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TECH UPDATE

PORTABLE SAWMILLS

Tech Update Editor: Helen Johnson

Please fill in our Reader Request Form located at the bottom for more information on these products.  

Enercraft/Baker Products Inc
The Model 30HTL Baker portable band sawmill is designed for high production with little effort and low maintenance, the company says. Log loading, levelling, four-direction clamping and turning are operated by hydraulic levers located at the front of the mill, while feed and height adjustments are controlled by the remote control box. Flow control valves adjust the speed of the operation. Sawdust is exhausted on the side opposite the operator and away from incoming logs. The completely hydraulic mill saws logs up to 30 inches in diameter to a standard length of 20'6", with other lengths available. The 30HTL offers a standard 24-hp gasoline engine, large 24" band wheels, a remote control box with a 24' cable, thin-kerf technology with more value per log and a towing package that includes a 2" ball coupler, brakes and lights. Other features include heavy-duty construction with a main frame made of 3"x6" steel tubing with cross beams every 2', easy-to-read vertical blade height indicator that factors in kerf of blade, a board drag back mechanism, automatic blade lube, one mill levelling jack and eight stabilizing legs.
Reader Service Card #588

D & L Double Cut Sawmills
D & L Double Cut Sawmills offers affordable circular sawmills with built-in edgers and easy set-up. Portable or stationary, these mills produce accurate, smooth cuts, require minimal manpower and maintenance and produce up to 5,000' per day. The mills feature quick and easy setworks, the company says, and require minimal blade sharpening and no log turning. The sawmills cut trees ranging in diameter from 6" to 4'.
The horizontal double cut saws, models 16E, 18E and 125E, cut logs 6" to 24" in diameter to 17' lengths. They come with a diamond sharpener, spare saw, electric start, manual feed and setworks and are accurate to +/- 1/16". Optional are extra track and trailer packages.
The twin saw models, the 30D and 48D, cut logs 6" to 4' in diameter with accuracy to 1/32". The twin saws come with power friction feedworks, a trailer package, electric lift and a diamond sharpener. Extra track sections are optional.
Reader Service Card #589

Kodiak Mills Inc
The Kodiak large log bandmill is a 5 1/2-ton industrial bandmill capable of cutting logs up to 48" in diameter and 24' long. Featuring a 6" blade, programmable computer setworks and heavy-duty log turners and dogs, the mill is capable of being run on a single, double or even three-shift basis. The machine is of interest to commercial users because of its ability to break down larger logs. It is generally semi-permanently mounted in a mill setting and its robust construction makes it ideal for cutting both
softwoods and hardwoods, the company says.
Reader Service Card #590

Select Sawmill Co
The Model 4221 commercial-quality band sawmill, offered by Select Sawmill Co, features a 6" blade that cuts in both directions at up to 3' per second. The model also offers 36" band wheels with double-tapered bearings, a 115-hp John Deere diesel or 75-hp electric engine, a high-efficiency hydraulic system, computerized setworks and high-efficiency sawdust control. The band sawmill takes logs up to 42" in diameter and produces 22' log lengths. Production can be increased with the use of a Model 16 debarker and a Model E4016 fully automated heavy-duty edger.
Reader Service Card #591

Summer Industries
Summer Industries offers the Victory Powersaw Lumbermills in one basic model, the 707. With a choice of either a Stihl or Husqvarna powerhead, all carriages and dimension systems are laser cut and molded polyurethane handles/grips are standard. Heavy-duty, spring-loaded dimension stops are affixed to the mill, each with its own ruler in 1/16" increments on both sides of the bar. Each dimension stop works independently of the other stops. The stop dogs, also affixed to the mill and working independently, have their own clamps. A mini 6' and maximum 12' extensions are available. A Model 707 kit is available without the powerhead.
Reader Service Card #592

Clarke Custom Steel Inc
Celebrating 30 years as a Canadian manufacturer, Clarke Custom Steel Inc produces a full line of Clarke portable sawmills and edgers, as well as custom sawmills and equipment. The mills are easy to operate and maintain, the company says, and are made with quality and craftsmanship. Clarke portable sawmills consist of a base to which the log is clamped and then sawn, as the carriage of the unit passes through it. In addition to being easy to use, the mills are completely portable and can be taken into any woodlot location. Capable of sawing both hard and softwood logs of up to 30" in diameter and 20' long, the mills are designed with a solid twin rail, constructed of 3" x 6" tubing, allowing for more accurate sawing with no shifting of heavy logs and no supporting arms.
All Clarke mills come standard with: a 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" band saw blade available in either .042 or .035 gauge in fine or coarse settings for accurate cutting and less lumber waste; blades enclosed behind removeable shields on both sides for operator safety; five-minute blade changes; blades that can be re-sharpened many times; a blade oiler for use with sappy lumber; and four jacks with a total capacity of 20,000 lbs and a 10-minute set-up. A ruler gauge attached to the side of the head achieves the desired lumber thickness.
Optional are a trailer package with a 3,500-lb capacity single axle, steel fenders, a 2" ball and safety chains, saw guides with industrial bearings, a clamping system to secure round or square logs and an 18-hp gas engine with electric start.
Reader Service Card #593

Ellington Manufacturing/Baker Products
Baker portable band sawmills make sawmilling faster than ever. Using a complete hydraulic system, the log can be handled quicker and smoother. The head frame is raised and lowered by a single hydraulic cylinder for more precise control of blade height setting, while a round measurement dial makes blade height setting visibly easier to read. A new hydraulically-powered, chain-style log turner provides more positive rotation. Saw carriage movement is dual-chain driven for more stability during the sawing process. The mill can be powered by a 38-hp Kubota diesel engine or optional electrical power sources. A 12" by 32" throat provides a clear line of sight. Other features include larger 28" diameter all-metal band wheels, full 36" cutting capacity (cuts 31" through the centre); 16' and 24' capacity models; improved bunk spacing for all log lengths; variable speed drive; improved fence arms; and board drag-back. The operator's station features all controls in one convenient spot, the company says. The blade enters clean wood after the first rotation and there is a moveable guide on the bark side. A quick, accurate hydraulic cylinder raises the head. The mills have improved levelling systems for quicker setup and breakdown and log loading arms that fold away for easy transport. Stationary models are also available. Optional are computer setworks and a debarker attachment.
Reader Service Card #594

Wood-Mizer
The LT40HD from Wood-Mizer offers cutting rates of up to 58 fpm with a log capacity of 36" in diameter and 21' in length. Power options include a standard 25-hp gas twin cylinder engine with an electric start and 61-amp alternator for fast, accurate cuts and a cutting rate of 36 fpm. The optional 36-hp engine offers a cutting rate of 58 fpm, while the optional 33-hp diesel engine has a cutting rate of 56 fpm.
Wood-Mizer's Simple Setworks allows the user to enter the desired thickness of the boards and flick the head switch down to automatically lower the head/blade to the right height, including kerf-loss, resulting in the proper board thickness every time. Extra-wide roller toeboards compensate for log taper and allow easy log positioning, while hydraulic loading arms load logs in seconds with the throw of a lever. Each arm features a self-levelling, heavy-duty cylinder. A special two-plane clamping system simplifies sawing of stressed logs, making a final cut of 1" possible. Turning a log or cant for the next cut is made easy with the hydraulic log turner, operated by a lever on the control box.
Other features include a five-gallon, removeable fuel tank and blade water bottle that can both be lowered for easy access, a centrally located cutting control console and optional operator seat, setworks, remote control, debarker and trailer package.
Wood-Mizer also offers the LT40HD Super, available with an optional 42-hp diesel engine for cutting rates of 66 fpm, as well as non-hydraulic models.
Reader Service Card #595

Mobile Manufacturing
Mobile Manufacturing offers the Mobile Dimension Saw, a mill that saws logs of any diameter up to 60' in length. Once in position, the log is not moved or turned as the mill travels through it during sawing. Three circular blades, one vertical and two horizontal, saw the width, depth and length dimensions simultaneously, allowing logs of any diameter to be completely sawn with minimum edging. No re-handling or re-sawing is required, the company says. With its detachable two-wheel trailer, the sawmill is ideal for use in hard-to-access areas or where logs are too scattered or too large to be moved easily.
Optional end stands allow the operator to raise and lower all four corners of the sawmill at one time-from the operator's position at the head of the saw-without constructing a board-and-block framework. Mobile's telescoping mobile trailer allows the mill to arrive already set up for operation.
Reader Service Card #596

Timber Harvester
The five models of portable band sawmills, produced by Timber Harvester, range from the fully manual to the fully hydraulic. The 25" drive wheels greatly increase band life, the company says, while other features include the control box at the operator's station on the log loading side of the mill and the four-way hydraulic joy sticks used to load, position, rotate, clamp and taper set the log. The crescent moon-shaped log loader rolls the log into place. Then the chain-driven log turner rotates the log clockwise so that, after the first face is cut through the bark, the band enters the fresh cut side on the next three faces.
Joysticks are used to raise and lower and tighten and loosen the log clamps and posts. The remote control box directs the cutting head through the log and returns it with the push of a button, dragging the last board sawn to the operator's station to be edged or stacked.
Reader Service Card #597

Cutting Edge
The versatile sawmills from Cutting Edge Portable Sawmills have the power and capacity to cut two logs simultaneously and are configured to meet individual requirements. The basic models are 30" wide and come in 16', 20' and 24' lengths. Log diameter capacity ranges from 30" to 50", with the largest mill able to handle a log 50" in diameter by 24' in length. The 20' mill can cut a 40" log, 20' in length, while the 24' handles logs 40" in diameter in 24' lengths.
Although 90 per cent of the company's units are customized, the
components are recognized brands so replacement parts are easy to find. Cutting Edge mills incorporate a unique twin-pack power system. One drives the saw and hydraulics on the top half of the unit, while the lower power pack handles all other functions. This two-engine design enables users to run a conveyor or other
machinery and still operate the mill at maximum capacity.
A wide open throat design is nearly 60 per cent larger than comparable portables, providing the operator with greater safety and better sight lines. Safety features include a guide roller on top and a guide plate on bottom. If the blade breaks or comes loose, deflectors ensure it shoots straight down into the ground, the company says. Rubber-lined 24" band wheels ensure quiet operation, while reducing friction and eliminating heat build-up. On the larger models, loader arms have the capacity to lift 12,000 lbs.
Reader Service Card #598

Josa/Jonsered
Jobber, the new easy-to-install mini
sawmill from Josa, features solid construction and can be used with either a chainsaw or band saw. Consisting of a rail made of two 7' sections and two base stands (including log support and advance mechanism), the Jobber is easy to set up and transport. The 170-lb chainsaw model includes a saw holder with adjustment mechanism, retaining support for easy chain sharpening and a holding device for any chainsaw, while the 420-lb band saw model includes the band saw and a four-stroke, 6.5-hp Honda engine. A winch to raise logs on the log support and a blade setting tool are optional.
Jonsered's one-person sawmills come in four different models: the 600+, the 6000+, the EL 600+ and the EL 6000+. The 600+ and the 6000+ are powered by the Jonsered 2095 Turbo chainsaw. The EL 600+ is equipped with a three-phase, 380 V electric motor, while a three-phase 380 V ABB motor powers the EL 6000+. Both are rated at 5.5 kW. Optional accessories for the EL 6000+ include a wheel kit for transporting and installing the saw carriage. Both electric models can be set up indoors or outdoors as stationary sawmills. The handle system on the EL 6000+ brings all controls within easy reach.
The mills' saw carriages run on two rails sections, each three metres long and with an effective cutting length of more than five metres. Additional three-metre sections can be added as required. Cut settings vary from 3mm up to the diameter of the log, with adjustments made by screw adjusters.
Reader Service Card #599

Dika Industries
The Twin Saw Mill from Dika Industries Ltd is a one-man operation offering production, recovery and accuracy, the company says. The overhead carriage is side-mounted for full visibility and carries logs past saws from above, between the dogs. Log loading is with a standard live deck, reversible chains and stop and load assembly to dump single logs onto the log control. Log centralizer calipers ensure the log is centred, while the log turner ensures the best recovery. With the automatic carriage return, the operator can position the next log while making the last cut on the previous one.
With twin 48" diameter saws on separate mandrels, it offers settings from 1 3/4" to 22", a saw lead adjustable in a minute and self-adjusting lead for frozen logs. Other features include electric or diesel power, dual undercarriage and fifth wheel, hydrostatic feeds for maximum control, lumber transfer through right/left spiral rolls or reversible chains and computerized or standard measuring.
Reader Service Card #600

Kasco Manufacturing
The KSP-4328, offered by Kasco Manufacturing, is designed to handle a 30" diameter log up to 16' long with a standard track, or longer with track extensions. The model is operated by two 12-volt, gear-driven electric motors, one for operating the saw and the other for moving the carriage on the track. Optional track levellers are also available.
The KS-2018 band saw has a 24" capacity and is powered by a single-cylinder Briggs and Stratton Vanguard 9-hp engine. The saw is moved manually through the log, while board thickness is measured by lowering the saw according to a pointer indicator.
Reader Service Card #601

Heartwood Saw
While Heartwood Saw Company Ltd still offers its Model 310 portable sawmill, it has taken its proven design and incorporated several new features to increase productivity and reliability in developing the new Model 380. With standard 38" band wheels and a 75-hp electric motor, the Model 380 has heavier chains on the drive and setworks, higher feed speeds (up to four fps) increased hydraulic speed for log handling, heavier frame work and increased shaft and bearing sizes.
Heartwood has also expanded its product line to include turnkey sawmill solutions for production from 10,000 to 40,000 board feet per shift projects. These projects incorporate their new sawmill headrig lineup of Model 380 and Model 410, as well as Heartwood Model 2000 and Model 3000 resaw systems and combination edgers. Debarkers built by Valley Machine and many different types of decks, conveyors and material handling equipment are also incorporated.
Heartwood continues to improve on its double cut technology and is dedicated to providing cost effective equipment.
Reader Service Card #602

Isaac Ironworks
Isaac Ironworks' model SVM 2000 offers many features of older models, such as the heavy duty 2"x 8"x 3/16" rectangular tube main frame and belt-driven hydraulic system, while incorporating a 28" gap in the side of the frame to allow the operator to step right up to the log to turn it or to remove the finished lumber for stacking. Another innovation is the automatic carriage cycling feature that allows the operator to set the height of cut and the carriage speed. The carriage travels through the log, the head automatically raises, the carriage travels to the start of the cut and stops there, giving the operator time to stack the finished lumber efficiently. With a 24-hp V2 Honda engine, the mill handles 28" x 20' logs. Other features include 20" band wheels and a centrifugal clutch.
The one-operator SVM E02 mill features a 13-hp Honda engine, 20" band wheels and 5" channel main frame and will handle a log up to 24" x 16'.Band alignment is achieved simply by adjusting four set screws. Band wheel bearings are idlers right inside the wheel hubs and are easily replaced, the company says. Automatic carriage safety stops are activated when the operator stands in the gap. All units come fully equipped with soft-riding PosiFlex axles, five infinitely adjustable levelling jacks, a 2" ball hitch and tail light package. Sharpening and tooth setting equipment are optional.
Reader Service Card #603

Hud-Son Forest Equipment
New for 2002 and available now from Hud-Son Forest Equipment are stake and hub sharpeners and band blade sharpeners. Hud-Son's portable bandmills have been updated and include 30", 36", 48" and 52" diameter sawmills. Ground and trailer units, forest trailers and grapple loaders are also available. A free, 20-page forest equipment catalog is available.
Reader Service Card #604

Micromill Systems
The Micromill line of small log processors efficiently produces merchantable lumber from small logs. The mills deal with small stems and treetops close to the source, allowing finished products to leave the harvesting area instead of the waste wood. Designed to process 25,00 to 100,000 cubic metres per year, Micromill processors suit small and medium size operations and are viable as satellite mills for larger companies interested in pre-processing small logs remotely. The mill produces cants and/or dimensional lumber from logs with or without bark in a single pass. The compact saw box contains a unique chipping head configuration. The two-stage system combines a four-head chipping process with double arbor rip sawing. The proprietary chipping head design accommodates both a saw ring and finishing knife configuration, allowing the mill to adapt easily to different fibre sources.
State of the art hydraulic cylinders, with integrated Temposonics, position the chipping heads, while a central console controls all critical functions from one location. Programmable pre-sets allow the operator to change head settings on the fly with the push of one button
Micromill's modular design makes assembly, breakdown and relocation easy and less time consuming. For portability and self-containment, the mill is built into a standard-size shipping container and can be equipped with self-reliant utilities and infrastructure.
Reader Service Card #605

Pendu Manufacturing
Pendu Manufacturing Inc's innovative saw systems have applications for pallet, log home and dimensional lumber manufacturers, as well as, other industries. The equipment can be used separately or in combination to create a variety of systems to meet specific manufacturing needs. Pendu's mission is to provide customers with the most cost effective and highest quality equipment produced for the industry.
Reader Service Card #606

Norwood Industries
Norwood Industries offers the all new Lumbermate 2000 portable band sawmill that handles logs up to 31" in diameter and cuts up to 1,500 board feed per day accurately to 1/32". Made entirely of rigid debossed steel, the standard bed will handle logs up to 13' in length or, with the addition of 4' extensions, can saw any length. A trailer package is optional.
Reader Service Card # 607

Kara/Kallion Konepaja Oy
Kara sawmills, from Kallion Konepaja, are efficient and easy-to-operate
one-man operations. Equipment includes a log adjuster/log rotary device, log
fastener, automatic block aligner and chain conveyor for slabs. The block-feeding roller presses the block during sawing against the size adjuster fence, offering precision measurement. The Kara Master's aligning double feeding roller also aligns the block to the feed line and follows the log surface accurately.
Some options include the mechanical size adjuster, a reliable basic option for the most rigorous working conditions, and the versatile electronic size adjuster for the production of special sawn timber.
The Kara Master offers hydraulic pilot operation with load sensing hydraulics,
a large cutting height and superior ergonomics, making it the most efficient circular sawmill in the market, the company says. The Kara YS is a traditional one-man operated circular sawmill, while the Kara F2000 is an economical
standard mill. Available as stationary or mobile models, the mills are capable of processing from short blocks up to
30' timbers.
Reader Service Card #608

Povlsen Machining Ltd
Povlsen Machining Ltd offers the Model 36 mobile band mill, a self-contained, high-production sawmill with integral edger. The log remains stationary on the log bed, while the saw head travels back and forth. The 19-gauge (0.0042") band results in better recovery, the company says. The 5" wide double-cut blade allows the Model 36 to cut in both directions.
Povlsen's Model 36R resaw has 36" steel wheels, 5" single cut, 19-gauge band and an 18" wide conveyor belt. Cutting capacity is 18" wide, 24" high and up to 20' in length. It has hydraulic variable speed up to 200 fpm. A return conveyor brings cants back to the operator. Multiple heads can be added.
Also available are the Model 26 mobile band mill and the Model 26R resaw. Both have 26" steel wheels and a two-inch wide single cut blade. The Model 14H board edger comes with two hydraulic shifts and a 14", 24-tooth carbide-tipped thin kerf saw.
Povlsen also offers a two or three saw scragg and the Bark Beetle.
Reader Service Card #609

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