Hands On Sawmill LLC is owned and operated by Wendy Williams and Gene Williams. Our main business is custom mesquite furniture in a style that I like to call “Refined Rustic”. Most of the furniture is custom orders. However, there is usually a good selection of cutting boards, crosses, bowls, bootjacks, candle holders, etc...ready to go. And, of course, we will custom saw your logs and sell lumber.
We have an old circular mill that is more like a museum piece. It has a 52" blade and is inoperational. It is now set up as "Yard Art". Our workhorse is a Woodmizer LT50 band mill. This is a 2012 upgrade from the LT15 that we had and used for 13 years. In the summer of 2016 I purchased a Lucas Dedicated Wide Slab Mill that will cut up to 5' wide slabs.
What started out as a simple hobby has gotten way out of control.
When you come to our place, be prepared to hear some “Woodlot Theology”. You see, we really love our wood and sometimes the dust gets to our heads. So you might hear us comparing the cracks in the wood to the “defects” in human character, or comparing the worm holes to sin in our lives. Our theory is that trying to hide either one never works so why try? People and wood are both more interesting when you can see the real thing. If you want clear, perfect boards, pick something other than mesquite. If you want perfect people, wait till you get to heaven.
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We DO NOT PURCHASE LOGS
Everybody thinks that just because mesquite lumber is expensive and makes beautiful furniture that their tree is worth a fortune. It is expensive because of the extra labor involved in harvesting it and because of the super heavy duty equipment needed to process it.
We will, however, come get your trees if they are exceptionally large and close to Kingsville, AND if the majority of the branches have been removed. This saves you hardest part of the work of cutting and removing the trunk along with the expense of disposal.
It is just firewood until it gets in the hands of an artist with an excessive addiction to buying superduty machines.
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EVENINGS AT THE MILL
We usually have a fire going, tell stories, shovel sawdust and maybe even saw a few logs! Just don't drool on our wood or our machines! Ok? Come see some of the most beautiful Mesquite anywhere in South Texas.
And, please, if you are coming during business hours, remember that 8-5 is for working. Please respect our need to make a living and don't come by just to visit for long periods of time during business hours or we just might put you to work.