A Review of Sawmill Developments in the Northeast

Any outlay for improving a sawmill must be justified in increased revenue. New machines which reduce manpower requirements or increase production can be considered; also, so can machines that increase quality of lumber without affecting production. New developments in sawmilling are be coming a necessity for continued profitable operation of mills in the Northeast. There is an astonishing number of mills in the Northeast. A recent census revealed in excess of 3,500 just in New England and New York state. One percent are band mills, the rest circular. Ten percent cut one million or more feet. About 70 percent are considered portable. Improvements in small sawmills are necessarily slow, because the cost of changes must be charged off on a relatively small output. Therefore, changes are gradual and relatively inexpensive. The new and improved equipment for small and large mills include: forklift trucks, powered log decks, log turners, air dogs, electric set works, hydraulic carriage drives, live rolls, transfer chains, trimmers, and lumber stackers. More lumber per man per day is not just wishful thinking for the progressive millman, it is already a reality.

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