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
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
Bandsaw Mill Choices Sawmill owners tell what they like about their equipment. August 29, 2006
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Chainsaw and bandmills A comparison of chainsaw mills and bandmills for small-scale production. March 28, 2001
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
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
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
Buried Metal Stories Forum members swap stories of finding metal in the heart of a sawlog and even in plywood. October 17, 2012
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
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
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
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
Building a Hydraulic Swingmill Sawmillers talk over the fine points and choices involved in building a hydraulic swingmill. March 13, 2009
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
Low-Budget Log Handling Sawmillers discuss winches, trailers, and other sophisticated and economically optimal implements of log manipulation. April 10, 2007
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
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
Sawing Utility Poles Information on the wood species and treatment chemicals found in utility poles. May 11, 2005
Cherry Log: Quartersaw or Flatsaw? Appearance would argue for flatsawn, stability for quartersawn but it's more complicated than that. October 1, 2010
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
Calculating board feet The board footage debate rages on--Professor Wengert and others offer up methods of calculation. June 24, 2001
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
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
Drying rough-sawn timbers A large outdoor project raises questions about drying large, rough-sawn timbers for long-term use. June 20, 2000
Bandsaw Comparisons Thoughts on choosing a bandsaw mill, with some asides about related equipment such as debarkers and edgers. October 26, 2011
Borate-Treating Freshly Sawn Wood Ideas, thoughts, and tips for using borax and borate solutions to make green lumber bug-resistant. June 12, 2006
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
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
Sawing Techniques for Cherry Pros explain how to go about getting the best lumber from some nice cherry logs. July 28, 2006
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
Harvesting Urban Lumber For some, turning urban and suburban trees into useable lumber can be a successful niche business. July 30, 2007
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
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
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
Cutting crotch wood Details on the right equipment and techniques to get the job done. March 4, 2002
Sawdust-Fueled Boilers Practical considerations around burning sawmill sawdust for heat. October 4, 2007
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
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
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
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
Essential sawmill equipment Determining the equipment necessary to operate a part-time, stationary sawmilling business. January 4, 2001
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
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
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
Building a bandmill from scratch Advice and examples concerning home-built mills. (From WOODWEB's Sawing and Drying Forum) January 21, 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
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
Sawyer survey A host of sawyers share their preferred techniques for sawing logs, and the reasoning behind them. June 20, 2000
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
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
Bandsaw Mill Components Advice on bearings, blade guides, tires, and more, for someone considering building a bandmill. March 26, 2009
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
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
Logging Equipment Essential equipment for a small-scale logging operation. April 25, 2001
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
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
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
Lubricating Sawmill Blades Further discussion of soap-and-water or oil-based blade lubricants and lubricating devices. June 27, 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
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
Value of Walnut Sawlogs What is a nice standing walnut tree worth as saw timber? That depends on many factors. January 11, 2007
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
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
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
Pine Board Sheathing for Homes Works fine in most cases here's some useful advice about practicalities and codes. July 14, 2010
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
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
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
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
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
Short blade life Band mill blades that don't last, burnt tips and bad bearings. December 18, 2001
Chain-Saw Milling For small-scale production on a budget, a furniture-maker reports good results from a chain-saw mill. October 15, 2010
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
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
Building a slab saw Advice and images on creating a contraption for chopping bundles of kindling. January 16, 2002
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
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
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
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
Cracks in bandsaw blades Causes of small cracks in blades, and the blue stains that appears on oak after sawing. October 15, 2001
Labor Time for Sawing Timbers How much time to expect to take for sawing framing timbers on a bandmill. December 6, 2009
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Bandmill run by generator Using a diesel generator to provide electric power to bandmill. January 16, 2002
Sweetgum Character If you saw much Sweetgum, you'll find that the lumber has a strong personality. November 27, 2007
Sawmill waste disposal Producing power and other ideas for utilizing waste from a milling operation. January 21, 2002
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
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
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
Why Saw Lumber Thinner? Sawmillers discuss the economics and practicality of sawing 12/4 versus 4/4 lumber. January 13, 2006
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
Sawing Tapered Logs Tips for getting high-value lumber with either portable or fixed equipment. April 10, 2005
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
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
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
Logging arch Designing and building your own. November 22, 2003
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
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
Sealing Log Ends Thoughts about log-sealing products and application methods. September 15, 2006
Estimating Sawmill Overrun Understanding the difference between the board feet estimated in a log and the board feet actually produced. May 11, 2005
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
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
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
Shipping Bandmill Blades A bandmill operator got some blades back from the resharpener with broken teeth. Were they damaged in shippping? August 31, 2005
Amish mills Some perspectives on Amish sawmill operations. June 27, 2000
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
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
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
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
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
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
Is Pin Oak Useful? Widely planted as a yard landscaping tree, Pin Oak has some drawbacks as a source of lumber. June 18, 2009
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
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
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
Sassafras Siding A look at some Sassafras used for house siding, with some tips on drying, handling, et cetera.May 15, 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
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
Edger Causing Crook in Boards Sawmill operators discuss what could cause an edger to send boards off track. June 28, 2010
Cant Hook Versus Peavey Useful information on the relative merits and characteristics of these basic logging and sawmilling tools. May 11, 2005
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
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
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
Cleaning Bandmill Blades Tricks for getting the sap and pitch off bandsaw mill blades. March 3, 2006
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
Sawing frozen logs Solutions for problems encountered when sawing frozen logs. February 7, 2001
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
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
Troubleshooting Wavy Lumber A load of custom-sawn lumber has high and low spots. Pros weigh in on the likely causes. August 22, 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
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
Re-Tipping Your Own Blades Info on soldering new blade tips onto a swing-blade sawmill blade. December 30, 2007
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
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
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
Unusual Bandmill Ideas Sawmillers consider custom adaptations such as hydraulic drive or double-bladed sawmills. January 12, 2015
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
Quartersawing by the Board Foot An appropriate board-foot rate for sawing services really depends on a lot of details. October 4, 2007
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
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
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
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
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
Bleaching Blue Stain Advice on using bleach to clean lumber affected by blue stain. August 31, 2009
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
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 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
Debarkers: why? Why debarkers are an essential tool in primary processing. October 15, 2001
Safe Time for Tight Stacking How long can you safely "dead stack" wood without air spaces before stickering the pile? February 27, 2013
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
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
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
Resawing Tropical Hardwoods Resawing dense hardwoods like Bubinga, Cocobolo and Swartzia requires special care. October 1, 2009
Getting Rid of Slabs Slabs from sawmilling operations aren't worth much, but there is a small market for them. August 29, 2006
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
Spalting Logs A little more about how to encourage spalting in wood. March 14, 2006
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
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
Sawing Live Oak Hard as a rock, full of sticky gum, and it dries twisty ... what's not to love? April 21, 2008
Beech Lumber for Siding Exterior siding exposure may not be the best use of Beech wood. June 4, 2012
Tracking Boards for Bookmatching Ways to keep track of bookmatched board pairs from sawing through drying and planing. April 19, 2006
Presurfacing Green Sawn Oak Planing roughsawn Oak before kiln-drying has benefits that may make it worth the cost. October 26, 2011
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
Raised Grain and Sawmill Blades A discussion of how blade characteristics might relate to roughening of the lumber surface. July 16, 2009
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
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
Successful Sawmill Operation A logger considers starting up a sawmill, and gets advice from experienced professionals. June 22, 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
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
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
Rotating Sawlogs on the Mill What's better, turning the log 90 degrees as you saw, or flipping it 180 degrees? January 8, 2010
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
Value of Cedar Info from 2012 on Cedar log prices at the sawmill. March 28, 2012
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
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
Sawing Sycamore Quartersawing reveals the grain figure and enhances stability. March 29, 2006
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.
Sawing "on the shares" A discussion of sawing lumber in exchange for a share of the yield. June 20, 2000
Lumber from Tree Branches Branch wood is stressed and unstable, but in some odd situations there may be value in it. October 19, 2013
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
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
Milling Norway Spruce Ways to avoid known problems when sawing Norway spruce, a difficult wood to saw. December 31, 2012
Quartersawing for Bows Whether for archery, a chuck wagon, or a fiddle, bow-making starts with quarter-sawing. October 14, 2006
Building with Green Lumber A few thoughts on using freshly sawn lumber for construction framing. January 27, 2008
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
Sawing and Drying Cedar Cedar is forgiving because of its natural rot resistance. Here's some advice on handling it. May 13, 2013
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
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
Orchard Stumps Interesting comments on the qualities of orchard wood and stumps. July 10, 2007
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
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
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
Mill Shed Show and Tell Bandmill owners share photos of the shelters they have built for their saws. February 27, 2013
Sawing Big Log Butts Logs are denser at the butt end. Here are tips on avoiding problems. October 12, 2007
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
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
Retipping Sawmill Blades An operator can do it in a pinch, but it's really a job for a specialist. August 31, 2005
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
Bandsaw Milling Short Logs A vertical commercial bandsaw with a roller table works well. Here are several examples. October 8, 2005
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
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
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
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
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
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
Sawing Tamarack Sawing technique and uses for Tamarack. April 18, 2009
Uses and Value of Persimmon A disussion of what persimmon wood is worth, and what it's good for. December 15, 2005
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
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
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
Troubleshooting a "Wavy" Cut Sawyers suggest reasons that a portable bandsaw blade might wander at the beginning of each cut. August 30, 2005
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Gross tally vs. net tally The difference between "gross" and "net" tallies in lumber processing is explained. July 18, 2000
Reading a Log for Ray Fleck If you understand what ray fleck is, you can tell which logs have it. January 14, 2009
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Cutting and drying beveled siding Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Another Wood Identification Mystery The Woodweb detective team works on another wood identification case (probably Maple, this time). March 28, 2010
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
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
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
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
How to move logs Creative and practical ways of loading, unloading and transporting logs. Illustrated. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003
Twisty Trees are Trouble Sawyer lore says the logs with the left-handed twist are best left to rot. April 20, 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
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
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
Wood I.D. Puzzle Another guessing game about wood species this time, a hurricane-downed log from south Texas. April 18, 2009
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
Sawing Dawn Redwood A discussion of the characteristics of lumber sawn from Dawn Redwood. March 28, 2010
Onsite sawing prices Further discussion of how people charge for onsite, rough sawmilling services. January 24, 2001
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
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
Showing Off Sycamore Sawing and drying pros show photos of sycamore (quartersawn, spalted, and clean-shaven). February 14, 2006
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
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
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
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
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
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
Characteristics of European Larch Naturally durable with decay-resistant heartwood, Larch would make good decking or siding. April 21, 2011
Value of Salvaged Burnt Timber Trees killed by wildland fire still produce good lumber beneath the charred portion. January 8, 2010
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
Selling Basswood to Carvers Woodcarvers pay good money for Basswood in the right size and condition. February 3, 2011
Carob Wood This short thread is worth a glance just for the photo of sawn Carob logs. January 25, 2010
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