sawmill | The Filson Journal

hands holding a long freshly milled board

The Lifecycle of Timber

The lifecycle of logging is both simple and complex. It’s a carefully balanced relationship between man and nature that allows for the production of everything from homes to solvents and even LCD screens, while simultaneously preserving the resource that makes it all possible. It’s important to understand the ways in which logging has evolved into a sustainable practice — a circle of planting, harvesting, respect, and renewal that ensures we don’t miss the forest for the trees.

3 Min

person in a red and black plaid shirt using a hand saw to cut a piece of wood in a forest

How-To's

How to Build a Backyard Sawmill

My family comes from a proud tradition of loggers and woodworkers. My great-grandfather left his home in Norway and emigrated to Washington to work as a logger. My grandfather followed in his footsteps to work in the lumber industry, and my father has worked with wood for as long as I can remember. When my wife asked me to make some raised garden beds with her, I saw this season of quarantine as an opportunity to tap into my roots, expand my DIY skillset, and explore milling my own lumber with my chainsaw. If you have your own saw and a few standard tools, you can get started for a few hundred bucks.

10 Min