Woodland Mills HM126 Sawmill Review and Pictures

[NeilB]

We want to see your Woodland Mills sawmill set up and different stages of your projects.

Send us an email with your comments and pictures and we will add you here. And as thanks we will send you a free Woodland Mills t-shirt!

general@woodlandmills.ca

[NeilB]

Dear Woodland Mills Team,

Thank you for your super service!
I picked up my sawmill in October 2012 in Zurich.

Now you see the first Woodland Mill located in Switzerland with four-wheel drive.
It is mounted on an old "Engine-Mono-Axel" with drivewheel-trailer (built in 1955, payload capacity 1to/2204lb). With two selfmade special extensions I cut a length of 5.2m (17ft) directly to the trailer.
I am very happy with this sawmill.

Josh, Neil, Julie, thank you very much!

Daniel
Switzerland



  

  

  

 

[thecfarm]

I like Daniel from Switzerland the best. Just because of the power unit they use to move the mill.  8)

[NeilB]

Hi Guys

Here are the pics from our loading the mill into a Cessna 206 for a trip to its home in the Idaho backcountry. Later that afternoon we were sawing 6"x6" posts for a Jeep garage.

Thank you for the quality machine. The 9.5 engine does a good job and the whole thing is easy to use. Blade changes area a snap. I had to place it on dirt to get it started and that was a challenge, but will soon be bolting it to concrete.

Thanks,
Allen
Idaho



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

I am a carpenter from east Texas.  I needed to build an addition on a house in February 2013.  I searched the Internet for what seemed to be the best value mill in the 3,000-4,000 dollar range.  I settled on the Woodland.  We had the addition cut out in about 4 days.  Since that we have been contacted to cut many other custom orders.  On a good day we are able to cut around 1,000 board feet.  We have cut about 10,000 board feet of cedar timber for a timber frame.  Also a 26inch 24foot red oak that weighed around 5000 lbs.  I have been very satisfied with the capabilities of this mill considering the price.

Thanks,

Richard
Texas



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

Neil and Josh
Just a few words and pictures of the mill. After set up and tuning, cut very first log. 22" red oak. First board Arch build, new winch install, bracing and paint arch Cut biggest log yet. 27" Pine! made lumber for drying shed. Framed and siding all finished now .Ordered roller guides and will be sending drawings and pictures when I get started. Mill is running great and cutting everything I put on it! Thanks for a great product.   

Enjoy hearing from you on the Forestry Forum.     
Andy
Texas



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

I took delivery of my Woodland Mills saw in January of 2013 and have spent many hours cutting and learning the sawmill.  We have cut all types of trees from soft pine to very hard hickory and the saw has performed exactly as advertised.  It is amazing the amount of lumber we have cut and now used as a result of this saw.  There is a learning curve needed to install the unit and to properly operate the saw.  All my friends tell me, if I can do it, then anyone can, they cannot believe how this saw has enabled me to use all types of trees from my farm that otherwise I would never be able to do.  We just completed building a barn that we only used wood from my farm.  Here are a few pictures of our operation. 

From the start I knew getting the logs up on the cutting rails would be a chore, so I designed a simple lift system to be used on my tractor.  Easy to build and I have been able to lift huge logs on the rails and never actually touch the logs.  Basically we added extension arms to the lift arms of my tractor along with chains and hooks.  It took about an hour to weld together and cost zero, as we just used some scrape angle iron with already had. 

I would recommend the Woodland Mills sawmill to anyone wanting this type of operation for a personal sawmill.  And can not say enough about the staff on giving me advice and more when I needed it from the company at any time. 

The barn I just completed used 4 types of wood.  Cedar for the post, sycamore and hickory for the beams, sycamore and oak for the side boards and pine for the ceiling joist.  Fun building it and all the wood was cut with the Woodland Sawmill.  This one barn almost paid for my sawmill.  Now we are working on a suspension bridge using white oak for the entire bridge.  I will send pictures of this bridge as we go along. 

Randy
Tennessee



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

Hi Josh

Here are some new pictures from my new setup.

All lumber for the Deck and sawmill Shed are milled with HM 126.

The Doors on the Shed open to the inside do to the height of the bunks.

The Shed size is 15'x12' with lots of room to even sharpen the blades.

The Decks size is 24'x12' and with the room inside the shed, I'm capable to cut total log lengths of 26'

Thank You For this nice Mill.

Wolfgang
BC, Canada



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[beenthere]

Neil
Are these Forestry Forum members writing about their Woodland mills, or testimonials sent to you from customers?

[NeilB]

Hi beenthere,

These are pictures we received from customers (most are Forestry Forum members) that we are sharing with other Woodland Mills owners. All are aware we are posting them on the website and Forestry Forum. We are constantly being asked for sawmill set up ideas and decided to start this thread as one common place everyone can visit and get ideas from. Hope you enjoy them!

Thanks,
Neil
Woodland Mills

[NeilB]

The mill is exactly what I hoped it would be. I'm still making a few little tweaks to taste. As you will see my frame is made up of some structural channel conveyor frames that I salvaged. I pinned the axle for easy removal. It pulls great behind my 4-wheeler.
 
One of my photos show my first load of 2x6's. White pine and red pine. I was amazed at how well a little dish soap in the coolant tank worked to keep the blade clean.

I've got White Cedar, Tamarack, Balsam, White Oak, Ash, Maple and more that needs to be harvested. (I'm replanting too. Being responsible.
 
Anyway, thanks. My dad, brother and I have projects lined up that will keep us sawing a long time.
 
Sincerely,
Jim
MI



  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

Hey Anneliese, when I got my woodland mills bandsaw I got more than I could ask for. The quality was excellent and simple to use. I put it together by myself, but had my neighbor set it on the rail with his backhoe. I added an I-beam overhead with a hoist and pulley system to move the logs. I really enjoy using it and save a lot of money not having to buy lumber from other sawmills, and the quality of cuts is much smoother than other sawmills. Thanks for such a great product and for only being a phone call away for help.   

Rusty
Florida



  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

Neil and all:

Up and running and I'm really pleased with the small amount sawed thus far.

Thought you might be interested in the way we have initially set it up. Because we are limited on space (50' x 150' lot in typical older suburb), we set the mill on a heavy duty rolling cart--6' x 39"--on one 6' section of track (attached to the cart with 4 lag screws).  This allows us to store it in the garage/shop and roll it out for use--we use a handyman jack to block it up off the wheels to level and stabilize it.  This is quick and easy--and a small footprint that we can set on our patio (and quiet enough for close neighbors during the day).   

The 6' of track allows us to cut blocks up to about 45" long--this easily handles most of the blocks of oak, cedar, elm, and Osage Orange I have here. The cart is designed to fit in a small pickup (Toyota Tacoma) via ramps and a winch so we can haul it to my son's place where we will set it up full length and work on some recently cut large Ash logs.

Have worked on green ash, oak and elm already dried down to about 15%, and fully cured Osage Orange (hedge, as we called it in the Midwest).   The latter, as you probably know, is really dense, hard, and heavy when dried (this was cut 25 years ago) and is notorious for dulling saw blades and being plain difficult to cut, but the mill handled a 10" log well with a steady feed--and I continued to use the same blade on the oak.  To extend the hedge, I cut most of it about 5/16" thick.

I've attached some pictures of the setup and a couple of wood--the yellow hedge and some of the quartersawn oak.

So, great so far.  Many thanks.

Best,
Terry
CA


  

  

  

  

  

 

[thecfarm]

Don't tell the neighbors you have a sawmill. They will complain of the noise.  :  Even though a 20 hp riding lawn mower makes more noise. Looks odd/funny to see a short mill,stubby. But it's all they need and works well. I wonder what all the short lumber is being used for,furniture?

[SLT44]

Short lumber will be used primarily for small boxes--jewelry and larger--for grandkids and others.  Really good to have the mill, which allows time to experiment in turning pieces to find the best grain patterns. 

[thecfarm]

SLT44.welcome to the forum and thanks for the answer. Don't you wished you would of got a mill sooner?  :D

[NeilB]

Hi Folks,

I sawed a 27" red pine log today.  That is about as big as I think I can do. 

Here are a couple of pictures of my set-up.  The cant is 18 X 17 in the picture.  I found two screws and 4 nails well embedded into the log.  They probably have been there for 30 years or more.   The tree had grown over them.  Ruined 3 blades too.  Getting nice lumber though. 

Bob
Fort Frances, ON



  

  

 

[NeilB]

here are a few additional pictures of what I've been doing.... the day I milled this huge log was the day I went to the hospital w/ my wife to birth our son ... in the picture he is 12 hours old and I'm wearing my new favorite t-shirt!

The log was approximately 1800 lbs, 18"x24"x18'+ long.    I'll get a number of 12" beams out of it!

The next sawyer is Christopher Matthew at 7lbs 8 oz!

-Matthew - CT


  

  

 

[NeilB]

I have had my saw about a year now and can't believe all the things I have been making.  I have saved a ton of money and having a ball doing it.  I just finished a pergola and my son got married underneath it.  Thanks a lot. 
Jim - CT



  

  

  

  

  

 

[NeilB]

Josh...thanks for taking my call this morning....I have to say that your company's customer service has been great since I started working with you guys on this mill... so Thanks!!...

I am on a little island in the middle of the Georgia strait between Vancouver island and the mainland of Canada...the mill has been great to set up and make lumber from the ample supply of wood here.....

I take western  Douglas fir from the island and roll them off the island...log boom them to my bay then to the ramp at high tide...winch up the ramp to the mill.... the wood is used for repairs to docks cabins...decks...etc...its a remote location so its really the only practical way to get lumber   here.......

Dave - BC


  

  

  

  

 

[thecfarm]

Sawing on the dock of the bay.  :D   Nice pictures and what a way to get logs to the mill.

[mattyo5]

Wanted to say hi to everyone on the forum, and yes, this is me and my little guy!  I emailed this to Neil a while ago, and can't believe I found it at random on the forum.  All good Neil, thanks for posting this! 

I'll be posting quite a bit more, with more photos and videos too. 



 

here are a few additional pictures of what I've been doing.... the day I milled this huge log was the day I went to the hospital w/ my wife to birth our son ... in the picture he is 12 hours old and I'm wearing my new favorite t-shirt!

The log was approximately 1800 lbs, 18"x24"x18'+ long.    I'll get a number of 12" beams out of it!

The next sawyer is Christopher Matthew at 7lbs 8 oz!

-Matthew - CT


  

  

 

[mattyo5]

Here is current chaos... 

95% of the wood in the shed is milled by me

-Matt



 

[thecfarm]

chaos?? Don't come to my place than.  ;D  Looks like my kind of place.

[Solomon]

This is the most interesting thread I have yet to see on this forum.
I really enjoyed reading it and seeing all the pictures.  You folks definately have your act together.
Thanks for posting.