Comments on multipurpose sawmills
Comment from Ben Hansen, sustainable forester, Viroqua, WI:
The Mobile Dimension saw (MDS) is a serious unit, and well designed. One of the guys on the board of the woods coop has one, though I don't think he is using it or even really broke it in yet. The alignment issue for these saws has been addressed in two ways by them, and more options are up to you. With the Lucas mill, all options are available, just think them up and incorporate them on site, less good. I like the MDS lots, it is all they say it is, I think it works best with large logs.
I think a band mill like a wood mizer, or a shop made unit like the "Procut mobile sawmill" (have plans), or the Mobile Dimension will all work well and it all comes down to the sawyer and the logs. Who runs it? What do your logs look like,
What species are they? This sort of thing has to be a bit of a passion to do it right or even acceptably well. This is only a step in the process remember and it is a stairway. Your lifetrack will be well tested in this task.
I would say that if you want to build a mill the plans for the Procut will accommodate chainsaw or band head, a circular saw, multiple saws, or anything else you want to fit in, the plans are $50 from allen at Procut. procut@telus.net These are simple plans, well laid out, and I think they would fit your current style of "open bootstrap", this is an open mill. The basic design costs a tiny bit, then you do anything you want with it.
