bookmark_borderAlben Sawmill

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.

bookmark_borderBunny Badge Block

I want to make a daimon hitatare to imitate one that I saw in a scroll. This will be so awesome, but I need a way to print my badge (which is a graphical device registered with the SCA’s College of Arms) dozens of times on the fabric I bought for this project. After months of noodling on the idea, and about a week of carving and re-carving, here is the block itself, ready for block printing.

I’ve tried it out on some crap fabric, and I’m pretty happy with the results of my tests. next up is to start cutting fabric into panels, and start printing with blocks. It’s interesting that although some paint does get into the detail grooves of the craving, that ink doesn’t reach the fabric.

bookmark_borderShop Talk

Mr. Arimoto has a large job to deliver a few dozen rustic-looking tables and booths for a new restaurant somewhere out in the suburbs.

I have been helping out in the shop, mostly scraping, sanding, and finishing. Since I have lots of experience doing this kind of thing for fun, it’s good solid work. My days have been spent leaning over one table top at a time, chatting with Mr. Arimoto when noise allows. This does not leave much brain left at the end of the day for composing thoughtful blog posts.

On the other hand, it gives me lots of chances to look at interesting pieces of lumber he has around the shop. Look at this piece of walnut that actually has some walnut inclusions.

Walnut slab with walnut inclusions
Just look at it.