“Having a hard time figuring out making the same dimensional and duplicate,square cuts. Otherwise it's a great product. Need a instructional guide for making lumber.”
“I teach a Woodworking program at a high school in Ohio and I took my OS23 sawmill package to school and my students and I assembled it as a project. Once we were finished I picked up several donated logs for us to mill. It was an awesome experience for everyone that gave it a try, including students, teachers, and even the Superintendent! We spent several weeks milling donated logs and making lumber for our Wood shop. We are currently gathering funds to purchase an OS31 for the Woodshop program. Now my mill is home and I'm milling logs from trees I cut down in my yard. I've recently purchased a log loading winch and looking to add a track extension in the future! It's not work if you enjoy what you're doing!”
“For the price, you can't beat this mill. I've put about 20 large cedar and fir logs through it so far and have been nothing but satisfy. Even though it might be considered the economy saw, if you keep a sharp blade on it it will deliver great results.
Cons: The pull chord is in an awkward place.
The manual crank to lift the cutting head might be difficult for some folks.
Bolts and screws are constantly wiggling loose (even the factory ones that I didn't assemble).
The valve for the water tank is garbage -- I replaced it with a brass one.
Pros: Easy to assemble with clear instructions.
Cuts straight and true.
Plenty of power (at least for soft woods -- I haven't run any hard woods yet).
Great price.
I'm sure if you are a pro you will want to go with something different -- but for a guy with a few wooded acres and lots of hobbies and projects, this machine is perfect.”
“Ive owned my o23 for about 2 years, now. It is a solid sawmill that will handle a 20 inch lokg with no problem. The 7.5hp motor is strong enough with good blades but I would recommend 10hp. It was a hard starter right from the getgo. Ther are no mixture adjustments on the carb and after 2 winters, no spark from the coil either. Also the plastic choke control snapped off. A non-oem coil and a metal choke mechanism has vastly improved this motor. It starts easily and runs flat-out strong.
The water reservoir is small and did not meet my needs so the mill is hooked to a hose and water supply with a small quick opening valve next to the throttle control.
I certainly have more than 100 hours on the mill now and the belts need replacing and the blade guide bearings are a bit noisy so I keep a maintenance kit on hand from Norwood but I haven't changed anything yet except blades which I sharpen myself. I would recommend this mill to any hard-core hobby cutter like me.”
“Overall I'm very happy with all the interactions I've had with Frontier Sawmills. I have a buddy with a Norwood and this runs and functions almost exactly the same. Construction is of good quality, paint is holding up well, the design took a lot into consideration and is quite functional to operate.”
“After about three years I’d say it’s been overall good. This was a low cost mill and it’s now cut many bft of white pine , hemlock, poplar, maple , cherry and ash. I have learned a few things that have helped immensely , one biggy is I sharpen my blades on the mill about three times before they are worn out. They cut just as new and takes ten minutes with battery powered 4 in. Grinder. Much better then off send away put back on. Another is I made wooden up rights from ash and don’t have to worry about hitting with blade. They work perfectly. Also pine soil added to water helps with pitch and I use plenty of water. Cooler blade longer it last. I like this mill, it does a great job and is economical.”
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your frustration and want to ensure you receive all the parts for your sawmill. Our service team is aware of your concerns and has been in touch with you to resolve this matter. We are committed to resolving this issue and getting you up and running as soon as possible. Please continue to reach out to our Customer Service team for further assistance.
Frontier Sawmills
“I have an OS31 with trailer, 1 extension and the 14 Hp electric start Kohler engine. So far the saw is working well and has proved capable for the milling projects I have been doing. The saw sets up quickly and is accurate. It tows well and is easy to get into position.
Things that could take it to the next level: a cam style log dog verses the screw ones and the handle material at the throttle/lube control should be more robust. The handle is now hockey tape. The log dogs swing around if dropped after release and can easily injure you as you flip the log.
All in all it is a great mill and will yield many years of lumber making.”
“I own the OS27 and it has been a great tool in the recovery of our 11 acres that burned in a fire last year. It is great to know that I am putting the trees to good use. When I first got the sawmill and started to put it together, the instructions were about 80%. They really lack if you have purchased the trailer package and an extension. But after working through that, it has been great!”
“Great sawmill for personal projects. Service and delivery was awesome with great follow ups. Mill is great quality with easy assembly. Only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I find the engine under powered and I’m only milling pine.”
“Got classic OS27. Water valve is garbage need a fix for that. Only ran mill one time. Ordered bands with the OS27. Was a 10 pack. Apparently when you select options for your mill you better know exactly what size blade you need. This was ordered new and you would think it would ring a bell if they new what they were looking at they would know the bands were to big for my mill and contact me to fix the order. So aggravated today after wanting to run it for the second time and finding out they are to big😡”
“I’ve had my OS27 with track extension for a few months now. I’ve milled many logs of southern yellow pine and some oak. The OS27 has handled them all very well. Customer service has been better than any company I’ve ever dealt with! They contacted me before the mill arrived, answered many questions for me and even provided a PDF manual so I could get specs to build the concrete piers ahead of time that my mill bed rails would rest on. When I first got the mill I found the foam padding for the handle was torn and they shipped a replacement right away. Top notch service team! Awesome sawmill!”
