How it was done?

[pe2dave]

"Pop down the wood yard" - this gives a whole new meaning.
US timber industry, turn of the last century

 

[Thingybob]

"Pop down the wood yard" - this gives a whole new meaning.
US timber industry, turn of the last century

Fantastic site thanks Dave H&S always missing on US photos Made a Saturday morning

 

[Rewound]

Notice the lack of fat people - work was clearly hard and physical

 

[BillHoughton]

At times, loggers would bore multiple holes into the trunk of a tree at cutting height, both to reduce the amount of wood to be removed by the saw and to provide somewhere for the sawdust to go (deep in the trunk, it would have a hard time working its way out to sunlight). If you ever travel to the U.S. and find yourself in California, add to your list of places to go Calaveras Big Trees State Park (Park's website), where you can see the stump and the bottom of a fallen trunk near the visitor's center. The stump is large enough that it was used as a dance floor in the early 20th century. The bore holes are still visible on the bottom of the trunk segment (they were smoothed out of existence on the stump). These are sequoias, one of the two species of redwood in California (and two of the three remaining species of redwood, the Sequoioideae subfamily, still alive): massive, but not as tall as the coast redwoods. Of course, you should also see the coast redwoods, on the North Coast (north of San Francisco); if at all possible, get past the groves close to San Francisco (too many tourists) and get up to Sonoma or Mendocino counties.

Oh yeah, there are a few cities and places like that to see...

But I digress.

 

[pe2dave]

It was the length of the 'hand' saws that blew my mind. 20'?
I can see the need for them, but imagine pulling that saw!
Or sharpening it - essential.

 

[Thingybob]

What about converting it to plank at the mill phew ,I makes me laugh when I used to go to the wood yard and be told 11.5 inch was the widest board they stocked I once went to the steam rally at Blanford Forum and watching them saw full tree trunks 36"wide but they were using a steam driven band saw .

 

[Rodpr]

It was the length of the 'hand' saws that blew my mind. 20'?
I can see the need for them, but imagine pulling that saw!
Or sharpening it - essential.

Get a couple of mules harnessed either end?