Red Oak On The New Mill

[Ludo]

A couple of years ago I started to plan a new giant band saw mill.  With the help of a few FF members it finally became a reality this spring.  Here is a Red Oak that was 48" on the butt end and 12' long.  The mill can cut up to 6' wide and 20' long. It runs on a 35hp Vangard motor pushing a 2" blade on 30" wheels. Everything is manual except the blade.   

 



 



 

[thecfarm]

WOW!!! I would not want to off bear for you. Is that the first log you sawed? Good job on the build!! Must have equipment to move them bigs ones?

[ladylake]

 Looks good, does it cut straight cutting that wide.  A 2" wide blade should help with that, I'd bet it makes that 35 hp snort.  Also it's hard to tell id you have blade covers on the mill, if not you need them.  I wish I has ambition to build a mill like that but those days are long.  Steve

[21incher]

Looks great. We need to see more pictures of the mill build if you have any. I never realized a band saw could cut that wide.

[Ludo]

Yes, getting the slabs off the mill is a whole new ball game.  I cut most of the red oak in 2" but a few were 3-4" and they were crazy heavy! I bought an old Michigan 120A to help load the logs, the loader has a gas engine so I can fix it pretty easily.  The Red Oak has been the largest log to date and as you can see it cuts as flat as a marble slab. I have a 5' hard maple and a 5'+ sweet gum, they will really test the waters.  As far as the engine goes, I keep the blades sharp and go about 1ft/5seconds without the engine dropping rpm.  I did not build the mill but rather had a machine shop do it, I'll ask him if it would be ok to share close up pics of the build as much of the engineering is his. One very nice surprise is that it cuts dimensional lumber amazingly well. My old band mill gave wavy cuts in pine/spruce but this beast cuts flat.  I cut 72 2x4x12' from one log at once. I just squared up a 32" log into a 24x24 cant, then cut  (6) 4" slabs, turned them all up on their edge and then cut (12) 2" slabs, boom! 72 2x4's! I'll post more pics later today. 

[goose63]

That Sir is one fine looking mill you have there 8) 8)

[4speed]

WOW! Impressive build.

[roghair]

impressive build; congratulations!

I cut 72 2x4x12' from one log at once. I just squared up a 32" log into a 24x24 cant, then cut  (6) 4" slabs, turned them all up on their edge and then cut (12) 2" slabs, boom! 72 2x4's! I'll post more pics later today. 

How do you turn all those heavy slabs manually?

[brianb88]

Impressive!   

[mesquite buckeye]

impressive build; congratulations!

I cut 72 2x4x12' from one log at once. I just squared up a 32" log into a 24x24 cant, then cut  (6) 4" slabs, turned them all up on their edge and then cut (12) 2" slabs, boom! 72 2x4's! I'll post more pics later today. 

How do you turn all those heavy slabs manually?

Hey roghair, how's it going? Haven't heard from you for a while. Aren't you building a mill too?

[Nomad]

     THAT mill is a monster!!! 8)

[Delawhere Jack]

WOW! That is impressive. 

[ozarkgem]

Now that is a mill. How about a video? Hope you can post some close ups of the mill. I am thinking a 454 V8 would really make her sing.

[Ludo]

Roghair- The best thing I ever purchased was a Logrite 78" Mega Duty Cant Hook.  I never imagined just how good they are! If anyone has to turn large logs by hand, get one and you too will be a believer!  For the really big stuff I turn a 4"x1" lag bolt into the top side middle of the log (when it is laying on the mill) then I wrap a long log chain 2x's around the whole log, one hook is on the lag bolt and the opposite end attaches to the lip of my tractor bucket. I lift the bucket (and thus pull up on the chain) and the whole log spins as the chain unwinds off the log.  Even the big monster logs shown here spun like a ballerina on point!


The Michigan with a big red oak.  I fabricated some old solid slip on forks to fit the bucket.


 

Someone wanted a shed made completely of 4x4's for the studs...


 

Cherry Crotch saved from a firewood pile.


 

An old ugly white oak that some apologized when they dropped it off. 14' long and 40" wide


 

My partner "Kay-Kay", AKA sticker-queen (as in wooden stickers)  with the white oak before milling.


 


White Pine on a hot day.


 

[thecfarm]

Those slabs are some impressive. Keep the pictures coming!!

[mesquite buckeye]

So, like, why don't you post some photos when you cut something big?

smiley_biggrin01

[WDH]

Very inspiring.

[kelLOGg]

The mill can cut up to 6' wide

Can you push the band thru a 6' wide cut?
Show more pics of the mill. It is really a tour de force!
Bob

[mikeb1079]

 :D :D 8) 8) 8) 8)  good lord!!

i'm loving this thread!!!

[fat olde elf]

You have my attention and admiration.  Show us more......

[customsawyer]

Where do we place our orders for a mill like that? ;D

[schakey]

Wow as stated before we would love to see more pictures of the mill, and maybe a video.
I bet a video would be a big hit on you tube.

[Bill Gaiche]

That is one (Dang) large manual mill. Some good engineering went into that machine to saw the lumber you have shown. Those large slabs are impressive. I can tell by the wet tee shirt that the can't hook and thick slabs has given you a work out. Thanks for sharing. bg

[logboy]

How much would you say you have invested in the mill?

[schmism]

How much would you say you have invested in the mill?

If i had to guess at it

30" band wheel kit is 2K
35hp vangard is ~3K

If he salvaged steel from something like an old MH frame,  and had a decent scrap pile for the rest of the steel parts.   Then all thats left is several hundred in misc fasteners etc.

$6500 if none of the major steel was purchased.   If your buying steel, I would expect a similar build to run north of $10K