An Old Steam Powered Shop

Scott R Smith

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542
Location
Humid Gulf Coast
Here is an old steam powered (pre-OSHA) sawmill shop.

The kind of business that America was built on, where people earned a living wage to support their families.

And you thought you had to be careful in your shop--WOW!


 
There is a fellow in Southern Minnesota who has a mill with two blades - I believe they are 42 inches each. The upper blade is aligned with the lower, and only run when the trunk is over about 20 inches in diameter. The whole mill is powered from the PTO on his tractor. The wood is then dried in a solar kiln.

A friend of a friend led me there, and I bought all the walnut I could carry in my van, at a very good price, paid in cash, and I probably could never find him again.
 
There is a fellow in Southern Minnesota who has a mill with two blades - I believe they are 42 inches each. The upper blade is aligned with the lower, and only run when the trunk is over about 20 inches in diameter. The whole mill is powered from the PTO on his tractor. The wood is then dried in a solar kiln.

A friend of a friend led me there, and I bought all the walnut I could carry in my van, at a very good price, paid in cash, and I probably could never find him again.

Walnut is my favorite wood. I think its hard to make something out of walnut and not have it look good.

Cherry is number two.

Birdseye maple is number three.

Some of the more exotics like Bubinga, or Ebony can make impressive unique peices,

but for all around beauty I like walnut.

Mahogany is number four only because it is used so often.

With something of walnut for example, to me, it's like a freshly waxed car.

It just stands out.
 
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