Whether it's a handwritten letter in the mail, the aroma of cracking open your favourite book, or Grandma’s homemade soup on a chilly autumn evening - sometimes the old way is better. Slava Dunav takes this sentiment to heart when it comes to his woodworking. Other than his HM126, Slava prefers to use antique tools. Most of his chisels and tools are from the 1800s, making his projects feel that much more authentic.

As Slava began honing his skills, the projects got bigger. This meant paying ridiculous prices for lumber - if they even carried what he needed. He found that stores did not stock lumber large enough for his designs, so he was often left to the mercy of those on Facebook and Craigslist to find something that would work. Sick of having to make do with whatever he could get, Slava decided it was time to start cutting his own custom lumber. This meant getting himself a portable bandsaw mill.

Although Slava found the prices at Woodland Mills to be very fair, it was the quality and how the mills were built that impressed him the most. He used to work in a machine shop where his days were spent building things out of metal. From his experience, he could immediately tell that the Woodland Mills portable sawmills were well-built and the best value out there. He bought himself an HM126 and added a trailer and extension.

With the HM126 by his side, Slava was finally able to take advantage of the oak and cedar trees that cover his 4-acre property. Once friends and family caught wind, he was getting regular log donations, as well. He has made some connections with local landscaping companies, tree services, and grading companies to get logs cheap or free. Gone are the days when Slava wondered where he would find the lumber he needed and how much it would cost him.

Once Slava could make his own custom lumber, he let his creativity go wild. It became an art form. He watched his sketches and plans come to fruition as he cut every piece of wood he needed. Slava built a beautiful white oak deck with railings made from mountain laurel wood. He also built some furniture to give their home the rustic vibe that he and his wife both enjoy. His passion, however, is timber framing.

Slava uses both the traditional “scribe rule” and “square rule” when deciding how each joint will fit together in his structure. These allow him to use irregular or crooked timber without much issue as they are very forgiving. The neat thing about the tongue-in-groove technique that Slava favours is that you can put the structure together with green lumber. Never having to dry his lumber certainly saves him time and it is also easier to cut and chisel.

Slava particularly enjoyed building a reading cabin for his children. Every piece of wood used for this project was harvested from his own property. The walls were all assembled using tongue-and-groove and the inside was lined with shelves for all the children’s books. The end result was cozy and quiet, the perfect place to read or study. Slava and his wife have purchased a 17-acre property in North Carolina and would like to move there one day. The little reading cabin will be able to move with them. Since Slava used the techniques passed down from the early settlers, it can be disassembled, relocated, and reassembled on their new property.

The family will also be taking with them the little red cedar sauna that they have been enjoying since Slava built it last year. With a tiny woodstove inside, this Finnish-style sauna gives off a toasty dry heat, perfect to warm up on a cool day. With so much interest in his sauna, both online and from visitors to their property, Slava has considered building small, portable saunas and selling them.

His motto: Capitalize when you get that drive and do as much as you can.

Slava could sell his extra lumber but finds it more profitable to sell as timber frames. As his skills improve, others have taken notice of Slava’s work and he has had no shortage of interest. There are so many opportunities with his mill and not enough hours in the day. Slava doesn’t mind, though. Whether it be cutting a timber frame pavilion for a friend or creating a beautiful, exposed timber roof for an architect, Slava loves getting the chance to showcase his talents while making some extra money. Slava loves his HM126 and says that it has paid for itself time and time again. He is not keeping his feelings about Woodland Mills a secret. A friend has now purchased an HM126 of his own and Slava is sharing his passion for timber framing by teaching him to build a 6’x8’ pavilion.

Slava loves to pass on the knowledge of timber framing in the hopes that he might inspire others. While his toddler and 8-month-old have not quite got the hang of it yet, he has started passing down his love of woodworking to his two older children. His 10-year-old son has the most interest and has learned to sketch and design projects. If Slava notices a tool is missing a few teeth, he knows his son has been in the woods practicing.

Slava plans on building a large Barn on his property in North Carolina. Surrounded by trees, it is the perfect place to put his HM126 to work. The barn will be used as a workshop where Slava can host timber framing classes for children. This fun workshop will give the kids a chance to build a child-sized house with no nails, just simple tools and hand-milled lumber. Some trees will be left untouched, such as the oaks that were planted in the 1700s. These trees were around before Independence Day!

To Slava, timber framing is more than just a hobby. It is his passion, something he was meant to do. It helps him spend more time with his family and devote his days to doing something he loves. There are a lot of creative people out there who never stumble upon what they are really good at, but Slava is lucky to have found his calling.

At night, Slava is awoken by new creative designs and ideas that he quickly sketches. He is eager to build some of those concepts on his acreage in North Carolina. Slava hand selects each log that he mills. They are all unique and he likes to incorporate the natural flow of the trees into his pieces, creating a timeless type of artwork.

Timber framing is very strong. If cared for, 150 years from now the cabins that he builds might still be standing. Slava writes little messages to the people in the future who will one day take apart his wooden structures. He jots down his notes on the old-fashioned pegs that he then hammers into the joints. Both a message to the future and a reminder of the past.