My black forest sawmill!

[47lincsled]

This project started way back in January when I fist got the trailer set up and the bench built, the ground had to have some differing elevation so I built up the bench with styrofoam and wood boxes, once I had it close I covered the whole thing with a mesh netting followed by a layer of plaster then sand as a basic ground cover, then I started building, the building is just over 9 feet long, the original building is located in the black forest of Germany, close to the house I built last year, I found pictures of it online while I was looking for pictures of the house, it was originally built in 1808, it's very primitive which is what drew me too it and there is very little steel used in it's construction, the main frame was built using massive timbers, I was lucky to find some rough plans so I had the basics, it's been a long project that is finally nearing completion, I've started covering the roof with somewheres around 5,000 shingles!
When it's all done it will operate under it own power from water pumped from a reservoir under the table to a pond which hasn't been built yet, and fed back to the water wheel through a plume made out of a hollowed out logs, which I hope to get done before winter sets in!

 

[Sixth Vanguard]

Well done so far
Keep at it

 

[47lincsled]

Thanks! I was beginning to wonder if my post made it up here!

 

[tankfan0720]

Cool project - reminds me of a doll house I made for my daughter a few years ago. Very nice.

 

[47lincsled]

I have 4 daughters who are all out of the house now, ever time they come home they always come out to my man cave to check progress on my current project, and they always remind me that I am going to have to start building Barbie houses once they all start having kids!

 

[Squidley]

Wow. You don't scrimp on the size! Beautiful work.

 

[47lincsled]

I have an advantage on space that most people don't, I have 2,000 feet of space in 3 old trailers I have drug home, and I live in an area that I can get away with it!
I have finished shingling the entire back side of the roof, about 18 square feet of shingles, I had to stand on a chair to get the top couple of rows, I also realized that I didn't buy enough shingles so I have more on the way, while I'm waiting I worked on the table section that is going to be the retention pond, I had built the table when I started but wasn't thinking that far ahead and only made it 2 feet off the floor, so I had to scrounge some more 2X4s and raise it up to 4 feet, plus I heavily cross braces it because there will be a lot of weight up there!

 

[Hammer's Africaners]

That's awesome

 

[47lincsled]

Thanks Hammer!

 

[47lincsled]

An update on the sawmill, after a month of working off and on and waiting for more shingles to arrive I finally have the roof finished,I have estimated it took over 8,000 shingles, and countless burned finger tips!
I have been working on finishing touches on the sawmill, in real life the steps are some nasty looking blocks of wood, so I refined them a little with some built steps and a piece of limestone to keep the bugs out.
I put a couple windows in the warming room, basic just like real life.
And I have been working on the retention pond dam, I screwed a sheet of 3/4 particle board between the mill table and the one were the pond will be and the hot glued rocks onto that, it's really hard to tell just what the original dam looks like because it is so overgrown, I'll add some greenery when I get the ponds done and water flowing.

 

[tankfan0720]

This came out really neat. Nice work, Perfect for Battle of Bulge sawmill! Go Engineers!
B

 

[47lincsled]

Thanks tankfan! Just the retention pond and water system then I get to try and figure out putting down grass!

 

[The_Dutchman]

Wow, very impressive!

Looks like you're on the home stretch now.

 

[47lincsled]

Thanks Dutchman! I have the pond lined with spray on rubber now I have to figure some kind of gate between it and the flume, and some kind of switch with a float to control the pump!