This sound effect was gathered from the Indiana State Fair 8-8-2002 a little after 2:00pm local time.

It is from a demonstration of old farm equiment, and equipment used to help settle Indiana over the past few hundred years.  The Sawmill itself is being powered by a 1929 Steam Powered Tractor that you can hear chugging in the background as the cut is being made (and more power is being required to keep the saw blade turning at the correct speed).  A 30 foot long belt approximately 8 inches in width is driving a gearbox that runs the entire sawmill.  The gearbox provides direct power to the sawblade, provides a clutch to regulate how much power goes to moving the tray that the log is sitting on, and provides a much geared down chain that quietly and efficiently 'brushes' the collection of sawdust out from under the sawmill.  

The operator controlled a lever that moved the tray back and forth, and stood next to the gearbox - which is close to where I placed the microphone.  

The tray held one log at a time, and would hold it firmly in place with 2 or 3 spikes - depending on the size (length) of the log - that were L in shape, allowing the log to rest on the bottom, and the side furthest away from the saw blade, with a latch that moved up and down the virticle brace.  The latch would help secure the log by pushing it into the cradle of the L.

The tray could be moved the entire length of a piece of track.  This track had the sawblade in the middle.  At it's resting position, it was sitting next to a slightly angled holding area where the next few logs to saw would be placed.  Think of a magazine for a gun, but instead of bullets, logs, with a release that would only allow one log to come down the ramp and into the tray at a time.  On the other side of the saw a set of rollers to roll the newly cut piece of wood to the next station, where the plank was cut to a set width, trimming unnesessary wood off the sides.

Sound Description:
The sound effect is about 23 seconds in length.  As you begin to play the sound effect, all you hear is the sawblade spinning, and the gears whirring in the gearbox.  Then you will hear a racheting sound as the operator moves everything on the tray 1 inch closer to the tray (to make a 1 inch cut, or a 1 inch tall plank).  Then he will slice off a 1 inch plank from the log.  As he cuts, you will hear the steam engine in the background chuging to keep up with the power demand.  Once the cut has been made, you will hear the tray reset itself, with the sawblade scraping up against the log until the tray is completely out of the way.  Then more whirring of gears and saw blade.

Derek Zollinger
AKA Sasquatch
8-8-02