Replies

1. 
   dcarroll3000 | Dec 20, 2006 08:05pm | #1

   Thanks for posting that. I love to see old machinery still working.

2. 
   Winchester | Dec 20, 2006 08:34pm | #2

   I can't imagine sharpening that blade every two hours- but it is one hell of a rig.
   Win

3. 
   DanH | Dec 20, 2006 10:43pm | #3

   Interesting. They run a sawmill every year at our local threshing show, but it's only about 1/4 the size, and it all runs off a single large steam "tractor". Pretty much the same setup, though, other than it uses a circ blade.

   (Can't recall if I posted some pictures last time.)

   People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
4. 
   nailbanger | Dec 21, 2006 01:21am | #4

   That's so cool! I love that sort of stuff. Thanks for posting it.

   BILL

1. 
   sharpblade | Dec 21, 2006 06:37am | #6

   U're welcome.

   I just checked your profile. Tough place where you live.

1. 
   junkhound | Dec 21, 2006 06:56am | #7

   Nice photage.

   Had the opportunity a few years before it closed to tour the old Weyerhauser steam mill in Everett WA (late 1980s IIRC), similar size, maybe slightly bigger.  Band had sharpened teeth on both sides, cut on both directions of table. Debarker was 3000 PSI about 20 gpm 'pressure washer'.

1. 
   user-211300 | Dec 22, 2006 01:11am | #16

   In the same vein of steam-  About 30 years ago I had to haul some crane mats (big timber pad about 6' X 8' ) to what was the last steam driven  pile driver in operation. It was driving pile on the beach in Laguna,CA. It drew a crowd from 9 western states. The owner was an old Pile Butt, & he unloaded the mats with a drum line & a very fast jerk. It was excitubg ro watch him work.

   Richard the Fourth

5. 
   bruce22 | Dec 21, 2006 05:00am | #5

   That is awesome, the scale of that operation is hard to imagine. I've had a few trees sawed up by a local guy with a portable band saw mill, which was pretty cool , but that steam powered mill is just amazing.

6. 
   ruffmike | Dec 21, 2006 07:25am | #8

   Here is a link to the C A Thayer resoration, taking place in my town (Alameda) at the Bay and Ship yard.

   http://www.nps.gov/archive/safr/local/thayrest.html 

    Some great pictures and info there also. In the work update they mention 8"x 14"x 80' planks, serius timber there!

                               Mike

       Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.

1. 
   sharpblade | Dec 21, 2006 03:05pm | #10

   Cool. Thanks ruffmike.

7. 
   Pierre1 | Dec 21, 2006 08:37am | #9

   Thanks for that link. Awesome ingenuity. I hope we never lose the knowledge behind steam-driven power.

   Gary's visit reminded me of my own tour of the Pacific Lumber Co.'s (Palco) redwood sawmill and manuf. plant in Scotia, CA.

   Big redwoods in the pond, debarked with high-pressure water jets....at the tail end, finished products all shrink-wrapped and labelled, ready for display in stores across America. Finished cigar boxes even! Vertical integration.

    

8. 
   Mongo | Dec 21, 2006 07:32pm | #11

   Impressive!

   Especially liked the blade sharpening.

   Excellent name for the thread, too!

   Mongo

1. 
   sharpblade | Dec 21, 2006 09:27pm | #12

   A little biased aren't you  ;>)

9. 
   woodway | Dec 21, 2006 10:19pm | #13

   Very Cool indeed!! Thanks for the great pics . While scrolling around my mouse developed a dirty ball and I had to stop and clean the mouse's balls. Not an enviable task but, it happens.

1. 
   sharpblade | Dec 22, 2006 12:01am | #14

   >>> I had to stop and clean the mouse's balls. Not an enviable task

   Yeah, I can imagine. You probably needed a magnifying glass. I hope you also used gloves and were gentle, a mouse's parts are very delicate.

1. 
   DanH | Dec 22, 2006 12:36am | #15

   Yeah, my mouse had a dead battery earlier today, but stuck in a fresh V1agra and it perked right up.
   People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck

2. 
   Ozlander | Dec 22, 2006 07:52am | #17

   My mouse is female, cordless and re-excitable......

   Ozlander

10. 
    Scarecrow | Dec 22, 2006 08:00am | #18

    That was pretty cool.  I travel that way to visit my daughter in college, Corvallis is about 1.5 hrs south of me.  I'll have to find that mill and check it out sometime. 

     

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    http://www.drawingwithlight.smugmug.com