What Brand Is The Harbor Freight Bandsaw Saw Mill & How Much Does It Cost?

The idea of owning an entire sawmill feels like an exaggerated dream from the Industrial Revolution. But while you probably can't purchase an entire sawmill business from the comfort of your home, there is another option now available to you. Rather than the usual giant building next to a forest, you could own a literal mill, as in the piece of equipment that's used to actually split logs, boards, and other wooden materials.

Hardware chain Harbor Freight currently sells entire bandsaw saw mills exclusively on its online storefront. Obviously, this is not a casual purchase. It's a massive, heavy piece of machinery that costs $2,499.99, which is probably why you can't buy one in-store. Still, despite its considerable size and price tag, this mini-mill has managed a 4.6 out of 5 user rating from 315 user reviews, so it has to be doing something right. So, what's the deal with this sawmill?

The bandsaw saw mill available at Harbor Freight is part of the Central Machinery brand, which deals primarily in large-scale, heavy-duty machinery. This includes workshop devices like disc sanders, dust collectors, parts washers, and of course, a variety of different band saws. The brand also offers larger, towable devices for outdoor work like a compact backhoe and an electric log splitter.

The Central Machinery bandsaw saw mill is "portable" in the sense that it can be broken down and rebuilt elsewhere relatively quickly, as well as fitted onto a sufficiently large tow cart for transportation. It's still a massive device, however, weighing over 700 lbs. The way it works is you place a log or board onto the built-in rack and activate the cutting mechanism. The mechanism slowly rolls down the rack, cutting the log with its blade, until it reaches the end and completes the split.

The cutting mechanism uses a 144-inch-long blade, propelled forward by a 301cc gas-powered engine, cutting through objects at 3,279 FPM. The rack and mechanism are large enough to accommodate a log up to 20 inches in diameter or a board up to 20 inches in width. While it's not a full-scale lumber mill, a device like this is still really only intended for professional usage, such as for those with woodworking or tree removal businesses. It also requires a decent amount of assembly and manual movement, so it should only be used by individuals with woodworking training.