Thread: Steam driven mill

Thanks for putting that up Alex.

Very interesting.

Big logs, big mill Glad i aint paying for them bandsaw blades either

Excellent post.
One of my first thoughts was the fact that in many ways Australian logging and milling is far more advanced, (no need for a gantry to load our log jinkers for example)
Secondly the complete lack of OH&S in american mills. The mere thought of men working so close to moving machinery, particularly the bandsaw gives me a cold chill!
Still, you don't see too many mills that can handle an 85' log.
Well worth seeing.

[quote=Karl Robbers;1281943]Excellent post.
One of my first thoughts was the fact that in many ways Australian logging and milling is far more advanced, (no need for a gantry to load our log jinkers for example)
Secondly the complete lack of OH&S in american mills. The mere thought of men working so close to moving machinery, particularly the bandsaw gives me a cold chill!
quote]

Me too. Certainly great post and a very interesting web site too but I can't help thinking the OHS management is no better than the scaffold plant in Dubai. That said workers seem to live to a good age.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

Excellent post.
One of my first thoughts was the fact that in many ways Australian logging and milling is far more advanced, (no need for a gantry to load our log jinkers for example)
Secondly the complete lack of OH&S in american mills. The mere thought of men working so close to moving machinery, particularly the bandsaw gives me a cold chill!
Still, you don't see too many mills that can handle an 85' log.
Well worth seeing.

Putting it into perspective of the era, we would probably be not in the race for an advanced setup, as far as OH&S it looks pretty laxed, ( didn't notice any eye or ear protection ) but thats the nature of that type of mill, modern mills are entirely different with barriers / cages / guards separating workers from the nasty bits.
regards inter

Gday

Inter your spot on their Mate Aussie mills are advanced because they have to be Rfa's,OH&S, Mill mergers and the like Killed a lot of little mills off from the mid 80s That and also the fact that alot of young blokes want to start standing on the controls not on the #### end off a two,three or four man Bench like i did lol

Hull & Oakes is a 40s era mill that prob started with a manual carriage ect and is still profitable because it specialty is cutting the stuff the others could not even look at cutting Big long stuff instead of chasing commodity products and punching it out quick

Another thing I might add is Australian Mills the big ones might look flash but on a world scale they struggle to hit about 3 cube per man per day and 35 to 40% recovery thats for pine Im not happy unless im over 55% average recovery on any mill i have been on the funny part is the small mills with a lower grade ( more expensive ) log do better recovery and production per man per day in Australia work that one out lol

Regards Chris

Good read.

Originally Posted by InterTD6

Putting it into perspective of the era, we would probably be not in the race for an advanced setup, as far as OH&S it looks pretty laxed, ( didn't notice any eye or ear protection ) but thats the nature of that type of mill, modern mills are entirely different with barriers / cages / guards separating workers from the nasty bits.
regards inter

True, however to continue to operate old mills must upgrade their safety continuously and the truck pictured is a fairly modern unit, yet still needs a gantry to load its jinker. Back in the 60's Aussie trucks could load with only a log or mound to reverse into.
I love that old mill, it just intrigues me how things are rooted in a bygone era in some ways.
Just like the fact that in all but two states of America there is no certification required to work as a timber faller.