Turning Dead Trees into Lumber | Milling Logs for Shipping Container Lean-To 

Your video quality has risen to a whole new level. I have followed you guys since Oregon and when I watch, it is like watching the life I wish I had lived. Wish I could go back 40 years. You're my favorite RU-vid couple, you two were put on this earth for each other. The perfect team!

Love how Ariel fought through the allergic reaction to help anyway she could. That’s true love!

Eric is one of the handiest men on the internet. His isn’t just one skill set, or even a dozen. More like a million. This is a great fit with Ariel who has the biggest skill set I’ve seen! Amazing couple. I feel so lazy watching them! LoL

Ariel, I'm so sorry about your bee sting. It did look painful. Not sure who was filming when the rooster was caught flying up into the tree to crow, but that was an awesome shot! This project is so exciting to follow along with. Can't wait for the next episode!

Need 'stickers' between each layer of wood for air circulation between pieces or it won't dry evenly and warp. Great job and ideas for your build.

Eric & Ariel - I've been following your adventures for the past six months and catching up on the earlier posts as I've had time. I found my time well spent.I've learned a lot about living in Alaska as well as living off grid. My grandparents built a cedar log cabin in Eagle River, Wisconsin in 1952. No TV or telephone. We used an ice box for the first year. Then we installed electricity and got a used hospital refrigerator that we still had when I sold our cabin in 1983. Growing up from about 10 yrs old I was in charge of cutting and splitting wood. For the most part we used dead trees. None were over 12" diameter. For the record I'm 78 years old. In 2014 I took a two week trip to Alaska. It was a lifetime dream vacation. Something I had always wanted to do. Thank you both so much for the joy that you have brought to me.

I know that it’s all very hard work, but how wonderful to have all those trees in your “backyard” you must have saved a fortune.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️❤️❤️

Sometimes, for comfort, or to calmeself of stress, I play your videos on repeat. I've watched so many dozens of times.

Ariel… great job filming Eric on the sawmill. Interesting shooting angles. Nice job editing. Love your channel!

Don't burn the wood chaff, cover it in dirt and make a mushroom garden, compost heap, sawdust layer in the areas of harvest, etc. There is always a way to feed nutrition back into your property so everything thrives.

Rest and relax time is going to be great at preschool tomorrow. I will show this video to my young students. They love anything to do with construction. They often applaud at felling a tree or chopping wood. They also like to watch you two cook! And let us not forget your darling dogs. The children think Bandit is quite sporty. They appreciate Bo for his gentleness toward you. Thank you for sharing content that everyone can enjoy.🙂

Lookin at that sky all i was thinkin: snows comin!!!!🐾🐾🐾🐾🐈🐈🐈🐈

Your sawmill is a great idea. My grandparents used "clapboard" as siding. Your many good works, skills and stoic determination are impressive. Stay strong.

That lumber is like gold right now! Wowzer… that’s one swollen hand!!

Just say'in, "NORWOOD" should pad ya'll's pocket a little for all of the wonderful advertising you gave them. 😊

Thank heaven Eric is mechanically inclined! You deserve all your tools and machines ... you sure use them to their max!

Still in awe that such sawmill models exist. Your channel has opened my eyes and my mind in so many ways. I reckon I’ll keep learning from you both so long as you keep on pumping out such high quality content.

Your homestead channel is #1 for me with living tradition homestead I just love your videos !

Nothing will go to waste. The sawdust can go in postpile, and the bark can go in your fireplace. You are doing a wonderful job!

Honestly, you two are a "POWER COUPLE" and that's a mighty good thing!!!

My husband and I bought the same mill this spring. We recently milled up some lumber for a staircase in our workshop/shed. Felt great to get that done!

Spacers for the lumber to dry, concrete pad to keep the mill level. Yall looking great, keep it up 😀

You’re neighbors must be amazed at what a power couple your two are!!

I built Sawmills here in North Pole for bout 12 years. I quickly realized the Need for a Used Front end Loader. You can use some skid steers but they dont lift as much of course. Be Safe Please, not just with your Sawmill but with life in the Big Woods Here. Happy to hear of your Escape from crazy lower States. Welcome to Freedom.

Thank you for your upload today, been waiting😘

Ariel is a rock star as she tosses those logs around! And Eric is a mechanical genius as nothing broken seems to faze him. Way to go pups for always wagging your tails and sharing your encouragement and happiness. :)

You two work so well together …. You make a lovely wholesome couple … you spend so much time together and it lovely to see you smile, laugh and interact with each other and the wee cuddles are just lovely to see … what a great life you have … 🙏☘️

"MySelfReliance" -Shawn James, used 6x8 to build his shop and I think that's what he's using for the cabin build also. Addition on the back of your cabin with 10x10's ( maybe 30 total)??!!!!?? Spray with Listerine and no mosquito bites !!!! And being they are AK state bird they bite big. May help against other stinging thing's. Lot of work but will be very nice to have a place to store the boat and stuff during the winter and the snow mobiles in the summer. Thanks for sharing. God bless

I can see that sawmill will pay for itself quickly. I can't imagine what lumber costs in AK but it is outrageous here in WY. Another great video. Thank you.

Thanks for showing all of your animals especially that giant rooster!

love the beautiful fireweed flowers behind your sawmill 🥰

Your sawmill is the most incredible thing I have ever seen. I did not know that type of thing even existed, but then I am a city girl. An OLD city girl. What a time saver!!! Impressive.

I grew up in a lumber yard. The smell of sawdust makes me so happy. But, even though i know that is back breaking work, I could watch this all day long, and this was much appreciated. Thanks guys! Ariel, bee stings- as soon as you get stung, find a flat edge stick anything, and one fast swipe across the sting without pressing down, to dislodge and pull the stinger out. Most times, if you do it quickly, you can avoid a lot of the venom being injected. I used to teach a bee classes.. 🥰🥰

You both are amazing!!! Love how trouble shooting and solution solving is a skill you have. Also the temperament to deal with things that go awry. Which they always do. You are great role models for young people to learn to survive in the world to come.

That was a fun video! I am not sure why this 67 year old woman is interested in your homesteading projects, but I am. Favorite scene: the mill in front of the beautiful purple florals. Favorite character: Bo as he stands around supervising!

I am absolutely loving this!!! I seriously wish I was 30 yrs younger. I’d grab my kids and head to Alaska for sure!!!

I have been a subscriber since you were at less than 100 subs. I love to see how your channel has grown and the support you get. Truly well deserved.

Milling that wood is so satisfying to watch. I can’t imagine how satisfying it is to actually do!

I've been watching for a few years now and: you guys are just the most kick-ass couple I have ever seen. You just do cool shit together. All. The. Time!!! I LOVE your love for each other and the things you do so much. Much love from Amsterdam!

ER nurse here.... Keep some Benadryl and Pepcid in your medicine cabinet. If you get stung, 50mg of Benadryl, and 40mg of Pepcid, couple Tylenol and get back to work. Love the channel.

I loved your "charming rooster" crowing on the tree. You both work a lot, God bless you!

That thing is so awesome! And I agree with all the other comments it’s pretty much a gold mine with lumber prices. Love seeing the progress and projects you guys have going on.

Ariel moving forward you need to be careful around the bees. Anaphylactic shock is not anything to mess around with. Your hand looked like it was swelling more every time I saw it. Maybe you could keep an EpiPen handy. You guys make a great team.

Wow, nice feeling to make your own dimensional lumber! That's gold right there!

Ok I have zero interest in lumber (except for logging railroads) but this machine you bought is so fascinating! I love that you use the trees on your own property to make your own structures. Great job.

With current lumber prices, you have a gold mine there.

As beekeepers, we keep an epi pen and lots of Benedryl tablets handy. The Benedryl works quite well. ;-)

That mill will have paid for itself in just a few big projects. The price of lumber is crazy right now. Another great video...thanks guys!!!!

hello, i am following you from France for more than a year now :) and if I may i would suggest you 2 things 1 make a little climb ramp for you lumbers to roll the lumber directly on the saw mill : the way you do it make an extra force on a part off the plane and therefore destroy your horizontal settings (no need to make a full ramp, two 3 by 6 screwed to some 2 by 4 an do the job : it will be easier to put the lumbers on the saw and your setting should last more. 2 be very carefull with the winch, do not EVER EVER put your finger around the cable to guide it : if it snaps due to the effort you could loose your fingers in seconds with the cable kick back if you have to guide the cable, use a strong stick, wich contrary to your fingers, is expendable... (and you'll keep a good habit if you work with steel cables one day...) (my brother who work in a forest exploitation lose one finger and arm his hand badly with such an incident) stay safe and greetings from france :)

When I bought my mill I also dealt with the same unlevel issues, I ultimately decided to mount it on a trailer to alleviate most of the issues. I took an old RV and took the top off and made a trailer with it then mounted the sawmill on it. Seems okay for now with pretty much zero investment. I will be making a steel 6'' channel frame for the mill at a later date to remove all flex and any chance of it not being level or square. I really enjoy your channel, nice work.

So my husband comes home from work and we have dinner and then he wants to relax and watch TV, but we rarely watch the same thing so anyway he heads to the den and I head for RU-vid to see if my favorite Alaskans have anything for me today and yessss they do!!! Great video and your never too old (50) to learn something new....as I did not know what a sawyer was....so thanx for that Ariel!! As always a total pleasure....be safe🙂

Happy to see the cant hook. Working the bugs out which includes settings and breakage. Nice looking lumber, for as big as it is and true dimensioned not nominal seems like $2000 is a lowball price. You’re going to have to corduroy your big road, but hey if Robert e Lee could drive pickings in a swamp and create fort Pulaski on the savannah river you’ll figure it out. Maybe winter time after freeze you could skid a bunch with a sledge. Cut, limb, pre stack now and move after the freeze. Eventually y’all are going to need a better material handling rig, tractor or skid steer. Thank you for the great video. Anticipating a very well constructed set of leans. Thanks again.

You give your viewers a real sense of the work and satisfaction involved in this huge project, thank you.

I'm so sorry about both of your injuries but you made the cutting look so easy (know it was far from) The close up of Bandit and his siblings warms the heart and makes me smile. Mr. Rooster looks like a "painting" gorgeous colors.

The saw mill pretty much paid for itself. Good job.

Eric & Ariel, GREAT job on the milling! 👍🏼👍🏼 FYI, your pricing from HD was for dressed, crappy, lumber not full dimension, far-superior, lumber like the two of you produced on the sawmill. Three things are in your favor with the sawmill: 1. Better quality lumber 2. Full dimension lumber, which is far better for construction. 3. Built correctly, your outbuildings will outlast the two of you. One tip: the more vertical-grain lumber you can cut especially for structural and roof pieces, the better your builds will be and last. Advantages of Vertical Grain Lumber: 01. Durability - Stands up to the exterior elements 02. Less shrinkage 03. Less cup and twist. The shape of lumber remains much more stable than flat grain 04. Less raised grain than flat grain lumber 05. Less tendency to check 06. Better wearing properties in all applications 07. Retains paints and stains much longer without peeling 08. Will perform much longer with lower maintenance costs 09. It has greater strength and will support more weight/load 10. Superior appearance in high end applications There are many really old full dimension stick lumber built buildings still standing today, especially in the east and eastern mid-west, some are even ballon-framed. The historic houses I used to remodel were built with full dimension, pit-sawn, hemlock, oak and walnut. All of the remodeling or additions I built were done with full dimension, lumber I milled specifically to tie-in with the existing structure, and the lumber was milled from doug fir, southern yellow pine or hemlock to match the structural integrity of the existing building. Most people don't know that mills started milling 2 x 4 to 1 1/2 x 3 1/2, 4 x 4 to 3 1/2 x 3 1/2, and so on, to use the outer layers for veneer to produce sheet goods like plywood, luaun, etc.. Your lumber is way more stable too because it's not cut from fast grown forests, and speed dried in a hi-temp, oven-like, kilns like today's HD, Lowe's, etc., lumber.

So stoked for you guys to be milling your own lumber not only because you need it for your projects but because it's super fun to watch. Beautiful stuff you milled.

Man you guys got so much done in this video even with the few hiccups to the sawmill and Ariels bee sting. “Teamwork Makes The Dream Work” I love your spirit of never give up let’s just get it done. Until next time…Big Love from Texas ♥️♥️♥️

Ariel And Eric Always good to see u. And of course the pups. Enjoy yr videos and vibes that come with it. 🌺🍃

Having the right tools sure makes life easier

Hope you have some Benadryl Arial! You two are a couple of tough off-griders!

What a great machine that is turning out to be. Of all the words to describe you both, slothful is not one of them. You are go getters and you will reap the benefits from your labor for years to come. Great job !

You guys and Shawn James are killin' it with that sawmill!

You guy's look so cute when your hugging each other or loving each other on camera.

Just had a thought, maybe you could consider making a trough alongside the saw mill, in which to catch the sawdust? it'd be great for several uses, from possibly storing root vegetables, to insulation material, as mulch for the garden, and as cellulose for outhouse compost.

The timing of for your sawmill couldn't have been more perfect with what the cost of lumber has done!

Lookity there at that good girl, powering through the pain and swelling to get the job done. Looks like Bandit's "Great Lake" is slowly taking shape. Some fine lookin' lumber you've crafted there Eric

You two are real troopers,🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️👏not even a bee sting & swollen hand🥴🖐🐝 can stop you.👍Well done Arielle for carrying on regardless🐝🤷‍♂️🤷‍♀️🙂💖

It just cost us our backs! 😆😆😆 Cant wait to see that lean to project build! Easier winter for you guys and your equipment! You guys do a whole lot more than most of us despite your shorter project season so Kudos!!!!

It's so cute when Eric says "I'm not gonna lie"!! Love it! Hes so honest!

Erik is one hard working dude. Lots of respect to you brother. keep up the good work! You too Ariel.

The lesson I learned from this video is NOT to buy a Norwood saw to many problems. Thanks for sharing this.

I’m so sorry about your hand! I’m sorry the level got messed up too! I’m so glad Eric’s hand didn’t get hurt more!! Whew!! You guys work so hard….it’s the highlight of my day when I see a new video!! I pray every night that you guys stay safe!!

pure some dishwashing soap in the watertank. it "lubes" the blade during the cut some better as only water. then you get more and quicker miles out of the blade. but i don know the right ratio! ✌

As always guys a wonderful instructional video on life. And, Bo and Bandit make great supervisors.

So that sawmill is definitely paying for itself great job can’t wait to watch more

Really enjoying this new editing...the melodic slo-mo stuff works well.

My folks would have loved one of these when I was growing up.

Great couple work as a team. Life in Nature never boring.

Dead trees and a sawmill equals $$$$. Great job! Stay safe!

That’s an honest work day right there. Dinner and bed on hard days work are one of the best feelings , satisfying. Great job on getting all that wood cut. I am happy the saw is working well enough for you. Looking forward to seeing this project evolve.

Have you seen the movie Quiet Place? Use that saw dust to line your walkways in case those monster alien things come. 😆

I just took down a dead monster oak tree and was talking to Elle about all the great lumber we could get out of it, and others around the property. We’ll take a look at the Norwood, it looks like right about where we need to be. Glad you are both healthy, so many of the channels are suffering from COVID. Cheers, Dan and Elle

We just finished installing cedar fences around the farm, all of the wood was milled out of old red and yellow cedar utility poles. The 40 foot poles were free from a friend who removed them from their original site in Eastern Washington. The bottom 8 feet were creosoted and cut we cut them that material off and sold the butt ends to another farmer who wanted them for a project on his place. So we have 6x6’s, 8x6’s and 1x8” cedar fence boards all made from free materials. We have boards and beams left over that will be made into a pergola and other projects. Oh, and the milling was done for a swap with some of the wood that was cut. The trim pieces are being used to make frames for my daughter in law’s floral picture press business. And we sold some of the trimmed pole ends to another farmer who is hand splitting cedar shakes for repairs on his buildings. I think the only materials we haven’t used are the metal identification numbers and letters that were nailed into the poles. (And I have an idea on how to use those for another little project!) This has to be one of the best recycling projects our family has ever been involved with.

The Earth settled under your base The sawmill you may need to put a pad of cement under each one of the base logs deep enough to hold the level is this going to keep settling over time!

Your a “Monster on that Machine” That’s what she said. You heard her. She can’t take it back.😂

You are so blessed to have such a wonderful and great husband in Eric......he is amazing and y'all fit together like cheese and crackers

Ok is there any other men watching these videos just a little jealous watching how this awesome lady is willing to help her husband the way she does.

Arielle, you should get an Eppi- pen for your bee stings. Some say that the more you get stung the more you become allergic to them.

Wahoo! Been waiting for more content. Watching these videos give me so much advice and tips for when we move to Alaska! Thank you so much for the wonderfully inspiring content

Those flowers in the backdrop are beautiful.

I hope younger people are watching this. The way they run into issues and deal with them as part of the task is such an important idea to grasp. Otherwise you're derailed and frustrated everytime something comes up. It might seem silly to point out but it's a lesson I wish I had gotten at a much younger age.

Aerial I’m in East Tennessee, we took off honey the first week in august. We are in dearth now the golden rod and the ragweed is not blooming yet. Time to feed the bees 1 to 1 with some honey b healthy, putting on feeders. It’s between 95 & 100 degrees F the bees are pretty disgusted with the loss of honey and heat. Pretty stingie here too.

One of these days I am going to mail you kids some of my fishing lures that I don't use anymore

Y’all are two of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen!

watching you load logs onto the mill by hand reminds me of why I bought the ramp and winch package for my mill lol. its a simple thing you could probably build the the same thing for much less than I paid ..but it makes it so easy my 5 year old grandson could load a log onto my mill!

You are such a badass woman! May there be more and more like you. 💪

Eric what a amazing job you’re doing God Bless you. You are unbelievable at what you get done. Lol y’all

Can´t turn away from this video. I have things to do. Can´t stop to watch!

Your dark pink flowers look so pretty in the backdrop of Eric’s sawmill!