Back at the homemade sawmill video added

[Kbeitz]

It has been said before the using tires takes the set right out of the blades.
But you said that you have put the set back in so ????

I think if it was my mill what I would try doing is to take the blade off and hold a
grinder or sander to your tire and put a good crown on the tire while the engines running.
Then switch the wheels and tires around so you can do the same to the other tire.
This will also help your tracking . The blade will always track to the highest spot.
The crown will also keep the tire off the teeth and save your set.

[gww]

K
I actually did grind on my tire a small amount as you suggest.  I don't know if I got a good crown but don't believe I lose set very fast on my blades.  When I look, it doesn't seem that the set is riding the tire.  I do set the blades every so often cause I am milking them till destruction and figured what the heck.  I would say if G's blades start diving and not just cutting wavy that it is probly some set loss. 

I am jelous of those with grizzly pullies for band wheels but have learned that tires actually do very well.  I would say that if he as well as me can see the blade change tracking based on tension that even though all these other things could play with cutting ability, we know our frames flex more then they should and if fixed would take that issue out of the game so that if we still have issues we know that getting enough tension is not one of them. 

I believe I could cut longer before sharpening if I could get alittle more tension.  I just sharpen more now to compensate for that.

If G's flexes more then mine he may need to adress it more then I do.  I believe my mill will be better if I ever decide to tackle this.

Cheers
gww

[Kbeitz]

There is a lot of band saw wheels for sale on E-bay...

[gww]

K
They all seem to be 14 inch or less.
gww

[Kbeitz]

K
They all seem to be 14 inch or less.
gww

But remember auctions are normaly only a week long.
Next week will be all new stuff listed.
I'm building another mill and I'm also watching for a 21" wheel.
I dont know what your lookin for but there is 30" wheels listed.
In search type "large band saw wheel".
If you look at compleated auctions you can see that 36" wheels has sold.

[gww]

K
I think I will stick with what I have for awhile.  I need a motor first.  I had been putting about a half quart of oil per tank in mine and I could get it running but sure an thinking electric start would be nice.  Finding exactly what I have would be nice as far as mounting plate.  Will see what I get as I go.  I have quite a few junk logs that are slowly degrading and need to do a little more but sooner or later the mill will mostly sit.  I would like a better mill but can't really justify it cause I am not cutting for others and this one is just a retirement hoby that is keeping up with my needs.  If I remember, G was only wanting a couple hoby boards and doesn't want to spend alot of money.  I can relate to that. 

I still love your picture of when you were pulling yours around with the jeep.  I just believe you have a much better background for building things and my skill is enough for my needs and the fact I am on a limited income and don't want another job for extra money.

Cheers
gww

[Georgia088]

This is obviously just a hobby for us as well. I enjoy getting different types of lumber from my own trees. I'm content with my mill. I'm not 100% satisfied. I would like to get the flex out of my frame so I could eliminate that from the equation. I just think this could be the reason my blades don't last...

Gww, I guess I never put this on other posts but I did switch from the golf cart motor that was originally on this mill. It would work just fine but like yours it had "issues". I decided I would rather buy a new one than spend the money fixing the golf cart motor.

I got the harbor freight 420cc predator side shaft.   You can get it for less than $300 new. Use the coupons. I know this is quite an expense but it is a pretty important part. Just an idea to replace yours.

[gww]

I have been looking on the net and saw a duromax 18 horse electric start for $319.  I did see a review for the 16 horse that said it was only 11 horse.  It is a 440 cc motor and that seems not like an 18 horse.  I did go to hf site but will check again.  They are all chineese and I have my doubts but I am unknowlagable and cheep to boot.  I may still look for another junk tiller or something else with a junk motor.  A junk tiller motor would fit my bolt pattern and have the same size pully so would be easy to install.  I leave my mill out and am sure if I wanted to take it apart and sand the flywheel and put a new plug in it I could keep it going but a half of quart of oil actually adds quite a bit of running cost.  I also very seldom ever leave the motor run past one cut at a time and wonder if staying with a smaller motor might not use a lot less gas.  I have a 25 horse zero turn mower that just eats gas and I used to have a 17 horse that you could run all day on a gallon.  I am looking but not sure what is best.  I kinda like the ideal of new but know I could do it for nothing if I am willing to find used and not to picky.  I sure am liking the ideal of electric start though.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will check it out.
gww

[DMcCoy]

I always use stuff I have on hand as well.  There used to be a really good surplus center that unfortunately closed.  Perfectly good right angle drive gear boxes $20.00.   :(

I replaced the motor on my mill this year.  Started with an old Wisconsin AHH that I had sitting around.  Back stated to get spasms at night from cranking that old thing. 
I went to HF and got the same engine 420 cc electric start.  Couldn't be happier, just turn the switch.  Struggled a little with getting it to idle down for a short while but that problem has been fixed.

[coach08]

gww   georgia failed to mention that the HF motor was electric start.   (even though we still use the pull rope).  It cranks so easy we havent taken time to buy and mount a battery.  Found a place close by that we can get blades really cheap so other than maybe trying to put bar on front to hopefully help with tension and tracking, we will probably continue to use mill as is.  Have too many irons in the fire!!!  Thanks for all the ideas and help.. 

[gww]

coach
I looked on the hf site and the motors are $359 right now and I don't believe any that they have listed are electric start.  The preditor motor they sell seems to make most poeple happy from what I can tell.  Hf is funny cause they will have the same motor listed 4 times on the same page and I can find no differrance in any of them.  I am still thinking, and I will probly look around for some junk first and probly regret it.

You guys will probly not be in that bad of position just using what you have as your needs seem about like mine.  Where do you get your blades?  I do think the mill would be better if you found a way to put a bar on the front but I am not sure.  If you do go that far, It would be nice if you would post the results cause I haven't been able to motivate myself to tackle it on mine and if you end up really satisfied I might have to get off my but.  I can only cut 13 feet and have all the stuff that would allow me to extend my track and haven't got motivated to do that either.  I am getting enough boards like it is an all the above would make it better but it is hard to do the work to get past that it has been just barily good enough.

Please let us know every so often how things are going and I hope they go well for you.
Cheers
gww

[Georgia088]

Gww

The harbor freight motor does have electric start. The model numbers are different because they sell some model numbers to places like California which have different environmental standards. But the motors are essentially the same... I know because I wondered the same thing and called and asked. I like the duromax you are talking about. More hp than mine and I found for $299 on one site with free shipping. I will try and post..

http://www.maxtool.com/duromax-xp18hp?google=1&CAWELAID=230005740000031501&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=Cj0KEQiAlae1BRCU2qaz2__t9IIBEiQAKRGDVV8L74SssIwrwHrQ0b8As0f7H4wa4JgIOAf_Rn3knlgaAvdD8P8HAQ

[gww]

G
Thanks for the post.  I actually already have that link saved to my favorites just in case.  I do wonder if the extra horse power is worth all the extra gas it will use.  My little 9 horse briggs just amazed me at how much it used.  I also wonder how my pully system is going to handle the extra horse power.  I have to believe it will make things better but am not sure.  My mill is pretty light duty as I made it mostly out of one of them weight lifting michines.  It was one of the best repurpose Ideals I ever had cause I am not going to lift weights ever .
Cheers
gww

[beenthere]

Georgia088
Modify your post and use the link format for such long url's, as it keeps our posts all on one monitor screen. tks

Or just post the words needed for reader to google what you are pointing at. 

[gww]

G
Just so you know, I ordered the duromax 18 horse w/electric start for $319. 
Good luck with yours
gww

[Joe Hillmann]

This is the simplest way I could figure out to set up the bearings on my mill.  I just took a 3500 lb trailer axle and cut it off about one foot from each end.  And ran that inside of a larger diameter pipe with 6 set screws on each that allows me to move each one; in out, up down, toe in and out, and toe up and down. 



 

Here is a photo of the same part but from behind to show how it mounts and the set screws.
 

 


And the belt just rides in a grove I hacked in to one of the wheels with an knife.
With a 6 inch pulley on the engine this gives me very close to the correct speed I need.


  

[Georgia088]

Joe
Do you have any problem with the belt tracking on the tire? How long of a belt do you have to have to do that?

Gww. I like that motor. I hope it solves your problems. If I decide to add bar across the front j will let you know. 
I am Scavenging for parts to do it with now. And my mill is cutting ok.. So we will see.

[Joe Hillmann]

Joe
Do you have any problem with the belt tracking on the tire? How long of a belt do you have to have to do that?

No,  It rides on there just fine when I first built it I had about an 8 foot belt and I used a the pto of a tractor to run it and then it would come off some times so I use a knife to carve out one of the treads wider to make a bit of a groove for it to ride in and that kept it from jumping out.  Now that I have an engine on the mill I am pretty sure the belt would ride on the tire with no groove without running off. 

I think the belt that is on there now is about 56 inches but I'm not sure.

[gww]

Joe
I had seen a you tube vidio of one done your way and one done where the blade actually ran on the drive belt over the tire. I was really thinking of doing it this way when I built mine but wanted to use stuff I had on hand which added up to a 3.5 inch pully on the motor.  I will be honest and say that if my homemade wheel pully keeps slipping and doesn't handle the new motor I may still switch to what you have.  A very easy switch, just move the motor out and buy the correct size belt.  Won't fix my mill flexing when tensioning but would fix belt slipping.

Joe, is that a flat belt or a vbelt?

Thanks for the pictures.
gww

[larrydown60]

GWW 

Surplus center does carry a 18.75 band wheel for under 50.00 and I have not heard of any problems with using them. They are what I am putting on my mill. Good luck with your build and post pics please. In a few weeks I will post a lot of pics of my build waiting for friends shop to get empty,to cold to work outside.

[gww]

Larryd...

This is my build with pics.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82695.0.html

I think you will like pullies, not as much bounce I would think.

G
Not trying to steal your thread with my stuff, I have enjoyed our interaction and understand if your mill is working well enough and you don't get to the reinforcements.  If you do though, would love to hear about it.
Cheers
gww

[Joe Hillmann]

Joe
I had seen a you tube vidio of one done your way and one done where the blade actually ran on the drive belt over the tire. I was really thinking of doing it this way when I built mine but wanted to use stuff I had on hand which added up to a 3.5 inch pully on the motor.  I will be honest and say that if my homemade wheel pully keeps slipping and doesn't handle the new motor I may still switch to what you have.  A very easy switch, just move the motor out and buy the correct size belt.  Won't fix my mill flexing when tensioning but would fix belt slipping.

Joe, is that a flat belt or a vbelt?

Thanks for the pictures.
gww

It is a regular v belt.  When I originally built it I was worried it would slip on the tire but I did the math and in the 6 inch v groove pulley there is about 6 1/2 square inches of contact area if it is just about bottoming out. 4 inches if it is riding like it should.  On the tire there is a little over 14 square inches of contact area.   

[gww]

Joe
Thank you
gww

[Georgia088]

Does anyone know where I might find a 1-1/4 pillow block bearing (inner diameter of bearing) in stock? I know you can order them. But I am free this weekend and would like to go and pick one up so I could piddle making this bar across the front of the saw mill to help stabilize it. Any ideas? I've tried tractor supply. Theirs are too big. northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company are 1" is the largest they have. None at harbor freight.
Thanks.

[gww]

Have you tried any of the tractor dealer/service centers? (where they sell tractors).  I doubt it but, maby at an auto parts store.

I can't think of anywhere else.
Good luck
gww