension lumber is produced with ease while the 180-degree swing allows the sawyer to safely double cut wide planks or big 10” x 20” timbers without turning the mill head or the log. Fast, accurate milling offers real labour and time savings with this versatile mill, which can even recover lumber from the outer slabs for optimal yield from every log. This portable mill is also capable of chamfering and grooving cabin kit timbers and can even impart 2/12 to 12/12 pitch on both sides of a beam for roof timbers—the mill does all the work.
Wood-MizerSince 1982, Wood-Mizer has provided portable sawmills to people all over the world who want the freedom of sawing their own lumber for projects or profits.
Now, with more than 100,000 sawmill owners world-wide, the company says it has the proven ability to withstand the test of time and timber. Backed by a one-of-a-kind warranty and steadfast customer service, it says that Wood-Mizer has become a name synonymous with quality and reliability.
The modern manufacturing of Wood-Mizer sawmills in the U.S. guarantees maximum quality at an affordable price. The company’s sawmills are built to last with premium steel, powder coat paint, and the highest quality components that customers have come to expect from anything branded with the Wood-Mizer name.
From the entry-level LX25 hobby sawmill to the LT70 Super Hydraulic high-production sawmill, Wood-Mizer has more than 15 sawmill models in a wide variety of configurations based on fuel type, horsepower, sawing capacity, performance features, unique accessories, and more to fit specific customer sawmilling needs.
Thomas Bandsaw MillsThomas Bandsaw Mills, a third-generation family-owned company, is in its 25th year of manufacturing manual, portable sawmills at an affordable price.
The company produces bandsaw mills that are said to be easy to operate, large capacity, portable and very durable. Currently they have three models to fulfill their customers’ needs. All units include integrated clapboard attachment and number 40 roller chains; no cables to stretch. The sawmill head is constructed from quarter-inch plate steel, excluding the 2413 model.
The 2413 model is able to saw a 24” log diameter with a 13 hp Honda manual start. The 3220 model is able to saw a 36” log diameter with a 20 hp Honda electric start. The 4820 model is able to saw a 48” log diameter on a no-flex track with a 20 hp Honda electric start.
The Cook’s AC36 fully-hydraulic portable sawmill was designed for high production as well as being user-friendly, which is why it is described as the company’s best-selling production sawmill. 
Weighing in at over 3175 kg (7000 lb) this sawmill can handle logs up to 4535 kg (10,000 lb), yet it’s nimble enough to haul down the road with the help of dual axles and electric brakes on both axles.
It’s said to be perfect for the one to three-man operation requiring full production every day, turning logs into profits. It is also a true one-man operation machine unlike sawmills that saw towards the operator and then drag the board back to the opposite end of the sawmill. Those require an additional person for offloading.
Cook’s Saw says that whether bringing your portable sawmill to the woods or bringing your logs to the sawmill, the AC-36 is designed to load, turn, square, clamp, and saw whole logs into lumber.
Baker ProductsThe Baker Blue Streak portable band sawmill was built to handle big logs and big jobs.
It is described as the heaviest built and most powerful sawmill in its class with a 74 hp Deutz diesel engine. Baker adds the that the Baker Blue Streak sawmill offers versatility, ease of use, production, and heavy-duty smart design. The large, 89-litre fuel tank is conveniently located between the bunks at the front end of the mill. The head is now raised and lowered on both sides at the same time with a dual hydraulic cylinder lift. The throat height capacity has been expanded from 12” to 18” between the blade and the top of the throat, and the guides can open up to 36” wide.
The Baker Blue Streak accepts logs up to 20’ 6” in length and 40” in diameter and can produce between 3000 to 8000 board feet per day, depending on the number of people running the system.
GranbergDollar for dollar, Granberg says that there is no more economical way to process your own lumber than with a chainsaw mill.
Granberg has been making its chainsaw mills in the U.S. since 1961.
With sizes to fit bars 18” to 80”, as well as edging attachments and all the accessories owners might need, Granberg says it is the name to remember when it comes to chainsaw milling.
Constructed from high-grade steel and aircraft aluminum, Granberg mills are also warranteed for life. So if anything ever goes wrong, owners will be covered.
Its Alaskan MKIV mill comes in sizes from 24” to 84” and is best for slabs, siding, flooring, etc.
Its edging mill is oriented vertically and comes in handy trimming logs down to fit in other mills, as well as for making beams and other dimensional lumber. It can be used on its own or as an accessory to the Alaskan MKIV mill.
TimberKingThe TimberKing 2200 is a heavy industrial portable sawmill designed to tackle the biggest trees from the oldest old-growth woodlots.
TimberKing’s massive solid-welded Big 3 Super-Structure comes packed with full direct-action hydraulic log handling, its most advanced computer setworks, and loads of extras. Direct-action hydraulic features include: hydraulic blade feed, hydraulic blade up/down, hydraulic log loaders, hydraulic bi-directional chain log turner, hydraulic dual-action log clamp, four times hydraulic vertical log stops, and hydraulic roller toe-boards. Fully-programmable, advanced, SuperSetworks deliver accurate cuts board after board in the toughest conditions. Plus, all these extras come standard: massive cut throat, electric blade clutch, sidewind support jacks, greaseable blade guides, moveable guide roller, tandem axle, and operator-height swing command post.
TimberyThe new Timbery M120 sawmill is an entry-level sawmill that fits the needs of hobby sawyers, woodworkers and small woodlot owners. This sawmill comes standard with everything the sawyer needs to start sawing logs that are 26” diameter and 12’ 5” long.
The M120 sawhead is easily pushed down the bed rails with a sturdy push bar and has a manual head crank to accurately set the blade height. Timbery says it designed the M120 with the sawyer in mind and with all adjustments to the sawhead conveniently made from the operator’s location. The M120 also features a new stronger mast and sawhead design, allowing for better stability while sawing.
Woodland MillsWoodland Mills’ HM126 Woodlander portable sawmill just got even better, says the company. Users can cut their own lumber for cabins, decks, siding and more. It’s perfect for hobby sawyers, entrepreneurs or seasoned woodworkers.
The HM126 Woodlander can cut 66 cm (26”) diameter logs, producing boards up to 61 cm (24”) wide and up to 5.1 m (16’11”) long with the XL trailer and 3.1 m (10’5”) long with the standard trailer. It’s constructed using a four post sawhead design with a tubular back beam that provides rigidity, ensuring smooth and accurate cuts. The head moves up and down along galvanized steel posts via an easy-to-turn hand crank system. It is powered with either a 9.5 hp or 14 hp 4-cycle Kohler gas engine. The HM126 is loaded with new and innovative features like the automatic blade lubricant system that activates when the throttle is engaged reducing the number of steps required for each cut. The RapidChange blade system makes for quick and tool-less blade changes. The HM126 portable sawmill is accurate, smooth and engineered to be the best value in its class, says the company. It is packaged with the Woodlander trailer for multi-terrain transportation, comfortable operation height and easy storage.
SMG ChampionThe SMG portable sawmill Pro 25 EFI is a new product that comes equipped with a thermal Kohler 23 hp gas engine or electric 15 hp engine and is recommended for either commercial intensive and industrial use.
It is described as efficient in all seasons with a high capacity oil filter and external oil cooler for intensive use.
It also comes equipped with a stainless steel covered cross bar to avoid oxidation of wood on steel.
The two log dogs lock automatically and can be managed with only one hand for speed and efficiency. It has manual hydraulic adjustment for blade tension with double braking points, a unique SMG portable sawmill feature.
The sawmill is 6.4 m (21’) long, 1.93 m (76”) wide and 1.37 m (54”) high. The bandwheel dimension is 508 mm (20”).
The carriage is moved manually on ball bearings.
It has an electric starter and comes equipped with an rpm and hour meter for maintenance program monitoring.
Norwood SawmillsWhen the biggest jobs call, Norwood’s LumberMax HD38 steps up, says the company.
The HD38 is a sawmill engineered and built to go where other sawmills can’t. Take it to the max with large capacity, next-generation patented technologies and exceptional versatility.
In manual or hydraulic configuration, the LumberMax has impressive oversized cutting capacity combined with a rugged carriage and log deck engineered to deliver high quality output capacities, says the company. Take massive logs up to 38” in diameter, saw deeper and cut wider.
Norwood’s LumberMax HD38 credentials start with what counts: the most industry-leading Sawyer-Assist technologies.
The manual configuration is standard with a fully-hydraulic option. Log diameter processing max is 97 cm (38”) with a width of cut of 89 cm (35”) to create board width of up to 81 cm (32”) or 76 cm (29.5”) in hydraulic configuration. Depth of cut is 36 cm (14”). The bed length is 4.8 m (16’) for processing log lengths of up to 4 m (13’). The length can be extended with 1.2 m (4’) and 2’ (0.6 m) log deck extensions.
On the Cover:
For the San Group, which has been finishing the first sawmill to be built on the B.C. Coast in 15 years, the last year has come with special challenges. But they have been able to successfully meet these challenges head-on. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Langley, B.C.-based company has built a greenfield sawmill/reman operation in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island. Read all about this new cutting edge sawmill beginning on page 8 of this issue (Cover photo courtesy of The San Group).
A great ride in B.C.’s forest industry
B.C. Interior logger Bill Litke has ridden the rollercoaster that is the ups and downs of the forest industry over many decades—and it’s been an adventurous ride.
B.C. gets a new sawmill, on Vancouver Island
The San Group is wrapping up work on a major new small log sawmill in Port Alberni, B.C.—and there are more investments to come for the B.C.-based company owned by the Sanghera Family.
Focus on fir—and timbers
A focus on Douglas fir and timbers have proven to be the keys to success at Alberta’s HC Forest Products—so much so that they have purchased another sawmill, in B.C.
Family roots run deep in forestry
Father and son loggers Basil and Chris Isbill have a rich family history in New Brunswick logging that includes setting up equipment manufacturing company Forax—and Basil still heading out to the woods every day at the tender age of 78.
Tech Update
LSJ takes a look at the new developments and technologies in Small/Portable Sawmilling.
The EDGE
Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, are stories from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) and FPInnovations.
The Last Word
Tony Kryzanowski talks about how the success of an Ontario wood products business cluster shows the value of much-needed outreach in the forest industry.
DEPARTMENTS
