home made band saw mill

66skly · June 16, 2018, 10:03:09 PM

I'm building my own band saw mill and i,m making my wheels now, can anyone tell me what the crown in the wheel should be for 20" wheel with a 1.5 to a 2.0 width blade?

thecfarm · June 17, 2018, 07:35:45 AM

No idea,but I just want to welcome you to the Forum.
What's the plan for all the lumber?

Southside · June 17, 2018, 11:16:35 AM

Welcome to the Forum. Can't help you either but have to ask how you are going about making the wheels.

Ljohnsaw · June 17, 2018, 02:46:15 PM

Your post brings a lot of questions to mind. How big of a cut are you planning? How big of an engine are you going to use (gas or diesel)? Hydraulics? Steel wheels? The bigger the band (1.5 - 2"), the more power and tension you will need to make it work. Also, 20" wheels are a bit small for the size bands you mention. Will be flexing the bands too much and will cause premature breakage, so I've read.

I'm using 1.25" .042 7° WM bands. I have an 18 hp twin gas B&S engine (just enough power) and can cut ~36" slabs but can whittle down a 42" log. Works best on 20-22" logs. I'm running on donut spare tires (fairly high crown) at about 21" diameter. In "good" logs, it cuts like a dream. I've had a clump of "bad" logs - hard, dry, big pine full of knots that are causing lots of wave.

kelLOGg · June 17, 2018, 08:03:03 PM

Ljohn... brings up some good points. Pay a lot of attention to the wheel diameter and engine HP. If you are using 2" bands I would consider 26" wheels. More flexing around small diameter causes band breakage as does an underpowered engine which makes for slower cutting and again more flexing. I know because my mill is underpowered when I make 20" to 26" cuts . I get fine particle sawdust and spend a lot of time making a cut and my band life proves it. (I think).
Bob

66skly · June 20, 2018, 09:30:03 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on June 17, 2018, 07:35:45 AM
No idea,but I just want to welcome you to the Forum.
What's the plan for all the lumber?

thanks for the welcome, i want to put a loft in my shop and a addition on the side for my school bus i,m converting to a RV, i also need some fencing around the shop, and of coarse furniture.

66skly · June 20, 2018, 09:38:00 PM

Quote from: Southside logger on June 17, 2018, 11:16:35 AM
Welcome to the Forum. Can't help you either but have to ask how you are going about making the wheels.

i,m going to try tractor wheel centers with a rolled 3/8 x whatever blade width i use less the teeth iv,e turned a couple axle shafts to fit some common pillow block bearings, i,l spin them up and see how bad it will be to balance them.

66skly · June 20, 2018, 09:47:05 PM

Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 17, 2018, 02:46:15 PM
Your post brings a lot of questions to mind. How big of a cut are you planning? How big of an engine are you going to use (gas or diesel)? Hydraulics? Steel wheels? The bigger the band (1.5 - 2"), the more power and tension you will need to make it work. Also, 20" wheels are a bit small for the size bands you mention. Will be flexing the bands too much and will cause premature breakage, so I've read.

I'm using 1.25" .042 7° WM bands. I have an 18 hp twin gas B&S engine (just enough power) and can cut ~36" slabs but can whittle down a 42" log. Works best on 20-22" logs. I'm running on donut spare tires (fairly high crown) at about 21" diameter. In "good" logs, it cuts like a dream. I've had a clump of "bad" logs - hard, dry, big pine full of knots that are causing lots of wave.

well i,m working towards a 72" cut but i,m going to make the head adjustable down to a 48" cut when i dont cut big logs, i have a VW 4 cylinder fuel injected gas engine i,m thinking about but that idea is still up in the air, Hydraulics later, 20" steel wheels,iv,e read that maybe a thinner 1.5 blade might work but dont know for sure.

waynorthmountie · June 21, 2018, 06:03:27 AM

66skly you just described the mill I plan on building down the road as well. Looking forward to your build.

What are you planning to use for a frame and head lift system so that you can have such variety of wheel offsets.

66skly · June 24, 2018, 07:46:23 PM

Quote from: waynorthmountie on June 21, 2018, 06:03:27 AM
66skly you just described the mill I plan on building down the road as well. Looking forward to your build.

What are you planning to use for a frame and head lift system so that you can have such variety of wheel offsets.

i have a 27' box truck frame which has 8" c channel and some 3x6 i beam for the cross members, probably make it 6'6" wide, for the carriage thinking about 4x4 1/4 wall and some 5x5 1/4 wall for the head will raise and lower the head with some 1" acme rod, think the 20" wheels arent going to cut it trying to pull a 1" blade through so working on some 30" or larger tractor wheel centers to run a 2" blade, what do you think about running a 8-10 tooth bymetal blade for when their is metal in the log?