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When people shop at the discount hardware retailer Harbor Freight, low prices are often their main reason. However, there are other good reasons to check out Harbor Freight. While they frequently offer instant savings and coupons to save you money, they also have some unique branded tools and designs you won’t find at other hardware stores, even ones with a much wider selection like Home Depot.
Sure, most folks focus on the cheap tools at Harbor Freight, but you can also potentially save big and find distinctive larger power tools online or in their physical stores. One example is the gasoline-powered portable sawmill ($2,500) that you can’t get at Home Depot. The closest matching product there is the electric sawmill ($3,375).
Now, not everyone needs a portable sawmill. Generally, it’s useful for folks who want to cut their own logs from harvested or fallen trees, whether they’re hobbyist woodworkers or off-the-grid types. If you need odd sizes of lumber for your projects, the portable sawmill can create boards with the exact dimensions you require. Some machines can make lumber up to 7 inches thick, perfect for support posts and load-bearing beams.
Why you’d choose a gas-powered sawmill over an electric one
Beyond the initial price difference, there are some other advantages to the gas-powered Harbor Freight sawmill compared to the electric one from Home Depot. The gas power means you can use the machine anywhere, even in remote locations, without needing to rely on a generator. Some folks transport these tools in their truck or on a trailer to bring the sawmill right to the logs. Electric sawmills tend to work better when you can bring the logs to a stationary worksite. They also run quieter than gas-powered models, if that’s a concern for you.
If you do prefer the electric design, one way you might save is on delivery charges. You usually can’t buy either sawmill in the stores, but Home Depot offers free ship-to-store or delivery. The Harbor Freight sawmill has a $130 delivery fee since it’s online-only.
The Harbor Freight gas-powered sawmill can handle logs up to 20 inches wide, while Home Depot’s electric model maxes out at 13 inches. The Home Depot sawmill also has a slower blade speed of 2,900 feet per minute, compared to 3,279 FPM for the Harbor Freight one. On the other hand, the Home Depot model is conveniently wired for a standard 110-volt outlet, while the Harbor Freight runs on regular unleaded gas.
What customers think of Harbor Freight’s portable sawmill
The Central Machinery Sawmill is an exclusive Harbor Freight brand, so you won’t find it anywhere else (unless you come across a used one). This is a common practice for the discount hardware retailer – they offer their own branded power tools and equipment that you can’t get elsewhere. In addition to the sawmill, Harbor Freight has Central Machinery floor shop presses, log splitters, ultrasonic cleaners, cement mixers, and more big tools.
On Harbor Freight’s website, 97% of customer reviews recommend buying the sawmill. Folks say they’ve had good luck using it to cut both logs and milled lumber that needs resizing. “It’s paid for itself many times over, especially with how expensive lumber is these days,” one customer shared. “Plus, I can make custom sizes you can’t find at the store.” Another customer is using the sawmill to create lumber from fallen pine trees to build a retirement home. Someone else built a whole garage out of on-site logs, cutting them down to size with the sawmill.
A few customers did feel the sawmill is tricky to get the hang of and can have some blade drift issues that make it hard to get perfectly straight cuts. One person upgraded the engine to electric start instead of pull-start. However, another customer mentioned it’s almost impossible to find replacement or add-on parts since Harbor Freight doesn’t carry them.
