Blade guides

[MSSawmill]

We're thinking seriously about building roller guides with 3 bearings: one on top of the blade, one on bottom of the blade, and one behind the blade. Obviously, all will have to be adjustable in all directions/planes. Any thoughts/examples?

Is there another thread out here that already has this information and I just haven't found it?

(This is a spin-off thread from the discussion over here)

[dboyt]

You are looking to use three rollers for a task that could easily be handled by one roller with a shoulder.  I had a TimberHarvester that used a pair of single rollers that pushed down on the blade about 1/8".  The system worked very well and, when properly adjusted, the blade seldom contacted the back shoulder on the roller, even while cutting.  You will need to have adjustment for the angle of the blade so that it doesn't dip or climb out of the cut, and a vertical adjustment so that it pushes down on the blade by the correct amount.  I really like the ceramic guides on the Norwood mill.  Much more compact, easy to adjust, and no bearings, though the ceramics need to be replaced occasionally.

[ladylake]

 I'd just buy some from Cook's, nothing under the blade is needed.    Steve

[Ga Mtn Man]

From what I can see, the one's you have should work fine.  You just need to re-work them so the tilt  can be adjusted up-down, left-right and be able to adjust the overall roller height up-down.  Remove the ones you have under the blade...they're not needed.  Of course, the easy way to go would be to buy the complete assembly from Cook's and be done with it.

[roghair]

The best would be to buy some from Cook's as said, but here some pictures from my selfmade guides that work fine. You don't need bearings on the bottom of the blade, that will also limit you with the minimum thickness of the last board!!
I drilled the holes in the hookangle a bit bigger than the bolts so I can adjust the tilt to make the blade parallel to the bed (bunks). The little plate of steel on the long bolt is to prevent sawing the backstops. It travels with the saw, but is just a bit lower than the blade. It saved me several times already.

[MSSawmill]

Thanks, guys! Good to know. And thanks roghair for the pics.

[bandmiller2]

MS,something you should consider your bottom bearing will limit how close you can come to the bunks the log is sitting on.Ideally you want to cut down to a 1" board.A roller under the band is not needed,really nothing under the band does much good.If you must have something a simple thin pad will work.My homebuilt bandmill ran for years with two back to back sealed bearings on top and a horizontal bearing behind worked well but I converted to Cooks flanged guide mobetter.Try it, but build your guide support to take a standard guide so later you can go flange. Frank C.