Two Brothers from Sweden Successfully Run Their Construction and Carpentry Workshop

Göran & Lennart Ståhl make woodworking products and supply local customers with quality timber for building and finishing houses in Sweden. The brothers rely primarily on the tools and machines from Wood-Mizer's Woodworking range, including the four-sided MP260 planer/moulder and the MP160 thicknesser. "These Wood-Mizer machines are easy to operate, and they're efficient. Frankly, we are planning to buy more Wood-Mizer machines because we are delighted with how this equipment works", says Göran with a smile.

Sweden is 70% forested, so woodworking is a popular activity for locals. Lake Tisnaren, near Hallsberg, Sweden, is the region's main tourist attraction, abundant with summer houses and campsites. It is a popular holiday destination, surrounded by beautiful forests and great places for fishing. Hallsberg is the central municipality in the province, but brothers Ståhl live and work in the nearby towns of Granvik and Rävhult. 

"We have a long tradition of working with this material. Wood is fascinating, and it has a life to it," says Lennart. "Our father was innovative and skilled with carpentry. He was the one who taught us most of what we know about wood. Our father is no longer with us, but I'm sure he would have liked contemporary woodworking machines," adds Göran.  

"When you plane a board, the grain changes with each kind of wood. Various wood species have their smell, so you can recognize exactly what you're working on. That's the most fascinating part," notices Lennart. "What I love about woodworking is that you start from the beginning, from cutting the tree down, then refine it by sawing, drying, and planing it. You're there for the entire process! Ultimately, it feels so good when you see it sitting on a building … and may remain there for another 100 years." 

"When you work with wood, you usually just get one chance and have to get it right. Otherwise, you have to start the project over again with a different piece of material. This issue does not appear when working with steel because the steel can be re-welded," points out Göran.

The brothers primarily make construction timber and some carpentry works, however, this is generally for special orders with measurements. They source logs from the nearby forests, but sometimes, they purchase wood from the local sawmillers. Only when the wood is dried can they start planing it on the Wood-Mizer MP260 planer/moulder. "We bought the machine about three years ago, and we're delighted with it," says Lennart. "Earlier, we used to work on an old-fashioned planer, but it was harder, and setting the knives took longer. On the MP260 planer, it takes about 20 minutes if you've done it before. It's a simple machine; anyone can learn to operate it."

"I remember these popular woodworking machines used to be sold in the 1990s as Moretens products, but these days, Wood-Mizer has taken over the production and elevated it to a higher level," says Lennart. The Wood-Mizer company has more than 40 years of experience in manufacturing quality sawmills, and this experience helped to develop a line of compact and practical woodworking machines. 

The four-sided MP260 planer/moulder is a precise and reliable machine for small and medium-sized carpentry workshops. The device features four cutter heads with replaceable knives to process four sides of the board in one pass. There are two horizontal and two vertical cutter heads, which are driven by separate motors. The MP260 planer/moulder features a cast-iron worktable for increased stability and durability. The ergonomic control panel allows for easy operation. "This planer/moulder has the advantage of planing all four sides simultaneously. We don't have to put the piece through multiple times. We run it once, and it's done. With the variable speed between 2–12 m/min, we always get a nice surface finish," says Lennart. "The machine can also handle pieces up to 260 mm wide, so it is perfect for making quality construction cants and beams."  

Another woodworking machine the brothers use in their business is the Wood-Mizer MP160 planer/thicknesser for producing accurately dimensioned boards and cants. The machine features one horizontal cutter head for thicknessing (lower table) and planing (top table). Switching between the two operations does not require stopping or readjusting the machine.

Both woodworking machines make finished products according to customer special orders, including flooring, cladding, ceiling moldings, eaves, facade battens, baseboards, and other decorative elements. "We can make various profiles on Wood-Mizer's woodworking machines. We make all these fancy profiles in one pass. The customer gets the product, which is ready for assembly. After installing the right cutting knife, we can make these elements in any desired style," explains Göran. "We're happy with these machines, and since they have worked so well in our workshop, we recommend them to other craftsmen and woodworkers."  

***