Rebuilding a Belsaw M-14

Dieseltim · April 30, 2017, 08:47:30 PM

Ok, finally found my missing link. I have been looking every where for chain to use for sawdust removal.

Darrel · April 30, 2017, 09:42:52 PM

Quote from: Dieseltim on April 30, 2017, 08:43:16 PM

Ok, got the bearings for the main arbor mounted.

Seeing this picture answers a question I've had for a while. Cleaning out my Father-in-laws barn after he passed, I found a shaft with a couple of bearings on it and what looked to be an arbor nut on one end. I thought it might be for a small sawmill such as this and now I know that it is.

Just a few more parts and I'll have me a circle mill. ;D

Dieseltim · April 30, 2017, 10:27:44 PM

Darrel,

If you think that it is a Belsaw, then it should be 1 3/4" shaft and 1 3/8 arbor with left hand threads. If that is what you have then yes it is the main shaft for a Belsaw.

Darrel · May 01, 2017, 09:26:11 AM

Right hand thread, so not a belsaw.

Dave_ · May 01, 2017, 12:18:42 PM

Just a note, Belsaw did make a few left hand mills along the way.

bandmiller2 · May 01, 2017, 08:36:02 PM

If I recall cordwood, alias buzzsaws, used a saw with a 1 3/8 inch hole that arbor might have been for bucking up stove wood. Frank C.

Dieseltim · May 01, 2017, 09:38:26 PM

Ok so I found a bigger blade.

711ac · May 02, 2017, 06:33:47 AM

Quote from: Dieseltim on April 30, 2017, 08:43:16 PM

Ok, got the bearings for the main arbor mounted.

Tim, it might just be my rust phobia, but I see saw dust filling your frame tube at the top cuts necessary to mount the arbor/bearings. Rain will leave a soggy mess in there for a long time. I realize it's 3/8" wall but of all the places you don't want to have to patch up.........
You really had a vision with this project, from collecting the steel years ago, to your other details that you obviously given a lot of thought, my hat's off to you! Thanks for posting your mill build!

Dieseltim · May 02, 2017, 06:43:57 AM

Good point, I had not talked about the drain holes I will be adding to the bottom side of the frame rails, and I will have to build covers to go over the bearings and arbor where it passes thru the frame.

Hopefully I will get a shed over it by next year. That should keep the rain off of it and the heat of the sun off of me. Lol

Thanks for the compliments.

PC-Urban-Sawyer · May 02, 2017, 09:45:22 AM

Actually, I've heard that direct sunlight on the blade can have a bad effect on sawing with a circle mill.

Might want to rig up some type of awning to shelter the saw until you build the permanent roof.

Nice job on the restoration.

Herb

Babylon519 · May 02, 2017, 02:35:23 PM

Direct sunlight will absolutely heat the blade. On a sunny summer day, I'm okay milling until about 2 pm when the sun becomes too direct. I have an umbrella over the blade, but what I really need is a shed for that sawmill! - Jason

Dieseltim · May 05, 2017, 07:03:47 PM

It took most of my free time at work for this week to make it, but it looks like the coupling is going to work great.

Darrel · May 05, 2017, 07:09:07 PM

Hey, if you're not careful, you'll be sawin' logs soon!

Dieseltim · May 05, 2017, 07:14:01 PM

I can only hope so. Some days it just seems like I don't get much done. This week has been busy but not a lot of sawmill progress.

bandmiller2 · May 06, 2017, 06:47:03 AM

Good flange Tim, when ever I find worn out sprockets, especially ones with taperlock, I save them to join shafts. Sometimes if I get fancy I'll even machine off the worn teeth. Frank C.

Dieseltim · May 06, 2017, 08:18:56 AM

I did not have a taper lock, so I made it from solid 3" round stock and a piece of 1/4" plate. Cutting the keyway on the inside was the hardest part of it. This will bolt to the rearend hub where the car's wheel used to be mounted.

Kbeitz · May 06, 2017, 08:28:12 AM

Quote from: Dieseltim on May 06, 2017, 08:18:56 AM
I did not have a taper lock, so I made it from solid 3" round stock and a piece of 1/4" plate. Cutting the keyway on the inside was the hardest part of it. This will bolt to the rearend hub where the car's wheel used to be mounted.

A broach is the easy way to make key ways...

Dieseltim · May 06, 2017, 08:44:40 AM

Yes I did broach it. It was a first for me. Always learning new things.

Kbeitz · May 06, 2017, 10:57:08 AM

Quote from: Dieseltim on May 06, 2017, 08:44:40 AM
Yes I did broach it. It was a first for me. Always learning new things.

Did you use a press broach?
What gave you problems ?

Dieseltim · May 06, 2017, 11:31:59 AM

I started to do it with an arbor press but it was too tall at 8" long. So, I did it in a hydraulic press. It worked much better after I cut it in half to 4".

Kbeitz · May 06, 2017, 01:30:22 PM

Quote from: Dieseltim on May 06, 2017, 11:31:59 AM
I started to do it with an arbor press but it was too tall at 8" long. So, I did it in a hydraulic press. It worked much better after I cut it in half to 4".

The cutting arbor was 8 feet long?
Most are around 16-24 inches.

Dieseltim · May 06, 2017, 01:51:59 PM

Lol. No the part was 8 inches long.

bandmiller2 · May 06, 2017, 09:14:19 PM

Another thing to remember Tractor Supply has a section of keyed hubs with sprockets and sheves to weld together, can save a lot of time. Frank C.

Dieseltim · May 06, 2017, 09:37:55 PM

Frank,

I looked there first, but the biggest thing my tractor supply has is only 1 1/2". If they would have had a 1 3/4" coupling for a tractor, I would have had this thing sawing wood from my 36 hp Kubota tractor a long time ago. Then I would have had to upgrade it to the bigger 5 cylinder diesel, once I ran out of pine to cut. Lol

We have millions of acres of pines in Ga.