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Saw Mill

The Museum includes a full sized sawmill, which moves at slow speed so visitors can get up close to see how the mill works. At the centre of the mill is a Davey Paxman compound Portable Steam Engine, built in England in 1921. It is one of only two surviving Paxman compound portables and probably the largest size of Paxman portable ever made.  The engine drives a range of saws for ‘breaking down’ giant kauri logs and converting them into planks. Click here to see a video of the Paxman.

 

Next to the mill a huge band saw with two metre diameter wheels and 12 metres of toothed ribbon steel moves slowly through a large swap kauri log. Other machinery includes an A&G Price Cant Frame saw, made in Thames in 1910, used to cut large pieces of timber into multiple boards with one pass through the machine.

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