In another of our efforts to control quality from start to finish, in 1990 we purchased a 1920 vintage Yates Model 14 timber sizer that had been put out to pasture (literally) by a local timber company. We completely rebuilt the machine and raised a timber framed shed around it. We have been operating and upgrading it since 1991.
Boards and timbers come off a sawmill with a relatively rough finish and vary somewhat in dimension. These variations and irregularities make the crafting of a frame more difficult and time consuming. Our timber sizer planes all four sides of a timber up to 16" x 20" in a single pass and gives a rough sawn timber four smooth clean faces that are very consistent in dimension. We achieve tolerances most folks only dream about.
This machine has simplified our layout and joinery processes to the point that it actually saves both time and expense in our Timber Shop. It is an amazing piece of early 20th century technology. It is also quite interesting to watch while in operation. Gears, pulleys, rollers and flat belts seem to be in motion everywhere.