Having a mill that can get varying shapes of the wood log is essential. Not only would this help keep your requirements of owning multiple sawmills at a minimum, but it would also save on additional costs for you.

A sawmill must be versatile, and especially when you are considering investing hundreds of bucks purchasing a product, it is a requirement mandated for the equipment to be worthwhile and deliver its function smoothly for a lasting period.

The two primary options you can choose from to buy a sawmill to fulfill your needs are Norwood and Woodmizer.

Both manufacturers provide each other with solid competition and often keep switching with their competitive edges by introducing new features.

Therefore, this article will summarize the differences between a sawmill from Norwood vs. Woodmizer.

Norwood VS Woodmizer

Obviously, you have many options for a mill available in the market. Still, if you want a reliable product that would not break down frequently and efficiently cater to all your cutting needs, you have to choose between Norwood Vs. Woodmizer.

Even though the purposes served by the sawmills purchased from Norwood or Woodmizer are similar, they are not the same

You will encounter many discrepancies even when you perceive that no differences stand between the two sawmills when explored in depth.

These variations would majorly lie in the composition of the mill and how the difference assists them in functioning better or worse than the other

Below we provide a brief overview of all that we will talk about in the later sections of this article.

The following table contains numerics for the multiple characteristics of a sawmill, so observe vigilantly but do not make a decision in favor of one brand already, and wait till you know more.

Contrast Table- Norwood Vs. Woodmizer

Brand Woodmizer Norwood
Price Comparatively higher Comparatively lower
Weight Comparatively heavier Comparatively lighter
Durability Long lasting Lasting
Engine 19HP 23HP
Assembly Partially assembled Not assembled
Blade Double Hard Ripper 37
Width of board 23 inches 28 inches
Length of log 17.8 inches 13 inches
Hydraulic options and Powerhead Unavailable Available

Variance Between Norwood Vs. Woodmizer

Engine

Anytime you take into account buying a tool, one of the crucial points you must always look out for is the engine. Here, and with this factor, you must delve into all the details that are present.

What is the engine type? Whether it is a gas-fueled or a petrol-fueled engine? How has it been composed, and what is the presumable lifeline for the engine, etc.? Feel free to investigate all the information there is to know about an engine.

A Norwood sawmill has an engine of 23 Hp, whereas a Woodmizer engine has an engine for 19Hp. Both engines signify their worth; however, the right engine can only be finalized if you know the properties that you want to be present in it. 

The Woodmizer mill’s engine seems more plausible because, unlike Norwood’s engine, it does not require to be serviced constantly to ensure optimal functioning when the conditions get a bit harsh.

Servicing needs are a bit lesser of a requirement with Woodmizer, which has an ideal configuration for sawing purposes and enhances the efficiency of installed fuel. But the fuel consumption would be more due to the increased horsepower of the sawmill.

Width of Board

Width of the board that comes accompanies a sawmill varies per the model that you are purchasing and is also majorly in correspondence with your needs

Where a mill could function optimally with a board width ranging from fifteen inches or less, both our considered options provide a wider width.

Norwood’s size of the board is twenty-eight inches, quite expansive, and on the other hand, for Woodmizer, it is five inches lesser than twenty-three inches

The width of the board will be functioning similarly but what will be different about them is the outcome yielded through their operation.

Blade,

The most significant part of a sawmill is the blade. It is responsible for cutting the logs into single or various designs. This can only be found out after examining the blades that come with your mills.

When purchasing a sawmill from Norwood, the installed blade is the ripper 37. This blade is renowned for immediately transforming your saw-related activities to an exceptional extent.

All this happens due to the durability of the lasting blade and its excellent performance for cutting

Whenever the need to sharpen the blade arises, you do not have to fret because you can sharpen them anytime and anywhere, as regrinds are available.

In contrast, Woodmizer has a blade that is double hard. This blade, too, is versatile in functioning and offers multiple purposes

You can cut wood with a double hard, be it softwood, hardwood, or medium wood. A double hard is not going to disappoint you in your pursued endeavor.

Length of Log 

Suppose you spend all these bucks purchasing a sawmill only to find out that it is not assisting to the length of log that you aspire to cut

Then you would have to invest double the effort to ensure that the correct size is cut, which will effortlessly fit into the machine.

To avoid going through this much effort, you must always check the length of the log that your sawmill is willing to accommodate and only then finalize your purchase

It is frustrating to handle wood logs, and then enduring this misery should be the last thing on your to-do list.

Therefore, with a sawmill able to cut multiple lengths of the log, your entire work operation will be done conveniently and quickly

Norwood’s machine has a length for a log of thirteen inches, whereby you can fit any size of wood lesser than this measurement quickly into the equipment.

Conversely, Woodmizer provides a much bigger length for a log of 17.8 inches. Thus, outgoing most of the alternatives in the market.

Assembly

Assembly should only matter if you order your sawmill online and expect it to arrive anytime soon. Then you should be concerned about hiring a professional to assemble all the disassembled parts exactly.

However, if you go and buy the equipment, the case will likely be in your favor, and the machine will come all in a single piece

With Norwood and online shipping, all the components would go separately, and you would have to precisely take the responsibility of fetching them all together.

Although this is a drawback, it has a plus side too, which is that while assembling the machine, you would get a detailed overview of each part and know how it functions and what other subsequent part it aid in working.

Woodmizer will ship you your desired product assembled partially. The time taken to integrate all the other parts is relatively minimal, signifying that in a few additional hours, you can get the sawmill up and running, functioning to cut your wood.

Durability

What is the meaning of durability? To put it in simple terms durability of any product means the ability that it has to withstand any damage, pressure, and wear or tear

No one wants a product whose components fail to work after some time has elapsed.

Woodmizer’s mill, composed of premium quality steel and then coated in powdered paint, can withstand many harsh conditions

Be it rash weather or using the machine constantly, the sawmill will not leave your side anytime soon.

The manufacturers have a pronounced reputation in the market due to how durable their products are, especially the sawmill

But Norwood does not fail to defeat in the race of durability and competes efficiently by possessing a long and excellent lifespan.

Powerhead and Hydraulic Options

Owning a machine in which you can easily customize all your options according to your convenience is a blessing in disguise

Likewise, one feature that intrigues a customer the most about a product is customization.

We all like messing with the standard options. Sometimes taking the measurements higher than those set and, in other instances manipulating these options to a lower term. All of this is beneficial to the users’ comfort.

Only with a Norwood sawmill would you have the discretion to add a hydraulic option. This is an extra feature that comes along. Additionally, with a hydraulic, another plus one is the powerhead that can also be included.

Unfortunately, if your go-to option is the Woodmizer sawmill, then beware because it deprives the customers of the satisfaction that comes through customization.

Price

Nothing that no one will tell you but we will is that when a product or any equipment you intend to use for a long time, even if it seems to be pricier at that time- purchase it!

This is because the other option, which was less costly than it, seemed more appealing but could later result in inconveniences such as frequent breakdowns, buying spare parts, and maintenance.

Therefore, resulting in being even more costly for you.

Undoubtedly, price is a game-changer factor. We have often been driven away from a reliable and worthwhile product when it seems more expensive than we initially expected. But there are better reasons than this.

Instead, base your decisions on whether the equipment is serving your needs, and then, in light of this, look again at the price of the product

A Norwood sawmill will cost you around a maximum of $4500, whereas a Woodmizer’s price range is higher than this and starts from $5000 and goes up to $10,000.

However, to reiterate, do not let the prices fool you; instead, fixate your focus on factors of more concern.

Weight

Any machine’s portability depends on how heavy or light it weighs. If you are looking for a sawmill that you can quickly move around your working space, Norwood is your go-to because its light weight makes it an ideal pick for this purpose. The weight range for the mill is 350-1400 lbs.

Woodmizer, however, is heavier, and moving it around is not an easy task but one that would be challenging you. Remember durability and how we discussed the premium quality steel used in the build?

This makes the machine heavier, concluding its weight between 660-3900 lbs.

Conclusion

We have tried our best to list all the differences that could exist between Norwood Vs. Woodmizer

We hope for you now that you can choose the product that you think would work best for you.

On this note, remember to consider every factor before you finalize your order!

 Thomas Fishburn
Thomas, versatile writer, has a penchant for adventure and a deep understanding of machinery. He’s on a constant quest to find innovative tools and techniques that make gardening and farming tasks easier and more enjoyable. If there’s a machine that can do the job better, Thomas is the first to know about it.