Hi everyone:

In regards to the freezing problem, I suspect that in some mills that were in a situation where there steady production meant big bucks, they were ingenious enough to create an area surrounding the water wheel that could be heated in cold weather.

In our grist mill the owner at that time had the foresight to create gearing that accepted the power from a steam engine, this meant that he could operate continuously during the winter and dry months of the year.

Our Muley mill also kept running well into the 1900's but had modernized somewhat by the 50's.

Each situation is different and it was the operators that had the foresight to try something different stayed to the forefront.

My father always said " Nothing ventured, Nothing gained"

NH

This photo will go a bit of topic. At the same time cover three items. First, the yellow with red roof building, it has a jetty. 2nd, the falls is Machias Falls or Bad Little Falls, showing high water in the spring. There was four mill at one time in this section of the river. The water in the base of the picture is tidal water. The ships would come right up to this point and load. And 3rd, I believe it is a waste to not be harnessing this source of power in some way. Tim
[img]http://[IMG]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/timber500/100_0896.jpg[/img][/img]

Hi Tim, et. al.

What year is the jettied building. I agree there must be a way to harness the energy of moving water without undesireable consequences. I haave seen small scale hydroelectric which operate using water piped through a 1.5" ABS plastic pipe. This does not take much water from the river.

There was just a letter in the paper about how the Scribner's Mills dam should not be allowed because the authentic, historic milling of lumber is less significant than the salmon and river health. "Are there ways to have it both ways"?

I almost bought an old grist mill to use as a shop but one of the rules in the shoreland protection zoning along Maine waterways is that if a building within the zone suffers a loss of more than half of it's value it cannot be repaired. The way I see it, mill buildings in Maine are doomed, except the rules would likely be unenforced with enough political support.

Have I mentioned that there were an estimated 160 tide mills on the Coast of Maine and thousands of other mills?

Jim

Hey Jim:

Where did you see the article on Scribner's? They actually can have it both ways... the dam application that the mill folks submitted to DEP has FISH PASSAGE written into it... a "fish ladder," and it is very slightly pitched-- easy for the fish to use. Hopefully this detail made it into the article.

Sebago Lake is probably one of the toughest watersheds to get a dam on in Maine. The Crooked River, where this mill sits, is the largest tributary feeding Sebago Lake. Of course, it's all about the Salmon...but the introduction of lake trout by Maine's own IF&W decades ago has done more to harm Sebago salmon than anything. It turns out, togue are much better at eating what the Salmon need to prey upon.

I hope folks can see that regional mills can be a big part of the whole "Buy Local" buzz these days... in some way.

I now have to check the thread pitch on my bits, solidify 1,600,000 board feet of lumber and date a jettied building. Just a reminder or I will forget. Tim

The number came from a book printed in 1863, sixteen hundred, thousand. How would you read that number for board footage. Tim

Wanted to update folks...

The group seeking to re-install a dam so this old sawmill could be restored to its former status received some bad news.

http://www.sunjournal.com/story/298846-3/OxfordHills/Maine_DEP_denies_Scribners_Mill_permit/

I was just fooling around on utube and found these sawing videos...hope you have a fast internet connection.

A Romanian up-and-down gang sawmill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZsinaM3x8

A single blade up-and-down water powered mill in Conneticut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZsinaM3x8

Pitsawing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axqxo95yJN0

Jim

Jim, can you re do the Romanian up and down video? It is the same as the mill in Connecticut, a quick search show no results for the first video.

Are you growing your beard out in preparation?

Tim

Oops.Try this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbEXfwW0PNo