Steam-powered Sawmill


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I came across this article and thought it was really cool. It's the last steam-powered commercial sawmill in the US. They can handle logs up to 85' long! The pictures shows the complete process of milling lumber, including changing and sharpening the huge bandsaw blade.

http://www.garymkatz.com/OnTheRoad/HullOaks.htm

Mike

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There's a steam-powered sawmill at the near-by "slice of time" museum. (Haven't read the article yet, it's next on my agenda.) It's not in use all day long. I have it on good authority (I spent two hours watching and talking with the volunteer operators one day) that they really only run the saw at full capacity when the museum needs materials; the rest of the time they go through the motions with a slow (molasses in January slow) pace, or don't even fire up the boiler.

It was fascinating, but they ran it as a solid steel circular blade rather than a band saw.

I don't remember the time frame this museum is set to operate in, but I know it's before 1860. In some ways, it reminds me of what Williamsburg or Sturbridge Village would be if they let time progress.

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