Portable Sawmill - History

History

The first portable sawmills were the "One Man Farmer's Sawmills." These mills featured large circular blades and were marketed during the early twentieth century by companies like Sears, Montgomery Ward and JC Penney. These machines were all "private label" machines manufactured by the Belsaw Company. Many early sawmills were designed to be belt-driven from a steam traction engine (which could also be used to transport the saw) Belsaw also sold sawmills under their own name until the early 1990s. After this the Belsaw line of equipment was sold under the name "TimberKing."

Prior to the advent of the portable 'mill, small-scale sawmills were generally cobbled-together affairs constructed and operated by (almost always) two men with a penchant for tinkering. This was, and remains, a traditional occupation for Amish men; unlike most mechanical systems, small sawmills typically do not use electricity.

More recently, portable bandsaw mills represented a dramatic shift in design. Unlike traditional mills, they used a resaw blade of the type used on a band saw rather than a circular blade, which reduced weight and cost, and reduced the size and weight of the bearings and support blocks. The smaller kerf on these blades dramatically increased the yield from a given log. Use of band blades also allowed for a different design where the head, consisting of the blade and a power source, moves back and forth while the log remains stationary. This is in contrast to traditional mills where the log moves on a trolley while the blade remains fixed.

Larger mills have recently come on the market which are portable only in sections. These cut faster and can handle larger logs but do require additional set up.