Building my mill...

[thecfarm]

Give the guy some time. Either he will come up with one or a trip to the junkyard will have one.

[Kbeitz]

I never had one with fine threads in it...
I had to look it up to see if anyone made them...

[Kwill]

I never had one with fine threads in it...
I had to look it up to see if anyone made them...

Does it have to be a coupling nut?

[Kwill]

I see grainger keeps some

[Kbeitz]

I never had one with fine threads in it...
I had to look it up to see if anyone made them...

Does it have to be a coupling nut?

No... It's just that a long nut will out last anything else.
Your not going to want to replace that expensive rods you have.
A short nut will wear out the threads fast. The longer the nut the
longer it will last and long nuts are so much easier to weld.

[Georgia088]

Kbeitz,
I just went back and read your thread. Very impressive to say the least.  I saw where you sharpened your blades on the mill with a dremel tool. Do you have any pics/videos/ advice on how to do this? There may be others that can give me pointers as well. I've never sharpened anything other than a chainsaw chain. How do you keep the angle correct? Thanks!

[Kbeitz]

Kbeitz,
I just went back and read your thread. Very impressive to say the least.  I saw where you sharpened your blades on the mill with a dremel tool. Do you have any pics/videos/ advice on how to do this? There may be others that can give me pointers as well. I've never sharpened anything other than a chainsaw chain. How do you keep the angle correct? Thanks!

You will find that a lot of people frown on dremel sharping a band saw blade
but it works great for me. It's so fast. I do it right on the mill. I raise the head
and put down a board for a seat. Then I take a black marker and mark where I
start. I go so fast I don;t want to waste time looking for the end. There is really
no angle. I just hold the dremel strait up and down and my 5/16 stone keeps
the profile of the blade. The stone is good for one maybe two sharping's  of a
blade. I buy the stones off E-bay by the 100's real cheap. Get the long ones.
The used stone can be use for other things but the profile of the stone gets to
small to fit the gullet of the blade and you will get to much hook after it wears
down. Putting some set back in your blade is just as important as having a sharp
blade so I made this set tool that sets the blade again right on the saw. I don't
set each time I sharpen.



 



 

[Kbeitz]

You might need a different size stone to fit your blade. I use 4 degree blades
and my 5/16 stones fit the profile real nice.

[Kwill]

Kbeitz facing your mill what way does your wheels turn? From looking at your blade looks like clockwise? I see some turn clockwise some turn counter clockwise. Does it matter? If I mount  my engine like the plans say the wheels turn clockwise looking at them. This makes getting to the key switch and engine functions more difficult along with having a longer shaft. If I mount it the other way it just would work better.

[Kbeitz]

I️ knew nothing about building mills when I️ made mine. Yep it's backwards and I'm happy for it. Clockwise facing the blade. One thing I️ really like about it is the sawdust all goes out the back. The only thing I️ don't like is that I️ have to turn inside out every blade I️ buy. They come with the teeth facing the wrong way.
Just remember you can't push a rope.  You got to pull the blade through the wood.

[Kwill]

I️ knew nothing about building mills when I️ made mine. Yep it's backwards and I'm happy for it. Clockwise facing the blade. One thing I️ really like about it is the sawdust all goes out the back. The only thing I️ don't like is that I️ have to turn inside out every blade I️ buy. They come with the teeth facing the wrong way.
Just remember you can't push a rope.  You got to pull the blade through the wood.

Ok. For not knowing much about it you sure made a nice looking mill. This will actually work out better for me cause I will be able to mount it in a more user friendly position.

[thecfarm]

Kbeitz,who said it was backwards? Kinda like normal. I always like that one,what is normal?
I have to walk on my sawdust. But the way my mill is set up,it's easier that way for me.
I know WM are backwards.  :D   I impressed a friend by turning it inside out in seconds, He really thought I knew what I was doing.  :D

[Kbeitz]

It's not hard to flip a blade inside out. I think it's backwards because
most sharpers are made to sharpen the blades the other way.

[Magicman]

Which way it turns matters not.  The important thing is that the blade is being pulled through the cut/log, not pushed.

[Kwill]

Blade guide....



 

how did these work out. Did you have to make a tilt adjustment along with the up and down and in and out?

[Kbeitz]

I guess I got lucky. I did not make any tilt adjustment. I just took my
time and squared it up real good and it worked fine. Maybe later if I
get wear on the wheels I'll wish I had tilt adjustment . Guess I could
put them in my lathe and flatten the ware or buy new wheels if it ever
gives me a problem.