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Sawdust

MarkGMarkG
in Tools and Supplies
My daytime job is Controls Engineering Manager for three sawmills in Idaho. As I have worked in them, one thing I have noticed is the different textures of sawdust. The sawdust tends to get sorted with the sawdust carried in the air causing a normal sorting by size, the coarser sawdust falling nearest to the saw, with the fines drifting farther away.

In a recent visit to one of the mills, I found a large collection of really fine sawdust, almost the consistency of flour. This seems to be more in the line of scale sawdust for dusting on top of equipment and on the floor. I collected over a gallon of this and realistically could gather sawdust of coarser grades if it would be of interest.

If you would be interested in having some fine sawdust for your modeling, please let me know and we can likely make arrangements. I'm not out to make a lot, but certainly want to cover my costs.

Thanks,
Mark

Comments

  • kebmokebmo
    someday i'll get brett's sawmill, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some now. i'm interested.
  • Dave_SDave_S
    If you guys have any power sanding equipment (like a palm sander. orbital sander or a belt sander) that has a dust collection bag take a look at that saw dust you can potentially harvest from that source. It should be very fine. like flour.

    Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
  • AndreK
    Mark - I am building a 1950's large Lumber yard. I have an interest, if you still have the fine saw dust available. How can we connect?

    AndreK - Chantilly Virginia
  • Robert.GRobert.G
    edited April 2020
    What Dave says is what I use. It's very fine, almost flour. But it depends on what kind of wood you sand. The same goes for the real sawdust. Depends on the wood and the number of teeth on the saw blade. Blades for metal ( not the Heavy Metal Ed :wink: ) give a much finer powder than the more course ones used for wood. Also, different woods give different colors of sawdust. So if you've got a pine log on the carriage, don't put sawdust from sawing ebony.... :smiley:
  • Dave_SDave_S
    Robert,

    Thanks for supplementing my earlier post. Like you, I save the dust from my sanding bag and the saw dust from cutting different species of wood in separate zip lock sandwich bags. Interesting contrast between the colors of pine, red oak and mesquite not to mention the texture.

    Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
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