Jack Ganssle
08-04-2008, 11:57 AM
My wife and I stopped by Hearne Hardwoods in southeastern PA last week. They were running the gigantic band mill.
This is a friendly place. When visiting in June I wandered into the main hall where forklifts run around and there’s lots of nice machinery in use. A stern-looking young guy approached; I started to say “yeah, I guess I shouldn’t be in here.” He stopped me short, with a hard “Have you ever been here before?”
“No,” I admitted.
“Then I have GOT to give you the tour!” He spent an hour showing us all over the place. But the band mill wasn’t operating. So when we showed up last week he saw us and excitedly said they were milling some amazing Tasmanian Blackwood. Here are some pictures, alas, poor ones from a cell phone camera, of the operation. The mill itself is on the left, and, yes, those workers are scarily-close to the running band.
Replacement bands are $5000 each. I’ll never complain about $30 for a Woodslicer again.
This is a friendly place. When visiting in June I wandered into the main hall where forklifts run around and there’s lots of nice machinery in use. A stern-looking young guy approached; I started to say “yeah, I guess I shouldn’t be in here.” He stopped me short, with a hard “Have you ever been here before?”
“No,” I admitted.
“Then I have GOT to give you the tour!” He spent an hour showing us all over the place. But the band mill wasn’t operating. So when we showed up last week he saw us and excitedly said they were milling some amazing Tasmanian Blackwood. Here are some pictures, alas, poor ones from a cell phone camera, of the operation. The mill itself is on the left, and, yes, those workers are scarily-close to the running band.
Replacement bands are $5000 each. I’ll never complain about $30 for a Woodslicer again.