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Portable Sawing

At Bucks Valley Sawmill LLC (BVS) we saw using a Woodmizer Portable Sawmill. This Woodmizer LT40HD is powered by a Turbo Charged 42 horsepower Kubota Diesel engine for ample power to run through the toughest logs. A bandmill, in addition to being substantially safer than the old style circle mills, will also recover more lumber from each log. In addition our band mill will produce truer lumber, of uniform thickness and accuracy that no circle mill can achieve – all this in a portable machine that can help you produce valuable lumber at a fraction of the cost of retail purchases.

Our sawmill is loaded with hydraulic features – load arms lift the log on to the mill, log turners rotate the log to the best position, hydraulic rollers can adjust for log taper, and a hydraulic clamp holds the log firmly in place against four hydraulic log dogs that are spaced close enough to allow safe sawing of even short logs down to 5 feet in length. A debarker operates just ahead of the band blade to clean the log of any mud or debris and thereby decreases down time for band blade replacement. The remote head of our mill allows for our operator to stay stationary at one location and operate the mill. Our computerized control head allows our operator to quickly and accurately set up the saw to produce the lumber dimensions you desire – no operator error in reading a visual scale - the electronics set the saw for the next board's thickness automatically. There simply are no additional features that are presently available that aren't included on our portable bandmill. We are proud to be running one of the largest portable bandmills that can be purchased. All this means that BVS comes to your job site with a machine that can provide the power you need, the features that you want, and produce lumber from your logs in the shortest possible amount of time.

Common Questions and Answers

I have some logs to saw – what will it cost?

Portable sawing costs are based on the amount of board feet (bdft) that we saw for through and through sawing. From 500 – 4,000 bdft costs 44 cents/bdft, jobs over 4,000 bdft are sawn at 33 cents / bdft. Costs to transport the mill to and from the jobs site runs $2 / mile for the round trip mileage (10 miles, there, 10 miles back = 20 miles @ $2 = $40 for transportation). Another potential cost is for band blades cut into metal – charge to replace is $45 / band blade. We do however, bring along a metal detector to check logs that may have trash metal in them – the metal detector can be used at the customer’s convenience to eliminate any damage to band blades and the associated replacement costs.

For jobs smaller than 500 bdft we often recommend bringing the logs to the mill to be sawn at $1 / bdft, however if you wish to have it done as a portable job pricing is as follows. For 400 -500 bdft of lumber the cost is $2.75 / bdft; and for < 400 bdft the cost is $4.25 / bdft.

How do I know how many board feet will be in the logs I want cut?

Call or e-mail us with the length and diameter inside the bark at the small end of each log, and we can provide a tally of the estimated board footage that can be expected for the log dimensions you’ve provided. This will give you not only an accurate idea of the amount of lumber you will end up with, but also assist you in getting a good estimate on cost (billing is based on actual bdft sawn, not estimates provided in advance).

What is the shortest logs that I can have sawn?

Often times it is not beneficial to have short logs on the saw pile. Short logs (anything under 8’lengths) are discouraged, but occasionally there is a log or two that is just too valuable to not produce quality lumber from. For such occasions we can saw log as short as 4’ in length, however, we strongly encourage customers to keep logs at least 5’ in length as this is the width of our hydraulic load arms that pick up the logs. Sawing short logs is a bit slower and requires more care, and as such any logs under 8’ in length will be billed as 8’. So as an example, if we were to saw a 5’ long log, it will be tallied and billed as if the lumber out of that log were 8’ in length.

What is the longest log that can be sawn?

20 feet.

How big is the sawmill BVS uses?

The mill is 27 feet long and reaches a maximum height of 11 feet. It is approximately 7’ feet wide with all of the hydraulics opened and weighs in at 4,210 pounds. It is pulled behind a standard full sized pickup, which is unhitched from the mill prior to sawing.

What kind of space do I need to do a portable job?

A Texas sized ranch and terrain as flat as Kansas would be nice, but since we’ve never sawn in those places, we are used to much tighter quarters. Ground that is fairly level is helpful, but small hills and elevation changes can be dealt with, however, in regard to sloped ground, the sawmill must be placed perpendicular to the slope of the hill. In other words, if you have logs and put them on a hill, place them so that they can be rolled straight downhill to the mill. The mill can be blocked on it’s right or left side to make it sit level on a moderate slope, but the mill can’t be pulled down a steep slope or backed up a hill and set up to saw in that manner. Again, this is for jobs where no log handling equipment is available. As far as the amount of space – if a full sized pickup with a 27’ long piece of equipment can be driven into and out of the sawing location, it should be acceptable. If you’re still unsure, just give us a call to discuss your particular situation, we’ll be happy to discuss this with you.

Can BVS saw a large log that is greater than 30 inches in diameter?

Yes, oversized logs can be sawed at an hourly rate. Please call for a price quote.

Is there a minimum number of logs I must have for BVS to saw?

No.

What is the largest diameter (not circumference) log that can be sawn?

For the board footage pricing listed above, the largest log diameter is 30”. However oversized logs (>30”) can be sawn (usually requiring breakdown into halves first with chainsaws) at an hourly rate of $75 / hr.

I have some logs that have been down for a while – are they still OK to saw?

Depends – give us a call to discuss and we'll help you determine that.

It's going to be awhile before I get all the logs pulled out – does this matter?

A number of factors affect how we answer this question, but in short, stack the logs up off the ground, end coat the logs if you are concerned about checks on the ends of your lumber, and be aware that during the warmer months, bugs and bacteria may begin to degrade your logs as they sit. For more information regarding your particular situation, feel free to give us a call to discuss.

Should all the logs be on one pile?

Yes, all logs must be on one pile, unless equipment will be on site and available to move individual logs to the mill for sawing. For all jobs, but especially if no log moving equipment will be on site, it is best if logs are up off the ground sitting on “runners” (lumber or slab wood laid perpendicular to the mill and logs). These runners help with the rolling of the logs onto the load arms as well as keep the logs up off the ground and clean prior to the sawing.

Should I have a tractor or similar equipment on site?

If you have access to a skid steer, tractor (especially with bucket loader), backhoe, etc… it is very helpful but not absolutely necessary. Equipment to move sawdust, slab wood, logs and finished lumber can save time and labor, but is not required unless logs are unable to be stacked on one pile accessible to the sawmill.

Can BVS quarter saw lumber from my logs?

Yes. For quarter sawing, larger logs are needed (20” diameter and larger recommended). There is a loss of approximately 30% of the lumber from each log when quarter sawing, and longer time is required to complete. Logs to be quarter sawn are scaled based on International ¼” scale and billed at 75 cents/ board foot, for the board footage scaled. Be aware that ALL quarter sawn lumber/boards will side bend.

How thin of boards can I have sawn?

Our sawmill’s computer operates on 1/32” increments – so if you wish to have ¾” or even ½” thick lumber cut, our machine can accommodate this. Be advised that all lumber under 1” (4/4 thickness) is billed as 1” thickness.

Do I need to assist with the actual sawing?

No, you don't. BVS can bring an off-bearer along for a fair hourly rate to assist the sawyer at your request; however the vast majority of customers do assist with the sawing and are therefore available to help direct the sawing to get just what they want from each and every one of their logs.

What if BVS hits metal when sawing my logs?

A metal detector is brought along for each job and may be used free of charge to locate any metal prior to sawing. To date, the metal detector has not failed to detect trash metal in a single log. In the event that the customer elects to not use the metal detector or chooses to saw into a log known to contain metal and metal is hit, there is a $45 band blade replacement fee charged.

How do the logs get from the pile onto the mill for sawing?

There are hydraulic load arms attached to the mill that each log is rolled on to, typically by using a cant hook or peavey (brought by BVS). Once the log is cradled on the load arms, the sawmill’s hydraulics take over from there – picking the log up off the ground and rolling it into place on the log deck.

Where is the lumber that is sawn usually put once it comes off the mill?

Lumber is heavy – especially green lumber, and every effort should be made to not have to double or triple handle the sawn lumber. If the lumber is to be moved from the sawing site to another location for storage, then a trailer, truck or wagon should be available to put the fresh sawn lumber in/on. Do you have equipment to pick up a load of lumber off your trailer – for example a skid steer with forks? If so, the lumber can not only be stacked, but stickers can be placed in between each layer of lumber as it comes off the mill, and the whole stickered stack can be picked off a trailer and set down at the storage location – no additional handling would be required.

Can BVS kiln dry and plane my lumber too?

Yes, we operate a DH kiln and a 4-sided planer molder at our mill.

Can I bring the logs to BVS instead of doing a portable job?

Yes. In fact, far less than half of the custom sawing we do is portable work.

Is there anything else I should know?

Do not roll or place logs on stone driveways or other areas with 2b or similar sized stone – it often imbeds into the bark and can damage band blades. Clean logs - free of stones, mud and debris are best and that is most easily accomplished by placing logs onto runners (boards or limbs) to keep them up off the ground.

A little advanced planning can save a lot of work! Think about the dimensions of lumber you’ll want, how best to deal with the finished lumber, as well as the slab wood, and sawdust, and put some thought into the potential sawing location - can the mill easily be pulled into the sawing site behind a truck, and overall, how well is the sawing site suited to providing a level working area and room for running the saw and moving logs and lumber around?

Safety glasses and hearing protection are a must for every step of the milling process.

Modern bandmills, such as we operate, will produce 30% or more lumber than was traditionally returned from the old circle mills – many customers are surprised at the amount of lumber that ultimately is recovered from their logs. If you have a particular lumber project in mind, and wish to discuss how many logs to have ready to make a certain amount of lumber, contact us to discuss. Logs are valuable, and perishable, as such we encourage wise use of the natural resources we are blessed to have.

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