The Michigan Sawyer
PORTABLE SAWMILLING. UNIQUE LUMBER. SPECIALIZED WOODWORKING.
The Michigan Sawyer LLC centers around a Wood-Mizer LT70 Wide portable sawmill that travels to you to cut your wood onsite—cutting out the need to transport. The LT70 is a top-of-the-line model that can handle a 40-inch diameter log and has an impressive 34-inch cut width. The powerful 55hp diesel engine quickly and precisely cuts live edge slabs up to 34 inches wide, lumber of your specific needs, beams, d-logs, or timbers up to 20ft long.
I am located in Mayville MI--being portable I travel all over the state.
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Portable Bandsaw Milling
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Chainsaw Milling for wide slabs up to 60 inches
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25 inch wide planing and 38 wide sanding
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Custom woodworking--slab tables, cutting boards, bar tops, etc.
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Unique lumber and slabs for sale
What to expect when hiring a portable sawmilling service?
The day of the scheduled service I will arrive with the truck and mill. The combined length spans over 50ft so I will need adequate turn around space and exit room to get in and out. A firm and rather level area is the preferred space to set the mill up, which takes typically twenty minutes. If you have a loader to move logs and lumber to and from the sawmill it makes the day much easier, but if you do not have a loader I do have a truck mounted knuckle boom crane that I can move logs to the mill. I can also bring in a loader tractor to use if necessary. Having the logs organized near the cutting area ready for sawing is preferred. Additionally, be prepared for the logistics of where you want to stack the lumber and dispose of the waste and slab wood—the more you are prepared the easier it will be for everyone. Especially for larger jobs, asking friends or relatives to help cuts down on fatigue as this production mill will produce lumber at a steady clip.
It is best to have a clear idea what you would like to turn your logs into before I get there—a cut list. If you have a specific project you are building, have an idea of what lumber requirements you are needing. For example a list: 55 2x4x8, 22 2x12x16 and the rest 1x6x8 siding. The situation can also be more casual in that you want lots of 2x4’s and 2x6’s and that is as specific as it gets. This info is very helpful when looking at your logs and selecting what logs should be made into what lumber. Also, consider do you need a true 2x4 or do you want to match the lumber yard 2x4’s which actually measures 1.5x3.5 inches? You are making a cost savings investment by milling your own logs—the more you prepare the better the return.
If this is your first time hiring a custom sawyer when the milling begins it may look confusing, but as the process unfolds a rhythm will develop and become clear. After I know what needs to be cut, keeping me fed with logs and removing the finished product will be your goal.
Services Provided
Portable Sawmilling
Wide Slab Chainsaw Mill
Live Edge Slabs
My Story
Like many passions, my fascination with wood started from a young age and has continued to grow. For many years it consisted of only hand tools and the “old ways” of woodworking. A stint with the Forest Service in the Allegheny National Forest of Western Pennsylvania brought me into the sawmilling world. I hired a local sawyer to mill Eastern Hemlock into lumber that I would turn into a yurt that our small family would reside, built mostly with hand tools. I was fascinated with the sawmill and loved to look thru the discards of slab wood for the unique character that wood provides.
From that time life continued to work its mysterious path and our family grew to five, we built an organic vegetable farm and since I bought the mill January of 2018 I am stirring the coals of a passion that has sat dormant for many years. I enjoy the process of woodworking from the tree/log to the finished process. The experience of turning a log into furniture, flooring, or simply a good 2x4 takes forethought, patience, knowledge and time—you can’t rush it. So now I bounce around from portable milling to working on my own wood projects, to looking thru stacks of lumber for the exact piece of wood that matches a customer's request and custom hire woodworking projects. I enjoy the challenge and the variety that every day brings.
Get In Touch
The Sawyer—Jacob Bach 810-834-7692
Mayville, MI
I am a one man show and I sometimes will be working all day so please be patient if I do not immediately return your call. I usually will respond within 24 hours. Filling out the form below will help communicate the details of the project and will aid when when do talk on the phone.
For custom projects, please provide a detailed summary of your inquiry below and I will follow up with you soon.
For millwork, please answer as many of the questions below so I can accurately asses the job and provide you with the answers you're looking for.
How many logs do you need cut?
What size are the logs? (length and diameter on the small end)
What are you wanting cut out of them?
What species are they?
Do you have a loader and adequate space to work?
When are you wanting to mill?
Weekends only or are Weekdays available?
