Wood-Mizer Announces New Dealer in Florida

Pro Sawyer Dealer Chad Cordwin (left) with Wood-Mizer National Sales Manager Dave Mann.

Wood-Mizer is pleased to announce the opening of a new sales center for small mills located in Reddick, Florida. Cordwin Custom Sawmill, owned by Chad Cordwin, will join Wood-Mizer’s growing distribution network as the 22^nd sales center located within the United States and Canada.

A Wood-Mizer owner for nearly two decades, Chad Cordwin will become the company’s first Pro Sawyer Dealer. Chad became a member of Wood-Mizer’s elite group of approved sawyers, the Pro Sawyer Network, which enabled him to list his business on Wood-Mizer’s online custom sawyer directory – a resource for those looking for a sawyer to saw their own lumber. 

Cordwin Custom Sawmill in Reddick, FL

During the application process, Cordwin Custom Sawmill’s success made Wood-Mizer take notice. This, along with an appealing Florida location, enabled Wood-Mizer to begin a partnership with Cordwin Custom Sawmill and establish the first ever Pro Sawyer Dealer.

Cordwin Custom Sawmill will offer Wood-Mizer LT10 and LT15 sawmills, blades, and provide demonstrations of Chad’s Wood-Mizer LT70 Hydraulic sawmill and EG200 twin blade edger. 

“Chad’s sawing experience and knowledge of Wood-Mizer products factored in the decision to add Cordwin Custom Sawmill as a new sales center in Florida,” said Wood-Mizer National Sales Manager Dave Mann. “We are looking forward to his contributions to the company and I’d like to welcome him to Wood-Mizer’s growing network of dealers.” 

Wood-Mizer will host the Grand Opening for the Florida Pro Sawyer Dealer on Saturday, April 26th, 2014 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Cordwin Custom Sawmill located at 7900 W. Highway 316 in Reddick, Florida. The four hour event will include sawmill demonstrations of Wood-Mizer’s LT40 Hydraulic, LT35 and LT15 sawmills and give those who attend the opportunity to speak with Chad and expert sawmill consultants.

Welcome to the team Chad!

For more information on Cordwin Custom Sawmill, call Chad at 352.591.3642 or email at ccsinc7900@yahoo.com. 

The How-To of Winter Sawing

Tough winter weather is here, but that doesn’t mean you have to put the “freeze” on sawing. In fact, you still have time to get your sawmill out and blades ready for these cold conditions. Also keep in mind that after a long winter like this year, logs will remain frozen or partially frozen well into spring in certain areas, so these tips will still apply.

Follow these winter sawing tips to successfully saw frozen logs

1. Lower the Blade Hook Angle – Have you been using the standard 10 degree profile? If so look at the 9 degree profile for lower horsepower engines and small diameter logs (under 14”). If your mill has higher horsepower (over 25) and you’re sawing large diameter logs or wider cuts, look to the 4 degree and Turbo 7 for high performance. These profiles utilize a taller tooth with deeper gullets that are capable of pushing the sawdust out of the cut, resulting in less sawdust on your lumber.


2. Blade Thickness – Thicker blades typically bring better performance, especially in frozen wood. If you have been using .042 try bumping up to the .045 blade. And if you have been using the .045 and have a 25+ horsepower engine, the .055 will bring you more accuracy and higher feed rates.

3. Blade Width – Narrow blades can have less resistance and clean out  frozen sawdust more productively. Try a 1-1/4” blade over a 1-1/2” wide blade in the winter. This can be important especially with higher horsepower engines.

4. Lubrication – While lubrication is not always necessary in winter, if you experience build-up on the teeth or sides of the band this can affect performance, life between sharpenings, and overall flex life. Common additives can include water, our LubeMizer additive, Pine-Sol, Vegetable Oils, and be sure to add windshield washer fluid, or antifreeze to the water.

Winter sawing can bring out the most demands for your sawmill. As always, keep your mill well maintained, aligned properly and covered. Freezing rain, ice and snow build up will slow down your warm-up process and can affect the life of your mill. For the best results, keep your feed rates consistent and monitor your lumber as it comes off the mill for quality. Also remember that keeping your blade in the log and sawing is just as important as how fast you are sawing.

Wood-Mizer offers blades to meet every type of wood cutting application for every season.

For more advice or recommendations, visit woodmizer.com/blades or talk to a blades specialist at 800.522.5760.

Wood-Mizer Blades Releases New Blade Maintenance Equipment Line

Industrial-grade BMS500 Automatic Band Blade Sharpener

Wood-Mizer Products, Inc., the world’s leading portable sawmill manufacturer, continues to be on the cutting edge as a manufacturer of band blades and blade maintenance equipment with the release of a new line of blade sharpeners and setters, along with new blades for high production sawing and better performance with highly abrasive wood species.

The BMS500 blade sharpener was recently announced to the U.S. market and is designed to handle up to 3” blades with the performance to sharpen hundreds of blades per week. Its Auto-Run mode saves time,
improves efficiency, and the 8” CBN wheel is powered by a 1hp motor for consistent, accurate full-profile
grinds. The BMS500 is able to be adjusted for different blade sizes and lengths used in various operations.

BMS250 Blade Sharpener with Automatic Control Box

For lower blade volume needs, the new BMS200 and BMS250 blade sharpener models are steady performers with minimal downtime and easy setup. All Wood-Mizer sharpeners are based on superior CBN wheel technology with sharpening wheels manufactured by Wood-Mizer to meet precise specifications.

BMT200 Series Tooth Setter shown with manual crank advance

The new BMT250 tooth setter has been upgraded and sets the bar for accurate and consistent sets on band
blades up to 3”. This machine is designed with an automatic feed system that ensures blades will be in top
shape for maximum performance. The BMT200 tooth setter is an economical alternative to set both sides of
blades with a hand crank.

Wood-Mizer's 3 inch band blades for high production sawmills

Other new products from Wood-Mizer Blades include a 3” blade which is an excellent and more economical
replacement for 4” and wider bands. Another new addition is the carbide-tipped blade for cutting tropical
and extremely hard wood species.

Wood-Mizer is passionately dedicated to offering the latest blade and blade maintenance technology to meet
the evolving needs of customers. To see the full line-up of products, visit www.woodmizer.com. To talk to a
blades consultant about your needs, call 800.522.5760.

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Wood-Mizer, celebrating 30 years of building portable sawmills, offers an extensive line of portable and
industrial sawmill equipment. The company supports its equipment with legendary customer service, blades,
and blade maintenance equipment.

Maximizing Sawmill Blade Performance

Premature Sawmill Blade Breaks

Why do they happen and how can they be prevented? Look over these trouble-shooting tips to ensure that you are getting the most from your blades when using your own blade sharpener and setter.

1. Running a blade dull or too long causes increased stress in the blade

• • Pull the blade at regular intervals to maximize flex life and lower material amount removed to get blade sharp again.
• • Change the blade immediately after striking a foreign object or material
• • Be sure to grind lightly and into the gullet to remove any stress cracks.

2. Running a blade with damaged or worn blade guides can lead to failure

• • Replace roller guides when flat spots develop on the shell.
• • Replace roller guides when grooves develop in the flange or as flanges wear thin.
• • Replace roller guide or bearing if it will not spin freely or is loose.
• • Replace blade guide pads when fractured, worn thin or worn unevenly.
• • Blade guide pads should not be too tight and “heat” the blade. Be sure to adjust for different thickness of blades.

3. Other sawmill conditions that can lead to blade breakage

• • Worn or cheap blade wheel belts.
• • Loose or damaged drive belts.
• • Insufficient blade tension or tension system problems.
• • Loose sliding arm that goes in and out.
• • Excessive build up on blade or blade wheel belts
• • Bearing failure in the blade wheels
• • Blade contacting any steel or guards while sawing.

4. ReSharpening issues that can lead to premature blade failure

• • Grinding too heavy, burning the tooth and gullets.
• • Incomplete sharpening of total blade profile. Use a dye or nail polish to ensure getting it all.
• • Removing stress cracks forming in the gullet.
• • Missing the outside corners on the backside of set teeth.
• • Dress grinding wheel frequently to eliminate grazing and particles embedding into the wheel.
• • Dress the grinding appropriately for each profile or try CBN technology.
• • Maintain bend location when setting the blade and stay away from the tip.

5. Other factors that affect blade life

• • Allowing blades to rust when storing.
• • Leaving sawdust and pitch buildup on teeth when storing blades. Flood the blade with lubrication before removing.
• • Remove blade tension when not using the mill.
• • Lubricate the blade while sawing.
• • Maintain proper tracking of the blade on blade wheels.

Use the Right Sawblade for the Job.

It is crucial to the success of the milling operation to correctly match the right saw blade with the species and conditions of the material being sawn. Thicker blades handle tougher sawing conditions but thinner blades offer more flex life. Thicker blades also require more horsepower and can saw faster! Some blade profiles also require more horsepower. 

• The 7 degree and 4 degree blade are suited for higher horsepower machines in hardwoods and even softwoods. 
• The 9 degree profile offers best performance on low horsepower, lower demanding and smaller logs. 
• The 10 degree is the best all-around blade profile for mixed hardwoods and general sawing conditions. 
• Don’t be afraid to try different profiles in your sawing conditions to see what works best for you. 

Wood-Mizer's ReSharp is always available to meet your blade maintenance needs and make it easier for you to experiment. You can even join our automatic blade replacement program that gives you even more convenience and flexibility with your blade supply. Visit http://www.woodmizer.com/us/Blades.aspx to learn more about blades, Wood-Mizer's ReSharp service, blade maintenance equipment, and the types of blades available from Wood-Mizer.