From: Don Bowen KI6DIU <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>
To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Homestead] Portable saw mill
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:51:09 -0700
My grandfather put his steam engine on a sawmill when it was not working
the thresher and hammer mill. His father ran a horse powered sweep on a
mill. My uncle ran a mill with an IHC 15-30. In the mid 50s he took the
mill and mounted it on the back of a truck. It was an International KB
series. The frame was extended to 50 feet and the mill and carriage were
mounted on the back. He used the truck drive shaft to get power to the
mill. He could move to a small stand and cut and stack saving a lot of
money and handling. I worked as off bearer on that thing many times. His
son tells me that it still exists but so far has not taken me there.
I keep thinking it was a Frick but memory has been proven wrong many
times. It is all cast double blade and again I cannot remember the
sizes. He cut a lot of bridge lumber, at one time having the country
contract. He was one that looked like he barely moved but few could keep
up with him as every movement accomplished something.
One thing he did was come onto a lot and pull out the good lumber and pulp
wood. The pulp wood went to Fort Madison and the good lumber went through
the mill to be stickered and stacked. Any thing good enough for barrel
staves was split and sold. Then the next year of so would come back and
build a bard or house. I worked for him a lot and he taught me a lot
about logging and carpentry.
One strong memory I have is eating lunch then him sitting down with his
pipe and file and touching up and inspecting every tooth. Any tooth with
even a small problem that could not be touched up with a file was
replaced. Since then I have watched many sawmills at shows and few had
that singing sound his blade did. One exception was a portable double
bladed mill in use at the Old Threshers in Mt Pleasant Iowa. The sawer was
an 89 y.o. gentleman that reminded me of my uncle. He ran circles around
his crew, all appeared to be his sons and grandsons. He knew my uncle and
I spent a really pleasant hour talking to him about my experiences.