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Sawdust Bug,was this the begining?

Started by Rockn H, April 17, 2005, 02:14:43 AM

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Rockn H

These are from a Foley/Belsaw news bulletin from May 1982.  It's advertised as being the only one-man portable sawmill of its kind in the world.  Does that mean it was the first portable?  If anyone has any more of these old sell ads I'd love to see'em.







Tom

That was originally a family-owned business and the family bought it back from Belsaw.  It is now "Timber King".  See the Sponsor Link on the left side of the page.

If you click on the "About Us" button at the top of their webpage, you can read the company story. :)

Rockn H

Thanks Tom, good info.  I've read that before don't know why it didn't click.  So I guess this model was the first portable mill?

Tom

They are one of the few that I've ever heard lay claim to the "first Portable"  mill.

In the 1800's, the woods were full of portable mills around here.  They continured through the 1900's in one capacity or another.  I don't know if they were "sold" as portable but they were setup in the swamps and pine forests and moved as the wood was cut.   I think that the claim of "First Portable" could be challenged but it still makes a good story. :)

DanG

That's a neat old ad. 8)  It claims to be the "ONLY" portable, but adds the disclaimer, "of its kind."  It probably was the only portable, one-man conventional circular sawmill, at that time.  It wasn't the only portable, though.  The Mobile Dimension Saw has been around since the fifties, and I'm sure the bandmills were around in '82.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Jeff

By no means were they close to being the first portable, but maybe they were the first to use the term  to market, I dont know. THere are many many references to portable mills in liturature dating back to even the late 1800s.  

Here is one I have handy. A quote from the first paragraph of the book "Lumberjack" written by Stephen W. Meader in 1935.  Remember this was written in 1935 and refers to a date 25 years ealier.

Foreward

Twenty-five years ago, when I was growing up in New Hampshire, my father owned a portable sawmill, operating in near-by counties and across the line in Maine. Among my most enjoyable memories are thoe weeks I spent with him in camp-- driving up behind a fast trotter--sleeping in a shanty on wheels--eating with the lumberjacks--helping the teamsters with the their sure-footed woods-horses.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Jeff

From the book:

Lumber: Its Manufacture and Distribution

BY Ralph Clement Bryant. F.E., M.A.
Yale University
1922


Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

isawlogs

  Thanks for tha picture Jeff ... I did not know of a horizontal band saw of that age ....    8) . Do you know if that book is still available somewhere .....  ???
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Rockn H

Thats some great pics and info Jeff.  I can't get enough of this kind of stuff. ;D I like seeing and hearing how it used to be done.

etat

When I was real little we went somewhere  pulling our horses and horse trailer.  When we got to where we were going we  rode in the woods to look at what was left of a old steam powered sawmill.  I remember the blade and lots of the stuff was gone or had been scavanged through but there was still the remains of a great big ole boiler and other assorted big pieces of steel.  

Mostly what I remember though was that huge rusting out boiler and I was mad cause somebody had done taken the steam whistle.  (I guess i had in mind I wanted to do the same thing myself)  :)

I don't have any idea if it was portable or not but they would of have had to get it in them woods somehow.  :)
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

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