SAW MILL

The saw mill at Leonard's Mills consists of five elements:

1. The Mill Pond (or “headpond”) serves as a source of power. Water retained in the pond is potential energy.
2. The Waterwheel develops the power; water flows on the top of the wheel and into the buckets. (This is referred to as an “overshot wheel”, relying on the weight of the water in the buckets to pull the heavy side of the wheel down.)
3. Gearing of the mill is driven by the motion of the power shaft, at the center of the wheel and serving as the “axle”, extending through the wall into the mill.
4. The Saw Sash is the frame that carries the saw blade. It is called a sash because it moves up and down like a window sash.
5. The Log Carriage guides the log into position to be cut. It travels along rails and can be manipulated to control the size of the board being cut.