The Rusty Mill Saga….

[Ventryjr]

I've started a few threads here either showing pics/progress or asking questions.  I figured it would make sense to start a thread where I can just post updates of the progress as I go. I hope you all enjoy. 

At this point it's been 2 years since I got my first Belsaw and things have changed quite a bit.  I went from a small mud clearing to now having over a acre of good gravel to work on and a 28x60 roof to cover my lane mill.   I used the Belsaw only a few times before realizing a upgrade was in order.  I kept the Belsaw as nostalgia, as it built a few neighbors houses before I got my hands on it.  

I plan on spending this winter/fall putting some walls around the sawmill shed and building a power off bearer. Seeing I operate solo most of the time. And my setup isn't the easiest alone.  

I also started videoing my progress shortly after getting the Belsaw.  If you check out my YouTube channel you will see both the sawyer and my cinematography skills improve. 

Here's A look back on the last 2 years at the sawmill.  

https://youtu.be/mudPD8mCRpI

[47sawdust]

Thanks, great job.
Slow and steady gets it done.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Isn't it something what one man with a strong back, a will to work and some ingenuity can do.

You've come far Ventryjr. I bet it feels like far.

So is this a  full time thing now?   What kind of wood are you sawing mainly?

[Iwawoodwork]

Great presentation, impressed with what you have accomplished in just a couple of years with yourself, family and a few friends, would have cost a lot to hire it done and you have something to be really proud of. Keep the post coming.

[Ventryjr]

Isn't it something what one man with a strong back, a will to work and some ingenuity can do.

You've come far Ventryjr. I bet it feels like far.

So is this a  full time thing now?   What kind of wood are you sawing mainly?

No this is just some weekend fun.  And I have been sawing hemlock and larch pine only.  But I just recently go into a bunch of free knotty hardwoods I'm going to slab and try to sell maybe. 🤔 

[jpassardi]

I give you credit, no small amount of work goes into setup of those old circle mills. Congrats and keep it up.

[moodnacreek]

You scare me walking between the carriage and the saw. That move should not be done. On my last mill I built a stair case over the husk. Also if you can get a 'bump' in the right spot the boards will fall flat for you. So glad to see a roof over your mill. To bad we are so far apart. A little bragging; if you could visit my set up you would be inspired to make some changes. It pains me to see you work so hard at sawing.   But getting a roof on is a huge step forward, the sky is the limit now.

[Crossroads]

Nice work! 

[Ventryjr]

 

 

I'm trying to Work out a good way to get shorter logs on the carriage safely.  I have a abundance of 3-6' hardwood logs.  There's a pretty decent market in my area for hobby/project slabs.  That's a 4.5' log I sliced up yesterday. I could only get 1 dog into it and i wasn't the happiest with how it sat on the carriage. 

[YellowHammer]

Nice, good job.

[moodnacreek]

My old carriage has just what you need; a sawyers favorite with a screw dog right behind it. Another set up would be the screw dog , with under hook, then rig up a bunk with a Bellsaw dog on it, you should have one. Sawing short stuff can be dangerous. If say you saw into a double heart [crotch or below it] and it shuts on the saw and the dog lets go it can come back at your head so fast you can not duck fast enough. Always lean way over when sawing crazy stuff.                          I don't want to saw shorts because if people see it done they will bring truck loads of 'fire wood' because they can.    Doug

[Ventryjr]

Happy New Year.  Like always life changes along with plans.  Hoping to be able to spend more time at the mill this year. I'm going to try to work on some safety issues  as well as "flow" of work/material. I put together a video of almost only clips of wood being cut.   And in the process noticed I spend a lot more time doing everything else instead of cutting wood.  Walking end to end of the carriage for the log dogs and having to be the off bearer is the biggest time killers.  As far as safety is like to some better hand rails around and maybe a drop down type handbar to go across track for when I'm crossing over the track.  I'm also working on some ideas for a metal screen (expanded or chain link fence) to keep chunks, knots, bark from flying at me.  Thanks for the input. Hope everyone has a good year. 

https://youtu.be/Z9up1LsU1S8

[Ventryjr]

Cut some short hardwood logs today.   I need to ad another dog and maybe a removable bunk to my carriage.   I get into a decent amount of short hardwood logs.  


 

 

[Ventryjr]

Did a little more sawing this weekend. A neighbor wanted a few 1x6s cut.  I keep saying I'm shutting down until a few modifications are finished up.   One of them being a hydraulic motor driving the sawdust conveyor, so I don't have to run a generator while sawing. I also want to revamp my hydraulic system.  The fluid looks like chocolate milk and there isn't a filter.  So add a filter, change all 30 gallons. Etc etc.   I should probably change the oil/filters on the cat power unit as well.  



 

 

I'm also adding. Some lights. I have 4 more strands like that to put up.  Those are running off a Milwaukee m18 battery. 

[customsawyer]

Nice progress.

[Dad2FourWI]

Sometimes it "feels" like you are moving soooo slowly but from my "seat", watching your vids and reading your posts here..... it looks like you are doing a GREAT job!!!!

Really makes me want to make some dust..... but I have to wait until after Maple syrup season. !

Awesome job!

[Ventryjr]

Lost a bunch of carbide off my bits today sawing 10" hemlock cants for a friend with a band mill. Sliced clean thru some #2 creek run gravel.    

I'm not sure if I need to cutting fluid for cutting stone????   I didn't realize what was hidden under a bit of ice.  

I'm going to be ordering bits and trying to decide what to buy.  So far I've only ever run dominator carbides but that are pricey.  :





 

 

 

 

[moodnacreek]

Carbides are like $500 a box and they are only made in stand -all style. In your photo it appears you have super shanks and they don't go with stand-all style. With super shanks you use the cheaper regular or long bits in steel or chrome. I stopped using longs some time ago because Simonds tends to make them poorly. You know they have no competition so they can get away with anything. When you go to regular bits you will notice more power. 

[Ventryjr]

@moodnacreek i took your advice and ordered a set of regular bits.  Should be here in a week or so.  Not sure when I'll be able to get to the saw tho. Have a good deal of snow and ice our way and crappy weather on the way. 


Here's a video from a few weekends ago sawing the cants I posted before.  

RM.64 Making 10”x12” hemlock on a Circle Sawmill - YouTube

[Ventryjr]

 

 
Sawing Tulip Poplar #sawmill #diy - YouTube


Sawed some poplar logs with a new set of regular bits. My first time running non carbide bits.  I got a box of Simmonds bf 8/9 regular bits. So far I'm pretty happy with them.  I've cut maybe 6 logs so far. 4 hardwood 2 hemlock.  We will see how long they last. Maybe I'll switch over.  I only bought 1 box of bits. So I only have enough for 1 full set.   We will see how they hold up and how they sharpen.   So I guess time will tell.   Thanks for the advice from everyone so far.