Frequently Asked Questions
30-Day Money-back Sawmill Guarantee*
Get peace of mind from the start. If you are not completely satisfied, you may return within 30 days after delivery for a full refund of your purchase price. For LT70, LT50, LX450, LT40, LT35, LX250 and LT28 customers, we require that you take the free sawmill training that we provide. For LX25, LX55, LT15 and LX150 customers, we ask that you watch the provided training video.
We stand behind our products. Guaranteed. ALL Wood-Mizer sawmills, resaws, and edgers are warranted against defective workmanship and materials for two (2) years. This includes ALL sawmill models. You can count on Wood-Mizer to stand behind our products.
Five-Year Limited Chassis Warranty
The chassis on the Wood-Mizer portable sawmill is warranted against defective workmanship and materials for five (5) years. This warranty covers the chassis on the LT70, LT50, LX450, LT40, LT35, and LT28 sawmill models only.
Owner's Manuals and Support Packs
Every new customer receives a complete set of manuals, some basic supplies for starting your business, a coupon for free blade sharpening, and two hats!
The Wood-Mizer Way
When you join our family of owners, we stay in touch with our magazine, The Wood-Mizer Way. Read Online
Marketing Tool Kit
Our FREE Marketing toolkit CD comes with each new mill and has everything you need to market your sawing business.
There are no limits to the different approaches you can use to charge for your cutting services. The three most common methods are to charge by the hour, by the board foot, or by sharing the finished lumber. All three have their place, but the key is to anticipate which method would be the best pricing policy for that specific job. This will be easier to assess as you are exposed to more and more cutting situations.
By the Hour
The most stable or secure method for pricing for the mill owner is a flat, hourly rate. Rates vary from location to location and range from $30-$75/ hour plus extra charges for travel, broken blades, etc. Pricing on an hourly basis transfers all of the risk of daily output to the customer. It encourages the customer to have his logs clean and easily accessible, and to provide a person to help handle the materials to get the most value for his money. Depending on the situation, however, the customer may feel he did not get a “good deal.”
By the Board Foot
Cutting by the board foot is the most common method used in the industry. This pricing method gives you the ability to make the greatest return in a day, but potentially exposes you to the lowest returns as well. This pricing method places all of the risk of productivity on the sawyer since the customer is only paying for the lumber he receives. That is why this method is preferred by a great number of businesses in the industry. Set charges for broken blades, cleaning muddy logs, travel, etc. can be set beforehand.
On a Share Basis
One of the most lucrative approaches to charging for custom cutting can be to accept a percentage of the finished lumber from the owner of the logs. In most circumstances, this pricing method is advantageous to both you and the customer. With this pricing method, the customer doesn’t need to pay any money up front to have his lumber cut. The mill owner, in many cases, can get significantly more money by selling a portion of the lumber on the open market. Generally, the percentage of shares varies with the species cut.
- The Warranty
The peace of mind that comes from knowing your mill is backed by the strongest warranty in the industry goes beyond a price tag. And our warranties aren’t just words on a page. We go beyond most manufacturers in making sure you’re pleased with your mill. They feature five years on the bed, two years on everything else accept wear items like belts, and a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee. - The Latest Technology
Our team of 30 engineers is constantly working to improve our world class sawmills.- Features – Many of today’s most advanced features are not available on older mills such as the bi-plane hydraulic clamp which was introduced in late 1996
- Options – Most of today’s options are not retro-fittable on 1996 or older Wood-Mizers. Some are not retro-fittable at all.
- Revisions – although we’re proud of our 1982 LT40, the 2009 LT40 is a better sawmill. Our customers have provided us with valuable input during our 27 year history and many of their suggestions are now standard on our mills. Wood-Mizer carefully tracks each and every revision, and the LT40 is now on Revision K3.00. To read more about revisions, click here: (put a link to WM’s Revision history here)
- Longevity – the longer we’ve been in business, the more we’ve learned about building mills that last and last and last. Wood-Mizer has customers that have logged over 20,000 hours on our mills, working 3 shifts, 7 days a week.
- “Somebody else’s trouble”
- Maintenance – no two customers maintain a mill exactly alike. Even meticulous written records can’t guarantee that the seller has maintained his equipment the same way you would.
- Abuse – it doesn’t take long to tear down even the most durable machine if you run over it with a concrete truck! Skid steers and forklifts can also wreak havoc on a sawmill.
- Alterations – some guys just can’t leave their 8th grade shop class behind! Once a mill is welded on or altered outside of Wood-Mizer specs, it’s no longer something we can help you maintain.
- Training
Training by a Wood-Mizer technician is included when you purchase a new or used mill from Wood-Mizer. But you may or may not receive training when you purchase a used mill direct from the owner. Some of our customers are superb sawyers and could doubtless teach us all a thing or two about operating a sawmill. But few if any of them have the training necessary to make sure you understand everything you need to know to get the most out of your mill. If you buy your mill from a private owner you can still get factory training. Schedule a Service Plan with Training Appointment Click here to get your Wood-Mizer checked out by a factory-trained technician. He’ll teach you what he’s doing while he also explains the finer points of good sawyer technique.
Wood-Mizer collects sales tax on purchases shipped to the select states listed below. If you have a valid tax-exemption claim, you must send a properly completed exemption certificate before ordering. For assistance regarding sales tax questions or which form to complete, please contact your State’s Department of Revenue listed below. Once you have contacted your State’s Department of Revenue, complete and send the correct form to:
Patricia Rose
Email: prose@woodmizer.com
Fax: 317-273-7015
State Department of Revenue Links
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| Georgia |
| Idaho |
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| Louisiana |
| Maine |
| Minnesota |
| Mississippi |
| Missouri |
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Wood-Mizer accepts the following payment methods:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- American Express
- Discover
Charging Your Credit Card
Your credit card will be charged after completion of checkout. Orders are subject to verification and acceptance before shipping. We are not responsible for typographical errors.
Financing
Wood-Mizer also offers financing options to qualified buyers on a variety of products. Visit Wood-Mizer Financing for more information.
Sales Tax
Applicable sales tax will be charged on purchases, including shipping & handling fees, shipped to: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, ME, MN, MS, MO, NE, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI and WA. If you have a valid tax-exemption claim, please see the Sales Tax FAQ above for more information.
Other Equipment
If equipment is not available to purchase online, please give us a call at 800.553.0182 for assistance in placing your order.
Can Wood-Mizer sawmills cut Australian Hardwoods?
Yes. Wood-Mizer sawmills equipped with Wood-Mizer blades have sawn the most aggressive wood species all over the world including Australian Hardwoods. Sawing ironwood, blackbutt, spotted gum and more is possible with Wood-Mizer because the mills have plenty of power and can be equipped with a narrow band blade profile that is matched to the type of wood.
Where are Wood-Mizer sawmills made?
All Wood-Mizer sawmills are manufactured at the Wood-Mizer owned and operated factories. We have factories in both the United States and Poland, providing the best combination of premium quality equipment with decades of manufacturing experience. Sales of parts and blades, service, and support are always available through your local Wood-Mizer representative.
How do I know Wood-Mizer sawmills are solid, durable, and productive?
Wood-Mizer introduced its first sawmill in 1982, and the mills are tried, true, and trusted. It is not uncommon to find beloved mills from the early 80’s still in operation. Countless individual customers have sawn millions of board feet on their mill as a hobby, for a project, or as a living. In addition, in some developing countries, even small, manual Wood-Mizer mills are used for commercial sawing, running 3 shifts a day for a full work week.
Can I leave the log on the mill and make multiple cuts without off bearing the boards?
Yes, this technique (known as live sawing / through sawing / slab sawing) is a method where a log is cut straight through without rotating it, producing wide boards with a mix of grain patterns. It’s the fastest and simplest sawing method to produce ungraded boards. Many sawing techniques involve turning the log to get the best face and maximize the grain of the board.
Can Wood-Mizer sawmills perform methods like Quarter Sawing, Grade Sawing, Plain Sawing?
Yes, all these sawing techniques involve rotating the log on the bed during the sawing process.
- Plain Sawing - Also known as flat sawing, this technique producing the highest yield with wide boards and a cathedral grain pattern. It’s the most common and efficient method.
- Quarter Sawing – The log is first quartered, then each section is turned and cut to produce boards with straight, uniform grain patterns.
- Rift Sawing – Similar to quarter sawing but with more frequent log rotation to achieve mostly vertical grain boards.
- Cant Sawing – The log is squared into a cant by turning it, then cut into boards, often used for maximizing yield.
- Grade Sawing – The log is rotated strategically to maximize high-quality lumber from the best sections.
What is the difference between a Monorail Sawmill (LT) and a Twin Rail Sawmill (LX)?
Great question!
Monorail Sawmills (LT Series) - Wood-Mizer has long been the only sawmill manufacturer of the monorail cantilever design, holding several patents on this technology and trusted by more than 100,000 sawyers throughout the world. Wood-Mizer's open side of the cantilever sawhead allows for minimal leveling during set-up, easy off-bearing with the trapezoid bed, and sawing of odd shaped logs.
Twin Rail Sawmills (LX Series) - LX sawmills feature a rigid LXFrame sawhead tower that travels on twin parallel hardened steel bars and holds the saw head, engine, and operator control console. LX sawmills require more attention to leveling.
What is the Wood-Mizer Warranty?
We stand behind our products. Guaranteed. All Wood-Mizer sawmills are warranted against defective workmanship and materials for 1 year.
Is there really a Money Back Guarantee?
Absolutely. Get peace of mind from the start with a 30 day money back. If you are not completely satisfied, you may return within 30 days after delivery for a full refund of the purchase price. We only ask that before you run your mill, you complete either your in-person training on LT20-LT70 mills or that you watch the provided training video for the LX30, LX50, or LT15 mills.
Can Wood-Mizer grow with me?
Yes. Wood-Mizer offers more sawmills, options, accessories, and other wood processing equipment than any other sawmill manufacturer in the world. Upgrade your existing mill to do more with your mill. Step up to the next model when your production demands increase. Expand with complementary wood processing equipment as you grow. In addition, Wood-Mizer is always innovating and releasing new product.
Is Wood-Mizer easy to work with in Australia?
When you choose Wood-Mizer you are working with a company and a product that has been active in Australia for more than 30 years. The team loves to talk sawmilling and answers any questions to help with your purchase decision. Even though we have sold more than 100,000 sawmills worldwide, we still sell our mills one customer at a time.
I have heard that the resale value for Wood-Mizer sawmills is attractive. Is this true?
Yes. Should you decide to sell your mill and hopefully step up to a different Wood-Mizer sawmill, you can be confident that Wood-Mizer sawmills hold their value due to the brand reputation and sawmill longevity. Used Wood-Mizer sawmills generally sell very quickly depending on their condition, age, and hours on the engine because they are the preferred brand around the world.
What is Wood-Mizer’s Thin-Kerf technology, and how does it benefit Australian sawmillers?
Wood-Mizer’s Thin-Kerf technology refers to the use of narrow band blades that remove less material with each cut compared to traditional circular saws or wide bandsaws. For Australian sawmillers, this means significantly higher timber recovery from each log — an important advantage when working with valuable native hardwoods. Less sawdust waste, more usable boards, and lower energy consumption make Thin-Kerf technology a smart, sustainable choice for both commercial operations and small-scale sawmillers across Australia.
