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Will this work, or dumb idea?

Started by GearDrive, August 11, 2016, 12:43:33 PM

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GearDrive

I've been wanting to build a timberframe cabin on my 40 acres with the trees that are on it. My first thought was to buy a bandsaw mill. My second thought is I'm a cheap SOB and want to make one. I like the simplicity of the chainsaw mills, but they look slow, under powered, and a lot of work.

So here is my idea. I haven't seen anything like it, but I'm  green.

I have an air cooled VW engine that produces 50hp.
Buy a 36" chainsaw bar and chain.
Drive the saw chain with the VW.
Make a carriage for the unit with the bar and chain running in the vertical position.

The VW does not have a governor, so I'm thinking hand throttle when powering through the wood.

I have a chain sharpener already.

I work in Tool And Die, so making adaptors,  machining shafts, etc. Won't be a problem.

I have no experience with a mill, but 30 years with a chainsaw.

Czech_Made

There are builds out there similar to yours.  Here is a mill built commercially in Europe:






Czech_Made

Since the VW engine is heavy, I would probably keep the sawing head stationary and move the log into the cut.

I built copy of Logosol for myself, prefer electrical power to gas:

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,90578.msg1394410.html#msg1394410

If you are tool and die, you can build about anything, I worked in that field overseas :)

Good luck!

Joe Hillmann

If you run the chain in the vertical position your clamping system has to be much stronger and maybe more complicated than if it is horizontal.  Your carriage will also need to be larger/more complicated.

Dave Shepard

Before I had my WoodMizer,I thought of doing something like this. I think a horizontal bar would make operating this mill much easier and safer. That is a lot of engine for what you are doing. A vertical shaft engine out of a lawn tractor would be ideal.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Joe Hillmann

Is there such a chain that can handle nearly that much horse power?  I think a large chainsaw may be around 8 hp.  There are also hydraulic cut off saws that use chain saw blades and bars that are probably higher hp than that but I don't know if any of them could handle as much power as you are talking about and get any longevity out of them.

GearDrive

Thanks for the replies.

As far as the VW weight goes, Probably 200-250lbs  How much does a fully loaded bandsaw head unit weigh?

Horse power? Have you seen the Predator, v8 powered saw?

I'm thinking that if I turn the idle up to 2000 rpm I might not even have to give it any more throttle. It will cut through without working real hard.

How fast should I be turning the chain? 1:4?

Any other pros/cons to running horizontal vs vertical?

Joe Hillmann

Quote from: GearDrive on August 11, 2016, 03:16:55 PM

Horse power? Have you seen the Predator, v8 powered saw?



I've seen large saws like that but I doubt if you ran them 8 hours a day the chain or bar would hold up to that much power for long.

Ianab

If you "de-rate" the engine (by not allowing full throttle / revs) it wont be making 50 hp. Maybe 15-20 like the commercial chainsaw mills have.

Engine weight would be an issue, but it's on wheels. Probably still easier to move the saw head than the log. If you plan to move the log, you need a moving carriage almost the length of the log, and rails more than 2X the length.  Moving the sawhead means simpler fixed bunks / clamps and rails just slightly longer than the log.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

GearDrive

Quote from: Ianab on August 11, 2016, 04:22:17 PM
If you "de-rate" the engine (by not allowing full throttle / revs) it wont be making 50 hp. Maybe 15-20 like the commercial chainsaw mills have.

Engine weight would be an issue, but it's on wheels. Probably still easier to move the saw head than the log. If you plan to move the log, you need a moving carriage almost the length of the log, and rails more than 2X the length.  Moving the sawhead means simpler fixed bunks / clamps and rails just slightly longer than the log.

I agree

ozarkgem

if you are going to derate the VW might as well go with a vertical shaft lawn mower engine. Lot simpler to hook up a horizontal bar setup that way. Should be able to get a lawn mower engine pretty cheap. There is a point more hp is wasted on a chain saw chain but not sure what it would be. Maybe 10 -15 hp. As for the V8 saws, it would be interesting to see the chain. I doubt its a stock chain. I thought about doing the same thing as I have a slasher bar. Was going to make a slabber out of it. Not really long enough for that.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

Kbeitz

Quote from: Joe Hillmann on August 11, 2016, 01:59:42 PM
Is there such a chain that can handle nearly that much horse power?  I think a large chainsaw may be around 8 hp.  There are also hydraulic cut off saws that use chain saw blades and bars that are probably higher hp than that but I don't know if any of them could handle as much power as you are talking about and get any longevity out of them.

Husqvanra has a chainsaw that 31hp and cost  $1,799.95 ...
Stihl made one called the B2Z.2 that was 2 cylinders and 450 cc.
Disston made a couple that were 245 cc and 97 pounds,
Dolmar made the model A starting in 1927. It was 245 cc and
128 pounds. By 1949 the CL was up to 247 cc and down to a svelte 99 pounds.
REXO has a two man saw that has 350 cc's.


Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

barbender

.404 harvester chain is transmitting way more than 50hp, I would think. Regular 3/8 ripping chain, I don't know how much that would be rated for, but the Lucas slabbing attachments are running 24 horse or more. I saw pictures on the Web years back of a mill built with a large vertical shaft engine and chainsaw bar, it was a log home builder using it. A vertical shafts would probably save you a lot of headaches.
Too many irons in the fire

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