The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 04:21:21 AM

Title: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 04:21:21 AM
i have been looking at your bandsaw mills havent had mutch to do with them before.

why hasnt anyone made one like a little woodmizer you can fit a chainsaw to for power?

we have post hole diggers, wood borers, winches, bikes and all sorts of other things powered by them.

seams they could make a nice cheap sawmill for hobby people and sell a bunch of them.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: LeeB on December 28, 2010, 04:41:53 AM
Actually there is or at least was one on the market. It was called RipSaw.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: Ianab on December 28, 2010, 05:39:42 AM
Quote from: LeeB on December 28, 2010, 04:41:53 AM
Actually there is or at least was one on the market. It was called RipSaw.

They seem to still be selling them.
http://www.ripsaw.com/ripsaw.html (http://www.ripsaw.com/ripsaw.html)

Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 05:41:22 AM
i have seen that one.

but never on the tracks.

should be able to do it cheaper than they do i recon.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: bandmiller2 on December 28, 2010, 06:17:31 AM
Would work but its a waste of an expensive engine unless ultra light is needed to pack into remote areas.Frank C.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 06:59:18 AM
but say im a woodworker that wants some nice boards i can buy at the hardware store.

no matter what mill i get im gunna need a chainsaw to dock logs etc.

im not making a living out of it so spending 10 mins puttin the chainsaw on the mill is no biggie.

i could buy an alaskan chainsaw mill that is slow hard and wasteful.

but if i could get a bandsaw that would cut faster, neater, and easier on my back.

i know i aus tehre are a lot of people who would like to cut up  few bits of wood for there own use, now a 8000 saw is to mutch for most

if the cost could be kept down to 2000 - 4000 then everyman and his dog would have one.

Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: laffs on December 28, 2010, 07:04:31 AM
you can buy a small push mill for that kind of money. so i dont see the advantage
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 07:29:33 AM
no in aus.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 07:31:04 AM
i think if one went about it in the right way they could be produced and sold for about $1000.

i dont have the time id do it myself.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: Banjo picker on December 28, 2010, 08:45:28 AM
That is a neat looking outfit...wish it had a video...The 256 area code is Alabama...Weisyboy you do the same thing I do...I see something I like and start thinking I can make it for less that that... ;)  But building only one--  you have to figure   your time at about $4.00 an hour... ;) :D ;D  I get sidetracked pretty easy...Tim
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: sunriseseamless on December 28, 2010, 09:44:01 AM
What a great concept!  I would fall under the hobby/sawyer label and would appreciate something that isn't as backbreaking as the alaskan mill.
I could justify buying something like that - but not at that price.  If I was going to spend that much I would buy this Hudson mill for $2500.  http://www.hud-son.com/Oscar_118_Hobby_Portable_Sawmill.htm
Way more bang for the buck, if you ask me.  Don't know what the shipping cost to Australia might be.
Weisyboy, maybe you should look into being the local dealer, import mills and sell them to your mates.  Or maybe get even more ambitious and start manufacturing them for sale.  There are a couple of guys around who make kits for $1500 for full size sawmills.  The customer provides the assembly labor and maybe some of the bigger steel components that are cheap but hard to ship.
In the mean time - if anyone figures out an easy way to duplicate this chainsaw powered bandmill, post your plans.  I could probably fabricate one, but not from scratch.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: sunriseseamless on December 28, 2010, 11:00:21 AM
Came across this video on youtube. Ripsaw in action.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGaM03vcHyk
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 28, 2010, 04:28:46 PM
seams simple enough to make.

some 2" tube

4 flange bount pillow blocks

2 12" wheels / Vpulleys

2 shafts and a sprocket.

ill have some time over the next few weeks ill draw up a set of plans.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: vtdiy on December 28, 2010, 05:46:57 PM
Doesn't seem a lot faster than my alaskan mill was, but it does depend on saw size. The cut seemed wavier, though I'm sure the surface isn't as rough.

Wonder what the reduction is going to be to drive 12" wheels from 2 cycle revs.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: amberwood on December 28, 2010, 06:14:09 PM
Weisy. You can get an LT10 in Aus for the money you are talking about.

DTR
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: laffs on December 28, 2010, 07:01:12 PM
its a gas powered portaband. thats just plain scary to me. wavy lumber too. how would you edge anything?
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: wannasaw on December 28, 2010, 07:41:16 PM
Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.

I see a planer in that boards future >:(
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: RedLeg on December 28, 2010, 08:49:03 PM
For us "hobby sawyers" 8) my Lumber Smith ultra portable bandsaw mill fits the bill nicely and at a reasonable price point.  I've got more invested in my Shopsmith addiction (3 running and 1 in pieces) plus the complete set of special purpose tools than I spent for my sawmill to feed my woodworking and turning hobby ;).  Check out some pics in my gallery or the vendors site at www.lumbersmith.com

I'm hoping to start doing some sawing for similar hobby folks in the DC area next year.  I'll never be a threat to the big guys for big logs in quantity but for small stuff and  "yard logs" it may be just the right size.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: terrifictimbersllc on December 28, 2010, 09:08:09 PM
my back hurts just looking at that operation.  :-\ :-\
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: Meadows Miller on December 29, 2010, 07:31:24 AM
Gday

I had the first one of these in Australia back when I was 15 it ran of a 2095 ;) ;D .  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YProTxewx7k  



It was not a bad little mill even though I cursed it sometimes it did whatever I asked of it in the end Serra build these mills and they only come with a  10 or 15hp 4 stroke motor these days ;)  ;D 8)  back then we paid $9000 au with the sharpener and afew other things thrown in it was not cheap when put against what we could get out of the States at the time but it was in country and we had log home to build tha we need it for  along with alot of cheap D/fir logs that we cut up for the local hardware  we use to do about 80000 bft a yer for them on it and it was alot quicker than the Csm  ;)

Regards Chris

Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: sgschwend on December 29, 2010, 11:33:40 AM
WB, one thing about your idea is that you have eliminated the cost of the most expensive part. 

Giving the consumer the choice as to what can be used is likely going to save them at least in the beginning.  Many folks want to operate that way, they have several choices of power plants and the knowledge to put it on.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: weisyboy on December 29, 2010, 05:37:40 PM
cant see the vid mate.
Title: Re: chainsaw powered bandsaw.
Post by: sgschwend on December 29, 2010, 08:01:33 PM
Who is up for the video?  Is it you or me?