iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

M14 Foley Belsaw Sawmill

Started by first shirt, August 05, 2008, 07:40:56 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

first shirt

I recently assembled a M14 Foley Belsaw Sawmill with a direct drive PTO shaft.  My question is, will my Massey Ferguson 135 tractor be sufficient power for my mill?

bandmiller2

First shirt,what size headsaw do you have,inserted or solid tooth??Normal sized logs ,bits kept sharp you should be ok.Much larger than the standard 40" blade in larger oak you will be wanting for power.If I recall belsaw claimed 35hp will do it.A light power plant keeps you honest with your saw maintenance.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Don P

 :D That's a fact.
I'm running a 46" insert tooth blade on an old MF TO-35 in mine. I put a ground down tooth in every other slot and am underpowered but can make wood for my hobbies. I've given up on sawing locust but did recently make it through a large white oak sawing 16/4 x 12" stair treads with some grunting. That is the bare minimum, it will saw, you won't be dangerously overpowered  ;D

HOGFARMER

I am also redoing a Foley Belsaw M-14 sawmill.  Recently I purchased an instillation and operating manual from Timberking for this mill.  In it was stated that on smaller diameter softwoods 25 horsepower would do the job.  On larger diameter high moisture hardwoods you could need up to 65 horsepower.  What type of foundation did you use for the mill?  Thanks!
Manual LT-30

first shirt

I used concrete pillars, I am  still trying to fine tune everything.  One of my belts continues to run off the pulley i might have to buy a smaller belt or use a belt tensionor of some type.  Otherwise I am looking forward to milling some lumber, I have about 144 acres of oak, poplar and pine.

bandmiller2

First shirt,seeing as your direct drive to your arbor,the belt that keeps coming off must be on the feed assy.Many times if the idler that pivits down on the belt to tighten it is not straight and level it will let the belt run out of its pulley.Check the alignment of boath the feed and gigback.Are the belts old worn or twisted??Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

woodhaven

It's good to see all you guys rebuilding M14's or any other type of
circular mill. When I built mine I knew nothing about sawmills except
that I wanted one. I called Foley and ask what size tires and rims
the M14 had. From that I could figure what size everything else was.
I needed to know exactly what size something in the picture was and I
could figure anything. I still do that today. When I wan't to build something
I will call the mfg. and get the exact size of something in there picture and
I can figure the rest.
Richard

pierre

I run my m14 sawmill with a inter b-250, but i am not sure that i could saw some 20 feet logs. Its always full throttle.

Meadows Miller

Gday

I ran my tabletop mill of a 135 mf for about 6 months on pine when i first built it 10 yrs ago . it was a bit light on for hp but did the job well ;) ;D runing a 36 dia 20 tooth insert saw . it was dang good on fuel tho  ;) ;D :D :D :D
now i run with a 44" 38 tooth insert with 80 hp it dose it easy  8) 8)

Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Joe Lallande

I have the same mill and want to convert the flat belt drive to a pto shaft, any ideas? Joe Lallande at Howling Wolf Sawmill located in Alpena, MI.

HOGFARMER

On my M-14 the PTO shaft hooks to the arbor shaft that the blade is mounted on.  You should be able to get it thru any farm machinery dealer if Timberking no longer offers it.  The original used shear pins to protect things.
Manual LT-30

bandmiller2

Hogfarmer,do you have your foundation in yet??Winter is bearing down on us ground will get tight soon.Probibly 8 or so sono tubes filled with concrete to above ground level large bolt in each.Bolt down one of your 6x6 pt across and longer one legnthwise on top for stability bolt the metal legs to it .Belsaw is probibly the easiest mill to set up I've seen them just set on blocks and cut good lumber.Keep us posted Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

timberjackpa

first shirt                     I just bought a belsaw and was wondering what is the best way to use the direct pto shaft since the tractor shaft is clockwise and the blade shaft runs counter clockwise.   any information would be greatly apreciated

Meadows Miller

Gday

Timberjackpa Welcome to the forum mate  ;D ;D 8) pull up a pack for a spell there are plenty of Top Blokes and good advice to be had here on the forum  ;) ;D

With your mill is it a Left or right hand mill  ??? if your not sure an easy wat to tell is to stand facing the front of the saw in the operators position if the carriage is on your right side its a RH mil or left its a LH mill  ;) a right hander is easy just fit a pto slip clutch onto the end of the shaft hook your pto shaft to the tractor and away you go mate
ifin its a left hand mill .Which Im thinking yours is  ??? :P you will either have to sett up a counter shaft with pulleys and a slip clutch which will come back out on the operating side of the mill  ;) ;D

Reguards Chris McMahon

4TH Generation Timbergetter

bandmiller2

I may be mistaken but I think all belsaw mills are right handed.The tractor is located on the back side of the mill so it works out right with a tractor pto.That leaves nothing in your way on the sawyers side, thats why its touted as a one man mill,you can cut and offbear easily.As per directions you build a modest table around the blade to hold the boards and for safety reasons.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

SCSawyer

Hello,
I had a saw something like a bell saw that was called a utilizer mill that ran off the pto that I pulled with my 330 international that is 34.5 hp it would open the gov. but as long as you didnt swing on the stick like a raped ape it did well and this is a gas engine.
Silas S. Roberts , Bluff Mtn. Timber

timberjackpa

hello there..   thank you for the fast responses, and warm welcomes!  I can't get any info from anybody in my area. If i stand in front of the blade, the blade turns towards me at the carriage fowarder and reverser lever (operator station), and mill tracks are on the right of me. Meaning I have a right hand mill, right? the blade shaft has to turn counter clockwise.  Although the (flat) belt that runs from the blade shaft to the carriage shaft has a twist in it, meaning it has to run clockwise, could my tractor pto shaft power the smaller carriage shaft to run the big blade shaft? I just want to avoid having to buy a big flatbelt pto pulley and 70 ft. of flatbelt if I don't have to. I hate to pump you full of questions but I have one more question for you. If I do have to use a flatbelt, will a Balers flatbelt be strong enough for it? I found some at Tractor Supply Co. Thank you for your help, Tony.

Meadows Miller

Gday Tony

it sounds like you got a std Rh belsaw mill  ;) but Im a lill perplexed mate  ??? ??? :P you should be able to just hook the pto strait up to the end of the saw mandrel with out any dramas  ;) ;D Hmmm would you be able get some pics so we can see what we are looking at mate  ;) even just email them to me at heartlandtimber@aapt.net.au we will get this sawted out for you mate  ;) :D ;D

Reguards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

bandmiller2

TJ,you have a right hand mill.Forget all about pulleys and flat belts if your going to run your belsaw from a tractor PTO.What you need is a direct shaft from the pto to the arbor at the back of the mill.That shaft should have ether a shear pin,slip clutch or boath.belsaw sold a drive shaft for that purpose.Some farm impliments use about the same thing and a shaft can be made up by most tractor dealerships.Usally your blade [headsaw] is tensioned [hammered] for 550 rpm to match the standard pto speed. Frank C. don't worry about too many questions.where ar you located?
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Meadows Miller

Gday

Like you Frank im thinking it should be ready to rumble as is with just the addition of the pto shaft na slip clutch  ;) ;D but sawmillers being sawmillers  ;) :D she migh have been modified for another powerplant  :) Being a Rh it should bee quick and simple ;) ;D

Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

sgschwend

Steve Gschwend

sjgschwend@gmail.com

timberjackpa

Bandmiller                I am from Port Allegany Pennslyvania. I think I might have come up with a pto plan. I will hook the pto shaft from tractor to the  blade shaft then I will flip my blade around and saw the lumber towards me instead of away from me. then i will take the twist out of the flat belt that runs from blade shaft and drives the carraige. hopefully someday i can switch that belt out to v-belts. the tag on the say its a   belsaw  A-16    thanks again for any info

bandmiller2

Your right Chris,its kinda hard to troubleshoot and make comments without seeing the mill.Long belts and pulleys on a belsaw make me nervous.The later belsaws used a 1 3/4" arbor shaft,with the PTO shaft its pure torque,with a long belt considerable side force on the arbor.As the cutting forces change it tends to flex the arbor and makes it harder to have a steady saw.Chris would a rt. hand mill here be a left hand mill down under[big poop eating grin]Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

bandmiller2

T-jack,we have to think this out ,putting the blade on backwards and feeding the wrong way will cause many problems one being the hand your blade is hammered for.Every belsaw I've seen is a right hand mill,you stand with your hand on the feed lever,log goes by on your right.If you look at the running blade from your side of the mill it will be turning clockwise,teeth cutting from the top of the log down.If you go around the outher side of the mill where the tractor will be and look at the end of the arbor shaft it will have to turn counter clockwise.If you are driving the mill from the tractors splined pto shaft it will be turning the right way.If your using the belt pulley on the tractor and belts to run it, will depend which way the tractor is faceing and if the belt is crossed.Once you have the saw turning the right direction then figure what you need to do to get the feed right.What tractor are you using?If you could possibly show us some pictures.Hang in there.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Meadows Miller

Gday

Your rite Frank  it is abit hard mate  ;)  i got pics to work with now  ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D shes a fine looking oldgirl  ;)  in great condition for her age too   ;D Full steel frame and its even towable Look out bandmill boys shes Portable  ;) :D ;D
Looks like itll be fine for a strait convert as a right hander it was settup for a flatbelt drive Tonys just got to shift  the main power drive belt from the mandrel to the  feedworks from being a out board drive accross about 6" to being closer to the mill frame to give him the room to fit the pto slipclutch on to the end of the mandrel by removing the large pto flatbelt drive pulley from the inside where it was mounted to support the strain closer to the main bearings ;)  ;D
hes driving it of an old oliver 35hp tractor which sould do the job reasonably well for milling his own timber   ;) ;D Id say More HorsePower  ::) but i think i liked Home Improvement Tooo Much  ;) Heidy  :o ;) Pam was better looking in those days   ;) :D ;D

I think his mill no#is 21235 so its a reasonably late model as when Dad and i where looking at the TK M16 mills before we got the lill band saw mill in 95 i think they where only up around the 26/27 000 mill mark But im not sure ??? :P

Reguards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Thank You Sponsors!