SPRING/SUMMER 2019 News VOLUME 15, ISSUE 1 photo credit: Brian Messer INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Norwood Revolution 25 years of building the sawmills that change lives “Sawmill TV” Makes its Debut Your one-stop online “TV” channel devoted to sawmills & sawmilling News from the “Frontier” 2 new models open the door to sawmill ownership for even more sawyers 25th Anniversary of The Norwood Revolution 2018 marked Norwood’s first quarter century as the world’s only company to specialize in designing and building affordable portable bandmills. How The Norwood Revolution Began Back in the early nineties, Peter Dale set his sights on building his own cabin in the wilderness. When he costed the building materials from the local lumber yard, he realized that they were Norwood founder, Peter Dale, running a LumberMate MK3 in the early-nineties priced way out of reach. So, he looked at buying a sawmill but found that they too were completely unaffordable. He was stuck with no options – the average guy like him was held back from his home ownership dream because he couldn’t afford it. Trapped, Peter carried on with life. But his mechanical mind could not help but think up unique ways that he could design critical bandsaw functions – technology that would make a sawmill reliably productive, easy to use and affordable. Eventually Peter put pen to paper … then, paper to prototype … and finally, prototype to production – the Norwood revolution had begun. The simple, rugged design proved to be what sawyers were looking for … Finally, an affordable sawmill existed that would allow virtually any hard-working person to unlock their dreams. Fast-forward 25 years… Over 30,000 Norwood owners the world over count on their mills to convert trees and logs into valuable wood. Norwood offers several models ranging from a small chainsaw sawmill to a fully hydraulic bandmill capable of handling 36-inch diameter logs, as well as its new Frontier line of ultra-affordable basic sawmills. The “out-of-the-box” thinking that founded Norwood became an obsession … Norwood has continued to lead the way pioneering sawmilling innovations. Where Norwood has gone, others have tried to follow by imitation and downright copying. Norwood began patenting its sawmilling technology culminating in over 50 patents to its credit, more than all the sawmill Paul Chace I have been using a norwood mill for almost 20 years .a great machine for the money .was well worth the investment .i have companies around the world combined. the lumber mate 2000 made in 1999 .have learned more about wood and wood products than 20 years as a carpenter Like · Reply · Message · 12h 1 Time to Bring Norwood Owners Together to Celebrate! Duane Shaughnessy Paul Chace my first mill was the Norwood sawmills change people’s lives every day. Lumbermate 2000. Milled tens of thousands of bdft with that thing. After 25 years, it was time to celebrate! Turn the page 1 to see how we did it! Like · Reply · Message · 11h 2 Volume 15, Issue 1 - Spring/Summer 2019 Cliff Dye Greg Smith I have the hd 36 Norwood pro awesome mill I can cut 6500 feet of lumber a day I cut for people 60 cents a board foot 1 Like · Reply · Message · 2h 800-567-0404 | NorwoodSawmills.com 3 Lots to see and do … Where to start?... Time to Let the Sawdust Fly! Norwood Opened Its Doors for the Ultimate Sawmilling Celebration After 25 years of empowering thousands of resourceful people to build better futures, it was time to celebrate the Norwood revolution! The Norwood crew worked together for months to plan the ultimate sawmilling celebration. In late 2017, Norwood Canada moved into its new custom-built Canadian distribution facility a couple of hours north of Toronto. Having never hosted a Norwood Open House outside of the U.S.A., the crew decided to put the party on in Canada to both celebrate Norwood’s quarter-century anniversary, and also to celebrate Norwood Canada’s grand opening. Everyone enjoyed listening to the live band while “pigging out” on roasted pig (actually 7 roasted pigs) and cold beer on tap Norwood’s Open House & Celebration of Wood Pulling into the parking lot, visitors were greeted by friendly attendants who coordinated the orderly parking of several hundred vehicles. Guests got their first indication that this was to be a truly special event as soon as they got out of their cars as they were met with the sound of a live band rocking the crowd and the mouth-watering smell of seven barbeques smoking. Visitors joined the party by walking down “sawmill alley”, a line stretching over a hundred feet of Norwood sawmills packaged Guests could “test-drive” any (or all) of the Norwood sawmills and equipment Anyone who was game tried their hand (or arm) at axe-throwing and get their questions answered by Norwood pro-staff sawyers Master carver, Jeff Taylor, gets started on an eagle 4 Volume 15, Issue 1 - Spring/Summer 2019 It seemed only fitting that Norwood’s blow-up LumberJack take in the “Sawmill School” seminars put on by master-sawyer, Dave mascot would stand guard over the kids’ blow-up bouncy castle Boyt, or even to try their hand at axe throwing! A master chainsaw artist shared his craft with visitors who watched him carve a perfect eagle and beaver out of what had been unremarkable logs. Excitement built as the crowd eagerly waited for the prize draws after lunch with the buzz reaching a climax when the winning name was drawn for the “Big Daddy” of prizes – a free Norwood sawmill. A Sawdust Pilgrimage Ontario, Canada may seem far away, but people made the trek from all over the U.S. and from overseas as far away as Norway, Italy and England. It truly was a “Sawdust Pilgrimage” of passionate sawyers and ready for pickup by excited owners. After signing in to get their and woodworkers who wanted to come together, learn and enjoy the tickets for free lunch and to enter their names in the draw for sawmill fellowship of others afflicted with the same incurable disease known prizes, visitors worked their way out into the demo areas – every as “sawdust in the veins”. model Norwood, including the Log Moulder LX26, The BIG draw for was in action and making the free Norwood sawmill giveaway sawdust. Guests would then work their way over to the log skidding zone and watch all the Norwood log skidding attachments making light work of moving logs. Kids made a bee-line for the bouncy castle, giving their parents more freedom to test-drive the sawmills, The showroom was just as packed with sawyers as the outdoor venues a job when you’re having that much fun) was to give a Reflections on Norwood’s couple of seminars Sawmilling Celebration on milling with by Dave Boyt the LumberPro HD36. The morning seminar covered the basics of opening up a At least one of every model was pickers), hunting, fishing and log, squaring it fitted with all the options, with other interests. Of course, there into a cant and logs on the deck and ready for was the rivalry between Stihl and cutting boards. action. The event provided an Husqvarna chain saws, but there Along the way, opportunity for people interested was no question about which we covered the Master-sawyer, Dave Boyt, hosting in their first sawmill, new owners, sawmill company is the best!! basics of changing live “Sawmill School” seminars and experienced sawyers to a blade, setting A lot of equipment went home compare notes, swap stories, the tension and of miles to go. As far as I know, with attendees, and there were and get answers from Norwood’s tracking and discussed cutting the record for the greatest a number of pallets ready to load experienced technical staff. It patterns. It was my first chance distance traveled is held by two up on the backs of customers’ was a real pleasure to meet the to use the power sawhead and gentlemen who came all the trucks. The Open House was a people behind the voices on the the automatic dogging assist, way from Norway! I must have great chance to get first-hand phone – and they are, in fact, as and it didn’t take me long to exchanged business cards with look at equipment and options friendly and knowledgeable in see what valuable additions a couple dozen sawyers, and am such as the hydraulic accessories, person! they are. After a quick lunch, I looking forward to visiting with log moulder, debarker, lap siding milled a particularly gnarly ash as many of them as possible in There is a real camaraderie attachment, power sawhead, log into slabs. The fork in the the coming years. among sawyers. You could roller toe boards, offloading log yielded a beautiful feathered strike up a conversation with rollers, and dogging assist. The grain pattern that would make It is impossible to imagine how anyone with a handshake and new showroom featured a half- beautiful table tops. Norwood could possibly top their introduction. From there, dozen sawmills with various 2018 Open House, but I have conversation might run to how attachments and a section of I don’t remember when a day has little doubt that they’re already to cut different species, the best cabin built from logs that had ever passed as quickly as this one working on it – along with even blade or which options to put been shaped with Norwood’s log did. All too soon, people were more innovations to serve their on the wish list.