I start a new job on Monday, so I decided to spend one of my dwindling supply of open weekdays going up to finally visit the Alben Sawmill. People have been telling me about the sawmill and Ray Alben for probably 20 years. The mill and lumber store are across the highway from Cooper’s Lake where Pennsic is, but I’ve just never made it over there. Part of the problem is that events at Cooper’s Lake are normally so busy that I never get a chance. Another part is that as a professional sawmill, they were never open on weekends so when I’m working its hard to get up there when I am not at an event.
Ray is retired now, and his son has teamed the mill up with another wood products business to sell hardwood flooring and moldings to the architectural trade. That leaves Ray free to take care of the family farm and run the lumber shop as needed. Ray says that he is even willing to open up the shop on Saturday if he’s not busy with the farm. I happened to catch him there, but he is mostly only open by appointment, so call first at 724–712–1371.
If you are familiar with how to get to Pennsic from Pittsburgh, the mill is easy to find. One way is to drive past the entry gates on Currie Road until you get to the North boundary of the campground. Turn right onto Zion Church Road and take that until it ends at West Park Road. Turn right on West Park, cross over the highway, and the shop will be on your left. It’s about a five minute drive. More directly from I79, take exit 99 and head East (away from Currie Road) on route 422. You’ll pass under West Park Road, take the ramp on the right, then turn right onto West Park. Take West Park up past the park entrances until you get to the mill on your right. If you miss it like I did, you can turn around at Zion Church.
When I was there, Ray had plenty of lumber in stock. Most of it is raw cut, but it’s all nicely dried and in the barn. He had several different kinds of wood. I saw pine, oak, cherry, and something else (maybe ash? hickory?). Most of it is in 10-foot lengths and 8 to 12 in widths. He sold me the lumber equivalent of two 10-foot 1x10s in cherry for $25 each. These were arrow-straight, surfaced four sides (S4S) boards almost an inch thick (4/4). They would cost easily eighty bucks apiece anywhere else. Beautiful grain, too. He trimmed them down so they’d fit in my car, then he added in a couple of smaller pieces as lagniappe. It was an excellent experience. If I have some time later this summer, I’m going back to get some thicker pieces for furniture.
The Alben family has been on that land for about 150 years. Ray’s great-grandfather started the farm, and Ray’s dad opened the mill. Ray’s grand-kids help out in the mill and on the farm, so the tradition continues.
