The Sawmill
I operate a D&L TS 48TD, made by D&L Double Cut Sawmills, Lac La Hache, BC. This mill is a unique combination of portability and a two-blade milling system. The vertical and horizontal blades are set at right angles to each other; meaning that after a top and side slab is taken, every pass produces a board. The blades are powered by a 48 hp, turbo diesel Kubota motor and the hydraulics are powered by a 9 hp, gas engine.
Why is this mill superior to bandsaws? There are four main reasons you should have me mill your logs with my sawmill: accuracy, high recovery, less log and board handling 
and speed.
Accuracy: Circular blades wander less than bandsaw blades, resulting in boards that are consistently square and straight with no high spots. Knots, frozen logs, dirt or partially thawed logs? Bring them on! Also, because the log doesn't need turning, there are no incremental errors that accumulate with each turn. Supporting the mill's capabilities is my skill: I keep the mill tuned to operate at its peak and have the skill to get the most from every log.
High Recovery: Let my slab pile be your guide. Thick slabs are a thing of the past since edged boards can be cut from all four sides of the log's taper. Don't be mislead by bandsaw manufacturers claiming higher recovery: such claims are based on large, eastern hardwood logs being cut up into 1x4's. Kerf is not the most important factor in high recovery: skill is. In Central Saskatchewan, where most people want 2x8's, 2x6's, 1x8's and 1x6's, a twin saw consistently recovers 5% above International Log Rule scaled volume.
Less Handling: Once the log is canted onto the mill, the hydraulics take over. Positioning, alignment, dogging, board return, edging and dog slab removal are all done by the mill. Bandsaws require many boards to be edged after the log has been broken down: requiring more labour, time and money.
Speed: Average production is 400 board feet/hour when milling 16' logs with top diameters 9" and larger into 2x8, 2x6, 1x6 and 1x4's. This production only requires me, the sawyer, and you, the tailer, to receive boards. The log does not need to be turned repeatedly, boards are cut in a single pass of the blades and off-loaded boards do not have to be returned to the mill for edging.
