Many trees taken down in urban and suburban areas require troublesome and expensive disposal. In crowded neighborhoods or hard to reach places, precious logs are typically cut down in to smaller pieces to be used for firewood but in some cases they are simply disposed of in the local dump. Without costly equipment such as cranes, there are limited ways to be able to salvage a valuable tree from those areas.
That’s where we come in. We’ve been called on in many such instances to provide the service of salvaging the lumber from precious trees all over Western Washington. Our unique approach enables us to operate in virtually any location and we can process a log into lumber right where it sits. This means that homeowners and developers have the opportunity to preserve a piece of history, save money on beautiful building materials and at the same time make an environementally sound decision.
Let's dig into the basics of the portable chainsaw mill, the tool at the heart of our mobile sawmill services. In this blog post, I will explore in detail what a portable chainsaw mill is, how it works, and why this innovative tool has been a valuable addition to our workshop.
Ultra-portable and Ultra-useful
A portable chainsaw mill is a simple attachment, or guide, that fits onto a standard chainsaw, allowing hobbyists and professionals to mill lumber anywhere. They eliminate the need to transport logs and are one of the cheapest and most environmentally friendly methods to produce lumber. They are considered “ultra-portable” because a chainsaw mill can produce lumber from practically any length or size of log right where it sits.
The nature of its lightweight and easy-to-use design opens the door for milling logs that are in hard to reach areas like backyards. With many brands, sizes, and designs of chainsaw mills on the market, there is virtually NO log out of reach from being milled. From gigantic redwoods to modest pines, there's a chainsaw mill tailored to fit every need.
The main components of a chainsaw mill are the chainsaw itself and the bar guide rails, which get mounted to a chainsaw bar with adjustable posts. The operator sets the depth of the desired cut by adjusting the depth posts secured to the bar of the saw. Guide rails allow the operator to easily guide the cut through the log evenly. The chainsaw mill’s overall design is so simple that you may at first overlook how effective they are at cutting many styles of lumber.
Limitations to Consider
Even though the versatility of portable chainsaw mills is unmatched, every machine has its limits.
While it can be used to mill just about any type or style of lumber, it doesn't mean that it's the most suitable tool for all of them. Milling live-edge slabs is relatively straightforward with a chainsaw mill, but other types of lumber will require more to set up and can take significantly more time to produce.
Milling smaller dimensions of lumber requires more passes with the mill, and also the need to handle and manipulate large sections of logs. The increased labor involved means it's not the most efficient mill for cutting smaller dimensions like 2x4’s.
Even though a mobile chainsaw mill will not produce lumber at the same rates as larger mills, they can be used to cut custom sizes and shapes not typically found at most lumberyards. We typically use ours for milling live-edge slabs or custom beams for special projects.
Environmental impact
For such a small tool, its impact on the environment is two-fold.
Without the need for permanent structures or heavy machinery, you can take nearly any size tree and have it milled into lumber without transporting the log. This reduction in transportation is a rather big deal as transporting logs and processed lumber back and forth from sawmills accounts for most of the emissions of the lumber industry.
Secondly, its inherent portability and low cost mean that sawyers are salvaging more trees. The ability to recover more trees is crucial when considering that many trees get processed with wood chippers and sent to landfills, a surprising practice that is all too common! Instead, we can transform that waste stream into anything from outdoor building materials like fences to permanent indoor furniture like tables.
Furthermore, we have often been hired to salvage logs inaccessible to heavy machinery. In some such instances, milling the log into smaller dimensions is the only way to recover those trees from those locations.
By choosing to turn a tree into lumber and other building materials, you are supporting the process of Carbon Sequestration, a term referring to the capture and permanent storage of carbon. Furthermore, this sustainable approach promotes responsible forestry and resource utilization.
Wrapping it up
Portable chainsaw mills stand as a testament to the power of innovation in the lumber industry. Their versatility, affordability, and environmentally friendly nature make them indispensable for both hobbyists and professionals. Whether you're looking to craft a unique piece of furniture, build a structure, or simply want to tap into sustainable lumber production, the chainsaw mill is a tool that should be seriously considered.
Beyond just the practical and economic benefits, there's an undeniable sense of satisfaction that comes from transforming your trees into lumber, knowing you've played a direct part in its journey from tree to timber. In an age where sustainability is paramount, embracing tools like the portable chainsaw mill is not just smart—it's essential.
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