Sawmill educational workshop display items needed.

[cantcutter]

I am doing a workshop in October at a green living expo. I am setting up and operating my sawmill and the educational focus is to show people the value of their own trees when using a sawmill service. I am displaying a shed that I built from my own lumber and am looking for other examples of items made from home sawn lumber. I not sure if I am allowed to advertise but if anybody has any small items, furnature, hand tools, crafts, etc that I can have as a display items I will attach your name to the item and discretely hand out your business card to anybody showing an intrest. I am also planning on putting together a photo album of items if you have pictures you would like included.
Please email me at cantcutter@gmail.com with a discription of your item or attach your pictures.

We will also be handing out links to this find a sawyer page if anybody wants to place themselves on the list http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks/viewtopic.php?t=8

thanks: Brad

[Tom]

This forum has a "Find-a-sawyer and Forester page too.
See the link on the top right hand corner?   https://forestryforum.com/datasearch.html

Maybe you could pass out some links for The ForestryForum and its Find a Forester or Sawyer too, while you are there.

[cantcutter]

Can do.... I didn't know it was here....Thanks Tom

Also; from looking at your website I know you like the education side of the industry.....do you have any suggestions for the workshop?

[Tom]

I would display things that can't be bought in a lumber yard.  16" wide boards, high figure hardwoods, vertical and flat grained boards with descriptions of where they are used,... stuff like that.  Have a wide selection of products that can be produced by a custom sawyer, like 4, 6 or 8 sided posts.  2x4's, 2x6's, 1x6's, 1x8's.  Maybe set up a run of fence

I would also touch on land prep, planting and harvesting of both softwoods and hardwoods, talking down the eco-freaks high points of criticism.  They always talk about the detriment of clear cuts, tree plantations, mono-cultures, etc. 

You will need to be prepared to be confronted on "Old Growth".  a definition that they use with no definition.  Be prepared to talk about softwood and hardwood differences and the differences of their forests.

Know your woods and trees even if you need to have a library of books there.  Matter of fact, some interesting books on wood, layed out on a table might be interesting too.

Know something about building, even if it is cursory.  Identify some buzz words so that you will know what they are talking about if they try to trip you up, Balloon framing, stick framing, short-wood cabins, log joinery and some of the common terms of timber framing.  Always be prepared to say "I don't know".  Don't BS anybody, they will find you out.

Beef yourself up on common insect damages.  Be able to identify a conversation on herbicides, insecticides and some of the home remedy lumber protection solutions.

Go to your county forester and try to get some posters showing loggers at work, chemicals being applied and trees planted.  Invite him to sit at your display with your.

Be sure that you don't dress as a common laborer.  Foresters, sawyers and loggers wear ties too. :D  You might venture into plaid shirts, dungarees and boots too if the situation permits.

Be sure that you are verbal, friendly and direct a lot of attention to the kids, even the really little ones.

Our timber framing Moderator, Jim, has a list of tools that he sells.  Many are antiques.  He may not mind if you print off some pictures of them from the forum to display, along with their uses.   Not for sale, but for identification.

The Forestry Forum is full of information about tools, growing trees, harvesting trees, sawing lumber and building buildings.  Don't be afraid to point people here. You know it is a Family Oriented site and the Children are welcome as are their teachers.  Many have used this site for lesson plans and homework.

Some of the new members may not have been involved with or seen the students that attend here, but, at times, there are many.  That is one reason there are such tight controls on language and subject matter.

Have something that you can hand out.  Kids and adults alike are happy if given something.  Your Division of Forestry might have handouts but you can make them too.  Cut thin rounds (cookies) of any size from 3" to 12" and hand them out.  They are Tuits.  (get 'round tuit)  It' a joke that you might have to explain to some, but it will make them remember your display.   Go prepared. Have several hundred.

Cut short pieces of tongue and groove to give to the kids.  They will spend the day putting them together and taking them apart.  All you need is 2" or 3" pieces of varying sized T@G.

Get some sticks or toothpicks and put on a table with a container of glue.  Let the kids build log cabins.  They can put on one log or build a whole cabin. You might have to start a few to get some interest.

Lay out a handsaw and let the kids saw a board.  Something that they won't get hurt doing.  No hammers and nails.

Have fun and stay active.  Don't sit down and look bored.   If you are having fun, they will too.

If you set up a computer for your display, tune it to The Forestry Forum.

[Ironwood]

Tom, take a breath, WOW that's alot. Perhaps you should go along and be the "front man" ;D

Don't forget about using "proper" wood for the job, like locust, osage, or white oak  instead of "treated"

               Ironwood

[thecfarm]

How about cutting into a log a few times to show how little is lost by the blade.Just cut it off about a foot.I suppose you have a bandsaw?Have differant types of wood sawn and in short logs,about 2 feet long.Have the type on the bottom to make people guess what kind.Have any metal in trees,logs,lumber to show people what happens to metal.
Bring rope with you to keep people back away from your saw when it is running.Don't except any help when it is running.You have alot of time to get ready.Brings scraps of wood with you to weigh down any papers you have out to keep them from blowing away.

[cantcutter]

A lot of good points to think over. They are going to make me shield the mill, I suggested rope, but they want actual walls of plexi or hardware cloth.... I can probably do the hardware cloth screens, but the plexi would cost too much. I was thinking about getting a cedar log and sawin it out then sticking it back together; maybe using magnets to hold it. I was also thinking about seeing if a local tree service can get me a high profile tree to turn into something for display..... We get those trees around town that get taken down and any local knows which one you mean when you say the one that was on such and such place.

[Dan_Shade]

if demoing the saw is too much hassle, use some multimedia: videos and pictures showing you operate your mill off site.