Guide To Sawmills | What Is A Sawmill & How Do They Work?
By 500 B.C., men used bronze axes, saws and chisels to mill rough lumber for wood homes and forts. And, in 375 A.D., the Romans built a waterwheel-powered sawmill that revolutionized the construction and furniture making industries. The Romans used a reciprocating blade that cut wood in an inefficient back-and-forth motion, much like hand-sawing.