Started assembling a new to me lane sawmill

Ventryjr · May 10, 2021, 07:23:35 PM

OI first got my feet wet with a belsaw m14. After making some decent cuts and blowing up the power unit I had. I found a good deal on a lane sawmill at auction. With cat power unit. Log deck and log turner. I got the site work completed this spring and just started putting the pieces together. I disassembled it myself after seeing it in operation. So I think I remember how it all goes back haha. I'm very green at this. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Thank you guys for the info and knowledge so far!
https://youtu.be/-jktzqeLcSk

dgdrls · May 10, 2021, 07:44:11 PM

Good on you!!

get those rails true!
what do you have for power now??

Best
D

Ventryjr · May 10, 2021, 08:12:59 PM

Quote from: dgdrls on May 10, 2021, 07:44:11 PM
Good on you!!

get those rails true!
what do you have for power now??

Best
D

D333a. It's a 6 cylinder cat diesel. 4.5"x5.5" cylinders iirc. Has a clutch/V belt pulley setup on it.

moodnacreek · May 10, 2021, 09:29:22 PM

Well, well, well. Lane, that's my brand. And I started with a bellsaw in 1980, should not have done that but had empty pockets. So I see the V rail. Is it a green mountain or 030? I don't think it is an 036 but it could be. Hand set? What do you have for dogs? Love to know all about it and where in N.Y.

Ventryjr · May 11, 2021, 05:49:27 AM

Quote from: moodnacreek on May 10, 2021, 09:29:22 PM
Well, well, well. Lane, that's my brand. And I started with a bellsaw in 1980, should not have done that but had empty pockets. So I see the V rail. Is it a green mountain or 030? I don't think it is an 036 but it could be. Hand set? What do you have for dogs? Love to know all about it and where in N.Y.

It does have a green mountain tag on track I believe. Yes hand set. And I do not have a pic of the dogs specifically. But they are cast and have "lane" on the side of them. And unfortunately I'm in the other side of the state from you. Western ny. But if you make it out this way PM me. Your more then welcome to come check out my setup and give pointers! :D

thecfarm · May 11, 2021, 05:56:10 AM

Hey good luck to you!!

moodnacreek · May 11, 2021, 07:57:55 AM

Quote from: Ventryjr on May 11, 2021, 05:49:27 AM
Quote from: moodnacreek on May 10, 2021, 09:29:22 PM
Well, well, well. Lane, that's my brand. And I started with a bellsaw in 1980, should not have done that but had empty pockets. So I see the V rail. Is it a green mountain or 030? I don't think it is an 036 but it could be. Hand set? What do you have for dogs? Love to know all about it and where in N.Y.
It does have a green mountain tag on track I believe. Yes hand set. And I do not have a pic of the dogs specifically. But they are cast and have "lane" on the side of them. And unfortunately I'm in the other side of the state from you. Western ny. But if you make it out this way PM me. Your more then welcome to come check out my setup and give pointers! :D

Ok, with the green paint and V rail ; green mt. The set works and the feed are the same on all the 30" mills, 'O', tractor mill, 030 and green mt. Now you can saw with the notches in the set wheel and you will like that. If you find any old 6" leather belting save it to make your next friction. Is there a big screw dog on it? Western N.Y. is less likely to have Lane than e.n.y. New England and north eastern n,y. is loaded with them.

dgdrls · May 11, 2021, 08:15:44 PM

Quote from: Ventryjr on May 11, 2021, 05:49:27 AM
Quote from: moodnacreek on May 10, 2021, 09:29:22 PM
Well, well, well. Lane, that's my brand. And I started with a bellsaw in 1980, should not have done that but had empty pockets. So I see the V rail. Is it a green mountain or 030? I don't think it is an 036 but it could be. Hand set? What do you have for dogs? Love to know all about it and where in N.Y.
It does have a green mountain tag on track I believe. Yes hand set. And I do not have a pic of the dogs specifically. But they are cast and have "lane" on the side of them. And unfortunately I'm in the other side of the state from you. Western ny. But if you make it out this way PM me. Your more then welcome to come check out my setup and give pointers! :D

Western NY is pretty large, County??
D

Osterman.r · May 11, 2021, 09:38:51 PM

Looks good mr. I too am putting together a very similar lane mill, also started with an m14 6 years ago. Looks good, I wish I had videoed like you. I'm at the same stage. Next step for me is placing the caterpillar d4400. Can't wait to see you setup in action. What was the power plant on the m14? And where did you buy this mill?

Ventryjr · May 11, 2021, 09:59:52 PM

Quote from: Osterman.r on May 11, 2021, 09:38:51 PM
Looks good mr. I too am putting together a very similar lane mill, also started with an m14 6 years ago. Looks good, I wish I had videoed like you. I'm at the same stage. Next step for me is placing the caterpillar d4400. Can't wait to see you setup in action. What was the power plant on the m14? And where did you buy this mill?

Bought it from a gentleman in northern pa. And if you check out my YouTube channel you can see I had a farmall m on the belsaw first then a Chevy c3500. It was a cool saw and cut some wood with it. Got my interest sparked. Then I came across this lane mill. I just setup the belsaw in the fall.

Ventryjr · May 21, 2021, 05:38:57 AM

I Need some input From some more experienced sawyers. I currently have the mill track lagged to the wood base and where ever I check the track it's either level or off very slightly. Where the bubble on my 6ft level is touching alike and not perfectly centered. So maybe off 1/8" between the 2 rails in 2 spots on the mill. Is this critical? I can loosen the lags and shim it up. Or am I better off with no shims and leave it lagged down tight to the timbers? Leaving it slightly off in 2 spots.

The previous Owner told me to get it within 1/4" of level and it will be fine. I forgot to check the level on his setup before I disassembled. Thanks in advance.

dgdrls · May 21, 2021, 06:10:31 AM

I suggest you shim the tracks and get them as level and square as you can.
an 1/8" here and there can add up to sawing frustration.

D

nativewolf · May 21, 2021, 06:54:03 AM

Neat to see lots of people putting circular mills back in action

Ventryjr · May 24, 2021, 05:57:11 AM

https://youtu.be/zb7H5e1y31U

Part 2! It's coming together. I'm in the process of building a better base for the motor. Just wanted to get everything turning before I made a permanent mount. I also shimmed the rails up a bit so it's all flat. I string lined the track and it looks good.

Question to the more experienced circle mill fellas. How do you judge how fast to feed the carriage when cutting? The carriage seems to move really quickly when fully engaged. Thanks in advance!

sealark37 · May 24, 2021, 09:06:33 AM

You may judge the feed of the carriage easily by the sound of the power unit. Feed just fast enough to maintain the rpm at the governed speed. Feeding too fast risks stalling the blade, which is VERY bad. Go slow until you get the knack of listening to the mill. It will tell what is right. The carriage feed has a lot more speed than you need for sawing.

Ron Wenrich · May 25, 2021, 11:31:00 AM

Quick comment about shimming your rails. On some mills, if you measure your rails across the guide rail to the flat rail, you'll find the guide rail is higher than the flat rail. The grooved wheel should fit over top of the guide rail. When your carriage is sitting on the track, the headblocks should be level. If you leveled using the inside track brace, you should be okay. When the headblocks are level, and the saw hangs at a 90° angle, you should be cutting square lumber.

Ventryjr · May 25, 2021, 12:17:14 PM

I didn't check the wheel to head block. I'll be sure to do that. And I leveled from the bottom of the frame tubes and on the cross members.

Ventryjr · June 03, 2021, 05:32:34 PM

Everything was square. Made a few cuts and produced a 2"x7.5"x16'. More like 2"x7.5" at beginning. And 2 1/16"x 7 9/16" at the end of the 16'.

moodnacreek · June 03, 2021, 06:11:21 PM

As to the feed speed question; you feed as fast as you can while maintaining a straight line and rpm. This will take some time as you have to learn to see and here trouble before it becomes a wreck. The saw must stay cold and as another member said don't sthal your saw in the log because this may dent or worse the drive pins and tighten the nut. All a no no as it may bend the stub end of the mandrel.

Ventryjr · June 03, 2021, 06:38:37 PM

I fed pretty slow but I'm busting getting a hang of the friction drive. By stahl the blade do you mean that it actually stops rotating?

moodnacreek · June 03, 2021, 09:27:23 PM

Quote from: Ventryjr on June 03, 2021, 06:38:37 PM
I fed pretty slow but I'm busting getting a hang of the friction drive. By stahl the blade do you mean that it actually stops rotating?

I mean don't overfeed and have the saw come to a sudden stop in the log. Many things could cause this like running out of fuel or more likely sawing into a broken log and get 'shimmed'. It's no different than a car or airplane crash, it's always that sudden stop.

Ventryjr · June 05, 2021, 09:28:12 PM

Swapped a new set of bits onto the wheel. And produced quite a bit of straight lumber. Cut/Built a operators platform.

moodnacreek · June 05, 2021, 10:18:49 PM

The wheel? You must mean the saw. Are you using the notches to saw?

Ventryjr · June 06, 2021, 05:26:17 AM

Quote from: moodnacreek on June 05, 2021, 10:18:49 PM
The wheel? You must mean the saw. Are you using the notches to saw?

Yes I do mean the saw! ;D I knew wheel was the wrong term I just couldn't remember. What do you mean by notches? Sorry I'm still at the bottom of the learning curve. Thanks for the help so far!

moodnacreek · June 06, 2021, 09:26:37 AM

When you have a flat side [of the log that is now a cant] up against the bunks, dogged and ready to saw off a slab, how do you know where to set? Or said another way how will you know the thickness of the last board? You would have to do the math in your head or on a cheat sheet. Every piece to be sawn has a 1/4" kerf except the last board or whatever. On a Lane you have the famous Lane setworks with the notches and they tell you where to set. Remember to add 5 when needed. They go : 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ["] If you drop the pawl in 6 that will get you to 6" by sawing off 1" boards and so on.If you need to get 8" you use 3 because 3 and 5 is 8 . Play with it and we can talk again.