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Its beginning to look a lot like a sawmill

Started by gms1911, March 12, 2016, 10:25:18 PM

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gms1911

I'm fairly new here. My first post. Been reading a lot. And replied to a few.

So I bought 8.5 heavily wooded acres and begun the process of clearing to build a house. Called around to a few logging companies only to be laughed at when I told them I wanted to sell 2-3 acres of wood. Called a guy with a portable mill. $60 an hour for two men and I still had to do most of the work. Thought about loading and hauling to a local mill about 30 minutes away. But then I have to go back and get them. So, I said all that to say......I'm just going to build a mill and cut the trees myself.

Why not? For less than a weeks pay to the guy that works for $60 hr. I can build one and have a mill that belongs to me when I'm done cutting. For some reason I don't think I will ever be done cutting trees. 

Mainly posting so if any of you guys that have built before or just have experience with mills or fabricating see me screwing something up maybe you can stop me before I get in toooooo deep.

This is what I have so far. Forgive me if my terminology is wrong. I started out with a fixed mill. But after putting my old camper up for sale and then realizing that it was in worse shape than I thought. I decided to gut it, trash the camper and keep the trailer frame for the mill build. I had already picked up 2- 23.5' x 10" C channel from a commercial building that was being removed. Got a good deal on some 5"x 3" angle for the cross members. That's it for the carriage as of right now. I will have to go to the steel yard for the rest.

For power I picked up a Kubota 3 cylinder diesel off Craigslist. 19hp and 30 lbs of torque. I have an older ferris walk behind parts mower that I'm going to strip some parts off of.

I welded up the C channel to the trailer last week and the cross members where cut and welded on today. The carriage width from edge to edge is 54". With I believe will be a 20.5' max cutting length. Going to get the angle this week so I can get it tacked in place. Dogs need to be installed then off to get painted. Any suggestion on paint color?

Still debating a few things on the head. Leaning toward acme thread for lift/lower. I know its slow but precise and easily converted to electric or hydraulic in the future. I want to add bearings in my head. Not sure what that part of the unit is called. Where the square tubing telescopes over each other raising and lowering the head. Does anyone experience binding with the square tubing telescoping on each other? Seems like if the load of the band wheels and engine etc are not somewhat equal front to back or side to side it would cause it to bind up.

I think that covers everything on my mind right now.

Thanks in advance for any advice.




gms1911

Can't get pix to load...... I'll try again tomorrow.

4x4American

Yellow  smiley_wavy   Welcome to the forum.


I look forward to watching another mill build.  Post pictures please!  You can't go wrong having a sawmill around.  It's the best. 


As for color, I'd paint it John Deere Green, on a hot summer night.   8)
Boy, back in my day..

Kbeitz

The square tubeing wont bind if it's long enough.
This is what I did to lift my carrage and so far I'm very happy with it.
Third picture down.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82853.0.html

Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

gms1911

 I think i figured it out. Thanks for the replies so far.



  

  

  

  

  

  

Kbeitz

Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Wisconsintimber

Your mill frame is looking good!  I used square on square for the up/down and have had no problems.  The outside slider is 6-8" long so it doesn't bind.  I used acme threaded rod hooked to a hyd motor for the raise and lower.  Works great, but is a little slow.

Dave Shepard

Is the Ferris a hydrostatic? You could have hydro feed and up/down. 8)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

gms1911

It is hydrostatic. I was thinking of using it for either the raise and lower or to drive the carriage. I have been doing a little research on chain drives this week as a possibility. But I really need to start narrowing it down and get set on something.

I bought all the rest of my steel this week. The band wheels came along with the pillow blocks and shafts. A tiny tach for the kubota and a few other items. It's been like Christmas around my house.

Dave Shepard

Use one wheel motor for the travel, and the other for the up and down.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

gms1911

I don't think I can. It's a single drive unit. Both rear wheels are driven off the single unit.  I'm going to tear into it tomorrow. Seeing as it will be raining and everything else I want to do is outside.

Dave Shepard

I see. My Scag had a motor on each wheel.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

gms1911

So I had to take a break from fab'n the mill to make my son a forge for his birthday. Here are a few pics of the head and of coarse the forge. I plan on working on it more this week. In hopes of having it ready to go by the end of next week. I know I have high expectations, but if I don't I will never get done. I am actually looking into picking up an electric wheel chair off CL to power the head and carriage. Can't get pix to load. I don't what I'm doing wrong............Says I can't upload files of this type. There pictures from my Iphone. I'm sure its just me. It's kinda sad. I can build a sawmill from scratch but can't upload a picture....

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

valley ranch

Glad you came round, glad you're here. Let there be mill. Down south, is that all you're gona tell us? We're not coming over an askin what's in the fridge. Still glad you're showing us your mill.


That forge looks pretty good too, cfarm!

thecfarm

Valley ranch,are you saying that is my forge?? That is a picture of gms1911 forge.   :)  He had a hard time posting pictures and just trying to help him out.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ox

Looks like a good start!  In most run of the mill square tubing there will be a seam inside of it.  Turn these seams so they're the same on each side when assembled.  On my mill, the seams for the sliding square tubing (for the head up/down) are turned toward the inside of the mill on each side.  This leaves a smooth surface for the front, back, and outside to slide on without binding.  No lube, just paint, no binding.  B7 threaded rod for up/down on mine, 16 TPI sped up through chains and sprockets to 4 turns per inch on my handle.  What are your plans for blade guides?  This seems to be a major building point for many people.  I think it might be easier to build the head if you knew exactly what guide system you were planning on using.  :)
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

gms1911

Thanks thecfarm. I'll have to sit down at the computer again when I have more time to spend on it. Maybe the next rain day.

As far as guides. I've picked up some some bearings and I'm just going to telescope some 3/4 square tubing into or out of whatever my steel man has that will work. 

gms1911

I worked on the mill for about 30 minutes today. Should get to work most of the day Saturday on it. I chopped up an old floor jack and mounted it to the head for my band tensioner. 

valley ranch, I'm in north Ga. what used to be a little town called Cumming. Now we are a suburb of Atlanta. Really stinks! Everybody used to wave at everybody. Now no one knows anybody. But my little piece of the pie is like being back in the old days. Can't wait to get the mill done and moved over so I can get busy cutting lumber for the floors, doors and trim. Oh and my barn. By the way, my fridge is always open!

ox, thanks for the heads up on the seam. I have given some thought into that. Just haven't made it to that part yet.  I will definitely keep that in mind.

thecfarm... at the bottom of my reply to the post, I have "+ attach documents and other options" and "click here to add photos to post" . When I click the first one it allows me to add 4 photos but then I get an error that the files aren't allowed. When I click on the other it takes me to where I add photos to my gallery but I don't get an option to add to my reply. What am I doing wrong?

I guess for now until I can figure this out, If anyone wants to see my progress you can go to my galley.

gms1911


gms1911



I think I figured it out again. Just hope I can remember the time I sit down and  try...... :D

Ox

By golly, that's a nice tensioner.  Good idea.  Using what you've got is also very cool.  Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.  Nice little rhyme I say to myself all the time...
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

4x4American

After you add the pictures to your gallery, forget that confusing page it brings you to, look on the little bar of links, right under where it says forestry forum gallery, and click on 'my gallery', like you were just going there to look at the pictures.  Then, either click one of your albums and find the pictures you want to post, or you can just scroll down and look for the picture you want to post.  Click on the picture.  Now it opens up a bigger screen with the picture you clicked on enlarged.  Just below it you'll see a box that looks like you can type in it because you can.  Now take out a pencil and write that code down on a piece of paper.  Then go to the regular post box, and type the code in exactly how it was originally written, minding capitals and lower cases.  Then press post and you're done!
Boy, back in my day..

gms1911

After moving my mother into her new house, I got to work on the mill for a couple hours today. Any luck and I will get to fab an engine stand for the Kubota tomorrow. I think I'm going to add some uprights on the back. I was hoping  that it would work like it is built, but there is way to much flex. So 4 instead of 2. I also might lower the height of it a bit too. It's all tac welded for now. I didn't want to go all out and weld it up solid until I am sure it will work like planned.  Got my acme rod in yesterday so I'm wanting to get that all figured out and installed. Its a 1/8" per turn. Any suggestions on sprocket sizes?  Might take a trip to tractor supply tomorrow to get a good idea on sprockets. Won't buy there but I can at least put my hands on them there.

Thanks for all the replies so far. I enjoy reading all of it.

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: 4x4American on March 31, 2016, 09:37:24 PM
After you add the pictures to your gallery, forget that confusing page it brings you to, look on the little bar of links, right under where it says forestry forum gallery, and click on 'my gallery', like you were just going there to look at the pictures.  Then, either click one of your albums and find the pictures you want to post, or you can just scroll down and look for the picture you want to post.  Click on the picture.  Now it opens up a bigger screen with the picture you clicked on enlarged.  Just below it you'll see a box that looks like you can type in it because you can.  Now take out a pencil and write that code down on a piece of paper.  Then go to the regular post box, and type the code in exactly how it was originally written, minding capitals and lower cases.  Then press post and you're done!

No need for a pencil!  Just go to the bottom of that page and you will see a blue/grey box that says "Insert image in post".  A dialog box will pop up and you hit Yes.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

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