Sawmill Progress

Back in November we transported lots of ash logs off to a sawmill in Elizabethtown for milling into lumber. (Representing a notable change from previous log-to-lumber projects in the past when the entire process from stump to carpentry took place at Rosslyn, circumstances augured in favor of offsite processing this time.) Today I offer you an update on our sawmill progress.

Why the change?

We’ve elected to mill the logs offsite in order to 1) reduce the impact on the property while we’re trying to button up loose ends, and to 2) better align this scope of work with a new construction project that will [hopefully] take place on another property north of Rosslyn.

[…] Phil and Calvin spent today muscling logs onto their trucks with the brawn of an excavator (and the finesse of an adept operator), then hauling them to Elizabethtown where they will be milled by Roger Denton.

(Source: Logs Off to Sawmill)

Over the years we’ve contracted with sawyers equipped with portable sawmills (as well as compatible equipment and appetite) in order to eliminate over-road transport, reduce carbon footprint, and exercise start-to-finish oversight.

This stump-to-lumber challenge has been a fascinating and rewarding experience, and it’s soothed my yen to own and operate a woodmizer in order to process my own wood. An impractical daydream, I know. But if you spend even a few hours shadowing a skilled sawyer while s/he transforms rough logs into beautifully dimensioned lumber, you might understand my fascination. But I’ll reserve my perhaps peculiar curiosity about sawmilling for another day, another apost. 

For now, a quick update on the logs that Roger Denton has been milling into boards. Here is my exchange with Pam yesterday. 

Pam: Everything, so far, has been sawed at 5/4”. Roger said there are about 10 logs left. Do you want anything different or keep with the 5/4”?

Me: 5/4” is perfect. And those boards look super!

Pam: Also would like to see if Calvin might be available to start hauling it back to Rosslyn before the piles get much bigger.

Me: Asking Calvin to haul the material is a great idea, but… when we bring lumber back, it’s not coming to Rosslyn…

We will be transporting the newly milled lumber to another site, another project, another story for another day. More soon!