Mastering Australia’s hardwoods for more than 45 years

By McPherson Media Group

Sep 24, 2024

A log perfectly split in half, illustrating the accuracy of cuts achieved with Wood-Mizer equipment.

For almost half a century, Wood-Mizer has been at the forefront of Western Australia’s forestry and timber industry.

Western Australia is home to some of the best and toughest timbers in the world.

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The tall timber forests of the south-west boast species such as jarrah, sheoak, marri, tuart, blackbutt and karri.

These remarkable hardwoods have fuelled the passion of Stephen Stone, a carpenter joiner with 45 years of experience, who shows no signs of slowing down.

“I started buying timber to dry and sell 45 years ago. My first purchase for the woodworking workshop was a steel circular saw bench that I had to power with a tractor,” Stephen said.

His timber fever soon led him to Wood-Mizer. In 1996, after booking a demonstration with the local representative, Stephen witnessed Wood-Mizer’s equipment performance live.

“A Wood-Mizer representative showed me how the sawmill operated at the local Brunswick show,” Stephen said.

The sawmill that Stephen set his eyes on at that show was a far cry from how he was processing wood. He was struck by the narrow band blades that sliced through logs with ease.

Stephen was equally impressed with the patented cantilever design. This unique design featured a sawhead supported on only one side, with the other side open, making sawing odd-shaped logs, logs with large knots and even curved logs possible.

“From there, I ordered one and never looked back,” he said.

Newly milled timber from a large log, demonstrating the precision and efficiency of the Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill.

Maximising value with Wood-Mizer

In 1996, Stephen bought his first Wood-Mizer sawmill, the LT40 hydraulic model. Equipped with a road-ready single-axle trailer ready for the bush, this mill proved to be mobile and easy to set up and be sawing in minutes.

With the cantilever design, Stephen trusted that as the sawhead travelled along the monorail system, even on uneven terrain, he would get accurate cuts. Furthermore, the high-performance hydraulic log-handling capabilities gave him a new level of productivity and efficiency that helped grow his operation.

He experienced so much success that he expanded his business by purchasing a second LT40 in 2000.

Not only did Stephen find the LT40 hydraulic sawmill profitable for his business, but he also discovered that Wood-Mizer sawmills had higher resale value than other brands. With this in mind, he made a strategic decision to sell one of his LT40s and purchase a newer model in 2008. By doing so, he ensured that he had the newest model available at his disposal and maximised his return on investment.

Stephen’s preference for the LT40 hydraulic model was well-founded, as its powered head controls and hydraulics provided the speed and ease of operation that is crucial for production-minded sawyers.

“I find the accuracy, ease of use and the quality of the finished product have no comparison in the market,” Stephen said.

A massive log set up on the Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill, showcasing its capability to handle large and challenging timber.

Sourcing and milling the best of Australian hardwoods

Logs were mainly sourced from local farmers with windblown trees and from the Forest Products Commission, which regularly auctioned off logs.

“With the Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill, we milled everything from small branches to large logs,” Stephen said.

“We primarily milled the best five hardwoods: jarrah, marri, blackbutt, sheoak, and tuart, but there’s nothing you can’t mill with it.”

With Wood-Mizer thin-kerf technology, sawmillers can achieve higher total timber recovery, reaching up to 80 per cent compared to conventional wide-kerf saw blades that typically yield 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

Carefully stacked milled timber from Stephen Stone's workshop, ready for drying and further processing.

When dealing with valuable hardwood timber, this increased recovery can translate into significant financial gains. This efficiency is crucial for maximizing the value of every log.

“Once sawn, we would stack the timber and dry it in our shed to add more value, dress it if necessary, and sell it by auction or directly to the public. Contract sawmilling was also a large part of the business,” Stephen said.

“Most of my clients are backyard woodworkers, farmers, builders and even myself. I can always find various ways to use a good piece of timber.”

“Right now I’m in my 60s and I pick and choose what I do, but 20 years ago, my wife Leonie was sharpening blades while I was in the bush operating the mill up to five days a week without stopping,” Stephen said.