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Water powered mill

Started by florida, September 26, 2012, 03:27:45 PM

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florida

Great old video of Ben's Mill in Vermont. Fantastic place and he makes it all look so easy. Not many like him around these days although I'm sure if there are any they're posting on the Forestry Forum

http://www.folkstreams.net/film,187
General contractor and carpenter for 50 years.
Retired now!

fishpharmer

florida, thanks for posting the link.  I watched the whole video and it's about an hour long.  It took me a while to figure out what was being said :D.  After a while I was understanding Vermontese right well.  ;D 

Video was very interesting, Ben Thresher, (the guy who ran/owned the mill in the video) had a lot of knowledge and skill.  Ben made several items during the video, a wooden water tub as well as an Ash (species) heavy sleigh pulled by draft horses, he really made it look easy.  Not only was he a woodworker and blacksmith, he had to keep all those old machines maintained and running, not many of his type left (that I am aware of).  After, I researched his name and sadly learned he had an "untimely death" in 1995.  The mill is now a living history museum.   It wouldn't surprise me if some FF member knew him or heard of him.  Anyone?

Another interesting aspect to me was how his customer said he didn't charge much.  Guess his electric bill was very low. 8)
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

york

Thanks,and this vid is worth watching-men like Ben are what built America...
albert
Albert

JohnG28

That was a great video florida, thanks for posting it.
Stihl MS361, 460 & 200T, Jonsered 490, Jonsereds 90, Husky 350 & 142, Homelite XL and Super XL

fishpharmer

More research disturbingly revealed that Ben Thresher had passed away after being hit by a car while walking to the mill.  His video is a treasure.

Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

florida

if I can make a shameless plug for the Forestry Forum and all you guys who post here. I'm a builder, not a miller or logger but the reason I've read FF  so long is because most of you guys sound like Ben Thresher types to me. It has been people who work with their hands that have made America a great country. if all the stockbrokers disappeared tomorrow we'd survive. if all the farmers, loggers, mechanics, carpenters, etc. disappeared we'd big in big trouble. I think the combined knowledge here could put a steam powered, wooden  rocket on the moon!
General contractor and carpenter for 50 years.
Retired now!

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: florida on September 28, 2012, 02:33:19 PM
I think the combined knowledge here could put a steam powered, wooden  rocket on the moon!

Now you've started something.  :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Clam77

I'd like to see that!!     :D  :D

Andy

Stihl 009, 028, 038, 041, MS362
Mac 1-40, 3-25

Woodchuck53

Thank you Florida. That was interesting to watch and between his speech and my hearing a real challange. That fellow is some tough.
My dads father had a small farm and all his tools and equipment was made and maintained about 2 miles from where I live now. He bought the first Johnny Pop JD tractor in our part of the country. He had his own smoke house and a black smith shop. Sadly the place passed on to people that didn't use it and take care of it. I have managed to get some of the tools over the years. Still trying to find a 10" cross cut saw that had been made for the Tupelo Gum being cut for veneer at that time.

Thanks again.
Case 1030 w/ Ford FEL, NH 3930 w/Ford FEL, Ford 801 backhoe/loader, TMC 4000# forklift, Stihl 090G-60" bar, 039AV, and 038, Corley 52" circle saw, 15" AMT planer Corley edger, F-350 1 ton, Ford 8000, 20' deck for loader and hauling, F-800 40' bucket truck, C60 Chevy 6 yd. dump truck.

shelbycharger400

I liked that movie !
That fork for movin sod works very well!!
He (ben) reminds me of my buddys dad, tho he is in his 50's,  same talk, mentality and shuffle , and can fix just about anything.  ..lol   

What really makes my mind run, is whom here is now going to build a sled like that .

beenthere

QuoteWhat really makes my mind run, is whom here is now going to build a sled like that .
:D

Or whom here would use a sled like that? ;)

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

fishpharmer

 :D  when I watched the sled build, the first person I thought of was isawlogs, not because I have trouble understanding him ;). It was the pics of his horses, snow and mostly it reminded me of pics of his dad's snow logging sled he had posted.  Neat stuff 8)
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Hilltop366

Great movie, I had seen it before but enjoyed watching it again.

Lots of other interesting looking titles to watch, I book marked the page for future viewing.

shelbycharger400

MY mind was thinking,
They dont call them shoe bolts anymore,  something real close is called a plow bolt.
11 bux a pop for a 6 in.  Id build a fire and a plate with a hole in it and wack them carrage bolt heads flat too, Or jig them in buddys bridgeport.

SwampDonkey

People still use horses and sleds for wood hauling around here. Not many and getting sparse, but they do. Not that many years ago my uncle was still hauling firewood with a sled off the hills. Here at home I remember dad horse yarding and sledding wood in the 70's. I'm 20 years younger than most of you guys even though my stats to the left say otherwise. ;D ;)

More worrisome to me than horse yarding is meeting the neighbor with a twitch of hardwood firewood logs behind his tractor he is yarding 3 miles down the paved road, and getting away with it. Some guys are intellectively challenged, while others look away. ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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