feedrate of manual bandmill

[edsaws]

this question goes out to all the manual mill operators out there. if i was to have say a 24" by 10' red oak what kind of feedrate do you think would be appropriate? i've yet to make any lumber yet but it won't be long and i'm just curious as to how fast it might be done in  your opinions.thanks

[Haytrader]

I think it comes with experience. I have not cut oak so can't help ya there. I just go by feel. It all changes as the blade dulls anyway.
Start slow and increase till you have a problem or feel you are walking to fast.
You just have to see what works and what doesn't.
You didn't say what saw you have or how many ponies.
It all makes a difference.

[chet]

Ditto to what Haytrader said. Cut a couple of logs and you will get a feel for an appropriate feed rate.

[Tom]

When sawing with smaller engines, remember that the blade is probably capable of cutting faster than the engine.  If the mill is set up correctly then you should be able to drive the  saw just shy of bogging the engine.

You can't efficiently saw any faster than the blade can remove sawdust so oak may cut apparently easier than softer woods since softer woods will allow you to "over-drive" the blade.  

When you get into the 40 horse and above engines then over-driving the blade becomes a problem.

[D._Frederick]

Ed,
With a sharp blade, feed that you maintain engine rpm. Watch the saw so that it is cutting a straight line,  if not slow the feed rate, this is the maximum cut rate of you saw. Assuming that you have your saw aligned and tensioned correctly.

[edsaws]

i've got a homade mill with 15 ponys drivin it. its almost completed. i hope to fire it up soon, just a matter of fabricating blade guards and the roller guides and a few other things.i'll try to  post some pics soon

[EZ]

Haytrader is right, you will get the fill of it. If you can, go watch another sawyer with about the same horsepower. I push until the sound of the motor just starts to bog a little. When the blade starts to dull you automatally slow your feed rate down. The thing is not how fast you can saw a log up, it's how nice the boards are when your finish.
EZ

[solidwoods]

This applies to lower/mid pwr machines with operator walks with the head
The feed rate is not as important as how much "feel" the operator has using the feed system.   Keep tweeking the feed sys. so it is easy and accurate to control (feed that is,,,return needs to be able to haul Butt, I mean Head)  It's best if the feed system has a fine adjustment ability, so the operator can keep the feed almost inch pounds from where he wants it.  The operator can now add or subtract the wee bits of feed change that may be needed.  In low/mid pwr machines, I think there isn't allot of room to be too fast on the feed speed, it doesn't take long for the blade to react.
JIM

[LeeB]

Go as fast as you can and still maintain a straight cut and not bog the motor. slower feed rates will dull the blade faster and cause the blade to heat up more causing more pitch build up. LeeB

[solidwoods]

I suggest a good quality gear motor with the proper range of ratio (fine tune with the sprocket ratios) instead of a motor that is salvaged from something because the feed rate is probably tied for first place with blade tracking.  If the feed rate is not right you will have all kinds of strokes heart attacks gray hair wavy lumber or short blade life.
The problem with single speed gear motors is they rtn. slow.
WM has a good feed sys but a little electrical circuit boardy for a simple home sys.
The gear motor rheostat  and reversing switch are simple/cheap
Plus buy it new and not have to screw around with finding the thing that dosent work now so you wont have to remod for a new found something or other.

There's no such thing as "a bad cut".
They come in two's.

JIM

[VA-Sawyer]

If you aren't paying close attention, bad cuts can also come in three's and four's.  :-[ :-[
Rick

[Minnesota_boy]

Yeah, I've even made bad cuts 8 at a time.   :( :( :(

[EZ]

Solidwoods is right, a good feed motor(hyd. or 12 volt) is the way to go.
If you push to fast the blade heats up, causing wavy boards, if you push to slow, the blade heats up, causing wavy boards. Like I said before, you will get the fill of your saw. The new mill that I'm building, I was going to put a feed motor on it, but I think I'm just going to leave it the way it was. There's just something about pushing the saw threw that I like. Maybe I have'nt grew up yet,I dont know. The system I use works fine for me.  ;D
EZ

[solidwoods]

The Army has a 5ton truck that is notorious for "driver over braking" ,locking wheels and loosing control.

The problem.  
Operator has no "feed back feel" of the brakes through the brake pedal.  Operator can't tell how much breaking is being done (exactly how much).

Army solution.  
Limit the trucks speed to 40mph highway.
 :'(   :'(   :'(
JIM