iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Old mill by the roadside

Started by florida, April 20, 2017, 09:44:53 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

florida

For many years I've driven past this mill but never was able to get close enough for pictures due to high water. This time because of the drought we're having I could walk up and get some pictures. It may have been used in this area which is mostly all cypress heads and swamps which we're logged hard back in the 1950's.



Can anyone tell me how to post a YT video and I'll post the one I took of this mill. beenthere stepped up with instructions so I'll give it a shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LEs6xjDhUk
General contractor and carpenter for 50 years.
Retired now!

florida

Seeing this old mill has gotten me curious about it. Anyone have any idea of its age? How about what model it is? I've been watching Frick videos but don't know enough about them to tell the difference.

You can see cypress trees behind the mill because this is part of a big slough that runs through the south half of the county. A buddy and I used to hike the slough during the dry season just to see what we could see. Over the years we found 3 small heads that didn't get cut. They had some big cypres trees in them. The one with the biggest trees only had 3 trees and the last time I was there the biggest one had rotted out and fallen.

Found a hand hewn railroad tie once which we were going to go back and get someday. We were going to wait for the water to come up some and float it out on an inner tube. Of course my buddy died last year so I suppose that tie is safe now.

In another larger head we found old brown Clorox bottles. Probably 50 total. We guessed the loggers had a camp there and used the Clorox to purify the swamp water.
General contractor and carpenter for 50 years.
Retired now!

WV Sawmiller

Fla,

   Nice catch. I wish that mill could talk or someone who used it could. sorry about your buddy and the hand hewn cross tie.

  My dad grew up in Dixie County and said one time Grandpa got in the tie business. I think the railroad buyer was paying something like 25 cents a tie and most producers paid their cutters a nickel a tie. Grandpa figured he could pay 15 cents and still make money. He hired a crew, paid daily and they'd work 1-2 days then lay out. He dropped his pay to a dime a tie and they'd work 3 days a week then lay out. Finally he dropped to a nickel a tie and they'd work all week and Saturday too. They were used to making a certain amount then they'd stop. They hewed the top and bottom only and did not square the other 2 sides.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

florida

Me too. Can't imagine the tales it could tell. I was hoping someone would come out of the house while I was looking so I could get some information. No suck luck though. Maybe I'll knock on the door one day.

My buddy lived a good life and was almost 80 when he passed. He was a hard drinker until he was in his forties and smoked 3 packs a day for 30 years., he lived to hunt so we were in the woods 3 or 4 days a week. If we weren't hunting we were exploring. He guessed that he had killed over 300 turkeys and deer beyond counting. Grew up in the woods eating turtles, rabbits, quail, fish and any game they could kill, in season or not. He and his brother slept on an unscreened porch with smudge pots under their beds. I'll post the story of our last turkey hunt someday.

I knew the old tie cutters lived hard lives but that's amazing. From what I've read the post cutters were paid even less.
General contractor and carpenter for 50 years.
Retired now!

Thank You Sponsors!