# Sawmill ??? - Lumber Smith



## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I'm thinking of getting a sawmill (band saw type), and need to have it light weight because I live in the bush, have to charter a small plane to fly it to the lake, and then haul it with a 4-wheeler trailer to my cabin site. Also needs to be relatively inexpensive. I'm considering the *Lumber Smith*. Anybody have any experience with this. 
Thank you,
Jenny


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Haven't seen that brand before. I'd research online others experiences. I'd look at what the guys at the forestryforum.com have to say.

Imho, I'd go with a well known name brand, like Woodmizer, get an LT-10, a close equivalent for close to the same amount of money, use it to build your cabin, and when you have no further use for it, sell it on Craigslist. Woodmizers only last a day or two at most listed, before someone snags them. You could recoup most of your original cost by selling (as long as you don't crater the mill). It's always easier selling a name brand item than an off brand.

With an LT-10, you can add unlimited sections to cut whatever length tree you want. I have two extensions on my LT-15 so I can cut out to 31.75'.


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## Post_Oakie (Aug 20, 2012)

What are you planning to cut? How much, and what size? I have looked at the Lumber Smith. It is the most portable of the band saw mills, but is extremely limited in the size of log it can handle, and the frame holding the bandwheels was not as rigid as I would like. It is probably the only band saw you could move with a small plane, but you still need a way to transport a track, or build one out in the bush. Have you considered a chain saw mill? A lot of people in the North use them precisely because they are so easily portable and the chain saw can be used for cutting down the trees as well as milling. Norwood has one called the "Porta-mill" that uses an aluminum ladder for a track.


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## DogDriver (Apr 15, 2011)

I have a chainsaw mill called the jobber 100 it brakes down nice and small, and has 14 foot rails. I have had it for years and it has built a couple cabins for me. The reason I purchased it was because like you all my work is done miles from roads so portability was key. Though I do know the sell a bandsaw version that you might want to look into.
The rails are each 7 feet long so you could most likely tie them to the side of the floats if you are chartering a float plane.


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## bigmoose (Apr 1, 2010)

I have never used the lumbersmith, i do have a timberking 1220 and a portable cahinsaw mill. If the lumbersmith rides on theose board as pictured it may dive in the cut when you hit a knot or in the dense part of the heart of the log. If those boards giv any at all it will make a wayvy cut. I dont know if that matters foe what your intended use is but I have seen my timberking do it when it hits knots but its from the blade being pulled down and not the frame. Have you reaserched any of the proitable chinsaw mills?


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