The Biggest Lesson My Sawmill Taught Me | Advice for Young Woodworkers

Jason Hamlow of Northwest Sawyer shares his biggest sawmill mistake, using wood before it was ready, plus his advice for new woodworkers.

Jason started milling lumber as a hobby eight years ago, and it has since taken over his property. Today he mills mostly dimensional lumber, cedar fence boards, timbers, and custom lumber, plus some hardwood from logs his clients bring in.

His biggest mistake was thinking wood was ready before it actually was. He sees a lot of new sawmill owners mill slabs and list them for sale at top dollar as if they’re ready to use. Selling or working with wood that isn’t ready is the fastest way to embarrass yourself. Jason learned it firsthand turning bowls from wood that wasn’t dry: as soon as the bowl was finished, it split.

For anyone thinking about getting into sawmilling, his advice is to plan beyond the sawmill itself. You’ll need a way to move logs and lumber, and the extra equipment isn’t cheap. Even so, he says he would do it all again, and his lumber is now in projects all over Portland.

Jason shares his mistakes on YouTube to save the next person the cost and embarrassment. His final tip is to invest in a quality moisture meter. He started with an Orion^® 930, and it has kept him from working with wood that wasn’t ready.

Also see how Northwest Sawyer manages moisture content in the Pacific Northwest, and the most expensive mistake woodworkers make.

Time Stamps

• 0:06 Meet Jason, aka Northwest Sawyer
• 0:36 His biggest mistake: wood that wasn’t ready
• 1:14 Why wet wood leads to split bowls
• 1:24 Advice for getting into sawmilling
• 2:20 Why he shares his mistakes
• 3:04 Choosing a quality moisture meter

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