Sawmill recovery rate
Does one sawmill's recovery rate make it a better choice over another mill? (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 18, 2003

Value of Logs from Tree Services
Logs from tree-removal services can be interesting, but they're not worth paying a lot for. Here's a long discussion on the ins and outs of dealing with tree services. April 27, 2007

Winter Sawing, Blade Breakage, and Lubricant Choices
A long and detailed thread on blade cleaning and lubricating fluid, sawmill characteristics, and blade durability during cold weather. August 31, 2009

Strange stories from the sawmill
Sawyers trade tales of unusual objects discovered in wood, during processingd - June 21, 2000

Splitting big logs
Advice from sawyers on what to do with logs that are too big for your mill. September 19, 2001

When to Change Band-Mill Blades
Long, thoughtful thread on cost-effective ways to manage the timing of blade changes and blade re-sharpenings. August 8, 2008

Quartering a huge oak
Methods for quartering a log too large to fit on the mill. May 9, 2001

Sawing & drying framing timbers
Tips for producing timbers for timber-frame construction. September 19, 2001


Using Light Equipment to Try Out Sawmilling
A poster thinking about whether to try milling some logs with a small chainsaw and shop bandsaw gets feedback from the pros. October 1, 2010

Timber Framing: Dry or Green?
Thoughts and opinions on whether to frame with dry lumber or green, and whether to let felled logs dry before sawing. October 1, 2009

Wood, the environment, and Man
A wide-ranging overview of the state of the primary processing industry, and where it may be going from here. August 10, 2000

Shopping for Portable Sawmills
Portable sawmill owners and would-be owners discuss equipment preferences, operating characteristics, and why they even bother in the first place. November 13, 2005

Sawing utility poles
Is it safe and practical? Advice from those who've done it. August 25, 2003

Sawing for Grade, or Sawing for Character?
A discussion comparing "grade sawing" and "flitch sawing" (one aims for highest grade lumber, the other for character). April 27, 2007

Troubleshooting a Bandmill Electrical Fault
A bandmill operator gets help with diagnosing electrical system troubles. October 20, 2005

Swing-Blade Mills Versus Bandsaw Mills
An extended discussion of the capabilities of both portable sawmill types, and some info on how to extend the swing-blade mill to handle super-sized logs. June 27, 2006

Troubleshooting Cracked Band Saw Blades
Advice on what causes bandmill blades to crack, how to prevent it, and whether it can be repaired. January 25, 2010

Swing Blade Safety
How dangerous is a swing blade sawmill? Operators kick the topic around. June 30, 2007

Swing blade woes
What are the drawbacks to this type of mill? April 29, 2003

Sawmill Truck Show and Tell
Photos and descriptions of sawmill log and service trucks and loading systems, with the stories behind them. September 5, 2011

Sawing Utility Poles
Information on the wood species and treatment chemicals found in utility poles. May 11, 2005

Sawmilling, Work, Love, and Money
Here's some thoughtful discussion about work, the love of work, and the value of money, set off by a posting from a guy who misses his sawmill. January 25, 2010

Troubleshooting a Wandering Blade Problem
A portable band-saw mill owner gets help figuring out what makes his blade "dive" into cuts. June 22, 2005

What's a Chainsaw Mill Good For?
Chainsaw mills have their particular strengths. Here's a long discussion on how to get good use out of one. March 31, 2008

Sawing Techniques for Cherry
Pros explain how to go about getting the best lumber from some nice cherry logs. July 28, 2006

Three-Phase Power from a Generator
Sawmill operators discuss the technical issues posed by running power-hungry three-phase electric equipment off a generator, as compared with the costs of getting utility power to the site. August 30, 2007

Sawing and Hewing Timbers in the Bush
For a project in Africa, advice about working timbers for framing. November 25, 2008

Troubleshooting a Slipping Drive on a Bandmill
Motor's running but the blade's not moving — what's wrong with this picture? Take a tour through the drive train and find out ... April 20, 2011

Sawdust-Fueled Boilers
Practical considerations around burning sawmill sawdust for heat. October 4, 2007

Urban Tree: Wasted Opportunity?
A photo of an Elm tree about to be chipped on the National Mall in D.C. sets off a discussion of the value (subjective and market) of urban trees and yard trees. May 11, 2011

Wide Throat Bandsaw Mill Ideas
Thoughts on the technical challenges of building a mill capable of producing up to five-foot slabs. November 3, 2010

Sawmill Log-Dog Hydraulics
Sawmiller working on a self-built bandmill gets advice on hydraulics for his log dogs. November 25, 2008

Spreading Sawdust on Trails, Fields, or Woods
Sawmill operators discuss when and where it might be okay to spread sawdust around. March 9, 2010

Troubleshooting a Diving Cut on a Swing Blade Sawmill
Swing-blade owners run through the usual suspects trying to find the source of a hard-to-explain blade-diving problem. February 12, 2007

Quality Expectations for Bandsaw-Milled Lumber
Sawmillers chime in on whether wavy cuts and thin ends are acceptable in walnut boards. June 28, 2006

Value of Lumber from Diseased Orange Trees
An interesting story of a sawmiller considering whether to make the effort to harvest trees from an orange grove. Some parts may be usable. January 25, 2010

Swing blade vs band mill
Is one better suited to cutting large cants? August 13, 2002

Swing Mill Modifications for Making Double Cuts
Swing mill owners discuss ways to modify the equipment for more flexibility of use. August 8, 2008

Thick Slabbing Versus Edging
Sawyers debate the decision: saw and edge for grade, or start by slabbing to create a square cant? Many factors enter into the choice. August 21, 2006

What to charge for on-site sawmilling?
A discussion of approaches to charging for on-site sawmilling work. March 12, 2000

Troubleshooting a Honda Engine
A bandsaw owner asks for help with getting his motor running right. April 30, 2009

Surfacing Thin Walnut Boards
What's an efficient way to re-saw and plane (or sand) quarter-inch thick boards? Pros share tips and techniques for reliably achieving a smooth surface. June 20, 2005

Sawyer survey
A host of sawyers share their preferred techniques for sawing logs, and the reasoning behind them. June 20, 2000

Shopping for a Starter Bandmill
Advice on taking that first step down the road to sawdust addiction. October 4, 2011

Sawing Posts and Beams for a Timber Frame House
Advice for a beginner about sawing and using large timbers. January 17, 2011

Sawmill horsepower assessment
Figuring the horsepower and speed needed to run a circular mill. April 20, 2001

Troubleshooting Wavy Cuts in Large Logs
A newcomer to sawmilling gets help tuning his bandsaw mill up to cut straight in big hardwood logs. September 17, 2008

Thick Dried Cherry
Thoughts on drying a large chunk of Cherry in order to make a custom clock, including a brief discussion of alcohol drying methods. March 26, 2013

Troubleshooting Blade Breakage on a Bandmill
Here's a good discussion of the various factors that could cause bandsaw mill blades to break prematurely. June 4, 2012

Shop-Built Bandmill Blade Sharpeners
Sawmillers share ideas for blade-sharpening rigs. August 29, 2006

Typical Lumber Thickness Variation
Rough sawing produces lumber of variable thickness that has to be planed to finish dimensions. But how much variation is normal — and what causes it? May 13, 2013

Wood Species Useful for Shingles
A discussion of the wood varieties that work for use as exterior shingles. November 25, 2008

Sawing Crotch and Knot Wood
Advice on sawing crotch and burl Walnut and Cherry. May 15, 2011

Sawmill Engine Life
Small motors last a few thousand hours on average, but careful maintenance can stretch their useful life. October 14, 2006

Upgrading a Manual Bandmill for Powered Control
Advice on taking muscle power out of the equation for operating a bandmill. April 10, 2007

Value of Walnut Sawlogs
What is a nice standing walnut tree worth as saw timber? That depends on many factors. January 11, 2007

Sawing the Biggest Logs Your Mill Can Handle
Will that bandsaw mill really cut a 36-inch diameter log? If only it were that simple. In this thread, owners of various mills discuss the tips and techniques you need to manage monster logs in the real world. July 12, 2005

Sawing a Black Walnut Root
The lower stump and root of a big walnut tree can yield beautiful figured wood, but the work is a huge hassle. January 27, 2008

Sawing and Drying Sweet Gum
Sweet Gum is a troublesome wood to work with because of its tendency to twist and move, but the effort can be worth it for some uses. February 14, 2010

Shrinkage Allowances for Sawing Southern Yellow Pine
What dimension should SYP be sawn to, in order to arrive at the desired thickness after drying and planing? November 14, 2009

Short blade life
Band mill blades that don't last, burnt tips and bad bearings. December 18, 2001

Sawing and Drying Tips for Pecan
Orchard-grown pecan wood warps badly when drying. Here is advice on how to cut and dry pecan in order to minimize warping and improve quality. July 28, 2006

Where to Get Free Logs
Start-up sawmiller gets advice on working with sources of free sawlogs. October 4, 2007

Sawing Up Some High-Grade Cherry
Most sawyers advise flat-sawing nice Cherry for grade. March 31, 2008

Quarter-sawing on a Swing-Blade Mill
Quarter-sawing problems, solutions, and ideas. August 31, 2009

Troubleshooting Wobble in a 48-Inch Sawmill Blade
Detailed discussion of the factors that can make a circular sawmill blade deform enough to start wobbling. August 30, 2007

Sawing and Drying Sycamore
Sycamore is attractive and useful, but moves drastically while drying. Here's good advice on how to minimize movement and make the most of each board. June 27, 2006

The limitations of juvenile lumber
Exactly how useful is the lumber yielded by less-than-mature trees? August 10, 2000

White Oak for Log Homes
Advice on sawing White Oak timbers for log-home construction. May 18, 2010

Slabbing with a Chainsaw
Advice on low-tech slabbing methods, to rescue a nice log from the burn pile. January 2, 2012

Uses for shavings and sawdust
A discussion of uses for and the marketablility of waste from the primary processing of lumber. July 18, 2000

Washing Fresh-Cut Lumber
Washing excess sawdust off boards should be no problem. But why not used compressed air, or just a broom? November 28, 2006

Value of Yard Tree Logs
Yard tree value is low because of the probability of hitting metal. But some sawyers still take them. December 12, 2008

Sawmill Clutching, Starting, and Stopping
Sawmill owners discuss ways to idle their equipment to prolong blade life. February 17, 2012

Shipping Large Circular Saw Blades
Advice on packing large saw blades for shipment so they won't be deformed or damaged. June 28, 2010

Troubleshooting Bandmill Blade Breakage
What causes bandsaw mill blades to break after one or two sharpenings, and how to prevent it. March 29, 2006

Quarter-Sawing with a Swing Blade Mill
How to saw for vertical grain and figure using a swing-blade mill. May 27, 2014

Sawing Slabs from Huge Down Tree Stumps
This particular big old dead Cottonwood stump may not be worth the effort. But here's some good advice on how to break a big, hard-to-manage log up and get good-sized slabs and burls out of it. June 19, 2012

Sawing and Drying Diagonal Slices from Logs
Here's some advice on equipment and technique for creating oval-shaped slices through large logs, marketable for various decorative uses. September 6, 2010

Unusual Quilted Figure in Eastern Red Cedar
A sawmill owner shows off a one-in-a-million Cedar board with wavy, curly figure, and a photo of the log's unusual bark. November 16, 2011

Saw Blade Hot Spots and Dishing
What's the right thing to do when a circular sawmill blade heats up in one spot and dishes out of shape? April 20, 2011

Sawmill waste disposal
Producing power and other ideas for utilizing waste from a milling operation. January 21, 2002

Sweetgum Character
If you saw much Sweetgum, you'll find that the lumber has a strong personality. November 27, 2007

Quartersawing Sycamore for Fleck
Making the most out of a sycamore log. May 11, 2005

Slab Photo Essay
A tour through the nice slab collection of an urban tree salvage aficionado. April 30, 2009

Sycamore for a Post and Beam Frame?
Beautiful as the wood is, Sycamore's tendency to twist makes it a questionable choice for timber framing. December 28, 2006

Timber Mats for Construction Sitework
Information on heavy-timber mats used to support heavy excavation equipment on soft ground (a potential value-added product for sawmillers). November 28, 2006

Sawing for half
Sawmillers trade their takes and tolerances for sawing in exchange for a share of the yield. August 10, 2000

Uses for Cottonwood
Cottonwood is a useful and versatile species. Here, pros discuss aspects of working with the wood. August 30, 2005

Sawing Cherry for Quality
Sawmillers advise on how to get the best quality lumber out of a Cherry saw-log. July 30, 2007

Quarter-Sawing Technique
What's the best way to quarter-saw a sycamore log? April 10, 2005

Why Saw Lumber Thinner?
Sawmillers discuss the economics and practicality of sawing 12/4 versus 4/4 lumber. January 13, 2006

Sawing Tapered Logs
Tips for getting high-value lumber with either portable or fixed equipment. April 10, 2005

Quartersawing, Rift Sawing, and Plain Sawing Explained
This authoritative explanation with photos and drawings will clear up the widespread confusion about the various ways of sawing logs for grain. May 27, 2014

Sealing Log Ends
Thoughts about log-sealing products and application methods. September 15, 2006

Shipping Bandmill Blades
A bandmill operator got some blades back from the resharpener with broken teeth. Were they damaged in shippping? August 31, 2005

Sawing a Cherry Log for Value
Without a specific project in mind, a woodworker asks how to best saw a nice Cherry log in a way that leaves his options open. September 18, 2014

Sawing Short Walnut Logs
Advice on getting good lumber yield from a batch of 5-foot and 6-foot logs cut from a nice, fat Walnut tree. February 12, 2007

Splitting Large Cants
Sawmill operators discuss ways to cut a 12x12 cant down into 4x6 cants using different types of mill. July 28, 2006

Winching Big Logs
Thoughts on the selection and use of winch equipment for moving and loading large, heavy logs. May 11, 2005

Sawing and Drying Apple Stump Wood
Apple's hard to deal with — expect a lot of time and effort to yield only modest results. May 31, 2010

Three sided house logs - with swing blade
How can these be milled? March 4, 2002

Sawmilling as a Side Business
Advice on making money for a new member of the Sawing and Drying forum. August 12, 2014

Sawing Eastern Red Cedar
Tips on handling and sawing cedar logs to obtain marketable product. October 4, 2007

Sawing Long Timbers on a Bandmill
Logs that are too long for your bandmill can still be sawn, but it takes some extra handling. Here are some ways that sawyers get it done. April 10, 2007

Troubleshooting Forklift Hydraulics
An old forklift seems to have a little internal bleeding. What's the remedy? January 31, 2012

S4S Planing Equipment for a Small Shop
Shopping for a four-head moulder that's practical for dressing lumber in a small shop. October 4, 2011

Quartersawn, Rift Sawn, and Flatsawn — What's the Difference?
A photo example and discussion of grain direction in sawn lumber. February 4, 2011

What Causes Burl Figure in Wood?
Nobody really knows why some trees form burls, but that doesn't stop us from speculating. December 28, 2006

Sassafras Siding
A look at some Sassafras used for house siding, with some tips on drying, handling, et cetera.May 15, 2011

What Thickness to Saw Walnut for Furniture
4/4 is a versatile and useful dimension to saw, and it's quicker and less problematic to dry than thicker wood. December 6, 2012

Troubleshooting a Slipping Drive Belt
Drive belt pulley slipping? Try belt dressing, and tighten it up. November 27, 2006

Selling Wood Scrap
Figure out what wood-carvers and other craftsmen need, and you may be able to make money from sawmill off-cuts, odds and ends. May 13, 2005

Value of a Skid-Steer for Sawmilling
A skid-steer at a good price is a smart investment for a bandmill operator. April 10, 2007

Saw Technique for Harvesting Burls
Advice with interesting photo examples, on how to cut burls off a log to get the most useful raw material for bowl turning or art work. April 27, 2011

Tree Burls — Causes and Value
Burls from a tree trunk can yield valuable material for custom craft work. Here's some info on what they are and why they appear. June 14, 2014

Sawing frozen logs
Solutions for problems encountered when sawing frozen logs. February 7, 2001

Sharpener and Setter Choices
Sawyers consider their options in blade sharpening equipment. July 10, 2007

Troubleshooting Blade Wandering
Tooth set and tension are factors to look at when a blade wanders shortly after entering the log. October 25, 2006

Uses for Mulberry Wood
Mulberry is nice for turnings, knick-knacks, and furniture. April 18, 2009

Salvaging Downed Timber
The sooner you saw, the better, but some trees can still yield valuable wood after years on the ground. March 26, 2013

Quarter-Sawing Technique on a Large Mill
Sawmillers discuss how to go about quarter-sawing logs on a large mill. August 30, 2007

Strings on Bandsawn Lumber
A discussion of why bandmills sometimes produce a stringy cut in some wood. March 26, 2009

Troubleshooting Wavy Lumber
A load of custom-sawn lumber has high and low spots. Pros weigh in on the likely causes. August 22, 2005

Troubleshooting Blade Diving on a Bandmill
A beginner gets help with a wandering blade problem on a borrowed bandsaw mill. October 19, 2013

What Good Are Small Walnut Logs?
Sawmillers discuss what sort of useful product you can make out of 10-inch diameter Walnut logs. February 17, 2012

Sawing Long Beams on a Bandmill
How do you make a 30-foot beam with a sawmill that will only saw 21 feet? March 16, 2015

Quantity of Sawmill By-Products
How much bark, chips, and sawdust do sawmill operations produce? That depends on many factors. August 30, 2005

When to Change Bandmill Blades
How can you tell when a bandsaw mill blade is getting dull? November 27, 2006

Value and Uses of Eastern Red Cedar
The sawing and drying forum kicks around the question of tailoring red cedar products to meet market demand. February 14, 2006

Sawing for Stable 2x Lumber
Advice on selecting log dimension and cut patterns in order to get straight, stable 2x4 and 2x6 lumber from Southern Pine logs. November 16, 2011

Should I Wait Before Milling Walnut?
Walnut logs gain nothing from lying on the ground, and sometimes suffer from it. December 15, 2005

Sharpening a circular sawmill blade
Hand sharpeners vs. automatic sharpeners--their pros and cons. July 3, 2001

Quartersawing on a Wood-Mizer
A discussion of the best techniques for quartering logs on a bandmill, with photos of the operation in progress. January 16, 2002

Sawing wood for house-framing
The basics of sawing and drying lumber to by used in constructing a house. January 3, 2001

Tough Bandsaw Blades for Dirty Logs
No bandmill blade is really a match for rocks or gravel. But here is some advice on tough blades and cleaning and sawing methods for dirty logs. January 2, 2012

Wood weight and highway transport
How to accurately estimate the weight of a truckload of air-dried lumber to assure compliance with trucking regulations. Includes access info for resources. August 1, 2000

Stiffening a Large-Diameter Circular Sawmill Blade
Advice on tuning or adjusting a 60-inch sawmill blade. January 27, 2007

Sawing and Drying Pecan Wood
Advice on handling a Pecan yard tree — including the story of hitting a couple of nails. December 12, 2008

Quartersawing, Labor, and Yield
This discussion of quartersawing with a bandmill makes some interesting points about the extra work involved and the variable quality and value of the resulting product. April 27, 2011

Unusual Bandmill Ideas
Sawmillers consider custom adaptations such as hydraulic drive or double-bladed sawmills. January 12, 2015

Quartersawing by the Board Foot
An appropriate board-foot rate for sawing services really depends on a lot of details. October 4, 2007

Sawmillers Working with Tree Services
Small sawmill operators discuss the ins and outs of obtaining logs from tree services. August 31, 2005

Using Oak Logs for a Wooden Bridge
Thoughts on converting site trees to a foot bridge for a landscaping project. January 17, 2011

Winches for Loading Logs
Bandmill operators discuss winches and trailers for moving logs. December 15, 2005

Sawdust Drag Chain Derailing Problem
Wear and tear can ruin the fit of a chain and sprocket, causing the chain to jump the track. May 10, 2007

Sawmilling: Thickness guidelines
Differents customers want boards sawn to different thicknesses--what are the standards? August 12, 2001

Sawing Bevel Siding
Sawmillers discuss how to produce clapboard siding. June 9, 2007

Sawing Old Down Logs
A sawmiller gets advice on whether to saw storm-downed trees that have been on the ground for several years. December 12, 2008

What Size Log is Worth Quartersawing?
Thoughts on the practicality of getting useful yield when quartersawing logs. October 3, 2009

Tree Cross Section: Maple Saw-Log Coloration
A discussion of how Maple wood gets its color, and what the appearance means for the value of the lumber. April 18, 2009

Winter Operation of Solar Kilns
Solar drying kiln performance slows significantly in the winter. Here are tips on wintertime operation. July 15, 2012

Sawing Sweet Gum
Thoughts on how to cope with Sweet Gum's warping ways. January 8, 2010

Quartersawn lumber
Techniques and reasons for quarter sawing lumber. November 21, 2000

Visual Signs that a Blade Needs Tightening
Fluttering and wandering on the guide wheels could be indications that a saw blade needs increased tension. September 15, 2011

Turning Logs with a Winch
Here's how it's done. October 14, 2006

Virginia Pine Sawing and Use Characteristics
Also called "Jersey Pine" or "Spruce Pine," this tree yields useable lumber but is prone to rot, disease and insect damage. May 10, 2007

Stacked Pine Timbers and Bluestain
It's better to saw the woods into board and sticker and stack it as soon as possible. December 6, 2009

Sawing An Old Elm Tree
Tension wood from growth stress may call for a modified technique. April 10, 2005

Sawing Posts and Beams
How do you get good structural timbers from a log? August 26, 2008

Quartersawing Patterns Illustrated
Here's a set of drawings from the Wood Doctor depicting various ways to saw for vertical grain. June 16, 2014

Troubleshooting a Bowed Bandmill Cut
Blade problems cause a bandsaw mill cut to curve downward. August 29, 2006

Turning logs on a manual mill
Home-made remedies for tough-to-turn timber. January 16, 2001

Standing dry cedar: Lumber-worthy?
Are standing, dead cedar trees a good source for decking boards? July 11, 2000

Slabbing a Large Diameter Burl
Ideas include a modified chainsaw mill, or a two-person manual saw. January 25, 2005

Steaming beech for veneer production
Questions and answers on various technical aspects of steaming beech lumber, preparatory to producing veneer. Includes ideas for further reading.

Sawing Elm with Off-Center Pith
Off-center pith in a leaning tree is a sure sign of stressed wood, and the logs must be sawed with special care. May 11, 2005

Silver Maple Board Quality
Sawyers who have cut up Silver Maple share their observations. January 27, 2007

Straight-Line Ripping on a Bandmill or Table Saw
Techiques for resawing crowned boards straight. November 28, 2006

Whether to Edge Before or After Kiln-Drying
Most lumber producers edge before kiln-drying, but there could be reasons to do it first — or not at all. October 26, 2011

Weighing Trailer-Loads of Sawdust
Ideas for gauging the weight of sawdust as you fill trailers or trucks. March 14, 2006

Sawing on Shares
When is it worth it to saw logs for a share of the boards? May 14, 2006

Sawing Curly Maple for Figure
What's the best way to get value from curly maple logs? Sawmillers debate the topic. June 28, 2005

Sawing square timbers
Producing square timbers on the sawmill. November 15, 2000

Sawing Norway Spruce for Lumber
Norway Spruce doesn't saw into the finest lumber going, but it's not trash either. February 22, 2011

Sawing and Drying Less Common Species
Sawyers give the Wood Doctor some feedback about lesser-used species such as Persimmon, Madrone, Boxelder, and Mulberry.September 5, 2011

Safe Time for Tight Stacking
How long can you safely "dead stack" wood without air spaces before stickering the pile? February 27, 2013

Qualities of Different Cherry Species
Here's a nice note comparing "Prunus serotina" (Black Cherry) and "Prunus avium" (Sweet Cherry), with regard to the quality of lumber they may yield. June 4, 2012

Sawing Hollow Logs
Practical and metaphysical tips on getting useful value out of logs that include some emptiness. October 14, 2006

Sharpening of band mill blades
A primer on sharpening band-mill blades. March 2, 2000

Salvaging Wilt-Killed Red Oak
Burn the sawdust and bark, and kiln-dry the lumber. December 11, 2006

Sawing Your Own Framing Lumber
Proper grading is an issue, because knots may weaken the material for structural purposes. April 20, 2011

Smooth-tracking sawmill
Keeping the track rollers on your sawmill running with ease. July 3, 2001

Tracking Boards for Bookmatching
Ways to keep track of bookmatched board pairs from sawing through drying and planing. April 19, 2006

Spalting Logs
A little more about how to encourage spalting in wood. March 14, 2006

Strange Stories From the Sawmill -- Part 2
Interesting artifacts found embedded in sawlogs. September 9, 2004

Sawing Live Oak
Hard as a rock, full of sticky gum, and it dries twisty ... what's not to love? April 21, 2008

Straight cuts through knots
Knots are extremely dense. Here's advice for keeping cuts on line while cutting through them. June 21, 2000

Using OSB for Stickers
Sawmill pros generally frown on using oriented strand board (OSB) for sticker material. January 17, 2011

Sawing for Wood-Turners
Wood-turners, carvers, and other artists provide a market for figured wood in short lengths or chunks. December 6, 2011

Woodmizer Arm Adjustment
Fine-tuning the clamping arms for a Woodmizer bandmill. March 9, 2010

Why You Should Saw Pine Fresh
period. April 27, 2007

Sticker Thickness and Sources
For good air circulation, stickers need to be at least 3/4 inches thick. Here are ideas on where to get them. October 25, 2006

Value of Red Cedar Oil
In large enough quantities, the extractive oils that drip out of Red Cedar and Juniper wood during milling have uses and commercial value. April 10, 2007

Uses for Hollow Oak Logs
Practical, humorous, and fanciful ideas for making use of White Oak hollow logs. October 1, 2010

Sawmill horsepower: What's enough?
Are thirteen horses sufficient for cutting hard maple? January 31, 2001

Sawing an Oversize Log
Tips on getting the most out of a log that's just a little too big for your mill. August 14, 2007

Touch-Up Bandmill Blade Sharpening Techniques
Blade hit a nail? Here are some tips for emergency sharpenings that can keep you sawing — at least for a little while. November 27, 2006

Understanding the Sawmilling Term "Cant"
To a sawmill operator, what is a "cant"? Experts explain. September 17, 2008

Successful Sawmill Operation
A logger considers starting up a sawmill, and gets advice from experienced professionals. June 22, 2005

Sawing Walnut for High-Quality 5/4 Lumber
Tips on working with a big Walnut log to get high-grade five-quarter lumber. May 18, 2010

Yield from Small Logs
Rough rules of thumb for estimating the expected yield from sawing small logs. March 14, 2006

Why We Saw the Pith out of Hardwoods
Pith in hardwood logs introduces defects into boards, so it is usually sawn out of the lumber. December 6, 2012

Saw Blade Guide Pressure
Depending on the saw model, blade guides may not touch the blade, or may apply a constant light pressure to it. October 1, 2010

Warping of Boards Cut from a Dead Standing Tree
Uneven drying stresses in standing dead wood may cause warping after the log is sawn. March 3, 2006

Whether to Saw Old Walnut Logs
Even if it has been down for years, a big walnut log can yield valuable wood. August 30, 2007

Value of Cedar
Info from 2012 on Cedar log prices at the sawmill. March 28, 2012

Side Bend or "Crook" and Sawing Methods
On wide boards, sawing too close to the pith can cause boards to bend sideways in drying. December 6, 2012

Sawing Sycamore
Quartersawing reveals the grain figure and enhances stability. March 29, 2006

Tooth Setting and Sharpening
Can a bandmill blade's teeth lose their set without becoming dull? September 15, 2006

Sawing Timbers for Timber Frame
Softwood and hardwood behave differently, but in either case "box-heart" sawing tends to minimize drying movement and checking. January 11, 2007

Sawing "on the shares"
A discussion of sawing lumber in exchange for a share of the yield. June 20, 2000

Sawing Parallel to the Bark
When sawing tapered logs, the way you saw can affect the value of the boards you produce. September 17, 2008

Tooth setter
Photos and descriptions of home-built tooth setters for band blades. March 5, 2003

Whether to Quarter-Saw Honey Locust
Quarter-sawing honey locust is a lot of extra effort for a pretty marginal benefit. December 29, 2008

Unusual Grain in White Ash
An example of "tiger stripe" in an Ash board. August 31, 2009

Tips for Sawing Hickory
Quick tips on getting good lumber from Hickory logs. November 8, 2007

Splitting Large Logs with Black Powder
Thoughts on using black powder or chain-saw jigs for splitting fat logs down to manageable saw-milling size. August 26, 2008

Quartersawing for Bows
Whether for archery, a chuck wagon, or a fiddle, bow-making starts with quarter-sawing. October 14, 2006

Sawing and Drying Cedar
Cedar is forgiving because of its natural rot resistance. Here's some advice on handling it. May 13, 2013

What Tree Species Will Hold Their Bark?
Some species will keep bark on when they're felled and sawn, but it also depends on the time of year. April 20, 2011

Troubleshooting a Wandering Bandsaw Blade
Bandsaw blades may wander for many different reasons. October 1, 2010

Sawing Small Logs on a Shop Bandsaw
Ideas for jigs and rigs to adapt a small bandsaw for milling small logs. October 30, 2005

Sawing Ash with Emerald Ash Borer
There are restrictions on the transport of infested wood. Mill hygeine may be a good idea too. May 20, 2011

Tension in a Leaning Cedar
Advice on how to saw a cedar that is leaning over. April 18, 2009

Shop-Built Hand Crank Feed for a Sawmill
A sawyer shows and describes the hand crank he added to his manually operated mill. October 14, 2006

Salvaging Broken Bandsaw Blades
Busted blades can sometimes be mended; otherwise, the steel may be useful for making small tools or other purposes. February 9, 2008

Sawing Big Log Butts
Logs are denser at the butt end. Here are tips on avoiding problems. October 12, 2007

Suitability of Tulip Poplar for Timbers
Can a large Tulip Poplar tree yield large members suitable for structural use in a timber frame? March 28, 2010

Sawing information resources
Where the beginning sawyer can find the fundamentals. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 12, 2003

Sawing a Cedar Log for Benches
You can wait to saw the log as long as you keep it dry. July 30, 2007

Why Holly is Expensive Wood
Very tricky to saw and kiln dry, holly yields small amounts of useful wood — and that makes it a pricey variety. April 19, 2006

Sheltering Your Sawmill
Ways to put your sawmill under a simple roof. December 30, 2007

45-Degree Rotation Sawing
A sawyer reports getting nice-looking, if narrow, flat-grain boards by turning the log 45 degrees before each successive cut. July 26, 2010

Sawing Hard Maple
Advice on bandsaw blade characteristics for good performance in hard Maple. October 29, 2008

Value of a Walnut Root Ball
The base of a downed walnut tree could be in good condition and yield valuable wood. July 11, 2013

Uses and Value of Persimmon
A disussion of what persimmon wood is worth, and what it's good for. December 15, 2005

Sawing Tamarack
Sawing technique and uses for Tamarack. April 18, 2009

Troubleshooting a Dished Sawmill Blade
Heat build-up at the center of a circular blade can distort its shape. July 28, 2006

Suitable Wood Species for Stickers
Any type of wood works, but it's best if you dry stickers before use. May 20, 2011

Using a Shop Bandsaw to Mill Small Logs
Woodworker considers using an 18" electric bandsaw for milling small amounts of lumber, then gives up the idea as impractical. December 15, 2005

Slope of grain
How to process lumber to achieve a given slope of grain. March 28, 2001

Uses for Aspen
There's a local market for aspen, for various purposes. August 30, 2005

Sawing Hickory
... is not like a walk in the park. Here are tips that might make it a little easier. September 14, 2006

Troubleshooting a "Wavy" Cut
Sawyers suggest reasons that a portable bandsaw blade might wander at the beginning of each cut. August 30, 2005

Sinker logs: Cutting, use and grading
A quick review of the cutting, use, and grading of lumber from sinker logs. June 20, 2000

Tips on Sawing Hickory
Tips on sawing techniques for some nice Hickory logs. December 30, 2007

Sawing Sweetgum
Sweetgum does not "gum up" blades, but it is prone to movement when sawn. March 13, 2007

Quartersawing, illustrated
Diagrams and instructions for quartersawing all sizes of logs. May 9, 2001

Wavy cuts in pine
Troubleshooting the cause of wavy cuts in pine. August 10, 2000

Quartersawing on a bandmill
Methods for quartersawing timber on bandsaw mill. June 24, 2001

Small Engine Muffler Alternatives
Nothing wrong with making your own muffler for that sawmill motor. September 14, 2006

Tips on Sawing Birch
Advice on getting good lumber quality from Birch logs. January 14, 2009

Sawmill Throwing Blades Off
Advice for maintenance on a bandsaw that has started throwing the blade off. June 18, 2012

Washing Logs to Extend Blade Life
Some sawmillers pressure-wash or hose down logs before sawing. September 15, 2006

Winter-time End Coating
Yes, it's important to end-coat fresh-cut logs quickly, even in the winter. June 12, 2006

Sawing Logs After Checking Occurs
Badly checked logs should be dried and sawn first, then end-trimmed as boards. December 1, 2005

Tuning Up a Blade Sharpener
If a blade isn't quite cutting it, the problem may be your sharpening setup. January 27, 2007

Spraying Logs with Insecticide
Treating logs with bug spray before sawing is a bad idea, says the Wood Doc — ineffective as well as hazardous. October 30, 2005

Sawing Stone with a Bandmill
They say it can be done with a specialty blade and lots of coolant. June 9, 2012

Salvaging lumber from submerged wood
The best chance for salvaging lumber from submerged wood lies in cutting it quickly, and drying it slowly. 1998.

Stained oak from supplier
There are solutions for stained, milled, not-yet-dried oak lumber, but first , one must determine the cause of the staining. 1998.

Sawing 8/4 and 4/4 From the Same Log
Here's advice on how to saw a custom order for grade and dimension at the same time, without wasting wood. May 27, 2014

Tracking Hours of Sawmill Operation
Keeping tabs on your time with a sawmill clock. May 11, 2005

Sawing Barn Siding
Quick tips on how to saw board-and-batten siding and beveled lap siding. January 11, 2007

Quartersawing on a band mill
Ideas for getting quartersawn lumber from logs, on a band mill. August 10, 2000

Quarter sawing
Basic instructions for quarter sawing, and where to find out more. February 7, 2001

Quartersawing thoughts and help
Some thoughts on doing quartersawing with a circle mill versus a bandsaw mill. Also an offer of instructions. March 7, 2000

Waiting to Saw Douglas Fir Logs
Doug fir logs may be all right if left sitting for a year before sawing. May 14, 2006

Scragg mill: Defined
A description of the functions of a scragg mill. November 29, 2000

Sawdust buildup in discharge chute
How to remedy pine-tar buildup leading to clogged discharge chutes during sawing. July 26, 2000

Sawing River Logs
A few quick tips on handling and sawing sinker logs. March 28, 2012

Sawing Western red cedar
Participants offer their experiences in sawing Western red cedar. July 4, 2000

Quartersawing Parallel to Pith
Saw parallel to pith when quartering logs for quartersawn boards. March 28, 2012

Wood-Mizer Custom Cutting Tally Sheet -- and Lumber Contract
September 9, 2004

Sawing Palm Trees
Palm wood is probably more trouble than it's worth. July 13, 2006

Planning Your First Cut for Best Lumber Quality
A little forethought can help a sawyer get the best wood out of every log. April 10, 2007

Estimating Sawmill Overrun
Understanding the difference between the board feet estimated in a log and the board feet actually produced. May 11, 2005

Set First, Then Sharpen? Or the Other Way Round?
Sawmill operators discuss the order of steps for sharpening blades. April 20, 2011

Sawing High-Growth-Stress Wood
Logs will bend in the mill if you don't turn them frequently. February 26, 2005

Estimating BF in standing trees
Guidelines for accurately estimating lumber yields in standing timber. July 26, 2000

Estimating Blade Sharpness by Temperature
Blades heat up more as they get dull, but other factors can also have this effect. March 31, 2008

Testing for Case-Hardening and Drying Stress
Tips on detecting drying stress. October 29, 2008

Estimating BF yields
Some formulas for calculating board foot yields from rough logs. March 1, 2000

Lumber Grading, Quality, and Small Mills
Here's an extended discussion of the public policy issues involved in lumber grading, and construction using un-graded lumber, as seen from the point of view of the small sawmill operator. May 18, 2010

Organizing Logs and Flitches for Bandmill Operation
Here's a long thread on bandmill workflow: stacking and laying out logs and flitches for loading, edging, sawing, and off-loading efficiently. June 18, 2010

Has Buried Metal Ever Ruined Your Day?
Bicycle sprockets, unexploded ordinance ... you never know what you're going to find in a tree. Here are the tales of buried metal contributed by Woodweb members competing to win a metal detector. The contest is over, but the stories (like spikes in a tree) last forever. April 15, 2013

Home-Built Portable Chainsaw Mill
Here's an illustrated step-by-step description of building a chainsaw sawmill. December 11, 2009

Portable bandmill vs. circular mill
Comparing the efficiency and production capabilities of both types. December 17, 2002

Power Comparison Between Electric and Gasoline-Powered Bandmills
Electric motors have more torque at the same horsepower rating. Here's a discussion of the reasons. March 14, 2006

Reality Check for Urban Wood Sawmilling Idea
What a cool idea — invest in some equipment, saw up "free" logs, and make a tidy profit. If it were only that easy. December 11, 2007

Preventing Tire Damage from Blade Breakage
Here's a discussion about how to spot breaking blades before they snap and damage tires on the mill, along with some controversy about lubrication, sawdust buildup, and the relative advantages of steel wheels versus rubber tires. June 18, 2010

Is It Practical to Store Logs for Long Periods?
Most logs will deteriorate quickly if not cut and dried. Here's a long debate on the practicality of pond storage and other proposed ways around the dilemma. April 19, 2006

Lumber Thickness and Sawing Tolerances
Here's a thoughtful discussion of the risks and benefits of trying to rough-saw to fine tolerances in order to get more board feet per log for a given finish lumber thickness. February 14, 2010

Rotating Logs to Avoid Sawing Through the Bark
Sawmillers discuss ways to handle wood to avoid sawing through the bark, and other issues relating to bark and blade dulling. November 12, 2008

Lubricating band mill blades
Options for lubricating your blades, including environmentally-friendly ones. April 17, 2002

Power Saving Effect of an Inverter on a Resaw
Here's an interesting discussion of the power savings you can get by using an inverter to start a large electric motor, and of the possible complications involved in doing so. November 5, 2013

Power Feed Versus Manually-Operated Mill
Guess which one's easier to operate? Here's a discussion with some pictures of power-feed rigs. April 30, 2009

Log Handling Solutions
Loading and turning monster logs can really knock a small bandmill around. Here are tips on some subtle forms of log persuasion. February 12, 2007

Log-Hauling Equipment Choices
Sawmill operators talk about the rigs they use to move logs from off site. October 3, 2007

Maintenance and Care for a Timberking 1220
Timberking bandmill owners share tips on maintenance, care and use. March 26, 2009

Low-Budget Log Handling
Sawmillers discuss winches, trailers, and other sophisticated and economically optimal implements of log manipulation. April 10, 2007

Mini-Scragg Mill Productivity
A long, detailed discussion of what a small scragg mill can produce under various conditions, and whether it can make money for the owner. July 3, 2008

Making Your Own Wood Shakes or Shingles
what's the difference, how long they will last, and more. September 17, 2008

Portable Sawmill Comparisons
Users share views and experiences on portable sawmill types. November 13, 2005

Obtaining and Handling Logs
Sawmill operators discuss ways to get free logs from contractors clearing land, and ways of loading and transporting the logs. August 31, 2005

Old Timber Mystery: Creosote, or What?
The Woodweb detectives discuss old growth Heart Pine, younger Longleaf Pine, the hazard of creosote, and related topics. August 18, 2009

From Log to Furniture
A newcomer has logs and wants to make some furniture. The sawmill forum has advice for him. January 14, 2013

One-man swing milling
Running a one-man swing mill operation, loading and unloading mills and more. March 4, 2002

Power for an Electric Bandmill
Information on the power requirements of electric bandsaw mill motors. April 19, 2006

Harvesting Urban Lumber
For some, turning urban and suburban trees into useable lumber can be a successful niche business. July 30, 2007

Harvesting, Sawing, and Marketing Coconut Tree Lumber
How can a Dominican Republic plantation owner make good use of 300,000 coconut trees that have reached the end of their useful life? March 28, 2012

Gang-Resawing Thin Strips with a Frame Saw
The "frame saw" allows rapid high-volume production re-sawing. October 12, 2007

Portable Mill Types -- Chain-Saw Versus Band-Saw
Pros and cons of the options for slabbing and milling. February 26, 2005

Milling large logs
Techniques for sizing down logs too large for the mill. December 22, 2002

Measuring Logs and Lumber
Lumber measurement - Professor Gene Wengert clears up questions regarding proper measurement techniques. May 28, 2001

Rough-Sawn Thickness Versus Finished Thickness
or how to minimize thickness loss when they plane their rough lumber smooth. October 14, 2006

Problems with Bio-Diesel
Switching to bio-diesel fuel for log-handling equipment is not always trouble-free, according to some. December 28, 2006

Essential sawmill equipment
Determining the equipment necessary to operate a part-time, stationary sawmilling business. January 4, 2001

Edging boards
The most efficient methods. December 17, 2002

Lumber Choices for Fence Posts and Rails
A discussion comparing various wood species with pressure treated lumber for use in building fences. March 28, 2012

Resharpening Bandsaw Blades
Arguments for and against sharpening your own bandmill blades versus sending them out to a resharp service. May 11, 2005

Home-built band blade sharpener
Plans and pictures. February 18, 2003

Milling Big Logs and Root Balls
This is a very basic discussion of investing in a chainsaw mill for cutting large butt logs, but it has some nice photos in it.March 13, 2014

Portable Sawmill Height Issues
Sawmillers discuss the height of portable rigs as it relates to shelter construction concerns. October 15, 2010

Evaluating a Down Oregon White Oak
Sawyers advise a colleague on how to assess the quality of lumber he's likely to get from a White Oak that has been on the ground for two years. July 10, 2007

Lumber Choices for Trailer Decking
White Oak is the top choice for decking a truck or trailer, but other woods get some votes in this thread. March 4, 2009

Logging Equipment
Essential equipment for a small-scale logging operation. April 25, 2001

Recovering Lumber from Tree-Service Oak Logs
A woodworker has a tree-service friend who is looking at some fine old oak trees that need to come down. Here, sawmillers discuss the market and the milling choices for that nice wood. July 28, 2006

Lubricating Sawmill Blades
Further discussion of soap-and-water or oil-based blade lubricants and lubricating devices. June 27, 2006

Getting the Best Yield of Quartersawn Boards
If you rotate the log during the sawing process, you can get more quartersawn wood and less rift-sawn. March 13, 2007

Flatsawn to Quartersawn
Cutting both types of lumber. December 17, 2003

Electric vs gas mill
Which is simpler and cheaper to run? (Sawing and Drying Forum) April 29, 2003

Getting the Best out of Large Sycamore Logs
Advice on how to get good value from large-diameter Sycamore logs. December 6, 2009

Pine Board Sheathing for Homes
Works fine in most cases — here's some useful advice about practicalities and codes. July 14, 2010

Log trailers
Bought, homemade and home-improved varieties. October 9, 2002

Log and Board Handling Equipment
Sawmillers discuss the equipment they use to move logs and lumber around the mill. July 15, 2012

Resawing on a Bandsaw Mill
It's tricky, but doable. May 14, 2006

Planing and Moulding for a Sawmill Operation
Is it worth the investment for a sawmill operator to step up to more advanced solid wood machining? January 17, 2011

Pitch Build-Up When Planing Air-Dried Pine
There's no way to stop Pine pitch from gumming up machinery, short of kiln-drying the lumber. (This thread has some interesting asides about using your own sawn wood for construction.) April 27, 2011

Holding a Cant Down on the Bandmill
A bandmill owner gets help troubleshooting the situation when a cant seems to rise off the sawmill bed while sawing the last few boards. April 18, 2015

Hydraulics for a Bandsaw Mill
An operator posts photos and explanations for the hydraulic system in his custom-built mill. July 12, 2005

Modifying Chainsaw Mill Chain Length
Advice on lengthening, shortening, or patching chainsaw mill chains. June 9, 2007

Propane Tank Log Hauler
Photos and descriptions of a small-log hauler built by adapting a propane-tank trailer. December 15, 2005

Rotating logs when sawing
Advantages and disadvantages of turning logs 180 degrees when sawing. January 4, 2001

Milling lumber from logs
Here's the steps it takes to harvest, skid, and mill a log into lumber using my Norwood Lumbermate band saw mill. April 25, 2001

Labor Time for Sawing Timbers
How much time to expect to take for sawing framing timbers on a bandmill. December 6, 2009

Lumber Quality above the Butt Log
There's a lot of useable lumber left behind in short log ends that commercial sawmill's won't accept. But that higher-up wood can be tricky to work with. October 4, 2011

Pricing Lumber in a Down Market
A conversation about how to charge practical prices for lumber sawn from old, legacy trees. January 25, 2010

Kerf thickness' effect on yield -- and profitability
How profoundly does the thickness of blades used in sawmilling affect yield, costs, and wise use of resources? June 20, 2000

Keeping a tally
Ideas for tallying BF while custom sawing. May 2, 2001

Power Considerations for Electric Mills
Thoughts on powering an electric mill without affecting the neighbors' power supply or power quality. March 9, 2010

Five Points for Efficient Sawmilling
Gene Wengert shares his expertise on sawing economically and profitably. January 29, 2004

Poison oak prevention and treatment
Sawmillers share thoughts on the best preventions and cures for exposure to poison oak. September 6, 2000

Maintaining a TimberKing B20
Tips on care and feeding of a portable sawmill. November 27, 2007

Manufacturing Pellet-Stove Fuel
Thoughts and information on how to process sawdust into fuel pellets. March 14, 2006

Recognizing Curly Wood
A practiced eye can spot interesting grain figure in a stump by looking at the bark. October 4, 2007

Gig-back techniques for manual mills
Sawyers offer various ideas on gig-back techniques, and their impacts on saftely and profitability. June 20, 2000

Home built bandsaw mill
Profusely illustrated piece on building your own bandmill. June 16, 2003

Remove pith when sawing boards?
Removing inferior wood from sawlogs. June 24, 2001

Economics of Sawing Railroad Ties
Cost and quality of saw logs, your mill's production rate, and the market for byproduct lumber can all affect whether sawing ties will be profitable. June 8, 2011

Running a Bandsaw Mill on a Three-Phase Converter
Lessons of experience on converting power sources for a bandmill. January 13, 2006

Log Moving Equipment Choices
All-terrain forklifts get good reviews in this thread. July 29, 2011

Hand-Powered Saws for Milling Logs
A discussion of pit saws and an idea for adapting a bandmill blade for a hand-powered frame saw. May 11, 2005

Logging arch
Designing and building your own. November 22, 2003

Entering the Cut
Bandmill operators discuss the problem of a brief "bump" in blade tracking as the blade first enters the log. Usually, blade tension is the issue. October 14, 2006

Log Size and Portable Sawmill Choice
A bandsaw mill is more appropriate than a swing mill for logs less than 2 feet in thickness. Here is more info on purchasing the right equipment. April 11, 2008

Judging bandsaw blade longevity
How to tell when blades are dull, and reasons they might dull quickly. August 12, 2001

Gnarly Maple Yields Awesome Figured Burls
A sawmiller and wood turner shows off a highly irregular Norway Maple log and the remarkable figure in the wood it produces. May 13, 2013

Electric Sawmill Options
Backyard sawmill operator who wants to operate quietly learns about electric chainsaw mills. September 17, 2008

Leveling your mill
Instruments and methods for ensuring your sawmill is level when you set it up. November 18, 2002

How milling impacts figure
How milling influences figure in sawn lumber. November 15, 2000

Planning Cuts with a Swingmill
Thoughts on making the first cut when using a swing-blade mill. July 7, 2011

More Strange Tales from the Bandmill Zone
Another blade bites the dust, as the list of odd items encountered in logs continues to grow. January 13, 2006

Guide Alignment and Blade Breakage
Premature blade breakage could result from excess tension or misaligned drive wheels and guides. October 4, 2007

Port Orford Cedar — Milling Tips and Uses
Ideas on how to saw a nice Port Orford Cedar log, and for what to make with the wood. October 25, 2006

Green Douglas Fir for Timber Framing
Advice on framing with fresh-cut Douglas Fir posts and beams. April 2, 2013

Getting a Consistent Chink Gap in Log Construction
A discussion of how to make a log cabin look reasonably regular. May 27, 2014

Photos of Wide Hardwood Slabs
A little show-and-tell display of some big Walnut and Elm slabs, with some discussion of bandsaw mill capabilities. March 16, 2015

Is Pin Oak Useful?
Widely planted as a yard landscaping tree, Pin Oak has some drawbacks as a source of lumber. June 18, 2009

Gang-Sawing Small Logs on a Bandsaw Mill
Talking about ways to make milling more efficient for small logs that are barely worth the effort. April 20, 2011

Producing Quarter-Inch Thickness Lumber
Here are several different approaches to the challenge of producing very thin board lumber. January 17, 2011

Poor Man's Skidder
Examples of log-moving rigs creatively improvised on a modest budget. March 28, 2010

Lubing Blades When Sawing Utility Poles
Old utility poles can be rough on blades. Here, sawmillers discuss why, and suggest blade lubricating fluids. August 21, 2006

Resawing with a Bandsaw
Fewer teeth makes for a cleaner cut. Here's why. July 28, 2006

Fine Points of Bandmill Blade Tension
Blade characteristics, including steel type, gauge, and width, are factors in determining the best tension to apply to the blade in service. January 18, 2011

Lubricant for Severe Pitch Buildup
Tooth pitch and lubricant choice may be some help when sawing wood that contains unusual amounts of pitch. March 16, 2015

Edger Causing Crook in Boards
Sawmill operators discuss what could cause an edger to send boards off track. June 28, 2010

Fabricating a Drive Wheel Axle
Metalworking advice for making bandsaw mill parts. May 13, 2009

Pitch Buildup on Drive Belts
Is pine pitch accumulating on the drive belts of a bandsaw mill a problem? And what can you do about it?February 27, 2013

Pitch-coated bandsaw blades
Sawyers share their secrets for cleaning pitch from blades. October 15, 2001

Roughening Cedar Boards
We know about planing rough lumber smooth. But how do you make smooth lumber rough? April 30, 2006

Gasoline Versus Electric Motors for Powering a Sawmill
Sawmillers discuss a mill's power needs and the differences between gasoline and electric motors. August 29, 2006

Protecting Sunken Logs from Degrade after Recovery
Once you pull sunken logs from a river or lake, is there a way to preserve them for a time before sawing? February 14, 2010

Milling Stumps and Roots
Is it worth it? January 8, 2010

Removing Turning Blank Pith
Techniques to prevent cracking from the pith. January 6, 2005

Gang-Ripped Lumber Yields
A discussion of the ways lumber is lost during ripping operations, and of what is a reasonable yield from the job. October 15, 2010

Getting More Life from Bandmill Blades
A closer look at what wears blades out, and how you can keep them cutting better and longer. March 16, 2015

Large Volume Scragg Mill Operation
Things to keep in mind when starting up a large-scale sawmill operation. April 30, 2006

Re-Drying Southern Yellow Pine
Lessons learned from drying untreated Southern Yellow Pine. July 7, 2011

Keeping sawblades cool
What to use and how to do it safely. October 24, 2001

Modifying a Bandmill for Resawing
Thoughts on how to set up a bandsaw mill for efficient resawing operations. June 30, 2007

How I cut a 5-sided beam
Fully illustrated details. October 30, 2002

Home-Made Band-Mill Blade Sharpeners
Thoughts on blade sharpening rigs and jigs and sharpening technique. May 13, 2009

Removing Boards While Sawing a Log
A beginner asks: when running a bandsaw mill, is it better to remove boards one at a time or let them stack up? That depends, explain experienced sawyers. August 31, 2005

'Girdling' standing lumber, and why not
Cutting the cambium layer of a tree in order to dry wood while standing. January 4, 2001

Eastern Red Cedar for Buried Posts
The heartwood of Eastern Red Cedar has better rot resistance than the sapwood has. January 18, 2011

Resawing Old Beams With Nails
No bandmill blade is designed to cut metal, but experience says some will do better than others. July 12, 2005

Re-Sawing Reclaimed Heart Pine
Thoughts on dealing with dirt, nails, and pitch when turning old Heart Pine timbers into nice lumber. July 28, 2006

Lindane
Information on Lindane, a pesticide used to control powderpost beetles. June 21, 2000

NHLA lumber grading
Do rough mills need NHLA graders? May 30, 2001

Re-Tipping Your Own Blades
Info on soldering new blade tips onto a swing-blade sawmill blade. December 30, 2007

Log Weight and Log-Moving Equipment
Practical advice on guessing the weight of logs, and tips on equipment choices for log handling. July 28, 2006

Pin Oak: Drying, Checking, and Bacterial Odors
Pros answer basic questions about Pin Oak for a sawmill beginner. September 17, 2008

Keeping track of blade sharpenings
Comparing notes on noting the service history of sawmill blades. July 4, 2000

Leather and Rubber Belts for Old Machinery
A little info about drive belt technology for olden-days equipment. May 18, 2010

Mobile Saw for Breaking Down Logs
A sawmill set up to process small logs needs a mobile saw to break down occasional stands of larger trees. Sawmillers offer advice. October 29, 2012

Equipment to Saw 6-Foot Diameter Logs
A discussion of stock and custom bandsaw mills able to handle very large logs. October 26, 2011

"Rustic" Lumber — What Is It?
What visual qualities define lumber as "rustic" is a matter of subjective perception and opinion. February 4, 2011

Efficient cutting parallel to bark
When cutting for grade, what is the most material-efficient method? Illustrated. April 2, 2002

Optimal Circle Saw Size
60-inch circular sawmill blades can be problematic to use, so many sawmillers prefer a smaller diameter blade. October 3, 2009

Power-Pole Re-Use Potential
Old treated utility poles may have some potential for salvage re-use, but they are trouble to deal with. April 18, 2009

Rotating Logs for Quarter-Sawing
Thoughts on rigging a swing-blade mill to spin logs after every few cuts, in order to produce a high yield of quarter-sawn lumber. October 3, 2009

Equipping a Swing-Blade or Bandsaw Mill with a Laser
Sawmillers discuss the practicality of adding a laser pointer to a sawmill as a cut location indicator. January 11, 2007

How Long Can a Log Sit Before Sawing?
How old is too old to be worth sawing, for down logs or standing dead trees? February 4, 2011

Palletizing Lumber for Shipment by Truck
Advice on preparing lumber for pickup by semi truck. April 20, 2011

Making the Most of Walnut Logs
Thick and thin, high grade and low grade, sawyers and woodworkers discuss how to squeeze the best value from walnut trees. July 28, 2006

Here's Lookin' at Red Cedar
Sawyers discuss red cedar grain oddities, oil characteristics, aroma, and such. August 31, 2005

Finding Concrete in a Tree
Tree surgeons sometimes repair rotted trees with concrete. "Well, imagine my surprise," said the sawmill man. January 27, 2007

Have the Logs Been Down Too Long?
Very large logs may yield valuable lumber even after lying on the ground for years. July 26, 2010

Processing oversized logs
Approaches for dealing with large-diameter logs. March 16, 2000

R-Value of Log Walls
Wood rates about R-1 per inch, but air-sealing is also an issue with log buildings. July 13, 2006

Optimal width when milling lumber
Milling lumber to the ideal width, and stacking for drying without warpage. December 6, 2000

Red Oak and Pin Oak for Flooring
Advice on the sawing characteristics of Red Oak and "Pin Oak" December 6, 2011

Finding bent bandmill blade teeth
Locating and fixing teeth that have been pushed "out of set." January 24, 2001

Increasing chainsaw life
How to keep your chainsaw mill in healthy, working order. January 16, 2001

Profit from Log Salvage?
Could a middleman make money diverting landfill-bound logs to sawmills? Unlikely, say the pros. January 13, 2006

Opening Cuts
Advice on figuring out where to take your first cut on a log. July 3, 2008

Log End Sealant Cost and Alternatives
Brand name log sealers are costly. Are cheap alternatives effective? October 1, 2009

Resawing Tropical Hardwoods
Resawing dense hardwoods like Bubinga, Cocobolo and Swartzia requires special care. October 1, 2009

Metal Fatigue, Resharpening, and Bandsaw Blade Life
Considerations for extending the useful life of a bandsaw blade through multiple resharpenings. April 2, 2015

Getting Rid of Slabs
Slabs from sawmilling operations aren't worth much, but there is a small market for them. August 29, 2006

Resawing Reclaimed Heart Pine Timbers
February 27, 2005

Making Stickers
Advice on sawing stickers for stacking lumber. April 18, 2010

Presurfacing Green Sawn Oak
Planing roughsawn Oak before kiln-drying has benefits that may make it worth the cost. October 26, 2011

Home-Built Logging Trailer Ideas
Log trailer show and tell. April 20, 2011

Flattening the Bar on a Chainsaw Slabber
Troubleshooting a slabber that likes to crawl up or down in the cut. November 16, 2011

Raised Grain and Sawmill Blades
A discussion of how blade characteristics might relate to roughening of the lumber surface. July 16, 2009

Hitting Steel in Big Logs
Sad stories of ruined bandsaw mill blades — what happens when you use your sawmill as a metal detector. December 15, 2005

Ring Shake in Hemlock
Hemlock makes good boards or framing lumber, but wood from trees exposed to grazing animals may be have structural flaws. July 12, 2005

Ring Deformation (Compression Wood)
An odd-looking ring pattern in a cross-cut log is explained as compression wood, certain to bend after sawing. April 20, 2011

Kentucky Coffeetree Lumber Characteristics
Sawmillers share experiences with sawing and drying Coffeetree wood. March 9, 2010

Rotating Sawlogs on the Mill
What's better, turning the log 90 degrees as you saw, or flipping it 180 degrees? January 8, 2010

Metal Detector Choices
Sawmill operators discuss the cost and capabilities of metal detectors. October 20, 2005

Lumber from Tree Branches
Branch wood is stressed and unstable, but in some odd situations there may be value in it. October 19, 2013

Harvesting White Pine in Summer
It must be sawn within days, and dried quickly, to maintain good quality. October 2, 2005

Properties of Tamarack
Tamarack dries nice and straight, but it's splintery and may have some shake. August 8, 2010

Metal Detector Sensitivity and Power
You can see pretty deep into a log for some reasonable coin. May 18, 2010

Milling Norway Spruce
Ways to avoid known problems when sawing Norway spruce, a difficult wood to saw. December 31, 2012

Gearing Up to Make Tongue and Groove Boards
What's the best way to equip yourself to machine T&G decking and planking (on a budget)? September 17, 2008

Maple processing basics
The fundamentals of milling and drying maple. August 10, 2000

Pretty Book Matches
Quartering a log before sawing it sometimes provides an opportunity to create attractive book matches. Here, a sawyer posts a few examples. October 30, 2005

Moisture Content of Freshly Sawn Wood
It's a lot. November 28, 2006

Lube for a Bandmill Blade in Freezing Weather
Window-washer fluid and diesel fuel are two options for bandsaw-mill blade lubrication when water would freeze. March 3, 2006

Lumber Handling in Sawmill Operations
Stacking and re-stacking lumber takes its toll on your time and your back. In this thread, sawmillers talk about smarter ways to handle lumber. October 20, 2005

Orchard Stumps
Interesting comments on the qualities of orchard wood and stumps. July 10, 2007

How Much Weight in a Truckload of Lumber?
Information on wood weight and truck carrying capacity. July 20, 2011

Log Drying and Degrade
Don't wait to long to saw ... but don't be too quick to write off an old log either. faOctober 4, 2011

Mill Shed Show and Tell
Bandmill owners share photos of the shelters they have built for their saws. February 27, 2013

Playing with hook angles
Experimenting with hook angles when sawing softwood. March 20, 2001

Mixing Borate to Control Post Beetles
Advice on obtaining and mixing borate pest-control formulas. January 8, 2010

Retipping Sawmill Blades
An operator can do it in a pinch, but it's really a job for a specialist. August 31, 2005

Milling and Drying Cottonwood
Tips on how to handle cottonwood for good results. July 28, 2006

Hackberry sawing and drying
How to saw and dry hackberry to avoid chemical staining. March 7, 2000

Hot-Rodding a Sawmill Motor
You can increase the RPMs (and horsepower) of small engines with minor control adjustments, but that doesn't boost the important factor: torque. July 28, 2006

Head Saw Alignment
The band and carriage on a head saw may be set at an angle to allow gravity to work for you (but not too hard). November 26, 2008

Properties of Yemeri Wood
Yemeri is a Central American tropical hardwood that is good for utility lumber. July 18, 2008

Iron Stains in Red Oak
Slabs from a yard tree with a lot of deeply embedded nails have some bad staining. Will bleach help? April 20, 2011

Pie-Slicing a Log
Quick description and info about a German-made saw that slices logs radially. July 15, 2012

Features of Quality Veneer-Grade Cants
A sawmiller learns the qualities that make a cant suitable for producing good sawn veneer. October 4, 2007

Pricing a Yard Tree Log
Swapping firewood for a sawlog straight up is a fair deal. April 18, 2010

Maximum cant size
Formulas for determining the largest square cant that can be sawed from a log. August 1, 2001

Rust on Bandmill Rails
Lubricating the rails is part of routine maintenance, especially if the mill sees a lot of down time. Here's some detailed advice.September 5, 2011

Ripping Chains for a Chainsaw Mill
Are they worth it? February 14, 2006

Milling Hedge Apple
Hedge Apple (a.k.a. "Osage Orange" or "Horse Apple") is a valuable specialty wood. August 31, 2005

Most-marketable material thicknesses
Sawing lumber to thicknesses that are in demand among woodworkers. January 31, 2001

Green Color in Freshly Sawn Black Walnut
Freshly sawn Black Walnut sometimes shows a green tinge, which quickly fades. Here's more on Walnut's natural color behavior. October 14, 2008

Milling Timbers to Minimize Warp
Either "box the heart," or stay away from the pith altogether. March 16, 2015

Monster Curly and Wavy Cherry Boards
A sawmiller shows off some bodacious boards sawn from Cherry logs his dad got for free. April 20, 2011

Recycling log wash water
A discussion of the merits and pitfalls for recylcing the the water used to keep logs dampe prior to milling. July 4, 2000

Horsepower for a Circular Sawmill
You need enough power to maintain the RPMs that the blade is tuned for. November 26, 2008

Keeping logs wet before milling
Should logs be stored in water until they can be milled? June 27, 2000

Powering a homemade bandmill
Choosing the right engine for a home-built bandmill. March 20, 2001

Old Growth Douglas Fir Slabbing
Here are some cool photos of slabs cut from a 375-year-old Douglas Fir. July 15, 2012

Problems getting consistent thickness -- during rough milling
Fixing a bandmill that cuts boards at inconsistent thicknesses. September 6, 2000

Pine Borers
Mug shot and description of the so-called "Blackhorned Pine Borer." April 20, 2011

Freehand Sharpening for Chain-Mill Blades?
Replacing the sharpening attachment on a chainmill is much wiser than trying to sharpen chains freehand. August 30, 2007

Home-Built Re-Saw Rig
Photo and discussion of a re-sawing bandsaw setup. September 14, 2006

Reading a Log for Ray Fleck
If you understand what ray fleck is, you can tell which logs have it. January 14, 2009

Gross tally vs. net tally
The difference between "gross" and "net" tallies in lumber processing is explained. July 18, 2000

Horsepower Requirement for a Big Circular Sawmill
Quick tips on the power needs of a large circle mill. August 30, 2007

Is There Money in Sawing for Pallets?
Pallet wood is a low-end product, but it can still be a revenue source. December 15, 2005

Edging Boards at the Sawmill
Lightly edge your own lumber on the mill, then re-edge after drying — you'll produce more wood that way. January 27, 2007

Minimum Useful Size for Walnut Logs
Heartwood is the valuable part of a Walnut log for most buyers, so you need a decent-sized sawlog. January 2, 2012

Forest Fire Tree Logs
Logs from a stand that has burned over have drawbacks, including smell and a risk of damage from standing degrade. July 15, 2012

Figured Maple Slab
Nice photo of an impressive Maple slab sawn from a 48-inch-diameter log. April 30, 2009

Preventing brown stain on pine
Warm weather is the culprit; keeping still-to-be-processed logs cools is the solution. 1998.

Liability insurance for on-site milling
Some sources for liability insurance covering sawmilling performed at a customer's location. June 20, 2000

Plain Sawing Illustrated
Here's a simple drawing showing how to flat-saw a log in case you want flat-grain boards for use in furniture. June 16, 2014

Lumber from Trees Killed by Oak Wilt
The lumber should be fine, but check for insect damage. March 30, 2008

Resharpening Lennox blades
Yes, it's possible to re-sharpen blades for the Lennox mill. March 25, 2000

Good lumber from "Ys"?
Can quality wood come from branch locations? July 11, 2000

Bandsaw Mill Choices
Sawmill owners tell what they like about their equipment. August 29, 2006

Bandsaw manufacturer resharpening service
Is bandmill blade sharpening a job for the shop, or should you send 'em out? September 19, 2001

An overview of sawmill operations
Sawmill operators swap experiences, "war" stories, and ideas for production profitability. October 17, 2000

Choosing a Bandsaw Blade
Experimenting over time is the way to find the blade that works best on your mill for the kind of sawing that you do. (Also, fish responsibly.) February 2, 2012

Bandmill horsepower
Will a higher horsepower diesel engine speed production? January 1, 2003

Advice for a Sawmilling Beginner
Here's a truckload of good advice for the man who just bought his first bandsaw mill. May 14, 2006

Chainsaw and bandmills
A comparison of chainsaw mills and bandmills for small-scale production. March 28, 2001

Chainsaw Sawmilling for Old Guys
Here's a great discussion on the capabilities of chainsaw mills, from the point of view of some dudes who have gotten smarter over time. February 27, 2013

Buried Metal Stories
Forum members swap stories of finding metal in the heart of a sawlog — and even in plywood. October 17, 2012

Base and Shelter Ideas for a Bandsaw Mill
Descriptions, pictures, and advice about setting up a bandsaw mill. May 21, 2009

Designing a Space-Frame Sawmill Frame
Discussion with pictures of custom sawmill steel fabrication methods. October 1, 2009

Chainsaw Choice
Choosing a chainsaw to use in an Alaskan sawmill. January 4, 2001

Building a Hydraulic Swingmill
Sawmillers talk over the fine points and choices involved in building a hydraulic swingmill. March 13, 2009

Building your own bandmill (maybe)
Advice is offered on building your own or buying factory-built. January 21, 2002

Blue Stain in Red Oak
A discussion of staining, drying odor, and related problems in a large oak tree blown down by wind. December 12, 2008

Cherry Log: Quartersaw or Flatsaw?
Appearance would argue for flatsawn, stability for quartersawn — but it's more complicated than that. October 1, 2010

Calculating board feet
The board footage debate rages on--Professor Wengert and others offer up methods of calculation. June 24, 2001

Bandsaw blades: Sawyer survey
Sawyers cite their preferred bandmill blades by brand name. July 11, 2000

Drying rough-sawn timbers
A large outdoor project raises questions about drying large, rough-sawn timbers for long-term use. June 20, 2000

Creosote-treated timbers: Cut with care
Some wise precuations to take if milling lumber previously treated with creosote. September 21, 2000

Bandsaw Comparisons
Thoughts on choosing a bandsaw mill, with some asides about related equipment such as debarkers and edgers. October 26, 2011

Converting a Bandmill to Narrower Blades
A sawmiller trying to put a previously owned Mighty Mite bandmill back into service gets advice on dealing with blade tracking issues. January 19, 2012

Borate-Treating Freshly Sawn Wood
Ideas, thoughts, and tips for using borax and borate solutions to make green lumber bug-resistant. June 12, 2006

Carbide-Toothed Chainsaw Blades for Milling
Carbide blades will cut through embedded metal or even rock, but they're not cheap. August 30, 2007

Band Saw Blade Life in Hardwood
Thoughts on sharpening, lubrication, alignment, blade quality, and other factors that affect how long a bandmill blade will stay sharp in heavy use. February 24, 2008

Cutting crotch wood
Details on the right equipment and techniques to get the job done. March 4, 2002

Bandmill Blade Sharpening Schedule
Dull blades are bad for many reasons, so it's best to sharpen routinely before any sign of difficulty. Here are estimates of how frequently blades need sharpening, and of how many spare blades to keep on hand in order to keep the mill working. October 26, 2011

Changing Wood-Mizer from gas to electric
Process and parts involved in converting an engine. February 19, 2002

Cedar Log Value
A wandering thread, but you can learn something here about Cedar (or whatever y'all call that tree). February 3, 2011

Checking Concerns with Massive Wood Posts
A custom home project calls for 15-inch-wide solid timber posts. Here's a discussion of the inevitable checking that will occur, and how to minimize it. November 13, 2005

Drive Train Protection for a Sawmill
Pros debate the ins and outs of a slip clutch versus a shear pin to protect the power train of a sawmill driven by a tractor's power takeoff. January 27, 2007

Best sawmill for exotic hardwoods
Bandmills vs. swing mills for a new operation. September 2, 2002

Burl Wood in the American Sycamore?
A discussion of sycamores, burls, and sawing techniques. April 27, 2007

Cutting and Drying a Walnut Stump
Tips and tricks for sawing stumps for lumber. January 14, 2009

Building a bandmill from scratch
Advice and examples concerning home-built mills. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 2003

A Brief History of Portable Sawmills
September 10, 2001

Black Powder Log Splitting
You can split large-diameter short logs with black powder. But is it worth the risk, or should you stick with a chain saw and wedges instead? July 13, 2006

Durability of Eastern Red Cedar
Short answer: it's the heartwood that is rot-resistant. But you'll learn more than that from this discussion. April 11, 2008

Bandsaw Mill Components
Advice on bearings, blade guides, tires, and more, for someone considering building a bandmill. March 26, 2009

Cutting dadoes in sawn logs
Tools and techniques to get the job done. October 20, 2003

Accuracy and Tolerances in Humidity Measurement in a Drying Kiln
Super precision is rarely critical in wood drying, but reasonable accuracy is helpful. Here's a discussion of RH measuring precision, and its importance for maintaining proper real-world kiln conditions. July 29, 2012

Bandmill Blade Breakage at the Weld
A discussion of bandmill blades, welding, and what might cause blades to frequently break at the weld. August 29, 2006

Blade Lubricant and Component and Blade Life
Soapy water, kerosene, or what? Keeping the blades clean and reducing friction is one thing, getting longer life out of your equipment is something else. February 8, 2008

Bandwheels and Blade Wear
A spirited discussion on blade life in bandsaw mills, including tips on sharpening schedules. June 28, 2005

A Walnut Tree on the Ground: How Long?
If a down tree sits in a wet area for a while, what are the chances of getting some decent lumber? December 6, 2012

Dealing with Snow at the Sawmill
Sawmill operators describe how they cope with heavy snowfalls in the yard and in the woods. September 5, 2011

Advantages of Taper Sawing
Sawing parallel to the bark produces higher-quality boards. Here's an explanation, with some how-to tips. October 29, 2008

Cupping of newly cut lumber
Why would all the lumber in one kiln load cup toward the sapwood? January 16, 2002

Blade Considerations for an Under-Powered Bandmill
When working with large logs on a bandsaw mill with a relatively low-power motor, fewer teeth per inch and more lubrication might be help prevent overheating. April 18, 2015

Blades for Sawing Old Timbers with Embedded Nails
There are no easy answers if you need a blade that will saw wood and also cut through nails. April 18, 2009

Birdpeck in Walnut
Woodpecker damage can be found deep inside some Walnut trees, and tends to concentrate within particular stands of trees or geographic areas. June 8, 2008

Cold Weather Bandmill Blade Lubrication
Advice and observations on blade lubricant and cooling fluids for sawing in way-below-freezing weather. June 30, 2007

Chainsaw-Driven Bandmills
Is a chainsaw motor a good choice for powering a bandsaw mill? September 10, 2007

Causes of Shake
Bacteria is what causes shake in trees. September 24, 2003

Drying and Sawing Sycamore Logs for Beams
Advice on how to get useable large-dimension lumber out of Sycamore logs. January 8, 2010

Bandmill Blades for Metal-Infested Wood
Advice on where to find and buy blades for a bandsaw mill that can survive an encounter with nails, wire, et cetera in the log. December 31, 2013

Drying and Sawing Tips for Gun Stocks
Advice on how to dry and saw walnut for use as gun stock blanks. August 21, 2006

Choosing a "Starter" Bandsaw Mill
Sawmillers share thoughts about entry-level bandsaw mills for occasional use that might hold their value for when the user decides to upgrade. February 14, 2006

Converting a Bandmill from Gas to Electric
Advice on mounting an electric motor on a bandsaw mill. March 9, 2010

Chain-Saw Milling
For small-scale production on a budget, a furniture-maker reports good results from a chain-saw mill. October 15, 2010

Building a slab saw
Advice and images on creating a contraption for chopping bundles of kindling. January 16, 2002

Buying a Planer for Big Timbers
Heavy-duty planing capability requires a whole different class of machine. March 9, 2010

Bandmill Blade Tension and Blade Temperature
Bandsaw mil blades expand and contract with heating and cooling, which affects blade tension. Here is a discussion of how equipment should adjust to compensate. August 18, 2009

Cracks in bandsaw blades
Causes of small cracks in blades, and the blue stains that appears on oak after sawing. October 15, 2001

Chain Saw Bars: How Big is Too Big?
Considerations that affect the preferred size of a chain saw bar. October 1, 2009

Allowing for Shrinkage when Sawing Framing Lumber
If you want the lumber in service to end up comparable to commercial kiln-dried softwood framing lumber, how much thicker and wider should you saw? November 28, 2006

Cutting angles
Cutting angles recommended by Forest Products Laboratory for hardwoods. May 9, 2001

Building Your Own Bandsaw Mill
Thoughts on the practicality of building your own bandmill, from those who have done it (or chosen not to). April 11, 2008

Bandmill run by generator
Using a diesel generator to provide electric power to bandmill. January 16, 2002

Bandmill Blade Roller Guide Settings
Maintain a downward pressure, or leave a slight clearance? October 28, 2008

Assessing an Old Circle Sawmill
A discussion about getting a rusty old circle mill up and running again, including thoughts about safety and about restoring the old blade. . September 5, 2011

Air-Dried Pine for Exterior Siding and Trim
A discussion of keeping pitch from gumming up the planer, and on priming knots in Pine to avoid bleeding. Nice photos in this thread. May 30, 2011

Casehardening, Checking, and Warping
Dry lumber that warps when resawn offers a lesson about casehardening and its effects. May 27, 2008

Bandmill Blade Sharpening on a Budget
Advice on setting up to sharpen and set bandmill blades, with a minimum investment of money (if not time). June 18, 2010

Blade Tracking Issues with Hard Hickory
Blade characteristics such as gullet depth, sharpness, and rake angle affect the performance of a bandmill blade in a very hard hardwood log. January 19, 2012

Blade Lube for Cutting Pine
Sawmillers suggest Pine-Sol, dishwasher detergent, or diesel fuel. November 16, 2011

Dealing with Blade-Diving Waves
More blade tension, better blade lubrication, and a sharpening modification may help keep bandsaw blades from wandering when cutting larger logs. December 1, 2005

Assessing the Value of a Yard Elm Tree
Advice on the character of American Elm wood, tips on drying, and cautions about metal in a yard tree. January 28, 2014

Amish mills
Some perspectives on Amish sawmill operations. June 27, 2000

Dealing with Heavy Pitch
Antique heart pine and other pitch-heavy woods can clog blades up quickly. Here's some good advice on keeping blades clean. May 11, 2005

Band mills versus circular mills
Choosing the right sawmill for your unique operation. April 3, 2004

Drying Koa
Insight on the ins and outs of drying Koa wood in Hawaii. April 20, 2011

Choosing an edger
What to consider when buying an edger for a primary processing operation. January 4, 2001

Best Dimension for Sawing Poplar
A sawmill operator with a load of Poplar logs to saw wonders what size boards would prove most popular. September 27, 2008

Bandmill blade guide pressure
Proper set-up techniques for blade guides on bandsaw mills. November 29, 2000

Blade Maintenance for Bandsaw Mills
Pros discuss the selection, care and feeding of bandsaw mill blades. August 31, 2005

Blade Choice for Resawing Reclaimed Lumber
Sawyers consider what kind of blade to use when there's a risk of hitting nails. May 27, 2008

Cant Hook Versus Peavey
Useful information on the relative merits and characteristics of these basic logging and sawmilling tools. May 11, 2005

Drying Apple Wood
Advice on how to saw and dry a big old Apple tree trunk. May 10, 2007

Cutting the butt off blowdowns
Cutting the butts off blown-down trees can be hazardous. Here are some safety tips. June 27, 2000

Decay Concerns when Storing and Milling Sinker Cypress
Questions and answers about how long you can wait to mill and dry antique Cypress logs after pulling them up from underwater. April 24, 2014

Cutting Logs with Burl
It takes years of experience to get the hang of predicting what sort of grain figure may be inside a log, and how to saw it for the best value product. June 30, 2007

Cleaning Rust of Bandmill Blades
Suggestions for getting light rust off some blades before sharpening. June 30, 2009

Blade sharpeners for band mills
Experiences with different brands of blade sharpeners are shared. January 3, 2001

Cleaning Bandmill Blades
Tricks for getting the sap and pitch off bandsaw mill blades. March 3, 2006

Charging for Thin-Sawing Lumber
When sawing thinner than 4/4, adjust the board-foot rate accordingly — or just charge by the hour. August 30, 2007

Carbide Blades on a Bandsaw Mill
Sawyers discuss whether it's worth the extra cost to use carbide blades. February 4, 2011

Characteristics of Honeylocust Wood
Thoughts on Honeylocust, a little-known but attractive and useful wood species. June 30, 2007

Cutting 5-sided timber
Hewing a pentagon-shaped ridge beam on a Wood-Mizer. October 9, 2002

Circular Mill Alignment
Advice on fine adjustments to a circular sawmill for accurate cutting performance. February 12, 2007

Board Feet of Cedar in a Cord
Sawmillers talk rough equivalents: board feet, cords, and truckloads. December 6, 2009

Charging for Stickers
Stickers, like anything else, have a value and a price. October 25, 2006

Baseball Bat Billets
Tips on sawing and drying rough stock for bat makers (a tough market to break into). June 18, 2010

Drying Logs for a Log House
Advice on tree selection and drying methods for producing the best quality logs for log home building. July 16, 2012

Assmbling an edger
These are the steps I took in assembling my Norwood Edgemate edger. April 25, 2001

Choosing and maintaining bandmill blades
Selecting and sharpening blades for a beginner. March 21, 2002

Blades for Re-Sawing
High-quality blades will pay for themselves in lumber yield, replacement cost, and labor time. January 14, 2009

Bugs in Mesquite
Bug lore from Mesquite country. December 6, 2009

Building a bandsaw sawmill
Recommendations on where to find parts and how to construct a mill from scratch.

De-Barking Logs
Tips on getting the bark off logs. June 9, 2007

Bi-Metal Blades for Sawing Wood with Nails
You should always try to de-nail the logs or timbers before sawing, but for the occasional nail, careful sawing with a bi-metal blade may prolong blade life. April 10, 2007

Air temp, relative humidity and MC
How much moisture can air hold, and what is the effect on drying lumber? July 4, 2000

Blade Choice and Hook Angle for Different Wood
Sawmillers offer advice on appropriate blades and sharpening specs for use with very hard wood. May 15, 2012

Band Mill Blade Speed
Determining the feet per minute that a band should run at on a home-built mill. May 11, 2005

De-Nailing Barn Beams
Tips on dealing with the nails when sawing lumber out of old recovered timbers. August 21, 2006

Cambium miners' effect on standing cherry
A woodlot pest causes gummosis in cherry. June 21, 2000

Can Tree Limbs Provide Useful Lumber?
Growth stresses create movement issues with wood sawn from limbs, but it does have some uses. July 3, 2008

Dealing with crooked logs
What is the best way to saw logs with sweep or crook? May 30, 2001

Definition of Primary Process
Locating the dividing line between primary and secondary processing of wood products. September 5, 2011

Bandmilling short logs safely
Some ideas for cutting short logs on bandmills. March 21, 2002

Blade Wear When Sawing Reclaimed Timbers
Crusty old barn beams wear blades out fast. Is there anything you can do about it? July 30, 2007

Chainsaw Bogging Down in Poplar
Is it a wood problem, or a chainsaw problem? February 3, 2011

De-Barking Strategies and Rigs
Debarking a whole log just to make your first square cuts is a lot of extra labor. Here, sawyers discuss effective ways to work around the de-barking problem. September 6, 2010

Blade Life when Sawing Old Utility Poles
A discussion of why treated power poles are death to bandmill blades. April 27, 2007

Characteristics and Usefulness of Sassafras
Beauty and versatility give this lesser-used wood some economic value. January 18, 2011

Air-Drying Cuban Mahogany
This stable wood may dry fast indoors, but kiln-drying would also eliminate pests. September 14, 2006

Blade Options for a Circle Mill
Considerations on choosing a circular sawmill blade. April 10, 2007

Bleaching Blue Stain
Advice on using bleach to clean lumber affected by blue stain. August 31, 2009

Bandmill ratings
Sawmillers share their opinions of various bandmills. April 4, 2001

De-Barking Logs Before Sawing
Simple thoughts on how and why to remove bark from logs before sawing (or not). November 3, 2010

Cants pulling away from line bar
Problems with cants that don't stay properly set up during milling. August 1, 2001

Cedar and Log Scale Accuracy
Advice on estimating the amount of recoverable lumber in some Eastern Red Cedar logs. March 26, 2009

Debarkers: why?
Why debarkers are an essential tool in primary processing. October 15, 2001

Bandmill Tuning Basics
A beginner gets the Rx for wavy cuts. June 12, 2006

Controlling Beetles in Fresh Logs
Beetles under the bark of a fresh log don't mean you can't saw the log and use the wood. November 12, 2008

Can Bandsaw Mills Handle Wide Logs?
Most bandsaw mills are limited to 36-inch boards or less — and with wide cuts, waviness is a problem. December 15, 2005

Breaking Down Big Logs
An interesting discussion with informative videos about cutting down enormous logs to a manageable size for sawing on a bandsaw mill. April 18, 2015

Beech Lumber for Siding
Exterior siding exposure may not be the best use of Beech wood. June 4, 2012

"Boxing Out" Timbers from Logs
Advice on the best way to saw or hew frame-building timbers from logs. June 30, 2009

Bandmill Setup on a Slope
A small sawmill owner shows his portable mill set up on a gentle hillside slope. October 15, 2010

Drying Walnut Boards
Tips on handling, and how to dimension for best value. February 26, 2005

Counting board feet while sawing
Sawyers share tips for tallying total board feet while milling. July 18, 2000

Dealing with Shake in Hemlock Saw Logs
Shake in a Hemlock log is a sign of bacterial damage, so sawing the log is probably a waste of time. November 14, 2009

De-barking Logs
Pros discuss ways to get the bark off logs without removing wood. June 22, 2005

Chain Saw Sharpening Tips
Advice on chainsaw sharpening tools and techniques. January 25, 2010

Crafting a Tongue for a Horse-Drawn Mower
Advice on wood choice and fabrication methods for making old-fashioned wooden farm equipment components. December 31, 2012

Custom Cant Hook for Large Logs
For those extra-big logs, you need a little more leverage and a little more grab. Pros discuss the attributes of a cant hook that can. June 20, 2005

Choosing a Log Scale
A sawmiller harvesting various tree species gets advice on which log scale will give him the most accurate estimates of his inventory. June 20, 2005

Best preparation for bent ash
Dr. Gene advises a fishing-net maker on the best ways to prepare ash for bending into frames for his products. 1998.

Bandmill Blade Tension
Quick tips on blade choice and blade tension. August 18, 2009

Cottonwood for Barn Siding
Advice on using Cottonwood for board and batten siding. June 18, 2010

Blue-Green Streaks in Sawn Oak
A discussion of various factors that can cause discoloring streaks in sawn lumber. January 17, 2011

Changing Circular Sawmill Blade Bits
Hard to do, hard to visualize, hard to explain in words ... still, this advice might help. February 22, 2011

Dual Motors on a Chainsaw Mill
You can connect two motors of different horsepowers to one chainsaw bar, but operating the contraption is tricky. May 16, 2008

Circular Sawmill Blade Sharpening
Opinions on the best equipment and techniques for sharpening circular saw blades. October 28, 2008

Building with Green Lumber
A few thoughts on using freshly sawn lumber for construction framing. January 27, 2008

Dedicated Slabber Performance
A dedicated chain-saw slabber is slow and requires frequent sharpening, but produces nice slabs. October 15, 2010

Defining "Slab" and "Flitch"
For the record, here's what the terms mean to a sawmiller. July 30, 2007

Boxing the heart, 101
Basic guidelines for sawing a maple log. June 20, 2000

Are Small-Log Processing Systems Profitable?
Mill set-ups exist designed to handle small logs. But is it worth the trouble? December 1, 2005

Curing pitch buildup on blades
Sawyers offer various approaches and potions for preventing pitch buildup on bandmill blades. June 20, 2000

Circular Sawmill Blade Tuning
Large circular sawmill blades are hammered to dish the blade when at rest; it flattens out when the mill is running. Here's more. April 30, 2009

Bandmill Tolerances
How close can you cut it? Plus or minus a sixteenth (or better) is reasonable. September 14, 2006

Comparing Norway Maple to Hard Maple
Strictly speaking, Norway Maple is its own species, not classified as either Hard Maple or Soft Maple. However, it can occasionally yield some nice wood.February 17, 2012

Bandsaw Milling Short Logs
A vertical commercial bandsaw with a roller table works well. Here are several examples. October 8, 2005

Charge for Resawing Timbers
Is there money is resawing recovered beams? September 15, 2006

Dipping Lumber Before Stickering
A brief description of dipping lumber in fungicide and insecticide for short-term dead stacking before stickering to air dry. March 28, 2012

Bandsaw mill blade speed
Solving a problem of quickly dulled band saw blades and insufficient horsepower. January 16, 2001

A good, cheap end sealant?
A discussion of the pros and cons of various sealants used on ends of boards in primary lumber processing. April 22, 2000

Cherry in Timber Frames
Thoughts on sawing and using Cherry timbers in the kitchen to add interest to a timber-frame home. January 11, 2007

Cold Weather Sawmill Operation
Thoughts on tweaking the gas motor of a bandmill to help it perform better in sub-freezing weather.October 17, 2012

Constructing a Bandsaw Mill Frame
Video show and tell of the construction of a bandsaw mill. April 2, 2015

Delay in Milling Southern Pine
If you have a supply of logs you can't saw up right away, what's the best way to handle them? January 12, 2015

Curved Tooth Face on a Bandmill Blade
Some bandmill owners prefer curved teeth, and sharpen the teeth themselves. August 31, 2005

Cutting Dry Walnut
Yes, that wood is hard. August 31, 2005

Bandmill wheels and blade speed
Do larger bandsaw wheels mean increased sawing speed? January 31, 2001

Buying Logs — Board Feet Per Ton
Ballpark numbers for estimating how many board feet you can saw from a ton of logs. July 3, 2008

African Mahogany and Reaction Wood
African Mahogany seems to be prone to stress, causing the material to twist and warp when sawn. March 13, 2007

De-Barking Maple Burls
Tips for improving the labor-intensive process of getting bark off a maple burl log. December 11, 2007

Blade hammering
What is the purpose of hammering a blade for a circular mill? June 5, 2001

Bandsaw blade tilt
What is it and how can it be measured? December 17, 2002

Causes for Wavy Bandmill Cuts
Two more reasons a bandsaw mill may start to make wavy cuts. December 15, 2005

Determining the weight of logs
Resources and methods for estimating the weight of green logs. January 16, 2001

Computerized bandmill setworks -- worth the investment?
Cost-saving advantages of utilizing setworks on a bandmill. December 6, 2000

Controlling Cant Checking
Cants check as they dry because of uneven shrinkage. It can be controlled, but not completely prevented. July 28, 2006

A Simplified Procedure -- for Developing Grade Lumber From Hardwood Logs
A USDA report on maximizing grade lumber yield from factory logs. January 2, 2003

Circular Sawmills - and Their Efficient Operation
A primer from the USDA Forest Service. February 16, 2004

Accuracy of Kiln Sample Moisture Content Measurements
Factors including temperature change can reduce the accuracy of MC readings, particularly at high moisture contents. April 30, 2006

Carbide-tipped bandmill blades
The pros and cons of carbide-tipped blades for bandmill operations. June 20, 2000

Bastogne Walnut
Beautiful crotch figure from an urban Walnut tree salvaged in California. December 6, 2011

Alder color
The effects of age on the coloration of lumber cut from alder logs. August 10, 2000

Should a Moulding Mill Bring Sawmill Operations In-House?
Here's a long, detailed, and authoritative examination of a moulding mill owner's proposal to invest in his own sawmill operation. April 20, 2011

Tips for Shipping and Selling Lumber Nationwide
This discussion about the factors that affect shipping rates takes an interesting detour into sales psychology. February 4, 2011

Sawing and Drying: Does the Season of the Year Matter?
Here's a long thread that separates the science from the rumor around the question: "What's the best time of year to cut trees and dry lumber?" May 15, 2012

Troubleshooting a Chainsaw Mill Motor
Chainsaw's getting cranky when it's running hot — what's up with that? Find out here — this forum knows chainsaw motors. April 20, 2011

What Does "Old Growth" Mean
The sawing and drying forum discusses what "old growth" means when used to describe lumber, and what qualities "old growth" wood may or may not have. May 14, 2006

The "Sustainable" Chain of Custody
How can a small shop get certification that its wood is sustainably produced, all the way back to the source? June 30, 2009

When the Customer Wants to "Help" You Saw
Long, spirited exchange on the tricky situations created when you let a sawmilling customer help with the work. December 12, 2008

Value-Added Processing -- for the Sawmill
How to make sawing, drying and other processing operations profitable. March 22, 2001

Starting a portable sawmilling business
Advice on making a living with a start-up sawmilling business. June 24, 2001

Setting up a milling business
How much land, what equipment is needed, and in what order, for a startup sawmill. April 24, 2002

Spalting Tips and Tricks
A question about how to get rid of a bad batch of spalted Maple leads to a nice discussion of different ways to spalt wood, with photos. April 15, 2012

Thickness of Rough Lumber
Identifying and sawing for specific dimensions. May 19, 2004

Sawing Rates by Hour and Board Foot
Charging enough to make money with a portable bandmill. November 14, 2009

Winches for Skidding Logs
If you want the muscle to move logs, you should look at hydraulic winches, not electric. Read on for other skidding advice. July 3, 2008

Value of Antique Douglas Fir Beams
Taking a look at some reclaimed timbers, and trying to estimate their worth. March 28, 2010

When a Customer Won't Pick Up His Product
Advice on how to handle a buyer who does not come back to take possession of his goods. March 11, 2009

Toxicity of Black Locust
The leaves, bark and wood of Black Locust are poisonous to both people and livestock. March 31, 2008

Slabbing and Drying Big Logs
Preventing cracks in Monterey cypress. April 18, 2004

Start-up portable sawmill business
Advice on establishing a portable sawmill service. January 4, 2001

Twisty Trees are Trouble
Sawyer lore says the logs with the left-handed twist are best left to rot. April 20, 2011

Starting a Sawmill Business to Supply Stakes
The sawing and drying forum takes a hard critical look at a business proposition. April 20, 2011

Shopping for a Metal Detector
A conversation about finding a good metal detector. October 1, 2009

Sawing Hickory for Flooring
Quartersawn may be most stable, but flatsawn is prettiest. February 15, 2009

Store-bought and home-built log trailers
Suggestions on buying and building log trailers and loaders. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 2003

Showing Off Some Curly Maple
A bandmill operator shares photos of a huge curly maple log, before and after sawing. December 15, 2005

Valuing Unusual Boards
Arriving at a price for a one-of-a-kind large piece of wood is a very subjective process. December 6, 2009

10,000-Year-Old Mystery Wood
Sawmillers try to guess the species of wood recovered after thousands of years buried in the mud. November 13, 2005

Sawmill Dust Collection
Descriptions, explanations, and pictures of dust collection systems for small sawmills. November 3, 2010

Sawing to Prevent Tapered Logs
Making the proper cuts in the right order, to produce flat, quality lumber. May 11, 2005

Seasons and Logging
The time of year when a tree is cut may affect drying time, and also can have other effects. April 18, 2009

Sapwood and heartwood
Questions on sapwood and heartwood of pecan and hickory, and how-to instructions for quartersawing. April 4, 2001

Wood I.D. Puzzle
Another guessing game about wood species — this time, a hurricane-downed log from south Texas. April 18, 2009

Sawing and drying mesquite
Dealing with many-trunked mesquite trees. February 6, 2002

Sawing Dawn Redwood
A discussion of the characteristics of lumber sawn from Dawn Redwood. March 28, 2010

Showing Off Sycamore
Sawing and drying pros show photos of sycamore (quartersawn, spalted, and clean-shaven). February 14, 2006

Sawing and Drying Red Gum
Advice on how to process Red Gum and comments about its marketability. January 2, 2012

Will Sawmill Blade Lubricants Cause Trouble with Finishes?
but here's a tip on how to test substances for troublesome interactions with finishes. April 9, 2007

Skidding Extra-Heavy Logs
A sawmiller needs to move some multi-ton oak logs using a farm tractor, and gets advice on how to manage it. November 13, 2005

Slabbing a Large Cherry Trunk
Advice on getting the best from a large Cherry tree growing in the courtyard of a home. December 31, 2012

Telling Red Pine from White Pine Logs
Branch whorls aren't much help, but compare early and late wood growth. February 26, 2005

Sawdust Collection for Sawmills
You need a fan powerful enough to move sawdust and tough enough to withstand impacts from big chunks. August 30, 2007

Y-Crotch Lumber Examples
Sawmillers show off a couple of nice slabs, and an example of a coffee table made from crotch wood. December 28, 2006

Sawing Storm-Downed Walnut and Cherry
Advice on recovering high-quality lumber from Walnut and Cherry trees blown over in a storm. February 14, 2010

You say pecan, I say hickory
Pecan lumber is usually sold as hickory. June 20, 2000

Sawdust Removal for a Circular Mill
Drag chains or augers beat blowers. July 7, 2011

Quartersawn and flatsawn: What's the difference?
Distinguishing between quartersawn and flatsawn lumber. January 16, 2001

Understanding Ring Shake and Bacterial Action
The Wood Doctor explains the bacterial causes of ring shake. September 5, 2011

Qualities and Uses for Sweet Gum
A small sawmiller sees his first load of Gum wood, and gets advice about its value and how to handle it. June 22, 2005

Value of Salvaged Burnt Timber
Trees killed by wildland fire still produce good lumber beneath the charred portion. January 8, 2010

Sawing crotchwood
Obtaining the best figured wood. September 2, 2002

Selling Basswood to Carvers
Woodcarvers pay good money for Basswood in the right size and condition. February 3, 2011

Future of Sawmilling
Here's a long, conversational thread on the economics of sawmill operations and the big picture of the general economy. August 31, 2009

Rates for custom milling
An extremely detailed look at different systems of charging for custom milling. May 30, 2001

Glued-Down Wide Pine Flooring
A long discussion of installation methods for wide board floors. August 21, 2006

Loading and Moving Big Logs with Minimal Impact
This starts out as a conversation about block and tackle mechanical advantage, but develops into a detailed and useful discussion of ways to skid and load logs without tearing up the woods or lot. June 18, 2010

Price sawmilling by the cut?
Pricing by the hour, the board foot and the cut. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) February 12, 2003

Processing Trees to Lumber -- for the Hobbyist and Small Business
Two experts share their secrets of success for small-scale milling operations. January 19, 2002

Log Scales, Log Size, Kerf Thickness, Lumber Yield, and Profit
The estimated yield using one or another log scale may differ from the actual board footage of lumber sawn from a load of logs, for a variety of reasons. Here's a close look at how different scales, different logs, and different saws affect the yield, the price, and the profit. April 20, 2011

Expanding portable sawmill business
A hard look at the pros and cons of expanding a business. October 9, 2002

Economics of Sawing for the Tie and Pallet Market
Ties and pallets typically get sawn as byproducts when producing higher-grade lumber. But in a down market, it's tough to sell any part of the log at a profit. September 6, 2010

Lumber: Quantity or Quality?
The debate over speed or grade when sawing for profit. January 29, 2004

Log scale and overrun
Different types of scales, formulas and methods of figuring overrun. January 28, 2002

Moving Beyond Drying
A small drying operation wants to invest in planing, jointing, and ripping. March 18, 2005

Pre-Surfacing Lumber Before Drying
Planed green lumber dries with significantly less checking. March 3, 2006

Making Money with a Sawmill Business
Plan with a focus on high-margin production, and you might make money — not just wear out a saw. January 14, 2008

Maximizing Lumber from a Log
Can quartersawing produce as much usable lumber as one company claims? January 29, 2004

Milling for shares
Sawyers discuss the practicality and profitability of share-cutting. March 4, 2002

Price and Quality — Sawing Oak Boards for Dump Truck Beds
Sawing for a utility market like truck bed liners carries its own set of economic calculations. Here's a practical business discussion that delves into the pennies and the board feet. May 23, 2007

How much land for a living
How many forested acres are needed to supply enough timber to support you? June 3, 2003

Green barn siding
Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003

Preventing Insect Infestation in Lumber Production
Pesticides have limited usefulness and significant hazards. Good yard hygeine and application of heat are the more practical choices. February 14, 2006

How to Charge for Custom Sawing
A discussion of realistic fees for sawing a customer's logs at their location with a portable mill. January 14, 2008

Figuring Sawing Prices
Sawmill operators share views on how to charge for their product or service. December 12, 2008

Eastern Hemlock for Post and Beam Construction
Beetle kill is taking a toll on Eastern Hemlock. Is the wood worth harvesting for timber framing? December 8, 2012

How to move logs
Creative and practical ways of loading, unloading and transporting logs. Illustrated. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Harvesting and Selling Eastern Red Cedar
A discussion of the potential market for Eastern Red Cedar logs, boards, or standing timber. April 24, 2014

How to quartersaw
Sawyers share details and pictures of their preferred methods. May 17, 2003

Rates for sawmilling/kiln-drying
Sawyers post their individual rates for sawmill and kiln-drying services. June 27, 2000

Pros and Cons of Sawing Your Own
A solo cabinetmaker wonders if he should mill his own lumber on the side. March 14, 2005

From Slab to Tabletop
How one craftsman took a big chunk of tree and turned it into furniture. January 27, 2007

Hardwood Lumber Tallies
Are you being shorted on a lumber delivery? The answer could depend on the fine points of board-foot calculations. April 19, 2015

Pricing and Legalities for Portable Sawmilling
What should you charge, and should you let the customer help? February 26, 2005

Horse Skidding Advice
Thoughts on horse temperament and tips on harness, feed, training, and handling. May 18, 2010

Milling Valley Oak
Advice on getting some value out of a bodacious tree trunk from the hills outside San Francisco. January 17, 2011

Live Edge Fireplace Mantel Advice
Practical details for making a large-dimension rustic mantelpiece with a natural log edge. January 18, 2011

Oak, Gum or Tupelo?
Another wood identification problem. January 29, 2009

Red Cedar Grain Patterns
A craftsman gets advice on sawing techniques for achieving beautiful book-matched grain effects. June 22, 2005

Is storing cants feasible?
Can large cants be stored until an order for custom-cut lumber is received? February 19, 2002

Promoting a new sawmill business
How to get the word out that you have a mill and you're sawing wood. January 16, 2002

Poison Ivy Remedies
Logs with poison ivy vines on them can really get you good. Here are some recommendations for prevention and treatment. December 12, 2008

Onsite sawing prices
Further discussion of how people charge for onsite, rough sawmilling services. January 24, 2001

Parenchyma Cell Rings and Wood Grain
Info about parynchyma cell rings, a structure similar to growth rings that can affect the appearance of sawn lumber. October 1, 2009

Planing Charges for Rough-Cut Lumber
Sawyers discuss the up-charge for planed boards, and for custom planing work. December 6, 2009

Lighting your sawmill
Providing good light for your work on dark days and late nights. February 19, 2002

Motor Vehicles Paperwork for a Portable Bandmill
Info on bill-of-sale, title, registration, and insurance technicalities for bandsaw mill trailers. December 9, 2010

Electrical Grounding for Metal Buildings
Good grounding (and fire insurance) are prudent measures for a metal sawmill building. March 31, 2008

Log Loading Winches for Small Trailers
Advice on getting logs onto a trailer. April 18, 2009

Registering a Sawmill for Highway Use
sawmilllers share experiences from different states. June 22, 2005

Home Made Trailer and Crane
Fully illustrated description of a home-built log trailer and crane. March 2, 2003

Finding a Use for Low-Grade Poplar
A sawmiller has buyers for his clear poplar, but needs an outlet for the knotty material that's left over. April 24, 2014

Optimal Size to Rough Cut for Flooring
Start with a uniform finish thickness, then add allowances for planing, drying shrinkage, and cupping. October 26, 2011

How Much Sawdust Will I Make?
Formulas and rules of thumb for estimating volume of sawdust generated in bandmill operations. September 5, 2011

Finishing an Outdoor Cedar Log Bench
Advice on a durable outdoor finish for a half-log bench. August 30, 2007

Pricing Rough Cut Lumber
and gets plenty. June 23, 2005

Expanding a sawmill operation
Advice on expanding an existing sawmill operation June 20, 2000

Is Cedar an Insect Repellent?
Including Cedar in a stack of sawn wood will not keep bugs away, the Wood Doctor explains. July 11, 2013

Positioning an Edger and Sawmill
Situating your two-man sawmill setup for optimum efficiency. May 11, 2005

Risk of Spreading the Emerald Ash Borer
Advice on the kind of hygeine that may help prevent the spread of emerald ash borer insects. April 27, 2007

Marketing Small-Diameter Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole pine produces good construction lumber, but small-diameter logs may not yield much value. December 30, 2007

Pith Centering in Cabin "D" Logs
A sawyer wonders how best to avoid distortion as he produces wall logs for a cabin project. February 26, 2005

Russian Olive Wood
Russian Olive is considered a weed tree with few useful lumber characteristics. January 25, 2010

Can a Beginner Make a Living with a Portable Sawmill?
Experienced sawmill operators counsel a newcomer on his odds of success with buying and operating a sawmill in a tough market — and describe what his life will be like if he tries it. November 16, 2010

A Butt Log Identification Puzzle
Are these logs American Beechnut, Red Elm, Butternut, or what? In this long and detailed thread, sawmillers discuss the characteristics that could be clues. November 16, 2011

Analyzing Wood Species, Grain, and Sawing Methods
Here's a long and complex (but very informative) thread that starts off with a wood identification problem, moves into a discussion of wood pore structure, and then takes off on an interesting tangent about quartersawing, flatsawing, and other methods for piecing out a log. March 22, 2013

Crowns on Band Wheels
Why do crowns exist, and do they improve band tracking? January 29, 2004

Cutting and drying beveled siding
Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001

Another Wood Identification Conundrum
Another unknown wood gets a close look from the Woodweb detective crew. Could it be Paulownia? January 18, 2012

Chain Saw Tooth Modifications for Ripping
Detailed, specialized advice on chain selection and tooth grinding and sharpening for chainsaws used to rip logs into rough thicknesses. April 20, 2011

Drying cedar slabs -- and stepping up sawmill production
Effective drying and basic sawing with a scragg mill. September 2, 2002

Another Wood Identification Mystery
The Woodweb detective team works on another wood identification case (probably Maple, this time). March 28, 2010

Cutting "shake" out of logs
What is shake, why does it occur, and how can it be removed? April 29, 2003

Chainsaw Compression Release
Explanations of the purpose and value of a compression release valve on a chainsaw, and some advice on starting a stubborn saw with less pull-back on the rope. February 22, 2011

Bulldozed Saw Logs
Trees that have been pushed over may have various kinds of damage near the butt — and pulling them out of the pile can be hazardous, too. June 22, 2012

Cost of Sawmilling: Renting Versus Owning
A lumber consumer who's renting a mill to make his own wood wonders which side his bread is buttered on. April 24, 2014

Does a Tow-Behind Sawmill Need Vehicle Tags?
Just because you can tow it behind a truck, doesn't mean it's officially a "trailer." In some states at least, sawmill equipment on wheels is not a vehicle and it doesn't need a license plate. December 30, 2007

Arborvitae Lumber
A discussion of the likely lumber characteristics of a yard tree described as Arborvitae. May 18, 2010

Dollar Value of a Walnut Burl
Walnut burls are extremely rare, but that does not mean they're worth money: the proof is in the sawing.October 26, 2011

Bandmill enclosures for all-weather milling
Ideas for a structure to house a bandsaw mill, with thoughts on heating and dust collection. February 13, 2001

Do I Have White or Red Oak?
Woodweb wood detectives take on another case. April 30, 2009

Calculating board footage
Professor Gene Wengert explains it all. February 18, 2003

Advice for Ripping Large Logs
How the pros make longitudinal cuts in the field, in order to expedite getting their harvest to the mill. January 25, 2005

Building a sawmill shed
Tips and designs for building a sawmill shed

Dealing with sawmill dust
Home-made systems for getting rid of the dust buildup under sawmills. January 4, 2001

Burlwood Rocking Chair Examples
Check out two beautiful rockers — and the "before" picture of the sawn burls they were made from. May 31, 2010

Deodar Cedar -- What's It Good For?
A little information but few answers about an ornamental Cedar variety that sometimes finds its way to a sawmill. December 30, 2007

A retail lumber business?
Tips for success in a start-up sawmill-to-retail business. January 16, 2001

Characteristics and Value of Catalpa Wood
Catalpa makes beautiful furniture, as these examples show. February 3, 2011

Cost of Grid Power Versus Running a Generator
Generators are a poor deal when fuel prices rise, but commercial power bills can get complicated. Here's a look at how the numbers crunch. March 3, 2006

Composting Chips and Shavings
Compost shavings and chips before adding them to garden soil. Here's how. December 31, 2012

De-Nailing Antique Pine
Advice on finding and removing the nails from reclaimed lumber before milling into flooring. April 27, 2007

Another Case for the Wood Detectives
Woodweb's tree identification team is never afraid to tackle another gnarly log. January 29, 2009

Collecting Sawdust from a Bandsaw Mill
Suggestions for corralling the dust from a bandsaw mill's traveling head. May 6, 2014

Allergic Reactions to Wood
Sawmiller show and tell about rashes and respiratory reactions to contact with various wood species. October 20, 2005

Drying Submerged Logs Recovered from a Lake
A discussion of the technical and legal issues relating to recovered "sinker" logs. September 6, 2010

Characteristics of European Larch
Naturally durable with decay-resistant heartwood, Larch would make good decking or siding. April 21, 2011

Curly White Oak
Sawyers show off examples of figured white oak. December 1, 2005

Controlling Checking in a Walnut Mantel
A carefully located plunge cut in the hidden side of a large sawn member may restrict checking to that location. April 18, 2010

Carob Wood
This short thread is worth a glance just for the photo of sawn Carob logs. January 25, 2010

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