What a Band Sawmill Is Used For

1. Making Lumber

Dimensional lumber (1x, 2x, 4x, etc.)

Beams and timbers

Live-edge slabs

Custom thickness boards

2. Custom & Specialty Cutting

Milling your own trees

Salvaged or urban logs

Rare or figured wood

Custom sizes unavailable at lumberyards

3. Personal & Small Business Use

Homesteaders and landowners

Woodworkers and furniture makers

Small sawmill businesses

Portable milling services

4. Advantages Over Circular Sawmills

Less waste (thinner kerf)

More portable options

Lower power requirements

Better for custom and small-scale milling

5. Limitations

Slower than industrial circular mills

Blades require frequent sharpening

Wide cuts can cause blade flex if not set up correctly

Common Types of Band Sawmills

Manual – affordable, labor-intensive

Hydraulic – faster, easier log handling

Portable – taken to the log site

Stationary – higher production, shop-based