Thread: 2009 Sawmill Showdown Results

This year at the 2009 “Maleny Wood Expo” we were lucky enough to be able to run Australia’s first sawmilling showdown. An event aimed at demonstrating the abilities of various portable sawmills on a level playing field for all to see. It was hoped that the showdown would both shed some light on the industry for those that may not have known about mobile milling and to aid those wishing to buy a portable mill in the future.

We were able to have both portable sawmill manufacturers and mobile mill operators participating in the event this helped to show that it’s not only a matter of operator experience. The participants were supplied with logs approximately 400mm -500mm diameter and 3-4m long. The participants were free to mill there log in whatever way they thought best but were required to cut four 100mm by 50mm (4”x2”) boards and two 150mm by 50mm(6”x2”) boards. They could then cut the remainder of the log however they thaught best.

Lucas mill were first to run their mill a Lucas model 8-30, cutting two logs equaling a total of 0.90 cubic metres. They got stuck straight in and cut them in 28,25 minutes a time of 1.89 cubic metres per hour. They managed to produce 0.459 cubic metres of sawn timber from there logs a recovery of 51%. All the boards they cut were extremely accurate and of high quality scoring them a total of 95 points from a possible 100.

Next was Beena Tree Milling running a Lucas model 8-25, they cut just one log with a volume of 0.48 cubic metres. They took a little longer to cut the log than Lucas at 1.86 cubic meters per hour taking 15,40 minutes to complete it. This slow and steady approach enabled them to produce a recovery of 53% with 0.254 sawn cube produced. They also produced very accurate boards ending up with a total of 95 points.

Peterson was next to cut with their winch production frame, cutting a shorter log with a volume of 0.31 cubic metres. Cutting at a rate of 1.5 cubic meters per hour completing there log in 16.2 minutes. They produced a recovery of 50% ending up with .155 cubic meters of mostly larger boards. There boards were all slightly oversize but were consistent in their size this was latter discovered to be due to that fact that they cut to imperial measurements which are slightly larger than the metric equivalent. This left them with a total of 85 points

Ecosaw was last to run their compact mill with a 16hp motor it was smaller than the other mills in the shootout. Starting with a log volume of .32 cubic meters they completed the log in 31.52 minutes that’s an output of 0.6 cubic metres per hour. They produced .090 cubic meters of sawn timber from there log a recovery of 30%. The boards produced varied widely in both there width and thickness and had deep saw marks meaning very few complied with the Australian standard of +/-3mm. because of this ecosaw only scored 30 out of a possible 100 points.

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Other saw millers and manufactures were approached but were unable to participate for various reasons.

All the timber produced by the millers during the showdown was donated to barung landcare and sold in a blind auction. Finally I would like to thank barung landcare for letting us run the event at their show, Allan Seagrave and Bob Collins for adjudicating the event, and everyone else that made the day possible. I would also like to thank the millers for participating in the event, without them it could not have been.