Buying a portable sawmill is an important decision. First and foremost, you should buy from a company that you can trust. Next, look at the performance functions. A sawmill’s performance can be narrowed down to FOUR key areas: power, design, operation, and log handling.
1. Power
When you need portability, gas or diesel is your answer. Wood-Mizer offers the world’s best engines with a proven track record of performing in climates found in North America.
For stationary applications, electric motor sawmills provide the best results. Compared to gas or diesel, they are generally less expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain. Electric mills are also quieter, cleaner, and have a longer life.
2. Design
Now, Wood-Mizer is the only sawmill manufacturer that gives you the choice between a monorail or twin rail sawmill design.
Monorail Sawmills (LT Series)
Wood-Mizer has long been the only sawmill manufacturer of the monorail cantilever design, holding several patents on this technology and trusted by 70,000 sawyers throughout the world. Wood-Mizer's open side of the cantilever sawhead allows for minimal leveling during set-up, easy off-bearing with the trapezoid bed, and sawing of odd shaped logs.
Twin Rail Sawmills (LX Series)
LX sawmills feature a rigid LXFrame sawhead tower that travels on twin parallel hardened steel bars and holds the saw head, engine, and operator control console. LX sawmills saw wider and deeper than standard model monorail sawmills, but leveling is not as simple. Features such as tubular bubble levels and fine adjustment outriggers help reduce set-up time.
3. Operation
There are two main things to look for when you are determining the sawmill operation: Feed System and Operator Control Location.
Feed System is how you move the sawmill head through the cut.
With the push feed system you easily move the head through the cut, keeping a steady pace.
The crank feed system features a hand crank that you turn, allowing the head to travel smoothly down the track.
The advanced electronic feed system uses an electronic motor to automatically power the head down the log.
Operator Control Location is where you are positioned when you operate the sawmill.
Walk-along
This operating position gives you a watchful eye over the quality of your cut, any possible obstacles, the cutting speeds, and blade performance. Walk-along controls are standard on all portable sawmill models.
Ride-along
The ride-along seat travels with the sawmill head controls, giving you the same visibility but without the steps. This option can be added to any LT40-LT70 sawmill built with the standard walk-along controls.
Command Control or Wireless Remote Head Controls
These two options allow more flexibility on operator position for the LT40 Hydraulic - LT70 sawmill.
4. Log Handling
Manual Log Handling (LT10 - LT35)
If you aren’t afraid of physical labor and have the time to put into handling logs, the Wood-Mizer manual mills are a practical choice. Logs can be turned by using a basic cant hook or the manual assist Log Deck Package.
