Hi Timbeal and others

Where is the limit---good question, and why the limit

Well for starters as I mentioned previously moving (saw)logs longer than 20 feet would have been quite a chore in the mid 1800s so that is one impediment, I do realize that longer logs were moved but other methods were used such as hewing right in the forest and then skidding to the site

Muley mills could cut fairly large timber upwards of 36 inches some slightly larger.

The vertical blades always remained stationary in the early mills with the logs passing by the blade note Oliver Evans early works on mills.

the log frame that supports the timber during sawing was stretched to 20 feet to accomodate long logs, anything longer created a problem during the sawing process due to the wip of the timber on the down stroke of the saw, even at 20 feet at times one needed to support the log near the centre during the final 3 or 4 cuts to take out the deflection which gradually increases as the saw log devreases in cross section.

I hope you enjoy this exchange of ideas as much as I do

NH