Sawmill Questions

[wascator]

Hi, I'm new to this Forum; I'm an engineer and love mechanical things; now I think I am hooked on sawmills. The sights! The sounds! The smells!
I am reading etc.. and have a buddy whos is going to fire his mill up as soon as there is a chill in the air, and he will let me help. I also have the perfect spot for a small circle saw...
Meanwhile, a question has come to mind: I have seen the drag chains and other ways to move sawdust from the saw. What would be wrong with a blower with the suction located under the saw, to pick up the dust and carry it away? Seems simple enough to me; of course I don't know what I am doing; in fact, I'm not even doing it yet.
Forgot to add: in the "old days" about 100 years ago my family were determined to go into the sawmill business in a big way. Unfortunately they always went bust before they got anything going. I grew up in a small town in north La which was founded as a sawmill town. The sawmills our town had over the years are all gone now.
Regards,
Wascator

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Look forward with interest in hearing about the persuit of your hobby.

Some find that a blower doesn't deal well with the larger chuncks of wood that get into the sawdust. Yet some use blowers quite well. Maybe there are just trade-offs and ways to work around the problems. Helps to be an engineer....as long as that doesn't get in the way....  ;D ;D

[fishpharmer]

Wascator, welcome to FF!

Member, pineywooods, (and certainly others too) has a blower setup I had the pleasure to witness on his woodmizer bandmill.  That's the extent of my experience.  There's a good chance that someone here can help you out.  Good luck with all your future projects. 

[customsawyer]

Welcome to the forum.

[Chuck White]

Wascator, welcome to the Forestry Forum.

I'm sure you'll find the info you're looking for.

[slider]

welcome Wescator we can always use another engineer .kinda like having a neighbor with a beer truck.

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum,  wascator.   

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

And Welcome to The Forum  ;) ;D ;D 8) So I take it your plan is to put in a manual Circular Mill to saw some stuff for yourself ??? be warned these small plans have a habit of gettin outa hand and becoming a full blown addiction Mate  ;) :D ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8)

Regards Chris

[Okrafarmer]

Welcome to the Forum. Do you still live in northern Louisiana? I was just there a week or two ago.

[Ron Wenrich]

Lots of mills use blowers.  You can set one up easily, but then you have to run pipe.  Stove pipe doesn't work too well, as the sawdust is a little too abrasive for the pipe.  We use a blower, but its not under the saw.  We have a vibrating conveyor to move wood waste, and the dust gets screened out. 

There are 2 ways of using a blower.  You can suck the dust up and all those big chunks go through your blower.  Or you can put the blower behind the saw and blow it out.  Then the big chunks get stuck in your pipe.  Bark is usually the culprit, and some splintered wood. 

Chain drags are usually quieter (like that matters in a sawmill), low tech, and low maintenance.  If you're using used chain, I would think the drag would be cheaper to install. 

[Woodey]

Welcome wascator to the Forestry Forum.

I use a dust collector unit to move my sawdust and it works well.
Before getting the dust collector I spend a lot of time just moving
sawdust.

I did upgrade to a larger unit with 2300 CFM. The first one did not
have enough CFM to keep up with the amount of sawdust my mill
was putting out.

[pineywoods]

Welcome wascator, from north Louisiana. The big ole circle mills are all gone, but there is a bandmill up every holler. I know of 12 in union parish, there's probably more. On the sawdust blower subject, I use the blower off a harbor freight dust collector. Some flex hose but mostly stove pipe. (these guys will tell you, I'm cheap) I have 2 problems with it. It's difficult to hook up a blower to a bandmill without using flexible hose. the stuff tears and breaks all too often. I keep a big roll of 3 inch wide duct tape handy. The hose gets in the way a bunch, but I about have that problem licked. Other problem is plugged hose/pipe mostly from sawing stringy bark cypress and cedar. I deliberately put a coarse screen over the intake to the blower, that's usually where it clogs. Better there than in the blower itself. I can usually dis-assemble the connection, clean out the clog and be back running in a couple of minutes...

[dgdrls]

Welcome aboard, be warned it's a one way trip :D
What kind of Engineering do you specialize in??

Best DGDrls

[wesdor]

Welcome Wascator.  You grew up in north Louisiana?  Anywhere near Olla?

Years ago I was in the Army with a fellow whose father worked for Weyerhauser in that area

Looking forward to hearing your progress in saw milling from the engineers perspective

[wascator]

Hi, Everybody. I could not see how to reply to questions individually, so here goes:
1. I work for a large interstate gas pipeline co. Tennessee Gas and my specialty is operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment in the compressor stations: engines, compressors, and other plant equipment. I go to Mississippi about every week right now, in the Isola area, as we are working on an engine there. Rural Mississippi is beautiful. Tuck's in Belzoni is a great place for lunch!
2. I still live in north La: Dubach area.
3. I don't live around Olla, but I know the area as I used to support a compressor station at Jena. My Granddad Tobe Owens worked for Hunt Oil in Olla and Jena during WWII.
4. I completely understand about the chunks of wood and bark and clogging. If it ain't washing, it's hangin' out and ironing.
5. Maybe I can find a basic circle mill in OK shape, without an engine, and I could afford to get started. 2/3 of the fun is chasing parts,and how-to knowledge. Of course, sooner or later you want some noise and sawdust. I am rebuilding a 1956 Lincoln welder now, gotta finish it now that it's cooling off.

[shelbycharger400]

welcome
You learn REAL fast what is considered a saw log and what is firewood, and what is JUNK!

Circle mills are out their. After building my chain bar mill, and buying a belsaw,  I know of 2 that are around and im waiting to here what the one is. Its up on the Reservation in Northern MN.  I will know more come deer huntin time.

How big of a mill will directly factor your $,  I bought my belsaw m14 (still not reset up yet) for 1500 on a wood deck with 42 in blade with live feed with a pulley style ,in VERY good condition.
that was with no power unit and no drive belt.

[wascator]

That sounds like a good size Mostly I am interested in simplicity; easier to get started and less to break, plus less money. I would not mind manual log turning, etc. at least at first and unless output got serious. One of the old manual setups like on YouTube ought to satisfy me for  while.
How much power is needed? 100 to 150 HP or?

[bandmiller2]

Wascator,most of the larger circular mills use blowers,the big problem with us smaller millers is the power requirement.A blower takes its power right off the top.Most small mills are underpowered and need all the power for the saw.Conveyers use squat for power and are easily checked and fixed. Frank C.

[Okrafarmer]

Since you are in North Louisiana, you need to meet Pineywoods, who posted up above. He is an engineer too, and he will be a great one to bounce ideas off, even though he doesn't run a circle mill himself.  I saw his sawdust collection system he was referring to, and you might get some ideas from that.

Ron mentioned the vibratory conveyors; I have seen them in use. They are the cat's PJ's for a number of reasons, but I don't know how much the initial setup cost would be. I like how they have so few moving parts to wear out and are not as dangerous as a traditional converyer. That sawdust chain that a lot of the circle mills have, can be dangerous (probably not lethal in most cases, but still something to watch out for). Ron can correct me if I'm wrong, but vibratory conveyors in my observation, are one of the best solutions. Reasonably safe, and reasonably trouble-free. It may require a secondary power source for best results.

I wish we were closer to you, in terms of the Frick mill we have for sale, but transporting it across country would be quite a chore.

[fishpharmer]

Wascator, have you considered a small band mill?  Something like a Woodmizer LT15, will cut very nice lumber and can be found at very reasonable price when used.  I think there is one in the "For Sale" section of FF now.

[dblair]

blowers are good if you run pipe a ways otherwise the dust blows back, and clogs happen to often . I use a grain screw with a 1/3 hp electric motor to drive it . haven't had any problems yet but all have prolems .

 

[Ron Wenrich]

Vibrating conveyors aren't a solution for small mills.  They are expensive to put in and maintain.  We're moving about a trailer load of waste each day.  You also need something to anchor them to.  Ours is in the 12" concrete floor where we have I beams to weld the conveyor. 

[wascator]

Yes, someone else asked me that. I told them that, if I wanted lumber, I'd get a band mill! I doubt the tree huggers will ever see me as much of a danger...
I have a couple of buddies who have band mills; recently one cut some oak for my dad for repairing his cattle pens. We have several around here.

[KyTreeFarmer]

Welcome wascator,
Have fun with your new hobby,it will get in your blood very quickly. I have't been thru Dubach in ages. My Dad lived in Lisbon for years. He worked in the oil patch and knew many of the pipeline guys.
KTF

[wascator]

Then I know he knew my granddad: Tobe Owens. He worked for Hinton Well Service in Lisbon and everyone knew him. He could fix anything. Wish he was still here...of course.
My other Granddad as a young man worked at the big Dubach Lumber Co. mill every winter, walked 4 1/2 miles one way and made a 10 hour day for 10 cents an hour. When I was growing up the mill had become the Trammell mill; there was a flooring mill owned by Arkansas Oak Flooring Co. and at one time a baseball bat plant. I can still remember hearing the mill whistle blow at noon and 5:00 PM, even after we moved out in the country about 5 miles.

[shelbycharger400]

wascator..
What is your plans with the mill?   hobby milling, personal projects?
I built my slabber to Utilize small stock that I find , and make mantles and table boards and such.  Its just enough to make just that. I have clamped as small as 16 in long and 8 in dia, and can do up to 28 in dia and 9 ft 3 in long .   Yes their is some money in the market.
If your able to weld, take a look at my pictures and check it out.  Chain saw bar mills do work but are slow. 

  cutting a slab thats 1 ft or 7 ft wide,  Chain bar mills by far are the cheapest investment with little moving parts set up correcty, you get a very nice surface finish. Circle mills are FASTEST production with mill marks that rustic guys love. Bands im not a fan of, i call em dip n dive. but chain mills Will dip and chatter only  IF they are dull, and you know it by having to push your guts out, they cut Knots clean through and you feel it, my carrage is in the neighborhood of 200 + and it shakes back and forth .   Whatever you find or use, their will be something about it you wish you did better and something You just cant stand about it.  What you will find is the satisfaction knowing you Earned that $ when you work for it.  When you mill your own lumber you will also find the lumber at the big box stores are BORING!

[wascator]

I just like to get hands on and be working on something, no better way to learn about it. I think I would like to have a Frick 00 or something like that. Simple, basic, and old.
I know I am enjoying reading about the subject, and other people's adventures, on this forum.

[Okrafarmer]

I wish you were  closer, like I said. Our Frick would be a great little project for you.