Bandmills are used to remove side boards, or flitches, from the sides of a cant from a canter or sharp chain primary breakdown system as well as a resaw for boards or flitches.

Bandmills on primary breakdown canters and sharp chain reducers are either a twin bandmill or quad bandmill.  The bandmill is mounted directly behind the chipping heads to remove side boards (flitches) from the cants.  The bandmills position is controlled based on the size of the log or cant being processed.  Resaws for secondary breakdown can be single, twin, triple or quad bandmills and mounted vertical or horizontal.  Bandmills for a carriage (headrig) are single bandmills with either single or double cut.

A bandmill consists of a frame (husk) with a top and bottom wheel.  The bandsaw is mounted on the wheels.  The drive is on the bottom wheel.  The top wheel pivots with starin applied to tension the bandsaw.

Tensioning of the bandmill is accomplished with mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic strain.  As lateral forces are exerted on the bandsaw during the sawing process, the top wheel will be allowed to lower allowing the saw to flex.  The strain system will rapidly re-tension the strain on the saws to pull the saw line back into position.

English Terminology: Bandmill, bandmills, band mill, band saw mills, bandsaw mill, top wheel, bottom wheels, husk, saw guides, strain, guide pressure, twin, double cut, headrig, sawmill, wet mill.