The WINTER TTM-1100 is a horizontal band sawmill, set up outdoors, partially covered with a roof that also serves as a tool shed with several pairs of ear protection hanging on the wall.

The machine uses a saw ribbon that is measurinng only 1 millimeter in thickness. Because the blade is so thin, it produces very little sawdust, notably much less than a circular saw, which might have a 10 millimeter wide cut. The blade is sharpened 10 times before it’s finished. The tools needed to sharpen the ribbon are set up in a separate workshop on the site. An employee comes once in a while to do the sharpening.

Urban wood from Amsterdam often contains hidden hazards such as stones, pieces of metal and nails. Once the blade hits those it’s gone for good.

To keep the wood straight while being cut by the saw, metal support blocks are used. Turning the log around is handled with large manual hooks.

The saw makes a hum while it’s running empty and makes a rich sound once the blade hits the wood.