Lane Circle Mill Project

[Mooseherder]

It has been 3 years since I bought and dismantled this Milling operation from the previous owner.  We took it apart together with the understanding he was to help me re-assemble.  It took about 8 days just the two of us.  We hauled in a bunch of gravel a couple years ago in anticipation of this day I and am looking forward to making some progess this summer.  I've started with the preparation of the concrete pad where the Track Frame, Sawdust Conveyor Pit, Husk and Motor will sit.  I'm hoping he shows up to help me pour the concrete. :D  So far my brothers bailed me out by helping on July 4th to finish this before having to leave for my flight back.
Other concrete will come later on next year for the Resaw, Edger and Chipper.  I figured this will take just under 12 yards of concrete for now. The Pour should be on August 1st.  Same day as the Pig Roast and my wife's class reunion. ;D

[Mooseherder]

The new Track Frame has been painted safety red and will be replacing the old sections laying on top of the Intake Log Deck.
That is the next job after the concrete.

[bandmiller2]

MH,looks like your going about it the right way,the big hurdle with a heavy duty circular mill is the planning and foundation many sleepless nights.thats the reason their are so many sawmill parts piles the owners never take the first hardest step.Which model Lane and what do you have for power??I have a topsaw setup for a Lane #1 if you want to hussle the big stuff.Keep us posted,is Florida Maine the warm sunny part of Maine?? Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Looking good Moose  ;) ;D 8) Your going the rite way about things she'll be one tidy settup when your finnished  Mate  ;) ;D 8) 8) 8) 8)

I love the old mills mate just wish the bank would finance the build on my Meadows i got a laugh outa the question the bank manager asked me the other day  ;) :D He goes this other old Meadows mill you have at home how much would it cut per day against the new kara saw I said Bout the Same production  ;) then he goes what are you going to do with it if you get the new mill (sell it  ???) I said Well mate Im already planning to  finnish it in my own time then ill have Two production mills for the price of 1 and 1/3rd he just said
Ohh that sounds like you have a good plan either way chris i just said i know one will just take me alittle longer  : : : ;) :D :D

I couldnt think of doing what your doing mate Shes a looooong hike any way  you look at it ;) :D :D ;D 8)

Keep up the good work and keep us posted Mate  ;) ;D 8)

Reguards Chris

[Captain]

Looks like a good start Moose.    I'm going to look at a 1876 Lane this week....

Captain

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Captain Thats A Classic I reckon afew different sawyers woulda cut some timber on err in that 133 years Mate  ;) ;D 8) 8)

Reguards Chris

[Mooseherder]

I don't know what Model # it is but believe it is of a newer vintage.  It is wrapped up tight under storage so I'll  post a picture and find out when it is put back on the track. :D  The Carriage and Frame are probably the only original parts from Lane.  The dogs work off of Hydraulics.   The Husk, Arbor and Hydraulic control valves are on a Steel Frame that is 8x8. 
The Motor is a 1999 John Deere,  model 4045TF150A  4.5 liter.  It has 3145 hours on the clock.
It runs everything except for the Planer, Log Deck, Sizer and Sawdust carriers.

[Mooseherder]

Progess is slow but we got the concrete down for the Track and Carriage, Husk and Motor.
We used 11 yards including the walls for the sawdust conveyor pit.




The rest will have to wait for next year for both time and money. :
The pit floor will come on another pour.

[farmboy1tn]

looks great, you will have it up and running soon 8)

[Mooseherder]

We made some progress last week while we were at the property.
It was exciting to finally be putting it back together.
Everything we moved was by 4 wheeler, the Duece truck, Farm Jacks, Come Alongs and brute force.
I now fit into some Jeans I haven't been able to wear for a year. ;)
The Mill Carriage probably weighs as much as a car.
My brothers and wife were a big help as usual.  I can't thank them enough.
Laying the first 6x6.  Oh what a feeling.



Here is a picture of a section of the old Track.  I extended the track by a Foot.  
6 inches each side.


The Carriage had been stored under tarp and stayed exactly the way it had been put there with the exception of the Dog Shafts rusting.  I got them loosened up and will give them a shot of Rust Reaper on my next visit.

We hauled it up with the Duece.  Just had to reposition the Truck about 4 times using Come Alongs and a Farm Jack to line it up with the Track Guide Rails.  We positioned it on some new and old Beams while waiting on finalizing the Guide Rails that we secured to the Beams.
I spent about 180 dollars on Hardware, Screws and Anchors for the Mill Track.
You don't get much for that anymore. :(



When the Rails were finalized we got her on the Track by Come Along.



The Happy Crew.

The next day, I cleaned it up some and it awaits some new Paint. (next trip)
There she is.  About 3 days more work to do to be sawing some Lumber! ;)
Until we meet again.

[bandmiller2]

Herder glad your making progress,now you know why bandmills are so popular.Take your time leveling and aligning,for a machine so heavy and massive their very sensitive to misalignment.I hope your planning a building over it after all this work, nothing worse than snow and ice all over everything.Have a nice wood plank floor to stand on concrete is tough in the winter.It will all be worth it when your in the sawyers box watching some of that nice Maine pine pass through the saw.Frank C.

[sawsmith]

i have to agree with bandmiller2. keep it under roof, after going thru all this work even something as simple as the sun shining on the blade will heat it up enough to make it not work properly after the first few hours of light.

[Mooseherder]

So here we are 8 years after the mill purchase and making a little progress.  I haven't worked on it for quite some time because it's so far away and there's other stuff that needs doing when we are there.  Lee and his Dad's Circle Mill Journey reminded and inspired me to get on the stick so on this past trip we really went to town.  My brother and I built this.  We started with the lumber on Saturday and I got the metal for it on Friday.  We are done with this part except for the front door.  I'll get to that in August along with moving the log deck to the right side of the building.  The motor and PTO is being cleaned and painted now and I hope to have it running next trip.  I still have to move a sawdust conveyor into the pit, install the cable drum and line everything up.
Later on will be another truckload of cement to the left of the building for the edger, resaw and chipper.
I decided on 10 foot walls and will tie in a left wing down the road.  I'll also build a wall to separate the motor from the husk and operators room.



 


  

 


  

  

  

 

[fishpharmer]

Wow, looks really good!!  Congrats on the progress. 8)

[slider]

That framing looks stout .nice job.

[Mooseherder]

I had snow load in mind. ;)

[SPD748]

Get 'em Moose!

I'm glad my project inspired someone to make theirs happen smiley_clapping

Now I'm going to have to get cracking on a building/shed to match yours.

-lee

[Mooseherder]

There was a little progress on the Mill last week while we were on Vacation.  We do nothing but work on these so called Vacations but still enjoy it.  My brother painted the Skid, PTO and Housing around the motor.  The motor itself was clean after he cleaned and prepped it so it didn't need paint and that saved some time.  Here it is at his place before we brought it to the mill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYXbXcHL700

[Mooseherder]

And putting it in place.
Some portions maybe blurry because Apple products don't play nice with Microsoft products. :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zTNh5xofA4

[raptorman01]

everything looks great so far, I have a question though, with the entire unit mounted low on the concrete like that, do you have room for the blade to be mounted on the spindle and spin??? looks like it is too close to the ground?? thanks and keep up the good work..

[Mooseherder]

Nothing is actually mounted yet and there are plenty of adjustments that will have to be made but the Blade clearance should be fine.  Next projects are the scissor mechanism that holds the hydraulic hoses overhead in between the Carriage and Husk.  The Cable Drum spool needs mounted.  The spool shaft was mounted thru the the Rail wood at its last home.  I may raise the tracks instead.  Plenty more needs to be done. 

[dgdrls]

Nice work Mh,  I love seeing these circle mill projects come together.

Look forward to some videos of you milling with it.

Best
DGDrls

[bandmiller2]

Bandmilling is an overgrown hobby, circular milling is a minor industry. Glad your making progress, are you planning to live near the mill later.?? Frank C.

[Mooseherder]

Had I bought a Bandmill there is a good possibility that I'd be an experienced Sawyer by now. ;)
The good thing is I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  We plan on living up there a few months every year when we retire.  I think Grandchildren are going to change our plans though.  It's a wonderful spot just too DanG far away.

[btd]

Have you made any lumber with this mill yet? It looks like you have done a very good job with the  setup and the building is impressive also. I am new to the forum and I have been working on taking apart my grandfather's old circle mill and some parts are lane as well, mostly home made though other than the headblocks and arbor. Anyway I would be curious to see any more progress on this mill, and any tips would probably be a help.