I would love to Andy!
For now, focus on the initial reference of "portable". Depending on the mill, if its not set up on the site properly, as in LEVEL, then you will have problems. While helping Tom set up a Baker mill in FL the one thing, of many he shared, he hated about his mill was what it took to get it Level. If the mill is set up level "AND STAYS THAT WAY" through the day of cutting your halfway there. Mill choice plays a big role keeping it level!
"Bandsaws do not cut it for accuracy""most portable bandsaws can be used effectively and efficiently as efficient and practical re-saw machines. That is, use them for resawing cants and flitches into thinner stock boards"Considering the boards you cut from the cant are the ones that need to be accurate for the market, which statement of this author do you want to believe? Its great for the finished product yet they dont cut it for accuracy? Whats he selling?
Its proven that with a thin kerf your recovery is always greater than thick kerf. To imply otherwise is either a sales pitch, or ignorance. And remember, ignorance is only a sin when its a prefered state of mind.
As far as ease of use, I guess that will depend on the student
My band mill was so easy to figure out that I was cutting lumber long before I got any tips from anyone.
Speed of cut is relative to size of the HP driving the machine. The sawmill shoot out proved band mills cut more BF per hour than any swinger of comparable cost and the resulting lumber total is what proved it.
"You have to be an expert sawyer to make it work at all"I guess then I am an expert, if you can believe this persons words. I have met some "Self Proclaimed" experts but thats where it stops. When one gets to the point where they cant learn anymore then they are experts and I dont think that is happening in the sawing business. Especially since I am still learning and do pretty well with the lumber I cut!
"bandsaws are almost always slow compared to equally priced swingers"Not according to the sawmill shoot out!
"they tend to waste a lot of boards due to wavey cuts"If this is the case, then why on earth would he say this?
On the plus side, most portable bandsaws can be used effectively and efficiently as efficient and practical re-saw machinesWay to much double speak!
"they have difficulty cutting stressed timbers"Any mill can have difficulty cutting stressed timber. The key is to know "how" to cut stressed timber for maximum yeild. It doesnt take an expert to figure that out either. If you dont know how to cut the stressed timber, all mills will waste boards but with knowledge aside, yeild is ALWAYS lower in stressed timber, assuming you cut the stress out of it!
"they struggle on large logs"Define Large? Swingers have there place and logs over 36" is their specialty. That is what they were DESIGNED for. With a limited BIG log market, once you have sold units to address that market, you have to come up with reasons to use it in another market. I regulary cut logs in the 30" range and most sawyers would consider that "large".
"they require an awful lot of double handling in resawing slabs or edging boards"I dont double handle my slabs. Slabs dont need resawed if you cut the board out from the begining! Back to knowhing how to cut. My boards that need edged never leave the mill since I dont have an edger. They get layed over while I cut the cant and when I get to a size board appropriate for the boards that need edged, I stand them up and edge them while cutting boards from the cant. Its called efficient sawing!
"most serious bandsaw operators spend a couple of hours per sawing day just resharpening and readying the band blades for the next day's sawing".......................................................had to try real hard from spitting my coffee all over the screen. I can cut all day and use at most 4 blades. I can set and sharpen 4 blades in less than 30 minutes. In most cases I will use three blades and have them sharpened in about 15 mintues. Sure, a swinger blade can be sharpened on the mill and much quicker than I can sharpen by blades but I think his comments are just a tid bit exagerated.
"There is a lot of great technology employed in the more expensive, automated band sawmills. The point is, it's often the wrong technology for sawing logs into dimensional timbers". Then I would ask him to explane why so many larger mills have implemented bandmills as a way to increase production. Thats a fact that can not be disproved!
"It's therefore overly expensive",
Define overly expensive? The market will determine cost/value, not the company selling the mill. The old saying of you get what you pay for is still true today. Sure, there are exceptions but I dont see that being the case in the sawmill industry.
"relatively unproductive",
I have cut as much as 3200 BF in a day with one helper. Thats pretty darn productive for part time sawyer............in my opinion.
"labor intensive"Have yet to meet any sawyer, swing mill operator or otherwise that felt this ocupation was not labor intensive. I rather grab ALL my boards at waist level instead of having to bend over to pick them up as the log got smaller, which happens to be a complaint of several swing mill owners.
"Now, some of these problems can be minimized by sticking to smaller logs, debarking the logs (a lot of work), and adding an edger (expensive) to the operation. But my back is already hurting just talking about it!" As is mine thinking about how rediculous this sales pitch is.
With all this in mind, Swing mills have there place in the market and if I were to purchase one I would probably go with a Peterson or Brand X mill, but then if I really need that style of mill, I think MD has the most to offer!
