First Sawmill - Looking at Norwood MN26

[50 Acre Jim]

Hello all!  My name is Jim and I've never used a sawmill before but I live on 50 acres of heavily wooded land and I love building stuff. :-)  I've grown tired of buying lumber from Lowe's and feel that harvesting my own will be both satisfying as well as economical.   

After a month of looking for both new and used sawmills I've just about decided on the Norwood MN26.  Does anyone on this forum use one and if so, can you give me your opinion of the mill?  If this hobby goes the same road as all my other hobbies have gone I'll probably end up with an ample amount of options as well.  i.e. a planer at least and more likely a log moulder as well. 

Thank you in advance!

[derhntr]

youtube reviews on the different mills. I spent over a year researching, and visiting mill owners before I decided to go Orange.

[dboyt]

Sounds like a perfect fit for a small sawmill.  The first question is what size trees are you looking at?  As long as most are 26" diameter and smaller, the LM26 should be a good fit.  If you occasionally run into bigger logs, you can trim them with a chain saw.  No matter what mill you get, you'll probably find yourself pushing the size limits.  My Norwood HD36 has certainly done well for me.  I'd recommend you get on the forum (you can get there from the web site) and see what the owners have to say and what kinds of issues they have.  When you budget for a mill, be sure to include extras like chain saws, flat bed truck, cant hooks, & safety gear.

[50 Acre Jim]

Sounds like a perfect fit for a small sawmill.  The first question is what size trees are you looking at?  As long as most are 26" diameter and smaller, the LM26 should be a good fit.  If you occasionally run into bigger logs, you can trim them with a chain saw.  No matter what mill you get, you'll probably find yourself pushing the size limits.  My Norwood HD36 has certainly done well for me.  I'd recommend you get on the forum (you can get there from the web site) and see what the owners have to say and what kinds of issues they have.  When you budget for a mill, be sure to include extras like chain saws, flat bed truck, cant hooks, & safety gear.

Thanks for the replies derhntr & dboyt.  I could certainly use a larger sawmill but I'm retired and without a job I have to make this work on a limited budget.  But that said, I have plenty of smaller trees to work with so I should be OK. 

We have an outdoor wood boiler that heats our house and domestic hot water so we already have the tools necessary to process wood. (Tractor, Track hoe, chainsaws, splitter, etc.)  As for the Norwood forum, I've been all over it in great detail.  Problem is that after several days the admin of the forum still hasn't approved me to post so asking questions has been impossible.  But that may be a blessing in disguise as I'm happy to find this site which seems to have as much if not more helpful info.   

[samandothers]

Welcome and good luck with search!  Beautiful are you are in. 

[nativewolf]

If I were you I'd google youtube reviews of norwood mills, then make a decision.  Woodland mills seem to get a strong review for a simple inexpensive mill.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

My Norwood LM 2000 has given me years of good service.
It does exactly what I expect it to do.

I did get a skid steer with a grapple to manage logs with and it is now an indispensable piece of equipment. Keeps the log wrestling to a minimum.

Good luck
Jon

[50 Acre Jim]

Thank you everyone.  I haven't seen/heard/or found any negative reviews about the company.  To the contrary, everyone seems to be pleased with their mills and the resell value seems to be strong. 

That said, it scares me a little to spend almost 5K just to find I've bought to small a mill.  Having never used a portable sawmill before I'm making my purchase based on assumptions and by reading of other users experiences.    One such user (a member of both this forum and the Norwood forum as well) has an HD36 that he is pleased with.  I've been impressed with his operation and his all around knowledge of the industry as well.  Enough so that I believe I'll take a closer look at the HD36.  More money, yes.  But probably a much better sawmill.     

This whole sawmill shopping experience reminds me of buying a TV a few years ago.  I went to Walmart to get a 36" flat panel and came home with a 65".   ;D

[Sixacresand]

If you are planning on working alone, then consider a mill with hydraulics.

[dboyt]

This whole sawmill shopping experience reminds me of buying a TV a few years ago.  I went to Walmart to get a 36" flat panel and came home with a 65".   ;D

You won't have time to watch TV, once you start making sawdust.  Keep us posted.

[50 Acre Jim]

I haven't seen/heard/or found any negative reviews about the company.  To the contrary, everyone seems to be pleased with their mills...

Unfortunately this has changed as I've come across a rather nasty YouTube review.  But that being said, you can't please everyone all the time and this particular person may be an example of one of those times.  Anyhow, I've emailed the Norwood rep and asked him for his side.   

If the Norwood doesn't' work out I've been considering the Woodland Mills HM130.  It seems like a good entry level machine and is comparably priced. 

[paul case]

Jim,
I wouldn't take too much stock in 1 bad review. I found one for woodmizer. The guy just complained about everything he could think of. I do not watch any more of his videos as I learned they are all negative.

If it was about something that the company would not stand behind or try to fix then maybe it has some merrit.

Most people are about as happy as they make up their mind to be.

PC

[mad murdock]

Not having priced band mills, I won't try and compare, only in support equipment, a swing blade will negate the need for large log handling abilities, but the end must justify the means.  I am very pleased with the overall performance of my M6 Turbosaw, it may not be as economical as a Norwood though as far as capital expense up front.   Good luck in your search, if possible test drive before you buy, then you will really be able to zero in what you want to get.

[ChugiakTinkerer]

...
If the Norwood doesn't' work out I've been considering the Woodland Mills HM130.  It seems like a good entry level machine and is comparably priced.

I'm sure you would be pleased with either mill.  I looked at both machines and ended up with the HM130 mostly on price delivered to my door.  I had some trepidation buying a Chinese-made mill from a Canadian company, but the service I have received from Woodland Mills after the sale has been top notch.  A mill from any of the forum sponsors will deliver the performance you need.  I think it's easy to over-analyze the purchase, especially if it's your first mill.  I say that as one who does so all the time.

Also give some thought to Sixacresand's advice.  The HM130 is all manual, as is the MN26.  Operating one of these is an awful lot like work, and if you do it for most of a day your body will let you know in short order what your limits are.  Hydraulics take a lot of the stress off your body and speed up your productivity as well.  At least so I read, no first-hand experience yet with a hydro.

[thecfarm]

Hdys are nice. And then some. But I only saw for myself. I saw the tree down and then I saw it up. Than I build with it. And than when I run out of lumber from that tree,I cut another tree down and start all over,until the building is done. Yes,it's slow,but that is OK by me. I can only build so fast.

[50 Acre Jim]

Hdys are nice. And then some. But I only saw for myself. I saw the tree down and then I saw it up. Than I build with it. And than when I run out of lumber from that tree,I cut another tree down and start all over,until the building is done. Yes,it's slow,but that is OK by me. I can only build so fast.

Lol, great explanation thecfarm!  That will be me but I might fell a few, cut a few, and use a few instead of one-at-a-time!   ;D

@ChugiakTinkerer, I haven't always over analyzed things but with corporate accountability at such an all time low I find myself doing it more and more  (Sponsors of this forum excluded of course  ;D)    Too often the salesperson's description of the product and what I find it to actually be are eons apart.  So anymore I check a little deeper into the company, their product and their after-the-sale support. 

[Sixacresand]

I read your post on another thread about being new to the Forestry Forum, so Welcome to the Forum, 50 ac Jim

[btulloh]

Good idea, Jim.  You've found a good place to get the straight scoop since just about every make and model is used by someone on the forum.  The Forestry Forum was extremely helpful when I was deciding what to buy and it's been essential once I got a mill and got started sawing.  The more I learn, the more I find I need to know, and the good members of the FF always gladly chime in to answer the same old questions.  Good luck with your decision and with your sawmilling future.

[paul case]

One thing that weighed heavy for me when I was looking for my first bandmill was it being ready to cut with. I went with the EZ Boardwalk because of this and it's rugged frame impressed me. I wish I had the EZ 40 back about once a month to break down a couple bigguns and make some wide live edge slabs.

PC

[nativewolf]

Paul you just need to turn the next chicken house into a slabbing house and got get the ez back and get one of those fancy dancy resaw gigs while you are at it 8)