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base for mill

Started by John357, November 10, 2015, 02:12:22 PM

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John357

I am moving my mill out of sight of the road, and have settled on a gravel base.  I intend to pack a layer of stone, then 6x6 cross members, tied with some 2" runners the length of the mill under the rails.  The rails will be secured to the runners and these secured to the cross ties (like a railroad). 

I will scrape the topsoil down to solid ground and add how much gravel?  I was thinking 3" base of smaller stone, topped by another 3 inches of larger stone.  Will this be a sound base?  Eventually there will be settling, but how long will that take?  I cut about 4 times per year, and 2 to 3 logs each time.   Grateful for opinions and advice.


John
Woodland Mills HM126

fishfighter

Building a base, always put the bigger rocks down first. Then small rocks to fill in gaps. Adding 2" to the bottom or on top of your cross ties for runners? I think it would be best to level out the cross ties, them shim up your mill tracks level. I have adjustable feet that screw up or down on my mill tracks. That made things a lot easy to level them out.

Oh, I see you have the same mill. :D Once you have it level, screw down the base of the feet to your runners. That will keep you from pushing the track off the runners/cross ties. Don't ask me how I know this. >:(

This is my set up/base.



 


losttheplot

I used to have my mill on wood. I found it would need checking and shimming more often than I wood like. The sleepers seem to expand and contract with the seasons as well as move around a little, although there was quite a bit of height under the mill.
I get envious of the guys who can have concrete delivered, I would love to have a big concrete slab, however I have to bring it here in bags by boat.

I ended up making concrete sleepers every 4 feet. The mill is set up on a slight slope, the high end sits on a 8"x 12" x 48" the low end has 12"x 12" "posts"  built up under each adjustable leg.

 

The mill stays level but there is no shock absorption compared to the wood.
The picture shows one wooden support the rest are concrete.

If you have room, a dead deck will keep the gravel out of the bark.



  
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John357

Thanks for the input. 

Fish, I was worried about drainage around the 6x6 and thought the larger stone would help with that.  I also worry that accumulated sawdust will overwhelm the mill!  The 2" that I mentioned would be the same as what you called the 'runners', to tie the 6x6 together.  Right now I am on 3.5 x 3.5 and the mill does tend to move. 

Losttheplot, I am concerned with settling, and the resultant adjstments that may be needed, so the idea of piers of concrete would help with that, although I could just use large concrete pads as my site is pretty flat.

Fish, in your picture, is that the frame for your shed?  What are the dimensions of that?  I intend to build one of those too.

John
Woodland Mills HM126

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