In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Homemade Sawmill

Discussion in 'The Sawyer Room' started by LodgedTree, May 12, 2017.

  1. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Well with my upside down wood splitter completed, I am moving on to another project. It is nice to have confidence that what I dream up can be built and work without a lot of re-configuring. With the upside wood splitter I only had to move arm arm rest that held the splitter handle as it hit the log trailer when in a turn situation, coming down a hill (the geometry made the two closer then what you would think. So with one retrofit, I would call that a successful design-build.

    Now it is off to a homemade sawmill.

    Granted I am kind of cheating, but my motto has always been "use what you got." In this case it is a homemade chainsaw mill derived from plans my father bought online called the "Procut Sawmill". It worked...sort of, but my father, a Mechanical Engineer had to make a lot of things better, and the chainsaw aspect of it was slow. But it has a lot of working parts. A 24 foot bed with working adjusters to get the log situated just right, and a carraige that allows the chainsaw to go up and down.

    The second thing I had was Gilliom Bandsaw. Now that was for woodworking and woefully inadaequate, but it is an interesting design. With Gilliom, you buy the forged parts and then build the woodworking tools out of plywood. Band saws, jointers, shapers, table saws...you get large capacity woodworking machines for a fraction of the cost because you are building the machine out of parts and plans.

    The question is, can the two be joined together?

    I think so. My plan is to lower the Gilliom Band Saw so that the height between the pulleys is greater so that it can cut logs and wide boards. I will then rotate the saw 90 degrees and mount it on the front of the existing sawmill carriage so that it can operate up and down. I will have to counterweight the back of the carriage, but that is an easy fix. Then install a sawmill blade on the saw and repower the bandsaw with a higher HP electric motor. I could go with a gasoline engine, but I have no intention of making this portable, and will always be close to the house. With my log trailer, it is just easier to bring the logs to the sawmill instead. And the electric motor will enable me to get by without a clutch mechanism.

    I am not sure this will all work, but for a couple hundred bucks I might have a sawmill that is workable. Even if it only processed small logs, it would enable me to get more out of my woodlot that cannot go for commercial logs.
     
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  2. Minnesota Marty

    Minnesota Marty

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    LogdedTree,
    I had a friend that had a Gillom Band Saw and the components on that bandsaw are very stout. I don't see why your plan shouldn't work. Good Luck on the build and post some photos if you get a chance.

    Marty
     
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  3. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Hey thanks...

    I have made a lot of headway on the saw this weekend, though honestly I have other things I should be doing! Funny how stuff like that happens, you get into a project and then just can't stop.

    I was able to engineer my way out of a problem late last night. The Gillioum saw is hung over the front of the existing carriage because...well it was designed to make a small chainsaw go up and down within it, not a big bandsaw. That caused a lot of stress on the crank mechanism to cause the bandsaw to lift or lower. But inspiration came from a garage door cable pulley that rides on some Tee-Bar I had kicking around, now the saw goes up and down smoothly and with no flexing. I am going to do another on the bandsaw idler wheel side to make it even more robust. This will give me 4 points of contact that slide/roll smoothly.

    Surprisingly the cantilevered weight was not so much of an issue. Oh I will still need to counter balance the carriage, but it looks like I will only need 75-100 pounds of weight to do that instead of a few hundred like I thought. That should also reduce vibration.

    One issue I did have was figuring out the centers between bandsaw wheels. Bandsaw blades come in foot increments so I had to do a lot of math to get it to work. In the end it will take a 12 foot bandsaw blade, and by the looks of things this saw will enable me to saw a 18" X 24" timber, 20 feet long. I think I can work with that though.

    So after this its a matter of powering it with an electric motor, and getting the saw blades for it. If all this does work, and saws logs well enough, I might put an electric motor on the lift/lower chain drive so that can be done with a flip of a switch instead of hand cranking.

    I'll have to get pictures...
     
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  4. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    :thumbs: I'm watching this one too and looking forward to some pics.
     
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  5. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    I got some pictures, but I am not Ansel Adams behind the camera, not to mention being a down pouring rain and inside my barn. Hopefully though you will see the marriage between Gilliom bandsaw and ProCut Chainsaw Carriage.

    Nothing I really need to explain except the two angle iron arms going back towards the tractors grille will have plywood bolted to it to hold sand bags for counterweight. I lacked plywood to make this.

    Then there is no blade on this saw yet as I do not have any for it as of just yet.

    There is a chain in the photos. This is just keeping the headrig from tipping forward as there is no counterweight on it right now. The chain just goes to the bucket of my tractor to help hold it level.

    I put a motor on here with belt to show where it will eventually go, but I lack a powerful enough motor right now, but wanted to just stage it for you guys so you could sort of see where I was going with this.

    Anyway, nothing fancy, but could possible work. The frame is actually quit rigid with no flex, but does move up and down. After testing this to see if it will even cut lumber, I might work on getting a better lift/lower mechanism, but I want to see how it saws wood first.

    So right now I have a few things to do:

    Buy a 5 HP electric motor and wire it, mount it and couple it with a belt to the driven bandsaw wheel
    Put new urethane tire on bandsaw wheel
    Get 3/4" piece of plywood, bolt it onto arms, and get bags of sand for counterweight
    Get bandsaw blades for it DSCN4885.JPG DSCN4886.JPG DSCN4887.JPG
     
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  6. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    You're on your way there sir!:binoculars: Looking like someone who has done his fair share of can-do and know-how:thumbs:
     
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  7. HDRock

    HDRock

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    :popcorn:
     
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  8. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Hey thanks.

    I hope to be encouragement for others. It might surprise people but while I was a welder for the railroad, merchant marine and a shipyard building US Navy Destroyer's, I actually have very limited welding equipment at home. I only have a AC buzzbox welder, have absolutely no cutting torches or plasma cutter, so all my steel is cut using a 5 inch grinder with cutting and grinding wheels. All my steel is scrounged junk from the corner of the barn somewhere.

    My mantra has always been, use what you got.
     
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  9. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Timber wolf has low tension blades.
    I think low tension in this situation is Paramount.

    I would strongly recommend a low tension band to keep from breaking and twisting the wood frame and hurting the bearings.

    What rpm are you running?

    I would call them and tell them what you have what rpm you are running with the hp and width of cut.....

    They have info on their website to help choose a band.

    They can also make a band of any length without headaches.

    They talk about tension lube hook angle etc.
    Six Rules Of Sawing | Suffolk Machinery - Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blades
     
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  10. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    You would be surprised, because the bandsaw is made of plywood and the way it is put together it is pretty robust. Bolted to the steel carriage, I am not at all worried about the frame twisting or breaking under stress, but am concerned the adjustment mechanism might not be able to tension the blade enough. This saw can and has handled 3/4 inch blades, but a 1 inch blade is 25% bigger and that requires a lot of force. That is the biggest question mark to me at this point...

    I am not sure as there are several pulley arrangements in play here, and I am not sure what my motor driven pulley diameter will be yet. I can go with either a 1750 RPM electric motor or a 3450 RPM electric motor, and most likely will go with the higher rpm so that the sawblade can move air and eject the chip better. The latter will reduce torque, but will be closer to what typical gasoline sawmills run for speeds.

    I made the sawmill so that it can accept a 12 foot blade, that way I can order blades from anyplace. I looked briefly at one bandsaw site and they had blade prices listed in 1 foot increments. It could have been just because they used that size for pricing reasons loosely, but can make a bandsaw to any length, or not. I am not sure, but I have plenty of adaptability; that is I can order a 12 foot bandsaw and be able to tension it. I have the special jig and skillset though to weld my own bandsaw blades together.

    It is definitely has been a fun project...
     
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  11. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Rpm and pulley calculator you can get the desired rpm quick and easy.
    Calculate Band Saw Surface Feet per Minute (SFPM) | VintageMachinery.org
    It's best to match blade speed and desired cutting width to engine hp.
    Blade stability is also effected by hp and blade rpm.

    Imo gear it way down it will cut slow, but straight-er.

    The biggest reason to avoid wood is making a mess of the wood with band lube. Oil won't deteriorate the wood like water and will lube better.
    People build them out of wood all the time. It's not a production machine but rather a toy so speed and durability doesn't matter!
     
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  12. blacksmith

    blacksmith

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    Can we see a video of this thing in action? :binoculars::popcorn:
     
  13. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    Hay thanks, being an old circular sawmill guy I was thinking you would get straighter cuts if it was sped up. Interesting, thanks for the heads up.

    I used the chart link you gave me and came up with 3000 surface speed for a 1750 rpm motor, and 5700 surface speed for a 3400 rpm motor. Not sure which one is best. My ultimate goal is to produce lumber a lot faster then the ProCut chainsaw mill. I am not sure but I think a sash sawmill was faster!!

    Another think I am not sure about is if I will even need blade lube. I have never seen a bandsaw mill here use lube before, but I only cut hemlock too. They say hemlock saws the best, and that is all I ever plan to saw with this saw. I could see where it might be needed on White Pine...maybe fir...and probably not Spruce...but I have never seen those woods cut on a bandsaw so I don't know.
     
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  14. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    I dare say(almost) any bandmill is faster easier and more efficient than a chainsaw.

    Yes the band moves just like a big cicular blade will warp at given rpms and load.

    Hemlock is butter. So are all the other woods you listed.:cool: I run just enough tension so Knott's don't defect the band blade.

    Band lube is not a have to have, but it helps pulling (requires less hp)the band through wood and keeps it cooler making them last longer before breaking and keeps them sharper.(8-9$ to sharpen35-50 for a new band)
    I've tried not running it, or using only water and running oil literally made my bands last about twice as long.

    There was another web page I had book marked regarding hp, vs width of cut and type of wood. But am not near the computer.
    You could find out what (brand name)Mills are Turing for 5 hp, probably around 4000(geared down). 5700 is a touch high it could bog. It might be okay for softwood though. Electric makes good tq so it might do well on soft stuff.
     
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  15. LodgedTree

    LodgedTree

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    I see you like the old woodworking machinery forum. I was on there for awhile, but interests moved. I still got a lot of junk kicking around, circular sawmills, shingle mills, planers, and a killer of a jointer. 18 inch, ship builders jointer with fence. Paid $100 for the thing. Anyway I looked into seeing what I needed for speed and that was the general recommendation of those old flat belts...2000 rpm.

    Growing up we had a 1965 327 CID Chevy running our circular sawmill. It ran in 3rd gear to get the speed, but after hitting a knot, the saw would bog down and you could watch that blade dish out on you, but as soon as it came back up to speed, it would flatten right out from centrifugal force. I got a 6 cylinder White Diesel sitting on an engine stand ready to go in it, which I am sure would do it wonders over that 327 Chevy. I would have to redo the entire mill though. That is a lot of work, and still would end up with a lot of sawdust...a lot of production, but an awful lot of sawdust too.
     
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  16. Flamestead

    Flamestead

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    It is even worse than that - a 1" blade is 33% bigger.

    Enjoying watching the progress on your build...
     
  17. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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