I think it belongs exactly where it is. Made and produced by the same guy sharing the knowledge on his own channel. PBS has gone down the route of politicizing their media to appeal to the left wing, same as NPR. They both started out with good intentions, but they are now just another left wing mouthpiece. The very same people I might add that killed the profitable industries in the PNW.
Appreciate your videos. My father run his own portable sawmill cutting railway sleepers here in Australia. He lost his best mate and business partner to a tree felling incident. My father found him and drove him 60 mile back into town (no phones in them days) My father passed away at 43 when I was 14. I'm 43 now. I used to love going to work with him on the weekends. Working with the boys, they all treated me like a man. Dad used to hand out the pays, cash in a envelope on Saturday morning and I'd get my pay. It was awesome. My mother sold the business as I was to young to run it and she couldn't. I miss the smell, the sounds, the laughter, the sweat, the swearing, the danger and my dad. Thanks.
Jamie: Your story hit a cord with me. In my younger days I worked for my best friend Bill at his logging and sawmill operation. We cheated death many times and lived to tell about it. I’m sorry that your dad lost his mate and that your dad passed at such a young age. In our day we cut a lot of pit ties and blocking for the coal mines around here. We’d log after we got done with our day jobs and haul the logs back to the mill every night. On Saturdays, Bill’s dad (Pap was in his late seventies then), would help us saw out all the logs we cut throughout the week. Pap keep pace with us, off-bearing pit ties like he was still a teenager. Later, Bill’s son got old enough to help us out. After we got done sawing we would go to a local diner for a late lunch and eat like lumberjacks! Pap has been gone for nearly 20 years now and his grandson has grown up and moved down south to pursue his career. Bill and I are old now and just talk about what we used to do. We still have our chainsaws and get them out every once in a while to cut down a few trees and pretend we are still in our 20s and have the rest of our lives before us. Of course it takes a few days now to recover from a half day cutting firewood. Aging hasn’t been good to either of us. We both lived good lives and provided for our families. Now, we have less time left than we like to admit, but we sure had a good run of it. Thanks for letting me tell my tale. I miss the old days. God bless. Cheers, Whipple
@@keithcurrams Thank for asking Keith but I am afraid that kind of technology is far beyond my capability. I just learned how to get the time stamp to stop flashing on my VCR player! 👍 Whipple
I'm sorry for your loss jamie r, but it is good that you had your father around long enough to develop fond memories and, I do not doubt, some good ethics. I'm 72 now, and I still miss both of my parents. Dad's been gone twenty-one years now; my mother lived another seventeen and she cried over his passing every day of those widowed years. I can't speak for other countries and cultures, but I am thoroughly convinced that much of the societal problems we increasingly endure in the USA is due to fathers missing from too many homes and youth who have no one to instill in them the value and dignity of work and acquiring skills instead of just money (by whatever means it seems).
The sound of a big blade cutting through a log like that, brings back memories of working in my dad's sawmill. And every once in a while with a 1 1/4" blade my bandsaw makes exactly that sound. Brings back memories every time. Good memories now, but I didn't enjoy the work at the time.
Me watching every other EC video: "There is no way this guy has always been _this badass_ his whole life. I need to see what he used to be like!" Essential Craftsman: "Hold my chainsaw... " Hahaha
I think I noted the term "badass" or "bad-ass" when I heard Gerard Butler make comments in the special features of "300." Most of my life I've fought to avoid swearing, cursing, cussing: never sounded right coming out of my mouth. Odd thing: as a child, I felt more uncomfortable saying "stupid" than I did "jackass." That's true. When I got older, I learned why. First, I learned that when I threw out insults, they tended to boomerang and I found myself as wanting as the person I criticized. Second, I learned that calling someone "stupid" is equivalent to calling someone a fool. The Bible warns against that. Back to "bad-ass." I don't use it much, but I can sure relate to what it conveys.That man, Scott Wadsworth, has been that way all his life I can see. So he has lived the kind of life that would bring him into contact with men like Cyril Swan and the sawmill operator featured in this video whose name escapes me now. Scott's drive has been more than about feeding his family and keeping the "Wolf" at bay. This man exudes an integrity and a hunger for excellence that would drive him even if he lived in the woods by himself. Thanks for your comment. It takes one to know one....
The definition of "bad-ass" is building your own Saw-mill at 22 years of age...At 22 I was high as a kite, working in kitchens cooking...Jesus lord this dude is impressive
I love how you respect the past but you embrace the future and the development of technology. Thank you for your videos and the motivation they provide
Interesting story and nice video. My father attempted to make a circular saw mill back in the late 70's, powered by a 74 Comet off the back axle. Never did see any wood go through it, though.
Wow-what an inspiration. In these troubled times when it seems like America (and the World) are coming apart at the seems, your videos are just what the doctor ordered to remind us all of what made the good 'ol USA great in the first place, and what we ALL should (and COULD) aspire to, and instead of fighting what can be accomplished by a little co-operation and inspiration. Thanks again sir!
. Wow! This one of my favorite posts of Scott's. His early life echoes mine in several respects. He was out west, I grew up in western, PA. Construction, sawmilling, working in mines, at steel mills and welding. A hard life but it made a man out of me. Cheers! Whipple
I really enjoyed this video, I spent 22 years building portable sawmills for Mobile Mfg Co. I really learned most of my base knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, and seat of your pants engineering from the older guys who worked there! The smell of fresh cut lumber still makes me smile!
"If you're looking at this video and thinking that mill looks dangerous, you're right. And I was aware of that, but I had a family to feed, I had work to do, I had a dream about making money with this thing, and I was careful." This is such an inspiring display of true manhood. Not arrogant bravado, not foolishly doing dangerous things just for the sake of it, rather working hard, enduring even when it's hard, and above all, bearing sacrificial responsibility for those who depend on you. I pray I can be half the man and enjoy half the fullness of life you seemingly are and have. God bless.
what a time to be alive, man i woulda enjoyed being around then, hard work got you where you needed to go and you lived a simple life, I'm only 16 and i would have really enjoyed being there. you didn't have all these safety precautions you did whatever it took to get the job done and it worked, i really enjoyed the video you have a wonderful chanel and I've been hooked on it for quite some time. Thank you kindly for putting out videos like these and all the other videos you remind me of my grandfather only he worked in alberta drilling oil wells for most of his life. he's 86 now and just listening to his stories and his good memories make me think back to a different kind of life. thank you so much for your videos they truly mean a lot especially when knowledge gets passed down especially the kind that has fallen by the wayside. Ryan
i don`t usually comment on videos but i just spent the last hour or 2 watching all your videos and they are amazing. I'm currently in school working towards an apprenticeship in Millwright and your videos are just awesome. Anyone how gets to spend any amount of time working with you is a lucky person. Keep making amazing content and inspiring young folks like me to learn trades and to never forget the old techniques. Great job!
My dad started his sawmill company around when I was born (21 years ago) and did most of the work himself. 14-20 hour days usually of work, had to raise 3 kids alone, couldn’t afford employees. Sadly he couldn’t keep up with the bills so he sold almost of his dreams including the entire warehouse he built by hand with the lumber from the mill. But I’m grateful for the memories sitting by my dad, band saw-ing through lumber and teaching me how to operate the controls at 5 years old, how to drive the giant diesel forklift! What I’d do to help him start it back up. Thank you for posting this, it reminded me of my dad and grandpa.
This video damn near made me tear up. If there was a person who should live forever it would be you. Actually, you are living through a legacy that will never die. Definitely what every man and woman should aspire to have. I wish there was a word to describe what this video shows. Heart, dedication, dreams, appreciate for knowledge passed through generations that is timeless. In a world where our youth is pressed into over priced often pointless education, these qualities are under valued and looked down upon. These qualities are what matters more than money and fame and achievements. You are one of the wealthiest men i've come to see.
I love edjumacation, as much a manual labor, but damn this guy is the best of both. He's always using interesting words and *damn* he speaks so honestly.. I can't take it. I wanna be him!
Seems the older we age the more we aspire to be like those two generations before us. When men were made of steel and boats were made of wood. Sam was a real man. Thanks for sharing this content.
Thank you, That video burned right to my soul. When I was young, I worked in a circular saw mill that later burned to the ground. I was devastated when I showed up at work, only to find a loader cleaning up the pile of ashes.
1986 - When America was still sane and respected by her allies. Guys like the E.C. are a national treasure. He stands for something we should all admire.... and strive for. Thanks for sharing your life with all who watch your vids, brutha. God bless you and yours.
You should start a podcast. You sir have seemingly endless knowledge and one hell of a voice, you’re not only an excellent craftsman but an excellent teacher as well.
Great video. This is the first time I've heard anyone properly talking about the characteristics of the saw. I grew up in east Tennessee in the 60's. On the farm we operated a 00 Frick SawMill that we powered with a 1949 Model "R" John Deer. This was John Deer's first diesel engine on a farm tractor. As I remember it had about 50 hp on the drive pulley and was a lot better on fuel than a 60 John Deer that we used sometimes. Prior to my work around this family mill it had been powered first by a Frick Steam engine and later they would line up two "A" John Deer's and pull the mill. The mill had a four block carriage, a sawdust chain to remove sawdust from the pit under the saw, an edger and a 52" saw. Every day after lunch Grandpa would file and reshape the saw teeth. Three of us, Grandpa, Dad and myself would saw around 250,000 bd. ft. throughout the year, and in our spare time operate the farm, raise cows and tobacco.
Wow...thanks... your Grampa (family) had an intimate understanding of these skills! Do you remember if he hammered the saw himself, or took it to a shop? Sam hammered saws, but was too old and not strong enough to teach me. My saw was a 50", which means that the blade on your families mill was even more sensitive and sometimes tempermental than mine! Do you have any pictures?
Grandpa bought his saw bits and rings from an industrial shop in Knoxville. That includes things like cane hooks, flat belts, bearings, and other misc. items. This was the second saw that was used on the mill. Back in the 40's the front carriage wheels got off track because they had a log that was too big to roll by hand onto the carriage. They had used a long chain and wrapped a loop around the log. That way they could pull the chain with a tractor from the far side and that would roll the log up the skids and onto the head blocks. The log was about 20' long too and I don't know whether they knocked the carriage off track or the extra length of the log kinda twisted the carriage off. Anyway the front block went ring deep into the saw and ruined the several of the ring shoulders and was never repaired. Grandpa told me about the how the second saw was hammered when it was made but that was about all he said about it. When the saw would start to cut wrong he would squirt some oil on the saw to finish the log or to get us to a good stopping time. He would basically sharpen and swage the teeth to bring it back like it was supposed to be. The head frame did have "guide blocks" but you couldn't put much pressure on the saw with that because it would heat up out where the teeth were AND he said the body of the saw would heat up because with lots of pressure from the guide the saw was constantly flexing! Grandpa was just a master at filing and shaping the saw teeth. We almost never had heat issues. The main reason the teeth dulled was that the logs were drug through the ground and all the dirt and gravel got buried into the bark.
Scott Wadsworth One other thing, I do have some 8mm movies that I converted to digital. I have it on google drive right now. I need to edit it because the sawmill footage is mixed up with a bunch of other family home movie stuff. Tell you what, I'll try to move it to my youtube channel and when I do that I'll let you know.
I had the opportunity to take your quick survey and responded with some thoughts that were not fully developed. I want to take a further shot at putting into words what might be called your unique selling proposition to an audience like me. This film of the sawmill captures the essence of what you bring. I have been blessed to have known and been mentored by men of experience. Men who have by their nature walked in multiple worlds. These are accomplished men who are quietly holding up the pillars of their communities. These are men you can trust, who have a patina from their life's journey that exudes humility. This humility draws others to them as sources of strength. The videos you produce exude character. There are unlimited fixit videos, blacksmith videos, man project videos on TH-cam, but sadly as in life they are just that. Interesting but empty of life lessons. Your videos allows us to glean wisdom from your journey. An opportunity to not only see an interesting fact or project, but also to see the journey of a mans life, an example for us to reflect on our own journey and aspire to be a better man. Thank you. Please keep the gift of story telling coming.
Brings back memories of sawing wood for our place on a century old circular saw mill. He could saw faster than I could pile. A lost generation of doers.
Very cool! I happen to be 22 years old, I just bought a mill back in august. Im lucky enough to have a mentor by my side, my dad has been in the mills since the mid 1970s. Its old, but all the hard parts are there. Currently working on getting the inline 6 caterpillar diesel back up and running.
I plan on making videos, going to Portland Oregon tomorrow to pick up the cylinder heads for the engine. That itself is probably the newest piece of equipment, and it is from the mid 1930's. So definitely vintage. Should be really cool to see going.
I am 37 years old and I was raised in the mountains of Colorado my dad taught me how to plumb on a home how to work with wood how to saw how to drill almost anything he could fix and I am proud to say you remind me of my dad and during that time is when man were man and work was work so thank you for taking me back to such great memories I will be forever grateful to you my dad died two years ago this January and we love the same stuff and so does my boys thank you again
wow, that pulled on my heart string. I to built a 54" mill powered by a chevy 6 with a foot throttle and sound to govern the rim speed. Using scrap steel, copying a Belsaw mill in the early 80's and never did get that blade hammered correctly. I still smile every time I look at my shop rafters and see the wave pattern cut in each board.
The 9 people who disliked this video must have their heads shoved somewhere you wouldn't want them if you were alive and living on this planet.My father-in-law ran a mill like that on his farm.I still have some of the replacement teeth for the saw.This is pure gold as a video,particularly as it depicts your family history.Beautiful story.
Any time I catch myself in doubt I remind myself "greater men have done much more, with much less" and get back to work. I love how much you respect the forefathers of your craft.
Absolutely love it! Thank you for sharing this. It brings back memories of working on a somewhat similar but larger, fixed sawmill in the Yukon Territory back in the '70s. That one had two gang saws, a beehive burner, and a chain to feed waste to the burner. We also had a planer in a separate shed. Mostly, I was the tailer, but I also learned to stack lumber, quickly, neatly, with economy of effort and use of leverage. I also learned to work as part of a team and found the satisfaction that brings, especially when the sawyer, like the conductor of an orchestra, sets the tempo and everyone else falls into a productive rhythm with him. One day some waste wood got the chain stuck way up the chute a few feet from the end, where the discarded materials fell over into the fiery burner below. That brought production to a halt, and the sawyer disengaged the chain. It was my job to climb up there, clear out the blocking wood and free up the chain when that happened. It was a little nervy reefing on slabs of waste in the narrow chute with the fire directly below and no side rails. Just as I cleared the last piece and started to turn around to climb back down to safety, a college student working at the mill for the summer decided to reengage the chain. I lost my balance briefly but managed not to fall into the fire. I also came close to losing my temper at the person who failed to use his brain. Interestingly, he didn't understand why I was upset with him after I got down. But he never did that again. As they say, live and learn. Of course, a "learning experience" is not much use to you if you don't survive it. Those were good days, even if challenging - maybe because they were challenging. You have a great channel - thank you! And thanks for causing memories to resurface.
I was blessed with a wonderful, level-headed but adventurous wife, who lived as a child in Wyoming. She consumed the Little House books when she was young, so she wanted to try living in the wild north country and was willing to move there with me, even though our daughter was only six months old when we got our chance. We built our own cabin and had many interesting experiences in the few years we were up there. A couple of decades and a lot of saving after we left the Yukon, we acquired a farm in Minnesota. Unfortunately, my precious wife passed away ten years and nine months ago, suddenly, unexpectedly. The farm and I are still here, and I am very grateful to continue to farm it, but there's a gaping void in the heart - my heart and the farm's. A worthy wife is a great treasure. Thank you for complimenting my writing. I have written many technical reports and articles over the years, but I've published none of my prose or poetry or songs. They always seemed too personal. However, a number of friends have suggested I do so. Perhaps, someday. Thank you for the encouragement. I am so glad I found your channel. I keep learning so many new things about some of my favorite tools. Thank you for sharing your passion, knowledge, and experiences.
I am so glad you still have your wife, the sweetheart of your youth, and cherish her. She sounds like a great treasure to you and your family. It is impossible to treat wives too well or love them too much. I shared that conviction once with a friend, but he told me he worried he loved his wife too much, perhaps more than God. I assured him the cure for that was not to love his wife less but to love God more. We have been greatly blessed with our wives. It is a great honor, privilege, and responsibility to be husband to a daughter of the King. Some time after my wife’s passing, our church offered a course on grieving. Some of the most simple but useful things they taught were that it’s OK to grieve and everyone grieves differently. I thought the pain would diminish with time, but it seems not to. I cope by focusing on other things most of the time and choosing to be grateful for what I have and have had. But simple things bring the flash of memories and with them fresh waves of unbidden grief. Like a star orbiting a black hole, I try to avoid thinking about the dense void and dwell instead on present blessings. Usually that helps. As a child, I loved reading about the “olden days” and listening to my parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents talk about their youth and everyday lives and farming and the weather. Even at five, I would grab a few of my uncles’ comic books from the stacks in their closet, infiltrate secretly from the hall into the living room and hide behind my grandfather’s easy chair, which was conveniently located by the door to the hall. I loved just to be near him and listen to the adults talk as I browsed the graphics. I’m sure he knew I was back there, but he never betrayed me. Eventually someone would spot me and flush me outside to play, but I always watched for another opportunity to creep back to my place of learning, my time machine. I am thankful for those times; Grandpa passed before I turned six. Soon after, they had to sell the farm, and Grandma moved to a small rental unit in an older house in town. Even at that age, I felt losing the farm was such a great tragedy. There should be at least one farm in every extended family. Today, as I pondered your friendly admonition to write, it occurred to me that from the perspective of someone growing up these days immersed in social media and perpetually connected to the Internet, I myself might be viewed as having grown up in the “olden days,” strange as that thought might seem to my contemporaries. People actually sat down together for extended periods and enjoyed talking face to face, without being distracted by electronics. Husbands and wives mostly were devoted to each other and their children and relatives and watched out for their neighbors, whom they took time to know. It’s a different world now. Perhaps some of my grandchildren would be as fascinated with the world I lived in as I was with my grandparents’. Perhaps I could write for them, the way I wish my grandparents had written for me, and then personal would be OK. Perhaps I could provide them with a virtual grandfather’s easy chair to hide behind and travel through time. Perhaps I could call to their mind's eye a tender grandmother in whose arms some of them never had the privilege of snuggling. Thank you for your encouragement. I will take your counsel to heart. You have inspired me.
You are very gracious. I was hoping you might be willing to read something I write as a result of your prompting. I hope that proves not too punishing a task for you. I've already started making notes. I think I will start with memories of my grandpa's farm. If you would like to see a very short story I put on Facebook back in June, you might try reading the third entry down, about the Home Invader. I have a number of other short accounts of things such as repairing fence in the snow and hauling bales of hay to the horses in near blizzard conditions. Those are scattered through the entries, so you probably don't have time to search for them. If interested, I could track down dates for you. There is also some poetry, although that's all probably years back. Feel free to friend me at facebook.com/Living.Stone.Farmer.
More people need to see this. Sam and yourself have a place in American history. Your entire channel will be downloaded and passed on in my family. Not for any money, but for heritage.
Seeing this perfectly didactic video series of yours, I can't but reflect on how effective it is to have a teacher who not only has knowledge but can present it clearly, shows how it's done and above all, who motivates by example, showing his own real life experiences and VALUES. In this way, even the most distracted pupil sits down and pays attention! My work mates and myself deeply appreciate your sharing of all this videos.
Growing up we had a similar mill powered by a Detroit diesel. My stepdad ran it by himself. He was such a kind person, he never forced me to help him at the mill. He always said "you'll have enough time to work, enjoy being a kid." Looking back I really missed out on alot of time with him. How fortunate you are to at least have your memories on film.
Just wondering 🤔! In that early years no TH-cam yet, but you managed to filmed and now you sharing it with us... thank you so much 😊!!! America the history 👏👍!!
I've never get tired of watching this video, and I have watched it many times now. It so reminds me of me, my father and his father, they were both master chain and anchor makers, and I learnt my craft from both of them. My other grandfather was a chain and anchor man too, he was one of the team that built the chain and anchors for the RMS Titanic. Many thanks, David in the U.K.
@@essentialcraftsman I was indeed born and bred in the heart of Black Country, and have lived here all my life. Dudley to Cradley Heath is my daily commute with Netherton in between which is where the Titanic anchors and chain were made.
Thank you for making and sharing this video. My family is from Venersborg, Washington and many of my relatives were lumberjacks. I loved seeing the historical pictures, reminds of where I grew up! I also enjoyed the background music, turns out he is from Battle Ground! Small world. I enjoy all your work, thank you for passing your knowledge along to us through your videos.
I read this comment and had to look up the history of Venersborg since it's also the name of a Swedish city (Vanersborg south of the sea Vanern) and that's wasn't a coincidence.
My father bought a sawmill like that for $200 in '76. It took us all summer to get it running. We had to replace the wood and iron tops of the rails. The solid blade was eventually replaced with a larger insert type blade like you have. A 54 inch blade required a pitch-out between 3/16" and a quarter inch. My father never could get it straight in his head that the saw blade cannot rub against the fixed face of the log but only on the board just cut. My brother would usually operated the levers while one of us helped get the log on the carriage then stacked the boards at the other end.
As a young carpenter devoted to mastering my craft. I really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. There is so much knowledge to be passed down from those who have walked the path before me. Thank you Mr. Essential Craftsman.
You, sir, are my hero! I have been on a slow trek of finding and learning skills just like these. I admire how you are passing them on. I can't imagine how happy I would be to know you, cy, sam, etc. Thank you for passing on this knowledge!
Your eloquence is just as well as any orator... I am always curious to know how certain people with outstanding skills like yourself go about solving specific problems when dealing with the things you deal with. For example, your task of building a sawmill... I was hoping you can walk us through your general thinking process. Thank you!
Trent, your comment about him walking us through his "thinking process" would be awesome. When You-tubers do that it transcends learning into understanding and at much higher levels. But, for the videos he produces, they are top-notch is so many ways!
Thank you for sharing your memories and a part of your history. I think I understand your meaning in "bittersweet memories" as I certainly have many of my own. I also agree completely on being grateful for the blessings of life!! regards vic
When I was just a young boy our neighbors had a stationary sawmill that closely resembled your portable setup. My dad would hook up the trailer to the tractor and we would go thru the woods to get a load of sawdust for the floor of the barn. I remember getting to play with rolling and trying to get the logs positioned on the infeed table, while my dad loaded the sawdust. This brings back those wonderful memories.
I absolutely love your channel! thank you so much for your advise, tips/tricks and experiences. Each and every single video is well planned out and the speech format is very well articulated. "Air Quotes" wow the last time I heard that was in my 5th grade. People just don't use them languages anymore but you. So, thank you !
I have much respect for the men who worked in early sawmills , my dad was one of them . He worked the winters in a sawmill when the logs were still hauled in by horse , and in the summer he worked road construction . Each job he worked six days a week , sun up to sun down to provide for his family . Younger generations have no idea what hard work is ....
You remind me of my Father. Over the years I have used just about every tool you display. My Dad's Dad was a Blacksmith. Thank you so much for sharing here. I love when something reminds me of them. It has made for a great life. I am 70 years old and still working with my hands and all of my fingers. God Bless you! Thank you again!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this video, made me a bit sad though. The thought of a very capable, intelligent man losing his ability to do the things I'm sure he enjoyed. It reminds me not to waste my productive years. That sawmill is something to be proud of and great job on this video in particular, though I enjoy all your videos.
I'm the proud new owner of a 50" circular, belt driven. We plan on starting logging next winter and the construction of our house the following spring and summer. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have men like yourself that not only still carry the baton of knowledge, but are willing to pass it. I'm a few years behind you and the generations behind me are in a very sore spot in history - wisdom wise.
Nice one! You are very inspiring. It’s blokes like you that inspire me to aim higher. It’s hard to be inspired these days but you have got the hard working touch.
Thank God for your son for making this video. I have rarely been so moved by a video as I was by this one. Thank God for Sam too. You have led a good, clean hardworking life and learned a lot. I can see it in this video, your voice and your hands. Thay you and your son
I am 28 years old, and I realized while watching your sawmill video that I am similar to you. I solo operate a Lucas Mill. I mill lumber from second growth doug fir that I fell. I use the lumber to teach myself carpentry and make things we need around the property. The more I work with my hands, the more I desire to learn the skills and hone my proficiency needed to become a craftsman. I guess I am at the beginning of a lifetime of learning and perfecting my craftsmanship.
In 1981, I had the honor to assist my uncle in operating a very similar rig in the UP of Michigan for two days - ON MY HONEYMOON (understanding new wife, right??) - powered by the PTO on a John Deere. We cut everything he had felled at the time (mostly beech and maple), some of which later became side planks and decking for several Conestoga wagons, which he built from scratch - including hand-forging all the nails. Great video, really brings back some precious memories.
I grew up around a sawmill. My dad ran sawmills from 1940 till 1980. I still own dad's last mill, a Fisher & Davis manufactured in St Louis Mo. Dad had had Corley's & Frick's, but said this Fisher & Davis was many times faster. From probably 12 or 13 till 25 I helped saw southern Illinois hardwoods. Dad built shipping materials (pallets, etc.) for dozens of companies. We could saw as many as 100 railroad ties a day. I chose dad's other profession, grain farmer for my career, but I treasure the hard work and knowledge of sawing lumber.
I'll give you a thumbs ups up for the video....but you're not really old enough to 'get-it' about this stuff............me, at 69, and my my brother at 67...barely have a clue.....and we've spent our lives cutting wood......
How you kept your arms, fingers, life, intact working around that mill is beyond me! as my daddy told me..."Take care of wood, they don't grow on trees, you know."
Scott Dejavue,Your video is priceless and encouraging.Spent 30 yrs in timber industry . Steam powered double cut carriage was very powerful. Spending my retirement planting trees to recoup all that were processed.
Great footage. My Dad worked in the woods and sawmills from the mid 1940's until around 1990. I built a little circle mill around 2005. Dad was nearly 80 years old and would visit for a day or 2. I had a few lodgepole logs around and would saw lumber while he smelled the sawdust. It made him have a gleam in his eyes of younger days. He is gone now. His legacy of build it if you can't buy it, and fix if it is broken passed down to me. My son is a 3rd generation Millwright and it is in his blood as well.
Your 4 years older than me , I know you had it rough running that saw , Housler sawmill started out with a V8 1941 , I first step foot in the Mill 1990 . Whyle had a mill Burn down in 1968 Lighting strike rebuilt and went Electric Hydraulic in 92 we set up a second saw side by side . Mr Housler just Turned 86 was at the mill every morning 6am till 5pm every day scaling logs and running saw 1 his son ran saw 2 I pulled 40,000 Linear foot of lumber a day I could fix anything that broke . are chipper had a 22 inch face the blowers at the saw could keep the dust away but still had to clean up everything that afternoon . Mr Housler past away 2004 One of the Best men I had ever worked for . he never cursed or drank but he loved to Hunt Fish and work . watching you Remind me of Him Thank you for adding the Video .
This belongs on PBS. It's a very enjoyable, well executed video. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this through. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely right. Great call.
I think it belongs exactly where it is. Made and produced by the same guy sharing the knowledge on his own channel. PBS has gone down the route of politicizing their media to appeal to the left wing, same as NPR. They both started out with good intentions, but they are now just another left wing mouthpiece.
The very same people I might add that killed the profitable industries in the PNW.
OPB. Oregon Story.
@ Clifton Green - This is the truth LOL. Well Said
Amazing storytelling. Thank you for sharing such an amazing piece of pnw history.
Appreciate your videos.
My father run his own portable sawmill cutting railway sleepers here in Australia. He lost his best mate and business partner to a tree felling incident. My father found him and drove him 60 mile back into town (no phones in them days)
My father passed away at 43 when I was 14. I'm 43 now. I used to love going to work with him on the weekends. Working with the boys, they all treated me like a man. Dad used to hand out the pays, cash in a envelope on Saturday morning and I'd get my pay. It was awesome.
My mother sold the business as I was to young to run it and she couldn't.
I miss the smell, the sounds, the laughter, the sweat, the swearing, the danger and my dad.
Thanks.
Jamie: Your story hit a cord with me. In my younger days I worked for my best friend Bill at his logging and sawmill operation. We cheated death many times and lived to tell about it. I’m sorry that your dad lost his mate and that your dad passed at such a young age.
In our day we cut a lot of pit ties and blocking for the coal mines around here. We’d log after we got done with our day jobs and haul the logs back to the mill every night. On Saturdays, Bill’s dad (Pap was in his late seventies then), would help us saw out all the logs we cut throughout the week. Pap keep pace with us, off-bearing pit ties like he was still a teenager. Later, Bill’s son got old enough to help us out. After we got done sawing we would go to a local diner for a late lunch and eat like lumberjacks! Pap has been gone for nearly 20 years now and his grandson has grown up and moved down south to pursue his career.
Bill and I are old now and just talk about what we used to do. We still have our chainsaws and get them out every once in a while to cut down a few trees and pretend we are still in our 20s and have the rest of our lives before us. Of course it takes a few days now to recover from a half day cutting firewood. Aging hasn’t been good to either of us.
We both lived good lives and provided for our families. Now, we have less time left than we like to admit, but we sure had a good run of it.
Thanks for letting me tell my tale. I miss the old days.
God bless.
Cheers,
Whipple
What a lovely story. I'm a woodworker and business owner. You just summed up my love for this. Bless you my friend!!
@@Whipple1 Would you put those stories down on video for us all to listen to?
@@keithcurrams Thank for asking Keith but I am afraid that kind of technology is far beyond my capability. I just learned how to get the time stamp to stop flashing on my VCR player! 👍
Whipple
I'm sorry for your loss jamie r, but it is good that you had your father around long enough to develop fond memories and, I do not doubt, some good ethics. I'm 72 now, and I still miss both of my parents. Dad's been gone twenty-one years now; my mother lived another seventeen and she cried over his passing every day of those widowed years.
I can't speak for other countries and cultures, but I am thoroughly convinced that much of the societal problems we increasingly endure in the USA is due to fathers missing from too many homes and youth who have no one to instill in them the value and dignity of work and acquiring skills instead of just money (by whatever means it seems).
The sound of a big blade cutting through a log like that, brings back memories of working in my dad's sawmill. And every once in a while with a 1 1/4" blade my bandsaw makes exactly that sound. Brings back memories every time. Good memories now, but I didn't enjoy the work at the time.
I grew up near a man who had made his own sawmill. It was powered by an 1970’s c10 Chevy, with a speed reducer attachment. He was a brilliant man!
Me watching every other EC video:
"There is no way this guy has always been _this badass_ his whole life. I need to see what he used to be like!"
Essential Craftsman:
"Hold my chainsaw... "
Hahaha
I think I noted the term "badass" or "bad-ass" when I heard Gerard Butler make comments in the special features of "300." Most of my life I've fought to avoid swearing, cursing, cussing: never sounded right coming out of my mouth.
Odd thing: as a child, I felt more uncomfortable saying "stupid" than I did "jackass." That's true. When I got older, I learned why. First, I learned that when I threw out insults, they tended to boomerang and I found myself as wanting as the person I criticized. Second, I learned that calling someone "stupid" is equivalent to calling someone a fool. The Bible warns against that.
Back to "bad-ass." I don't use it much, but I can sure relate to what it conveys.That man, Scott Wadsworth, has been that way all his life I can see. So he has lived the kind of life that would bring him into contact with men like Cyril Swan and the sawmill operator featured in this video whose name escapes me now. Scott's drive has been more than about feeding his family and keeping the "Wolf" at bay. This man exudes an integrity and a hunger for excellence that would drive him even if he lived in the woods by himself.
Thanks for your comment. It takes one to know one....
It's not badass it is doing what you have to do to provide for your family.
@@carson911 thats pretty badass in of itself
The definition of "bad-ass" is building your own Saw-mill at 22 years of age...At 22 I was high as a kite, working in kitchens cooking...Jesus lord this dude is impressive
Gotta Love this Throwback... when you're a child of the 80s and we see how previous genertions worked so skillfull & very hard to keep us Alive.
This is the best/most wholesome comment section in whole youtube.
The beauty of a life well spent is unsurpassable.
I love how you respect the past but you embrace the future and the development of technology. Thank you for your videos and the motivation they provide
Thanks for sharing that story. It was very special.
Interesting story and nice video.
My father attempted to make a circular saw mill back in the late 70's, powered by a 74 Comet off the back axle. Never did see any wood go through it, though.
John Heisz Hi John!!!! im a Big Fan of Yours! its kind of cool seeing your comment on another page im subscribed to. lol
This man has no fear of hard honest work. The country needs more men like this.
Wow-what an inspiration. In these troubled times when it seems like America (and the World) are coming apart at the seems, your videos are just what the doctor ordered to remind us all of what made the good 'ol USA great in the first place, and what we
ALL should (and COULD) aspire to, and instead of fighting what can be accomplished by a little co-operation and inspiration. Thanks again sir!
I agree with you completely
. Wow! This one of my favorite posts of Scott's. His early life echoes mine in several respects. He was out west, I grew up in western, PA. Construction, sawmilling, working in mines, at steel mills and welding. A hard life but it made a man out of me. Cheers! Whipple
Hear! Hear!
My sister-in-law's dad had a working sawmill back in the 1950's, 60's in the Finger Lakes of New York State.Your vid is beautiful.
Forget Bob Villa, you should have your own TV show.
amazing video. You are a great narrator. I loved this and will watch it again
I really enjoyed this video, I spent 22 years building portable sawmills for Mobile Mfg Co. I really learned most of my base knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, and seat of your pants engineering from the older guys who worked there! The smell of fresh cut lumber still makes me smile!
"If you're looking at this video and thinking that mill looks dangerous, you're right. And I was aware of that, but I had a family to feed, I had work to do, I had a dream about making money with this thing, and I was careful."
This is such an inspiring display of true manhood. Not arrogant bravado, not foolishly doing dangerous things just for the sake of it, rather working hard, enduring even when it's hard, and above all, bearing sacrificial responsibility for those who depend on you.
I pray I can be half the man and enjoy half the fullness of life you seemingly are and have. God bless.
what a time to be alive, man i woulda enjoyed being around then, hard work got you where you needed to go and you lived a simple life, I'm only 16 and i would have really enjoyed being there. you didn't have all these safety precautions you did whatever it took to get the job done and it worked, i really enjoyed the video you have a wonderful chanel and I've been hooked on it for quite some time.
Thank you kindly for putting out videos like these and all the other videos you remind me of my grandfather only he worked in alberta drilling oil wells for most of his life. he's 86 now and just listening to his stories and his good memories make me think back to a different kind of life. thank you so much for your videos they truly mean a lot especially when knowledge gets passed down especially the kind that has fallen by the wayside.
Ryan
Thank you Ryan!! You are gonna do great!!
Essential Craftsman I hope I do, you are very good at what you do and I learn a lot from you! Keep it up!
*So glad I found this Channel*,.....thanks for sharing!
You sir, are a teacher, storyteller, scholar, inventor, scientist, craftsman and a gentleman. I really, really, enjoy your videos. Thanks for that.
i don`t usually comment on videos but i just spent the last hour or 2 watching all your videos and they are amazing. I'm currently in school working towards an apprenticeship in Millwright and your videos are just awesome. Anyone how gets to spend any amount of time working with you is a lucky person. Keep making amazing content and inspiring young folks like me to learn trades and to never forget the old techniques. Great job!
My dad started his sawmill company around when I was born (21 years ago) and did most of the work himself. 14-20 hour days usually of work, had to raise 3 kids alone, couldn’t afford employees.
Sadly he couldn’t keep up with the bills so he sold almost of his dreams including the entire warehouse he built by hand with the lumber from the mill. But I’m grateful for the memories sitting by my dad, band saw-ing through lumber and teaching me how to operate the controls at 5 years old, how to drive the giant diesel forklift! What I’d do to help him start it back up.
Thank you for posting this, it reminded me of my dad and grandpa.
This video damn near made me tear up. If there was a person who should live forever it would be you. Actually, you are living through a legacy that will never die. Definitely what every man and woman should aspire to have. I wish there was a word to describe what this video shows. Heart, dedication, dreams, appreciate for knowledge passed through generations that is timeless. In a world where our youth is pressed into over priced often pointless education, these qualities are under valued and looked down upon. These qualities are what matters more than money and fame and achievements. You are one of the wealthiest men i've come to see.
Dito that x2
I love edjumacation, as much a manual labor, but damn this guy is the best of both. He's always using interesting words and *damn* he speaks so honestly.. I can't take it. I wanna be him!
i couldn't have said it better myself
@@casaMN lol right?
Seems the older we age the more we aspire to be like those two generations before us. When men were made of steel and boats were made of wood. Sam was a real man. Thanks for sharing this content.
Thank you, That video burned right to my soul. When I was young, I worked in a circular saw mill that later burned to the ground. I was devastated when I showed up at work, only to find a loader cleaning up the pile of ashes.
1986 - When America was still sane and respected by her allies. Guys like the E.C. are a national treasure. He stands for something we should all admire.... and strive for. Thanks for sharing your life with all who watch your vids, brutha. God bless you and yours.
Didn't know I would find a great Christian Indie band through this video.
Thanks!
You should start a podcast. You sir have seemingly endless knowledge and one hell of a voice, you’re not only an excellent craftsman but an excellent teacher as well.
They have a podcast!!! Search EC2
Great video. This is the first time I've heard anyone properly talking about the characteristics of the saw. I grew up in east Tennessee in the 60's. On the farm we operated a 00 Frick SawMill that we powered with a 1949 Model "R" John Deer. This was John Deer's first diesel engine on a farm tractor. As I remember it had about 50 hp on the drive pulley and was a lot better on fuel than a 60 John Deer that we used sometimes. Prior to my work around this family mill it had been powered first by a Frick Steam engine and later they would line up two "A" John Deer's and pull the mill.
The mill had a four block carriage, a sawdust chain to remove sawdust from the pit under the saw, an edger and a 52" saw. Every day after lunch Grandpa would file and reshape the saw teeth. Three of us, Grandpa, Dad and myself would saw around 250,000 bd. ft. throughout the year, and in our spare time operate the farm, raise cows and tobacco.
Wow...thanks... your Grampa (family)
had an intimate understanding of these skills! Do you remember if he hammered the saw himself, or took it to a shop? Sam hammered saws, but was too old and not strong enough to teach me. My saw was a 50", which means that the blade on your families mill was even more sensitive and sometimes tempermental than mine! Do you have any pictures?
Grandpa bought his saw bits and rings from an industrial shop in Knoxville. That includes things like cane hooks, flat belts, bearings, and other misc. items. This was the second saw that was used on the mill. Back in the 40's the front carriage wheels got off track because they had a log that was too big to roll by hand onto the carriage. They had used a long chain and wrapped a loop around the log. That way they could pull the chain with a tractor from the far side and that would roll the log up the skids and onto the head blocks. The log was about 20' long too and I don't know whether they knocked the carriage off track or the extra length of the log kinda twisted the carriage off. Anyway the front block went ring deep into the saw and ruined the several of the ring shoulders and was never repaired. Grandpa told me about the how the second saw was hammered when it was made but that was about all he said about it.
When the saw would start to cut wrong he would squirt some oil on the saw to finish the log or to get us to a good stopping time. He would basically sharpen and swage the teeth to bring it back like it was supposed to be. The head frame did have "guide blocks" but you couldn't put much pressure on the saw with that because it would heat up out where the teeth were AND he said the body of the saw would heat up because with lots of pressure from the guide the saw was constantly flexing!
Grandpa was just a master at filing and shaping the saw teeth. We almost never had heat issues. The main reason the teeth dulled was that the logs were drug through the ground and all the dirt and gravel got buried into the bark.
Scott Wadsworth One other thing, I do have some 8mm movies that I converted to digital. I have it on google drive right now. I need to edit it because the sawmill footage is mixed up with a bunch of other family home movie stuff. Tell you what, I'll try to move it to my youtube channel and when I do that I'll let you know.
I know your Father in law would be proud. Great content ! I'm 60 now and still have all my digits, Thankful !!
I had the opportunity to take your quick survey and responded with some thoughts that were not fully developed. I want to take a further shot at putting into words what might be called your unique selling proposition to an audience like me. This film of the sawmill captures the essence of what you bring. I have been blessed to have known and been mentored by men of experience. Men who have by their nature walked in multiple worlds. These are accomplished men who are quietly holding up the pillars of their communities. These are men you can trust, who have a patina from their life's journey that exudes humility. This humility draws others to them as sources of strength. The videos you produce exude character. There are unlimited fixit videos, blacksmith videos, man project videos on TH-cam, but sadly as in life they are just that. Interesting but empty of life lessons. Your videos allows us to glean wisdom from your journey. An opportunity to not only see an interesting fact or project, but also to see the journey of a mans life, an example for us to reflect on our own journey and aspire to be a better man. Thank you. Please keep the gift of story telling coming.
Very well said
Brings back memories of sawing wood for our place on a century old circular saw mill.
He could saw faster than I could pile. A lost generation of doers.
This is a great piece of American history. Very apt on this day. Well done.
The spirit of what made America great I own a sawmill and enjoy seeing the beauty inside every tree God made
Very cool! I happen to be 22 years old, I just bought a mill back in august. Im lucky enough to have a mentor by my side, my dad has been in the mills since the mid 1970s. Its old, but all the hard parts are there. Currently working on getting the inline 6 caterpillar diesel back up and running.
I plan on making videos, going to Portland Oregon tomorrow to pick up the cylinder heads for the engine. That itself is probably the newest piece of equipment, and it is from the mid 1930's. So definitely vintage. Should be really cool to see going.
Man, how is the build coming ? I'm doing the same thing, except more of a carpentry focus. So far its paying the bills and some! i'm 22 as well
This guy knows everything about trees, lumber and cutting it. My hero
I am 37 years old and I was raised in the mountains of Colorado my dad taught me how to plumb on a home how to work with wood how to saw how to drill almost anything he could fix and I am proud to say you remind me of my dad and during that time is when man were man and work was work so thank you for taking me back to such great memories I will be forever grateful to you my dad died two years ago this January and we love the same stuff and so does my boys thank you again
New sub after this video. I'm a woodworker for a living. I could watch this stuff for hours. Your voice was made for this.
wow, that pulled on my heart string. I to built a 54" mill powered by a chevy 6 with a foot throttle and sound to govern the rim speed. Using scrap steel, copying a Belsaw mill in the early 80's and never did get that blade hammered correctly. I still smile every time I look at my shop rafters and see the wave pattern cut in each board.
The 9 people who disliked this video must have their heads shoved somewhere you wouldn't want them if you were alive and living on this planet.My father-in-law ran a mill like that on his farm.I still have some of the replacement teeth for the saw.This is pure gold as a video,particularly as it depicts your family history.Beautiful story.
One thing is for sure...When your time on this Earth has expired you will have left behind an amazing legacy.
Any time I catch myself in doubt I remind myself "greater men have done much more, with much less" and get back to work. I love how much you respect the forefathers of your craft.
Absolutely love it! Thank you for sharing this. It brings back memories of working on a somewhat similar but larger, fixed sawmill in the Yukon Territory back in the '70s. That one had two gang saws, a beehive burner, and a chain to feed waste to the burner. We also had a planer in a separate shed. Mostly, I was the tailer, but I also learned to stack lumber, quickly, neatly, with economy of effort and use of leverage. I also learned to work as part of a team and found the satisfaction that brings, especially when the sawyer, like the conductor of an orchestra, sets the tempo and everyone else falls into a productive rhythm with him. One day some waste wood got the chain stuck way up the chute a few feet from the end, where the discarded materials fell over into the fiery burner below. That brought production to a halt, and the sawyer disengaged the chain. It was my job to climb up there, clear out the blocking wood and free up the chain when that happened. It was a little nervy reefing on slabs of waste in the narrow chute with the fire directly below and no side rails. Just as I cleared the last piece and started to turn around to climb back down to safety, a college student working at the mill for the summer decided to reengage the chain. I lost my balance briefly but managed not to fall into the fire. I also came close to losing my temper at the person who failed to use his brain. Interestingly, he didn't understand why I was upset with him after I got down. But he never did that again. As they say, live and learn. Of course, a "learning experience" is not much use to you if you don't survive it. Those were good days, even if challenging - maybe because they were challenging. You have a great channel - thank you! And thanks for causing memories to resurface.
I was blessed with a wonderful, level-headed but adventurous wife, who lived as a child in Wyoming. She consumed the Little House books when she was young, so she wanted to try living in the wild north country and was willing to move there with me, even though our daughter was only six months old when we got our chance. We built our own cabin and had many interesting experiences in the few years we were up there. A couple of decades and a lot of saving after we left the Yukon, we acquired a farm in Minnesota. Unfortunately, my precious wife passed away ten years and nine months ago, suddenly, unexpectedly. The farm and I are still here, and I am very grateful to continue to farm it, but there's a gaping void in the heart - my heart and the farm's. A worthy wife is a great treasure.
Thank you for complimenting my writing. I have written many technical reports and articles over the years, but I've published none of my prose or poetry or songs. They always seemed too personal. However, a number of friends have suggested I do so. Perhaps, someday. Thank you for the encouragement.
I am so glad I found your channel. I keep learning so many new things about some of my favorite tools. Thank you for sharing your passion, knowledge, and experiences.
I am so glad you still have your wife, the sweetheart of your youth, and cherish her. She sounds like a great treasure to you and your family. It is impossible to treat wives too well or love them too much. I shared that conviction once with a friend, but he told me he worried he loved his wife too much, perhaps more than God. I assured him the cure for that was not to love his wife less but to love God more. We have been greatly blessed with our wives. It is a great honor, privilege, and responsibility to be husband to a daughter of the King.
Some time after my wife’s passing, our church offered a course on grieving. Some of the most simple but useful things they taught were that it’s OK to grieve and everyone grieves differently. I thought the pain would diminish with time, but it seems not to. I cope by focusing on other things most of the time and choosing to be grateful for what I have and have had. But simple things bring the flash of memories and with them fresh waves of unbidden grief. Like a star orbiting a black hole, I try to avoid thinking about the dense void and dwell instead on present blessings. Usually that helps.
As a child, I loved reading about the “olden days” and listening to my parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents talk about their youth and everyday lives and farming and the weather. Even at five, I would grab a few of my uncles’ comic books from the stacks in their closet, infiltrate secretly from the hall into the living room and hide behind my grandfather’s easy chair, which was conveniently located by the door to the hall. I loved just to be near him and listen to the adults talk as I browsed the graphics. I’m sure he knew I was back there, but he never betrayed me.
Eventually someone would spot me and flush me outside to play, but I always watched for another opportunity to creep back to my place of learning, my time machine. I am thankful for those times; Grandpa passed before I turned six. Soon after, they had to sell the farm, and Grandma moved to a small rental unit in an older house in town. Even at that age, I felt losing the farm was such a great tragedy. There should be at least one farm in every extended family.
Today, as I pondered your friendly admonition to write, it occurred to me that from the perspective of someone growing up these days immersed in social media and perpetually connected to the Internet, I myself might be viewed as having grown up in the “olden days,” strange as that thought might seem to my contemporaries. People actually sat down together for extended periods and enjoyed talking face to face, without being distracted by electronics. Husbands and wives mostly were devoted to each other and their children and relatives and watched out for their neighbors, whom they took time to know. It’s a different world now.
Perhaps some of my grandchildren would be as fascinated with the world I lived in as I was with my grandparents’. Perhaps I could write for them, the way I wish my grandparents had written for me, and then personal would be OK. Perhaps I could provide them with a virtual grandfather’s easy chair to hide behind and travel through time. Perhaps I could call to their mind's eye a tender grandmother in whose arms some of them never had the privilege of snuggling. Thank you for your encouragement. I will take your counsel to heart. You have inspired me.
You are very gracious. I was hoping you might be willing to read something I write as a result of your prompting. I hope that proves not too punishing a task for you. I've already started making notes. I think I will start with memories of my grandpa's farm. If you would like to see a very short story I put on Facebook back in June, you might try reading the third entry down, about the Home Invader. I have a number of other short accounts of things such as repairing fence in the snow and hauling bales of hay to the horses in near blizzard conditions. Those are scattered through the entries, so you probably don't have time to search for them. If interested, I could track down dates for you. There is also some poetry, although that's all probably years back. Feel free to friend me at facebook.com/Living.Stone.Farmer.
More people need to see this. Sam and yourself have a place in American history. Your entire channel will be downloaded and passed on in my family. Not for any money, but for heritage.
Seeing this perfectly didactic video series of yours, I can't but reflect on how effective it is to have a teacher who not only has knowledge but can present it clearly, shows how it's done and above all, who motivates by example, showing his own real life experiences and VALUES. In this way, even the most distracted pupil sits down and pays attention! My work mates and myself deeply appreciate your sharing of all this videos.
Growing up we had a similar mill powered by a Detroit diesel. My stepdad ran it by himself. He was such a kind person, he never forced me to help him at the mill. He always said "you'll have enough time to work, enjoy being a kid."
Looking back I really missed out on alot of time with him. How fortunate you are to at least have your memories on film.
Great Channel. We Must keep these old time ways and tradition alive. They are so essential to life. God Bless.
Just wondering 🤔! In that early years no TH-cam yet, but you managed to filmed and now you sharing it with us... thank you so much 😊!!! America the history 👏👍!!
Great story of your endeavors and dreams, your passion for learning, your willingness to work hard, and your love of family.
I've never get tired of watching this video, and I have watched it many times now. It so reminds me of me, my father and his father, they were both master chain and anchor makers, and I learnt my craft from both of them. My other grandfather was a chain and anchor man too, he was one of the team that built the chain and anchors for the RMS Titanic.
Many thanks, David in the U.K.
Wow!!!!Did they live in one of the black counties in Britain?
@@essentialcraftsman I was indeed born and bred in the heart of Black Country, and have lived here all my life. Dudley to Cradley Heath is my daily commute with Netherton in between which is where the Titanic anchors and chain were made.
@@essentialcraftsman thank you for your videos.
Let’s see some old carpentry videos and or pictures of you Scott!!
GREAT CIRCULAR MILL. 40 years ago, turning logs into lumber!Sash saws, sash saws, sash saws!"TY Scott Wadsworth, and Sam!
Thank you, That was so cool. I'm glad you shared it with me.
Such a nice video. Great job!!
Thank you for making and sharing this video. My family is from Venersborg, Washington and many of my relatives were lumberjacks. I loved seeing the historical pictures, reminds of where I grew up! I also enjoyed the background music, turns out he is from Battle Ground! Small world. I enjoy all your work, thank you for passing your knowledge along to us through your videos.
I read this comment and had to look up the history of Venersborg since it's also the name of a Swedish city (Vanersborg south of the sea Vanern) and that's wasn't a coincidence.
My father bought a sawmill like that for $200 in '76. It took us all summer to get it running. We had to replace the wood and iron tops of the rails. The solid blade was eventually replaced with a larger insert type blade like you have. A 54 inch blade required a pitch-out between 3/16" and a quarter inch. My father never could get it straight in his head that the saw blade cannot rub against the fixed face of the log but only on the board just cut. My brother would usually operated the levers while one of us helped get the log on the carriage then stacked the boards at the other end.
That's a great story. Thank you for telling it.
As a young carpenter devoted to mastering my craft. I really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos. There is so much knowledge to be passed down from those who have walked the path before me. Thank you Mr. Essential Craftsman.
You, sir, are my hero! I have been on a slow trek of finding and learning skills just like these. I admire how you are passing them on. I can't imagine how happy I would be to know you, cy, sam, etc. Thank you for passing on this knowledge!
Lumbers not cheap anymore! Man this is a great video and will be so awesome to look back on in another 10 years.
This was a truly wonderful watch. Thank you so much for sharing!
Much admiration and respect to you sir.
Your eloquence is just as well as any orator... I am always curious to know how certain people with outstanding skills like yourself go about solving specific problems when dealing with the things you deal with. For example, your task of building a sawmill... I was hoping you can walk us through your general thinking process. Thank you!
Trent, your comment about him walking us through his "thinking process" would be awesome. When You-tubers do that it transcends learning into understanding and at much higher levels. But, for the videos he produces, they are top-notch is so many ways!
Nice piece of engineering. 22 yrs old, that's impressive. Great youtube presentation. Thanks Scott.
Your wife was a babe. Slay on Slayer.
You're a legend.
It's really fun to watch this kind of American modern heritage.
Great video to start the morning!
My sweetie was a saw filer for many decades. Good job explaining what makes a saw cut.
G00D Evening from Auckland, New Zealand it’s Monday, May 11, 2020.
best channel on the internet, finding gems from years ago.. perfect
Thank you for sharing your memories and a part of your history. I think I understand your meaning in "bittersweet memories" as I certainly have many of my own. I also agree completely on being grateful for the blessings of life!!
regards
vic
When I was just a young boy our neighbors had a stationary sawmill that closely resembled your portable setup. My dad would hook up the trailer to the tractor and we would go thru the woods to get a load of sawdust for the floor of the barn. I remember getting to play with rolling and trying to get the logs positioned on the infeed table, while my dad loaded the sawdust. This brings back those wonderful memories.
I absolutely love your channel! thank you so much for your advise, tips/tricks and experiences. Each and every single video is well planned out and the speech format is very well articulated. "Air Quotes" wow the last time I heard that was in my 5th grade. People just don't use them languages anymore but you. So, thank you !
I have much respect for the men who worked in early sawmills , my dad was one of them . He worked the winters in a sawmill when the logs were still hauled in by horse , and in the summer he worked road construction . Each job he worked six days a week , sun up to sun down to provide for his family . Younger generations have no idea what hard work is ....
„did we tell‘em the date?“
... i had to laugh at that one, my granddad always said that when was filming xD
You remind me of my Father. Over the years I have used just about every tool you display. My Dad's Dad was a Blacksmith. Thank you so much for sharing here. I love when something reminds me of them. It has made for a great life. I am 70 years old and still working with my hands and all of my fingers. God Bless you! Thank you again!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this video, made me a bit sad though. The thought of a very capable, intelligent man losing his ability to do the things I'm sure he enjoyed. It reminds me not to waste my productive years. That sawmill is something to be proud of and great job on this video in particular, though I enjoy all your videos.
I'm the proud new owner of a 50" circular, belt driven. We plan on starting logging next winter and the construction of our house the following spring and summer. I can't tell you how helpful it is to have men like yourself that not only still carry the baton of knowledge, but are willing to pass it. I'm a few years behind you and the generations behind me are in a very sore spot in history - wisdom wise.
Great job!
Nice one!
You are very inspiring. It’s blokes like you that inspire me to aim higher. It’s hard to be inspired these days but you have got the hard working touch.
Thank God for your son for making this video. I have rarely been so moved by a video as I was by this one. Thank God for Sam too. You have led a good, clean hardworking life and learned a lot. I can see it in this video, your voice and your hands. Thay you and your son
I am 28 years old, and I realized while watching your sawmill video that I am similar to you. I solo operate a Lucas Mill. I mill lumber from second growth doug fir that I fell. I use the lumber to teach myself carpentry and make things we need around the property. The more I work with my hands, the more I desire to learn the skills and hone my proficiency needed to become a craftsman. I guess I am at the beginning of a lifetime of learning and perfecting my craftsmanship.
That is very cool. I want to do something similar.
Do you work alone?
Wow. Every time I think there can't be a better video than the one I just finished I watch another like this one. Kudos guys.
wonderful video.
In 1981, I had the honor to assist my uncle in operating a very similar rig in the UP of Michigan for two days - ON MY HONEYMOON (understanding new wife, right??) - powered by the PTO on a John Deere. We cut everything he had felled at the time (mostly beech and maple), some of which later became side planks and decking for several Conestoga wagons, which he built from scratch - including hand-forging all the nails. Great video, really brings back some precious memories.
So you gonna grow the stache back?
I grew up around a sawmill. My dad ran sawmills from 1940 till 1980. I still own dad's last mill, a Fisher & Davis manufactured in St Louis Mo. Dad had had Corley's & Frick's, but said this Fisher & Davis was many times faster. From probably 12 or 13 till 25 I helped saw southern Illinois hardwoods. Dad built shipping materials (pallets, etc.) for dozens of companies. We could saw as many as 100 railroad ties a day.
I chose dad's other profession, grain farmer for my career, but I treasure the hard work and knowledge of sawing lumber.
I'll give you a thumbs ups up for the video....but you're not really old enough to 'get-it' about this stuff............me, at 69, and my my brother at 67...barely have a clue.....and we've spent our lives cutting wood......
This is one of the best TH-cam videos I have ever watched. Thanks
Wow that is something.
How you kept your arms, fingers, life, intact working around that mill is beyond me! as my daddy told me..."Take care of wood, they don't grow on trees, you know."
These kinds of men built the modern world.
Great story, thanks for being a great role model for younger generations.
Scott
Dejavue,Your video is priceless and encouraging.Spent 30 yrs in timber industry . Steam powered double cut carriage was very powerful.
Spending my retirement planting trees to recoup all that were processed.
Just wow, nostalgia was the feeling of this well done true story.
Great footage. My Dad worked in the woods and sawmills from the mid 1940's until around 1990. I built a little circle mill around 2005. Dad was nearly 80 years old and would visit for a day or 2. I had a few lodgepole logs around and would saw lumber while he smelled the sawdust. It made him have a gleam in his eyes of younger days. He is gone now. His legacy of build it if you can't buy it, and fix if it is broken passed down to me. My son is a 3rd generation Millwright and it is in his blood as well.
Your videos help me envision the life of family, fulfillment and joy which I am certain I will never have. Thank you.
I think it would be amazing to get you and Dave from Engel's coach shop together. The combined knowledge you two have is immeasurable.
Your 4 years older than me , I know you had it rough running that saw , Housler sawmill started out with a V8 1941 , I first step foot in the Mill 1990 . Whyle had a mill Burn down in 1968 Lighting strike rebuilt and went Electric Hydraulic in 92 we set up a second saw side by side . Mr Housler just Turned 86 was at the mill every morning 6am till 5pm every day scaling logs and running saw 1 his son ran saw 2 I pulled 40,000 Linear foot of lumber a day I could fix anything that broke . are chipper had a 22 inch face the blowers at the saw could keep the dust away but still had to clean up everything that afternoon . Mr Housler past away 2004 One of the Best men I had ever worked for . he never cursed or drank but he loved to Hunt Fish and work . watching you Remind me of Him Thank you for adding the Video .