1950s Sawmill (BOCM Pauls / Utrition) Selby - November 08

[KingElvis]

This incredible place is stuck in a complete time warp. I think it stopped operating back in the 1950s as all the paperwork and notices read that way. I love the Health and Safety Woodworking regulation 1932 - 1945 still on the wall.

Entry is not easy and I thought it had beat me. The place is a treasure trove of cool old stuff from trolleys, signs and even old style clothes and a boat

One of my fave explores ever but Elvis likes these old things :thumb

Enjoy the pictures.

Worlds oldest hoover?

1940s filing cabinet stuffed full of ye olde documents

Lovely signs from the good ol days

 

[Sabtr]

I don't know how you do it sometimes but that place is ace.

Always wonder why/how places like this come to being left. Some really nice stuff in there - complete with all sorts of jig bits from when it was last used. The electrical switchgear looks ancient.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Foxylady]

What an absolute Aladin's cave...so many wonderful things!
The pigeon-holed rack is great, so too the trolley and the tiny chest of drawers.
Brilliant find, KE.

 

[smileysal]

Wow, I love the old round saw in there, and the old filing cabinets, and the wooden ones. It's definitely a treasure trove of old things there. I love places like this.

Excellent pics KE,

Sal

 

[lost]

That looks a really interesting place, really photogenic for a sawmill!

 

[numpty]

fantastic!! a real time-capsule

and lots of guage porn too

 

[the|td4]

Brilliant stuff mate, an excellent explore!

I love those old bits of kit, more pics please !

 

[Virusman26]

Totally awesome looking place!!! Nice shots, cool explore!

 

[The Pirate]

great stuff well done

 

[Fish '78]

Brilliant looking place that! I'd pay to have a walk around that.
Ace pictures!

 

[spacepunk]

Well done for getting in. Nice clear pics thanks.

 

[85 Vintage]

Some nice bits left there, good pics too.

I'd have spent ages looking at all the paperwork

 

[Engineer]

Sawmill.

Wow, I love the old round saw in there,

Lol, must have sharpened dozens of them when I was an apprentice, almost as good a punishment as making barrel nipples!

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Lol, must have sharpened dozens of them when I was an apprentice,

I guess you are talking about a time before brazed/welded insert blades, when filing up tool steel blades seemed to be a never ending task. I have clear memories of watching a farm hand, de-stressing the five foot diameter blade fitted to the rack saw on the family farm, using nothing but a paraffin blowlamp, ball pein hammer and a metal dolly. The farm hand was an ex German prisoner of war (it was 1948 and I was 5 years old), and it was not until over fifty years later that I realised how skilled he was. In 2000 the rack saw was restored and worked with the original Fowler engine. During one demonstration some old oak trunks were being planked, and the old original blade went out of true due to local overheating. My brother has had to purchase a replacement blade, nobody has been able to true up and de-stress the old blade well enough for it to be used on any thickness of green timber. The farm records show that until recent replacement, the old blade had been purchased and fitted in 1942. The saw being maintained during the most productive period of its life by the ex prisoner of war. Sadly he left the farm and eventually returned home and contact was lost.

 

[Engineer]

Sawmill.

Probably about 1965 ish, mostly segmented insert blades for steel but a good few carbon steel wood blades.
Not much filling fortunately, the blades were set up on a machine that advanved the blade a tooth at a time, a powered grinding wheel then dropped down and ground out the gullet, rake or back clearance. Three different wheels and settings.

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Engineer,

I see, obviously your biggest work load would have been metal cutting blades - of a somewhat more complex construction than the traditional woodworking blades of the period. A friend owns a modern sawmill/wood machining business. The construction of the modern highspeed blades he uses is unbelievably complex, as is the computerised machine used for sharpening same.

 

[Engineer]

Sawmill.

Yep, mostly metal saw blades, preferred doing wood blades as there were less angles involved.
Most wood blades would be done a few times by the farmer/forrester until they needed trueing up by machine.
The machine was pre war, very few auto bits.

 

[slothie]

wow thats amazing. my dad had a donkey jacket the same as that when i was a kid!

 

[l8dge]

Fantastic site - Its truely amazing that these places just seem to get left.

What a gem!