Portable saw mill

A portable saw mill for cutting lumber from a log, comprising:

• (a) a frame adapted to be disposed transversely of the log, wherein the frame includes three rail members extending transversely of the log, a first pair of the rail member interconnecting and straddling the wheels, at least one of the wheels being slideably mounted on the rail members, a third one of the rail members lying in the vertical plane of the wheels so as to be in alignment therewith, the third one of the rail members including tension means for adjusting blade tension by adjusting the spacing between the wheels;
• (b) a pair of horizontally spaced apart wheels adapted to straddle the log, the wheels being rotatably supported by the frame for rotation in a vertical plane;
• (c) a band saw blade positioned around the wheels for movement transversely of the log;
• (d) means for rotating at least one of the wheels to cause the blade to form a cut in the log as the frame is moved longitudinally along the log;
• (e) vertically adjustable support base means for supporting the frame relative to a top surface of the log so as to enable vertical adjustment of the band saw blade relative to the top surface of the log;
• (f) guide means interconnected to the frame for guiding the frame along the log as the frame advances whereby the blade is kept in a zone of cutting as the blade cuts the log lengthwise;
• (g) the support base means including a platen and means for leveling the platen relative to the saw blade;
• and
• (h) handle means interconnected to the frame for facilitating movement of the frame longitudinally of the log by a user.