DIY sawmill build

[Mesquite cutter]

I was lucky enough to find an old woodmizer sharpener and have played around with it and modified to suit, it goes alright, super simple, I reckon I could make one like it. I'll pm you some photos if you like.

It seems the way of the future is CBN wheels which just involves stabbing the tooth and whole gullet once then lifting out, if you're building your own that's probably what you should aim for as it's a bit more simple with the cam. I've never given it much thought but you might even just get away with two cranks correctly positioned

Thanks I appreciate that.   

[Mesquite cutter]

I was looking at thw CBN wheels.  They look too wide to fit  between each tooth.  I could not find one small enough.

[JoshNZ]

I've never seen one in flesh but think they are wider than the tooth pitch yup. They grind the whole lot in one hit, there's no drag action. Profiled to grind the tooth face, gullet, back of next tooth, and some of the wheel is probably hanging off the next tooth.

As such, you need the right wheel for your band profile.

There's a video on woodmizers website demonstrating the manual sharpener, that'll get your head around it

[Mesquite cutter]

I got my first milling job today.  I hope it goes well.  I am new at this.  I am excited and nervous about it.  

I was not really looking for it.  I went to a neighbors house down the road to buy some honey.  We got to talking and after a short while I left with a saw milling job but no honey because he didn't have any.  Hahaha

 

[Mesquite cutter]

Have you been able to distinguish between your engine noise and blade noise, and determine if the belt might be slipping? Seems like it was all over the place in that video but hard to make out engine noise. Your ear should be listening to the sawing noise the high pitch whining from cutting and that's what you want to be controlling your feed rate based on. Push fast enough until your engine is booming and then listen to the whine from the blade.

You were right about the belt slipping.  I cut three logs and the belt started slipping on the third log.  I will need to readjust the engine a bit farther back and add a double pulley to the drive pulley and the tensioner/idler pulley.  
It is a huge difference when there are not any nails in the log.  I used one blade to cut two mesquite logs and one Ebony log
.   All hard stuff and the blade held up.  

[Ljohnsaw]

°

It is a huge difference when there are not any nails in the log.

:D  8)

[JoshNZ]

Yeah I had to go to a double sheave as well. Gets expensive  :(

[charles mann]

Yeah I had to go to a double sheave as well. Gets expensive  :(

Try a 3 sheave and 3 groove banded cog belt. Luckily, i had $1400 in amazon gift cards from "cashing in" my hotel points and ordered a 16" and a 4.25" 3 groove and a belt. All 3 items cost a lil over $700

[Mesquite cutter]

Here is a short video of my sawmill in action.  I am pleased the way it performed.  There are some engineering modifications that I would like to do but it did the job.  

First sawmilling job - YouTube

[JoshNZ]

I wonder if your band there is still a bit dull or if that stuff is hard as crap.

It does help a lot with surface finish and cut quality to keep your feed rate as smooth as possible, stopping will leave marks, and changing speeds can cause funny things to happen.

Once you're in the groove of things it seems to happen by itself.

All looks good! Reminds me a lot of my saw haha

[Mesquite cutter]

By the time I shot this video the blade was a bit dull.  I had already cut an Ebony log (aka Iron wood) and a mesquite log before this one.  Both are hard woods.  It was a bit harder to push through this log.  Tomorrow I will continue with a new blade.   The customer still has about 7 more logs the I need to slab.  

[Mesquite cutter]

For you experienced sawmiling workers.  How long does a blade usually last you?  I am seeing that I am having to replace my blades after about three logs.  I am milling mesquite and some ebony.  Both are  pretty hard dense wood.   These logs are not very big compared to the large yellow pine trees some if you mill.  I have not milled a log wider than 16 inches and longer than 7 feet.  I can see the difference in the cut once the blade gets dull.  

[Crusarius]

I cut a very wide variety of densities. Sometimes I get long time out of blade sometimes I don't. Do you best to keep the log clean. Or add a debarker, I understand that makes a world of difference for blade life.

[Mesquite cutter]

I will need to do a DIY setup to add a debarker.   I have no idea how to set that up.  I am also not sure how a debarker will work on logs that are not straight.  Mesquite logs hardly ever grow straight.  

[btulloh]

You're probably getting as much blade life as possible with that mesquite. Three logs sounds pretty good to me. You might want to experiment with removing a strip of bark by hand along the cut line or try pressure washing, but three logs is pretty good. 

[Crusarius]

my idea for a debarker was to find an old dewalt 12 volt cordless saw and put 2 blades on it then a flex arm. even if you need to manually apply pressure to it, its a start. You really only need to debark the side the blade enters the log.

[JoshNZ]

It's not a major to add really is it crusarius why have we been so useless haha.

Any kind of arbor spinning a circular saw blade or a short stack of them, with a spring loaded arm pulling into the log and a depth guide

I suspect it would be a nuisance a lot of the time, when you have odd shaped logs. Would want to make it so it conveniently folds out of the way for cutting clean cants, and changing bands.

I remember asking that question here soon after I started cutting @Mesquite cutter , it is dissapointing how long carbon steel bands last. You'll want to get a sharpener before long..

[Crusarius]

Josh, your funny I am useless, I still don't even have a lube tank

The best thing about the old 12v cordless tool is you can get them for nothing and you can plug it right into you battery on the mill. If you have one.

[JoshNZ]

Yeah suppose you're right. You using the Matt Cremona squirty bottle technique are you haha.

[Crusarius]

nope, cutting dry.

[Mesquite cutter]

Well I have to figure out a way to use a debarker on a log that has a difference of 12 inches at times where it curves.  

[KenMac]

Well I have to figure out a way to use a debarker on a log that has a difference of 12 inches at times where it curves.  

I'm not sure just exactly how far Cook's debarkers will swing but they seem to be the best at following log contour. Maybe you can get some ideas from their design.

[Mesquite cutter]

Well I have to figure out a way to use a debarker on a log that has a difference of 12 inches at times where it curves.  

I'm not sure just exactly how far Cook's debarkers will swing but they seem to be the best at following log contour. Maybe you can get some ideas from their design.

I will study their videos.  
I milled 10 mesquite logs and a Texas ebony log with three blades and 6 gallons of fuel.   The logs were from 10 inches to 20 inches wide and averaged about 8 feet.  I am very satisfied how it is cutting so far.  

[Mesquite cutter]

Okay I have a problem.  I was milling great, then my sawmill threw a blade.  I replaced the blade and it has not cut good since then.  It is leaving a washboard finish on the slabs.  I have tried adjusting the guides and made sure they were as even as possible.  I lubricated all the parts that take lubrication but it still keeps leaving a washboard finiah on the slabs.  I have alos made sure the tension is good.  Please help

[Crusarius]

tooth out of set. did you put the same band back on or a fresh one?