Is a Portable Sawmill for You?

A portable sawmill...It's something you've ever really even considered before.  But now everything seems to be saying maybe it's a good idea buying one. should you? You've got a little land you want to clear. Maybe you want to build a storage shed there. Or perhaps you've got a lot of land and more trees than you know what to do with. In some areas of the country logging is a very old and respected way of clearing land and generating new building materials -not to mention profit. Just about anyone who owns a chainsaw can master the fine art of felling a tree. The problem is what to do afterwards. Cutting your own boards has always been a tricky proposition. You never seem to get them very straight. If you haul your trees to a mill you will have to buy a heavy duty trailer and a big truck, and pay someone to cut them down into useful boards - not to mention dealing with all the hassle of hauling them off site to be cut and then returning them to your building site.  If you had your own portable sawmill, you could do the job yourself and save the trouble, time and expense of using someone else's mill. In fact, you could do the job right within the shadow of the trees you would clear. You would never have to pay for your lumber again. You could build the shed you want instead of the shed you can afford. Portable sawmills can save money and  be a ready resource for quick cash. Once you are done with the projects you want to build, you could sell your excess lumber to your neighbors and friends at reduced rates. It's up to you. There are two types of portable sawmills available: manual or hydraulic. A manual sawmill is ideal for the beginning or hobby lumberjack. You can take on most small jobs with relative ease. With a manual system you load the logs yourself. There is a hand feed system that allows you to guide the logs through as fast as you care to go. The controls are generally easy and intuitive to use. Because a manual system is less complicated, it can be very reliable and less expensive. Manual sawmills are compact enough to take just about anywhere and they disassemble for easy storage in your shed or garage. For larger jobs you'll want to try a hydraulic sawmill. With a hydraulic system you get even easier to use power that is reliable and safe. Loading is easier because you have hydraulic arms that lift and align the logs for accurate cutting. The operator just sets the desired thickness and feed rate and off they go! You can control such things as loading, feeding and orientation, finishing the work in a fraction of the time of manual mills. You even have multiple options available such as an add-on seat, a centralized control unit, a de-barker and a laser-leveling system to keep things straight. Either way you go, you will see professional quality results and take pride in having done it yourself.  Don't think you can afford the cost of a new sawmill?  There are several options for you:  Perhaps you could shop around for used portable sawmills, or consider a portable sawmill rental, or even making your own by tracking down some free sawmill plans.  The point is that, if you decide you want it bad enough, a portable sawmill is within your reach--and could be quite handy for your future needs.