Where are Norwood portable sawmills made?
Every Norwood portable sawmill is quality-built in the USA and Canada. Don't settle for a foreign mill made in China or Poland. Norwood stands behind its equipment, its customers and its country. We won't sacrifice quality, and won't sacrifice jobs at home, by importing anything from overseas just to save a buck.
Can I see a Norwood Portable sawmill or planer / moulder in action?
Absolutely! We build Norwood sawmills, forestry equipment and planer / moulders to last a lifetime. We want you to see that for yourself before you invest.
Ask us to mail you a free information package with demo DVD. Or, come visit us and see Norwood mobile sawmills and planer/moulders in person – feel free to visit us at either of our factory warehouses or come see us at a nearby tradeshow. Or, chat with a Norwood sawmill or planer / moulder owner and see their machines in action. With over 20,000 Norwood sawmill owners in every American state, every Canadian province and in over 80 countries around the world, there’s probably one near you. With their permission, we can put you in touch, so you can get their feedback. Contact us to find the Norwood sawmill or planer / moulder owner nearest you.
Can I cut hardwoods with my Norwood band sawmill?
You bet! Norwood LumberMate owners routinely cut oak, ash, cherry, walnut, butternut, maple and birch – with beautiful results. Even super-hard exotic hardwoods in Africa and South America!
How reliable are Norwood sawmills?
Norwood has been manufacturing portable sawmills for over 15 years. With over 20,000 mills in the field, hard at work in over 80 countries round the world, we know that they’re reliable. We believe in using premium materials and processes – for example, we protect all Norwood sawmills and forestry equipment with industrial grade powder coating. Is it more expensive than ordinary wet-coat paint? – Yes, much more expensive. But we won’t compromise quality.
Why are Norwood log decks modular?
Norwood ships all equipment in compact knock-down form on 4’ x 4’ (1.2m x 1.2m) pallets to save you the high cost of shipping large, over-length equipment (a fully-built sawmill can take almost a whole full-length truck to transport!). But you don’t compromise strength – you just save money. A second huge advantage is that, if you accidently damage any portion of your log deck, you only need to replace a section of the frame and not the whole bed. That’s more money saved!
Is the Norwood LumberMate’s log deck strong?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, it’s stronger than the competition! Top notch engineering minds (PhD’s that specialize in materials mechanics) have crunched the numbers and proven it. Norwood’s LumberMate Pro log deck is stronger than the competition and 2X stiffer!
The LM Pro uses twin double-plated commercial-grade-steel rails in its wide-track log deck. While impressive, the almost 1/4” (5.5mm) of steel isn’t the secret – What gives the LM Pro’s rugged log deck its muscle is the way it’s formed. 400-ton press-formed strengthening debossments boost rigidity and strength. What’s more, the boxed front and rear end-frames are extra-rigid structures that provide added strength and torsional stability. Greater strength, stiffness and lighter weight mean greater structural integrity.
What kind of warranty and guarantee do you offer? – Norwood backs up its equipment with a 30-day money-back guarantee and stands behind every Norwood portable band sawmill and dual and four-head planer / moulder with a full two-year warranty. Click here to learn more.
How quickly can I get my Norwood mobile sawmill?
We try to keep a large inventory of Norwood sawmills and forestry equipment in stock so we can usually ship your order out in just 2-3 business days – not weeks or months. Once your order leaves our factory, it normally takes just three to ten business days to arrive at your door (within the lower 48 states and Canada). Click here to find out how to order.
What about resale value?
Well-maintained Norwood LumberMate portable band sawmills that come up for resale often sell for almost their full initial purchase price! In other words, with virtually zero depreciation! To find out why, click here.
What do you mean by customizable?
You are unique - your sawmilling needs are unique too … No “one size fits all”. Also, your sawmilling needs will evolve and grow over time. Norwood's LumberMate is the only portable band sawmill on the market that you can customize to suit your needs. Choose the right power for you. Choose the right accessories and commercial-capacity attachments for you. Tailor your LumberMate to match your needs - Now or as your milling operation grows in the future.
And, starting in 2011, you can upgrade your LumberMate Pro MX34 from an all-manual sawmill to one with hydraulic and power functions. Choose the power option, or options, that best suit your needs, when you need them.
What is a board foot?
A board-foot is a specialized unit of volume for measuring lumber in the United States and Canada. It is the amount of wood contained in an unfinished board 1 inch thick by 12 inches long by 12 inches wide (1” x 12” x 12” = 144 cubic inches = 1 board foot).
How many board feet in a cubic meter?
One cubic meter is equal 423 board feet.
I have no sawmilling experience. Is that okay?
You're not alone! Many Norwood sawmill owners have never milled before. Our detailed, easy-to-read manual will help you get started. And remember, when you invest in a Norwood sawmill, you receive lifetime toll-free technical support – Just pick up the phone and call us … we're here to help. Also, when you join the Norwood family, we encourage you to join Norwood’s online chatroom where you can ask questions and share ideas with thousands of fellow Norwood owners all over North America and around the world.
What about sharpening my sawmill blades?
We recommend that you sharpen your sawmill blades at least every couple of hours. Proper blade maintenance is critical to making smooth cuts and to prolonging blade life. While two hours is a rule of thumb, the time between blade changeovers will depend on many variables including the cleanliness of the wood and the species of wood being milled.
How do I sharpen and set my band sawmill blades?
The easiest and most cost-effective way is to invest in your own blade optimization equipment. Norwood offers affordable, precision-machined sharpening and setting equipment so you can maintain your blades as often as you want – when you want. Unlike those expensive blade sharpening services, when you have your own equipment, you don’t have the aggravation of coiling, packaging, shipping and waiting … waiting … waiting for your blades, or the mounting costs of paying … paying … paying all the time.
What is so special about Norwood’s Goldline Premium blades?
Norwood Goldline Premium band blades, made-to-measure specifically for Norwood sawmills, are a premium-quality silicon-steel flex-back blade with induction-hardened teeth. Stronger and more hard-wearing than average carbon alloy blades, silicon-steel is the crucial ingredient to high-performance blades. Silicon-steel gives cleaner, truer cuts and has longer blade life which means lower operating costs. You’ll find ordinary lower-cost carbon-steel blades elsewhere, but you’ll probably find you get what you pay for. If it’s not Swedish silicon-steel, it’s not high-performance.
Which is right for me - the Log Moulder or a Planer/Moulder?
You can plane and mould lumber on both of the planer/moulders and on the Log Moulder. The advantage of the Log Moulder is that you can handle very large material, up to 24” x 24” (60cm x 60cm) and as long as your sawmill bed allows. The advantage of the planer/moulders is that they have multiple heads (two and four heads) and high outputs.
How do I sharpen the planer knives?
Our planer knives can be professionally sharpened many times until they become too short to be held in the head. They should be sharpened under water because they have higher tungsten content than standard HSS knives. If they are not cooled during the sharpening process, the knife edge becomes brittle and will not last as long.
What kinds of moulding knives are available?
Choose from hundreds of moulding knives in Norwood’s 47-page Moulding Knife Catalog – profiles for baseboards, beads, bullnose, casings, chair rails, paneling and siding, tongue and groove, crowns, decking, etc, etc … . If we don’t have what you’re looking for, draw your own profile and we’ll custom-make the knives for you.
How do I sharpen the moulding knives?
Moulding knives are sharpened by taking a thin layer of metal off the flat side of the knife. As a general rule, they can be sharpened about 3 times and will last 6000 - 16000 lineal feet (1800 – 4800 metres). Their lifespan depend on many variables including the cleanliness of the wood, the hardness of the wood and the speed at which the wood moves through the planer / moulder.
How do the electric motors on the planer / molders work?
All cutterhead motors on both the dual-head and four-head planer / molders are belt driven. The feed motor is direct drive.
How does the electric motor on the chip extractor work?
The motor on our chip extractors is direct drive. This makes the chip extractor very efficient compared to standard belt driven fans that lose horsepower via the pulleys and belts.
Do you offer financing?
Yes, we can help with financing for any of our U.S. customers who live in the lower 48 states and who own their own home. Apply online now or call us toll-free at 1-800-567-0404 for more information.