Inhabitat Explores BIG!Millworks, a Local Resource for Affordable Reclaimed Wood (PHOTOS)

A few weeks ago, <a href="http://www.bignyc.org/">Build it Green!NYC</a> and <a href="www.tri-lox.com/">Tri-Lox</a> announced the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/build-it-greennyc-opens-a-new-recycled-wood-sawmill-called-bigmillworks-in-astoria/">opening of BIG!Millworks</a>, a new reclaimed woodshop in Astoria, Queens. Although BIG!’s urban sawmill is still just a newborn, it’s already prepping its first rack of recycled wood planks to take a chip out of the estimated 2,072,000,000 pounds of wood waste generated in NYC per year. Last weekend, Inhabitat got a chance to check out the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/historic-sawmill-in-madrid-transformed-into-thriving-arts-center-with-glowing-led-facade/">recycled lumber shop</a> and learn more about how it aims to keep wood waste from deconstruction sites and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/fallen-industry-transforms-fallen-trees-and-driftwood-into-beautiful-new-pieces-of-furniture/">fallen trees</a> out of incinerator and trash heaps. So come with us as we take a tour of the new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/recycled-wood/">recycled-wood</a> work site housed within the BIG!NYC Reuse Center on 26th Avenue.

If you’ve never been to one of the BIG!NYC Reuse Centers it’s basically a veritable Costco of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/recycled-furniture/">reclaimed furniture</a> and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/i-used-to-be-a-washing-machine-upcycles-old-appliances-into-chairs/">appliances</a>. Here, and at BIG!’s other location near the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/listing/big-nyc-gowanus/">Gowanus in Brooklyn</a>, you can find just about anything you need to start furnishing your home. From doors, tanker office desks sinks toilets, whole kitchen cabinet sets, ovens, dishwashers, brand new floor tiles from warehouse liquidation, and even half cans of paint.

Since opening up in 2005, BIG!’s Astoria location has only been able to sell reclaimed furniture and building materials as is. The <a href="http://www.bignyc.org/millworks">BIG!Millworks</a> will allow the organization to create new wall paneling, wood flooring, and dimensional lumber objects all from wood material that would have otherwise been <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycled-wood-plant-pickets-point-out-fruits-and-veggies-in-your-edible-garden/">thrown out as waste material</a>.

The star machine of this new section is the hydraulic Wood-Mizer; a massive wood saw that looks more like large piece of farming equipment.

The Wood-Mizer currently equipped with a conveyor belt to feed <a href="http://inhabitat.com/noble-goods-unveils-new-line-of-sustainable-wood-furniture-with-unique-resin-inlays/">long beams of wood</a>. Jaclyn Jablkowski pictured here as a stand in for a human size comparison.

Most of the wood that the Millworks works with comes from old building joists, structural timbers that make up the frame of the building, and ceiling beams.

Welch says that a single beam can yield up to four long wood planks and then even more <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/12x12-twelve-designers-transform-reclaimed-nyc-lumber-into-fresh-modern-furnishings/">new building materials</a> can be cut out of a thicker structural timber.

The varieties of wood that the Millworks can provide is also diverse with many different types of wood including white oak, Alaskan yellow cedar, and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/120-sq-ft-small-studio-wrapped-in-reclaimed-redwood-chills-in-california/">redwood</a>.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/chissick-design-turns-salvaged-wood-scraps-into-beautiful-fused-furniture/">All the wood</a> goes through a process deconstruction, milling, kilning, and then processing (otherwise known as planning).

From the sawing Wood-Mizer, the wood panels are cut to size on a table saw.

the panels go to a shaper machine

The Shaper Machine can use different cutter bits on a spinning spindle to create rounded edges or cut a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/stunning-green-family-home-set-in-the-redwoods/">tongue-and-groove system</a> into the boards.

After that the planks go into a into a 110-degree fahrenheit kiln to dehydrate the wood.

Finally a wood planer will shave down the wood to it’s final thickness, cut straight edges, and create a smooth finish.

The ultimate goal for the project is to create a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/kireis-new-pacific-coastal-collection-is-made-from-reclaimed-mountain-beetle-pine-wood/">wide variety of milled products</a> for both <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/do-it-yourself/">do-it-yourselfers</a> and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/architecture/">architectural</a> as well as <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/design/">design community</a> can use. Hand modeling provided by Sam Welch.

There's plenty more at Build it Green!NYC's Astoria shop so go check it out today!