Before to the invention of the sawmill , boards were sawn by two men with a whipsaw , using saddleblocks to hold the log , and a pit for the pitman who worked below .
Prior to the invention of the sawmill , boards were rived and planed , or more often sawn by two men with a whipsaw , using saddleblocks to hold the log , and a saw pit for the pitman who worked below .