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Home built bandmill - need ideas for making it into a trailer

Started by Timberline, July 03, 2012, 09:26:31 AM

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Timberline

I am in the process of building a Linn 190A.  I almost have the whole carriage/saw-frame part finished.  I'll have to post some pictures.  Now it's time to start thinking about the track.  I want to be able to use this mill for custom sawing around my area as well as cut up on site any free logs I can find. 

I am thinking about a 20-24' track of 6" channel with angle iron mounted in a "L" shape for my grooved wheels to ride on.

Should I use ramps and a boat winch to load logs and keep the mill up at waist height or should I make the axle removable and lower it to the ground when milling as described in post #18 here:  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,57144.msg829578.html#msg829578

Pros of lowering it to the ground are that I keep the top of the mill where the hand crank for the up/down low for easy use and that it will be much easier to load logs since I don't have any equipment.  On the flip side, as I mentioned above, I intend to use this for a business and want it to look professional, not sure how professional it will look taking the axle out from under the mill. 

Any comments/ideas?

POSTON WIDEHEAD

I have not had a customer yet who has based my professionalism on the look of my mill.....but rather the deminsions of the lumber when he loads it on his truck.

If it were me, I would build my trailer to have the axels and wheels left on while doing mobile jobs. This way just seems easier imo.

If your set up gets to where you are stationary, it's just a personal preference whether to have the wheel and axels on or off.

What ever is comfortable for you....you are the sawyer, the customer wants good lumber.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Delawhere Jack

Waist height is a little high for the bed, the top of my mill bed is 23" off the ground, works well with ramps and a winch. 6" channel may be overkill. Mine uses 3/8" 3x4 angle iron for the rails, with a smaller 1x1? angle welded to it for the roller guides. The mill is 22' long with the axle in the center. The rails do sag a little, maybe 1/2" total end to end, but it's easy enough to level it out when you set the feet down.

A removable axle would be nice, but I'd bet that you would only remove it when the mill is at home.

york

Timberline welcome-take a look at the EZ BOARDWALK,it would be a good mill to copy,the mod.40 uses 6 in. channel and that is not overkill-they even offer a axle and i believe it can be removed-check it out my friend,albert
Albert

shelbycharger400

dont forget to weld in whatever jack you want to use PRIOR to finishing up the frame..
i planned on doing the jacks later..  well now it is later, still not done.  taking the wheels off, and putting them back on, even tho mine is only a 8 ft bed..it weighs a LOT! and mine is 4x4 square tube with 1 1/2 angle on it.   

Also.  when you put your angle iron on the frame. contemplate where your Head is going to be at last cut. the saw head that is, weather its chain, blade ect.   its easier to make it right the first time then to horse around with redoing bunks in an after thought . ( i should have put the angle iron on the outside of the tubing and not on top).  you can look at mine in my gallery, its a 4 post chain bar mill.  All 4 wheels are adjustable on mine, i have it dialed in within a few thousanths,  to do so required me to use 3 1/2 in angle iron. my wheels are 3 in dia,  guess what.. i had everything already welded up,  i wound up having to put 2x4s in for 2 bunks, even still its 4 inches from the chain to the bunk. so i still have to shim them, unless i use a 2x6 bunk, then my clamps are too short..nother after thought. look at some of my posts in the archive.  Ive done a few things,  and others have posted similar experiences as well.

milling and construction, Well afterall.. its a learning process, most of the time,  in the end you appreciate the end product, fix what didnt work out,  then later get the funds to build a new one with OUT the mistakes.           still workin on the mill... funds... well... still not here either..lol

WayRiver

I've been hobby cutting a couple months with a trailer mounted band mill.  (locally made).   I have a small tractor to load small logs but all the big stuff I load with a boat winch and ramps. 

I jack the mill up so the trailer tires are clear of the ground and mill is only supported on the stands. 

A couple things I've noticed.... when loading gnarly logs I keep the tire off the trailer on the loading side  (the logs catch when rolling up the ramps) and make it tougher to winch over top of the tire.  Also, winching a large log up with boat winch is dramatically easier with a second line (even a nylon rope works) to stablize it (keep it straight on the ramps).

Having the mill at trailer height is great (I keep mine about mid thigh but I can adjust it up if I wanted) in that it saves bending for lumber take off and I can leverage the bigger stock like 2x10s or 2x 12s off the mill easier.  With the trailer mount I can move the mill anywhere in the bush for a quick set up if I dont want to skid logs out.  (we had some bad rain and the bush roads were muddy...took the mill to the logs)

Timberline

Great comments, keep them coming!  I'm learning a lot. 

Shelby:  What do you mean by on the side vs. on top.  I'm having a hard time picturing that. 

I will be out of town for 2 days so I won't be reading or replying till I get back, but please, keep the ideas coming.  Thanks!

bandmiller2

Timberline,the guys have pretty well covered it.You don't want to work on the ground if you can help it,and removing the axle every time you set up will get old quick.When you make your leveling jacks be sure you can remove them or swing up outherwise they will bottom out on everything and get bent.The axle is a handy pivot point,run the saw carriage to ether end to make adjustments or hook and unhook.Pipe couplers welded under the track beams with pipe nipples with adjusting screws on the bottom are handy and cheap.When you transport just unscrew and nothing to hit. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

shelbycharger400

instead of welding the angle iron on top of the channel or tubing, put a few outriggers, tubes that run full length side to side, then stich weld the angle to that, that way, your track is lower than the bed . it would be best to leave a few inches between the side of the channel or tubing and where the angle iron begins. some that have done it this way have commented that without a gap, they build up full of sawdust.  Not shure how much vibration a band mill makes, but i know on my slabber, it vibrates a lot and not much sawdust sticks to anything.

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