The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: redbeard on April 07, 2013, 02:29:56 PM

Title: old circle mill
Post by: redbeard on April 07, 2013, 02:29:56 PM
Found a old circle mill in the woods while log shopping this morning. Everything turned and rolled very surprised considering how long its been sitting. The edger really caught my eye. Anybody tell the make of this mill. I plan to go back and further investigation.

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 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130407_102549_712.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130407_102627_265.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130407_102656_270.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130407_102737_953.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130407_102812_771.jpg)
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: sawguy21 on April 07, 2013, 02:39:35 PM
I am intrigued too. There must be hundreds of them abandoned in the bush, the job was done, the owner was broke and they cost more than scrap value to haul out. I enjoy poking around old mill sites.
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: redbeard on April 07, 2013, 03:13:38 PM
Yeah the more iam thinking about this mill the more iam thinking it wasn't used a whole lot (low hrs.) Iam contacting the local old timers to get info about it. Belsaws and American Yates were common in this area. It did have K4 on the lever if that helps on ID.
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: shelbycharger400 on April 07, 2013, 06:52:25 PM
if i remember right , k4 , or m4   is usually a foundary marker,  sometimes means high nickel alloy.   
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: dennyking on April 07, 2013, 06:53:45 PM
Its a Belsaw.

Denny King....Washington state
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: loggah on April 07, 2013, 07:43:57 PM
Yup,Belsaw with Belsaw edger !!! ;D nice find.Don
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: redbeard on April 07, 2013, 09:28:50 PM
Puzzle is coming together the saw was moved from its original site. It was a mill set up on Penn cove  (anyone ever heard of or have eaten penn cove mussels) its the cove where there harvested. And the mill quit operation in later 50s they drug it up into woods where they hauled the saw dust. There was a fire in one of the houses that was on mill site it could have been why they folded. Mill was not harmed. I have one of the family members interested in possible resurrection of this mill. The condition of mill is good its possible. Where will you find belsaw markings?
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: captain_crunch on April 07, 2013, 11:49:13 PM
Be a Belsaw fer  sure and an old one judgeing by carrage dogs Tag on mine is on inside of frame at end where carrage stops at ofbearing end
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: bandmiller2 on April 08, 2013, 07:55:39 AM
It seems to be an older Belsaw,looks like babbit bearings on the arbor.Just about everything on the mill can be reproduced with common steel shapes.Seems to be in good shape from living in such a wet area,must of had a roof in its past life. Frank C.
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: Solomon on April 08, 2013, 10:05:07 AM
I know a fellow about five hours away from me that has a Frick Mill he will sell me for Twenty Five hundred dollars.  It has not been run in about 30 years but it is under a roof and looks surprisingly clean.
What I initially believed to be a straight six motor at a glance, turned out to be an old Buick Straight Eight Fire Ball .
  I am thinking hard about it.
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: WH_Conley on April 08, 2013, 11:12:22 AM
I about cried a couple of weeks ago when I found out a neighbor had hauled ) Frick for scrap. The little mill cut good. Brought $400.00.  :'(
Title: Re: old circle mill
Post by: Dave_ on April 08, 2013, 12:03:36 PM
You probably won't find any markings on the mill except on the arbor collar.  The best way to age an old Belsaw is to look at the feedworks.  They changed out the drives throughout the years and you can usually window the time frame it was built.  You can look at some of the catalogs  at http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=86&tab=3 (http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=86&tab=3) and compare feedworks.