95% of Re-imagine opportunities fund will go to attraction for all Oregon City resident to enjoy. Improvements to our forests and facilities that CWC will manage to accomplish our mission of hand-on education about sustainable forestry, recycling, and building.
Our possibilities only keep growing especially with funding for equipment to build facilities.
What is very special about the onsite learning center is the story that about 90% of the work will be done with volunteers and that all of the cedar beams will be milled—with our own mill.
Not only will the volunteers be able to go out into the world and build. If combined with OSU or Shelter Institute can receive credit toward college degrees, teacher certification, and real estate certification through our Design Build and Purely Post & Beam classes.
Below is evaluation and quotes for equipment requested with Re-imagine opportunity fund.
OVERVIEW OF EVALUATION FOR PORTABLE SAWMILLS
PORTABLE SAWMILLS: A CONSIDERATION GUIDE
Wood-Mizer
Engine: 7 and 9.5 HP (so 7HP is too weak)
lx55. Same cut specs as a lx25 but upgraded to higher engine with 14 hp Kohler. review
great customer service. Made in USA with 3 year warranty on parts
QUICK NAVIGATION
BEST PORTABLE SAWMILLS: A CONSIDERATION GUIDE
1. Budget
2. Engine Type & Altitude
3. Parts, Serviceability & Warranty
4. Length to be Milled
5. Width to be Milled
6. Slab Work
If you’ve been researching portable sawmills for more than five minutes you’ve realized that portable sawmills can be had in many different sizes, configurations and even different designs.
Suffice it to say we’ve learned there is no such thing as the best portable sawmill; all sawmills have their pros and cons.
Here are some of the major considerations you’ll encounter when deciding which portable sawmill is right for you and your need
Summary
PORTABLE BANDSAW SAWMILLS
Strengths
Ease of loading
Ease of transport
Availability very good new and used units
Longest milling length
Deepest / Widest single pass cut upwards of 36″ wide and 16″ deep
Available diesel engine
Blades are affordable, quick easy to replace
Very narrow kerf 1/8″ or less
Hydraulic systems available to increase production, reduce labor
Hook up and tow portability
Available automated milling features
Weaknesses
Production speed making lumber
Production speed creating wide mix of output from single log (2×4, 4×4, 4×6 etc)
Moving large or old growth logs onto mill can be impossible
Blade sharpening not easy for mill owner
Sensitive to foundation, easy to mis-calibrate
More labor to operate (rotate log, cuts only on forward pass)
PORTABLE CIRCULAR SAWMILLS
Strengths
Ease of sharpening, can be done by mill owner
High production, cuts in both directions
Creates “circle sawn” look, which is value added
Set mill up around massive logs, mill in place, no need to move log
Production speed creating wide mix of output from single log (2×4, 4×4, 4×6 etc)
Less labor, no rotating log to make cuts
Available slabbing attachment for up to 60″ wide slabs
Weaknesses
Availability
Length of cut limited to 18′. Longer length compromises portability./li>
Depth of cut limited by diameter of circular saw, often 10″ or less in single cut
Portability and Setup
Thicker kerf = more waste, more effort
Blades are costly if damaged by metal or stones in logs