One retirement project is to build a 24″ or larger bandsaw mill, 2″ band min. .
Pretty much have all parts in the back junkyard, (v-6 sfi engine, solid tires, hydraulics, etc) and have machine shop and welding equip.
Did a web search on homemade bandsaw mills and there are some good ones but pretty much just folks wanting to sell you plans, which am not interested in, rather DIY 100%.
Question is if anyone here has built their own mill from scratch and how many hours do you figure you had into it? I’m guessing about 120 hours for design thru first operation? ( I know, much more cost effective to buy a used ‘mizer or such, but just using one is not the purpose)
2nd question is what was your worst design/build problem.
Replies
Several years ago I saw a homemade bandsaw mill while visiting relatives in Pennsylvania. This fellow took a discarded bandsaw, maybe 18 to 20",not exactly sure and more or less turned it on its side. The saw was powered by a gasoline engine, maybe 8 to 10 hp. I recall that the frame moved on iron wheels with a vee grove.The rails were angle irons upside down fastened to flat plate with spot welds.
There was a pile of lumber recently cut near the saw.Looked like the saw did the job from the lumber I saw.Can't give any more details as he was not home when I was there.His daughter did say that he only cut for himself, never sold any lumber.
Buying plans may be a good option.I know you would rather not but it might save you time and money.
mike
I see your planing to do, what I want to do as well. At some point I want to have a bandsaw mill to mill my own lumber. Not to make a living, just for personal use. I didn't find any good plans yet, I'm still looking. I don't have a problem spending 20 or 30 bucks on a plan if I know it's a good design. Most places selling the plans don't show any finished product, just some cad pics from the plans.If you find anything usable please inform me.
Martin
I've been planing to send this guy some money for quite sometime now. I thought about designing and building my own too but this guys plans look pretty tried and tested and worth the money. At least as a place to start off and perhaps modify if needed.http://pennswoods.net/~zigbug/
4 Month ago I went to the local wood working show. I talked to a guy from eastern Canada who sells custom made bandsaw blades. He told me if I build a bandsaw mill I should use real flywheels on the sawhead and not tires. According to him there is a problem with the tire set up. I like the idea of the Logosol M7 set up, you can use a bandsaw or a chain saw on it. That comes in handy when you want to get some quartersawn lumber. http://www.logosol.com/_sawmills/m7/bandsaw.phpMartin
My main fishin buddy works at Simpson down in the tide flats.
I bet I can arrange a tour to see how there wheels are set up.
I would plan on having the saw move on a track verses the log moving on some guide.
The hardest thing that I can imagine is getting a blade to stay on the wheels
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.†—Albert Einstein
Recently bought a couple acres of large pine trees and looking for more land in the same area.
Probably not what you're planning to saw but a lot better than the juniper and pinion pines I have now.
Joe H
So when are you retiring?
You mentioned a "v-6 sfi engine". What does that mean exactly?
Offhand a V6 engine sounds awfully big. We run the saw mill out at the hysterical society on a 20 HP steam engine. And it has a 42" diameter blade. So I'm guessing you're grossly overpowered.
My only real suggestion aside from that is keep the engine as far away from the blade as possible. It would be a lot more pleasant to use if the noise was farther away.
Hey Boss,
....'Now don't go putting him down with the use of a V-6.... ;>)
'Just think, with that kind of power AND a transmission, scooting down the length of a huge log like speed shifting and scooting down a quarter mile, just think of timber and fun you could have every weekend!!
Heck, not to mention using the exhaust from six cylinders keeping the BUGS and SNAKES away ;>)
Bill
So when are you retiring?
Well, my retirement date was 7 years ago, but just keep having too much fun and work on billion dollar hardware<G>. Got to go off a 150 ft high deck (SBX) in the Aleutians off Adak this year on a Billy Pugh in 50 mph winds, 12 ft seas, cant buy that type ride even in Disneyworld. Plus still feel like am able to contribute.
You mentioned a "v-6 sfi engine". What does that mean exactly?
SFI = sequential fuel injection, engine out of a '84 buick, run just above idle and real quiet. Why be underpowered, plan on min 2" blade width? Might use a Datsun 1300CC 54 HP instead?
Pretty sure would use a head move vs. log move design. Lotsa hydraulics to move and tension stuff.
Thinking of something a little bigger than this, out of pocket cost with the junk laying around probably less that $500, but a few hours.
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Edited 2/3/2008 1:56 am ET by junkhound
I haven't ever seen this fellow's homemade mill, but I see him with wood every flea market each month. He said it used "car tires"... When all I've ever seen was Areomatic Cedar, I asked him once, "Why only Cedar?"
He said he can't keep the blade on the tires when he's tried cutting harder timber. So, getting passed "reinventing the wheel" might pay you to hunt down some tried and true plans... If not, then at least try to build it so that a standard blade length that matches "Wood Mizer" or the like makes blade buying easier and less painful than custom welded lenghts. I often see boxes of 10 Wood Mizer blades on Ebay auctions.
Good luck,
Bill
I started building one about a year ago with a friend of mine. We have just been too busy to work on it lately. We used an old meat bandsaw for the head, and most of the other main parts have been made. We just need some spare time to finish the details.
I bought a mill after reading at http://www.forestryforum.com/
great place for just the info you need! I don't have the resources to build my own but with a hundred acres of white pine I'll find a use for it.
that seems like fun, keep us posted
"It is like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer: it feels so good when you stop"
I'm not sure plans would help you alot...
when you build with what you have... then you have to DOS... "design on site"
I'm guess'n you have a good mental picture of what you want... and sure you have more than a few pages of drawings that you have made in times of thought ....
with hydraulics... seems you can have one source of power and tap freeds as needed...
lots of hose, valves, ect...
think i'd look for some 10" i-beam as the main base/frame... maybe some geared toothed track (slideing automatic gate hardware)...
i think you could make it as slick or as crude as you wanted and still get good results... might as well be on the lookout for a blade welder (harbor freight has em) so you can buy your blade in full rolls... i saw some hardware in an esculator (sp) that looked like it'd make fine wheels for the blade... i think the handrail ran on it... (i was late get'n the handrail...it was going to go around my dock for a bumper...
good luck... oh yeah... be on the lookout for a large truck oil cooler... for your hyd oil... i'm think'n put a blower on it and have a source of heat if you're work'n in the cold...
p
I've built a couple of resaws and a 50" circ sawmill....and owned a Woodmizer for 14 years.
The most important part of a bandsaw mill is the guide system and the provisions for making fine adjustments. Another is saw speed. And another is having the equipment and moxie to set and resharpen blades properly.
If I were you, I would look at going for a more available blade size, particularly the Woodmizer 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" because 1. They've done a great job of constantly improving the blade/tooth/gullet profile 2. they're blades are relatively inexpensive given their sales volume and 3. they do have a quick turn-a-round sharpening.setting service that, while I never used it, a lot of sawyers do and are happy with the results.
email me through the forum here and I get provide you with more details about a bunch of other bandsaw considerations (or sawmills in general).
I spent a bunch of years maintaining Weyerhaeuser's "big iron" and made a specialty of tuning and repairing those big single cut and double cut headrigs.
Edited 2/3/2008 12:57 pm by Notchman
http://www.pennswoods.net/~zigbug/
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two ways to screw up concrete 1) concrete driver 2) concrete finisher