Question about build it yerself

[DonE911]

I though I wanted a chainsaw mill... then I started thinking about all the junk (thats what the wife calls it) I have sitting around and what could I use to build a band mill.

Why do people use trailer wheels and tires??  Is it to fit the band length?  

I was thinking that I have a couple 12hp briggs vert. shaft engines sitting on the shelf ... then I remembered I have a lawn tractor trani that turns belt drive to chain drive.  Its 4 speed with reverse... hmmmmmm ... then I have that 1 1/4 kart axel, sproket and hub, some rear tires for a lawn tractor... hmmmm ...

Can lawn tractor tires work?   :P

Good thing about the vert shaft there is room for a second pulley that can spin a hydraulic pump... :

What rpm should the band be moving...  can be changed with the trani, pulley sizes ect...  thats how you make the lawn mower go from 10mph to 40mph ;D

The neighbor (ok he's my brother) is a welder by trade.... this is starting to look to be the same price as the big saw that I dont own yet....  8)

someone shoot holes in my idea...  there has to be another reason why should forget the whole idea....

I dont have a handle on moving the head up and down... where can I find some good pic's on the www ?  

[dail_h]

   It's too late,it appears your condition is already terminal :D :D

[Tom]

 You've come to the right place for the answers.  It just happens that you are living in the right place too.  

Dead-header (Harold) who lives just north of you in Sebastion, and his son, Swampy, are jam-up experts in the fabrication of a home built sawmill.  All the answers you could ever want to know can be answered by a 15 mile trip. :D

I don't think you will want anything as  small as a mower tire for a band wheel.  You might make the little engines work but you will wish real quick for a larger one.  Think 15 horse at least.  Maybe you could trade a couple of the small ones for a bigger one. :P

Go See Harold.  You will enjoy it.

Oh!  there are a lot of pictures and info in the old posts here on The Foresty Forum of Home-built sawmills.

[Bruce_A]

Now that you are getting the idea that a sawmill is not tough. Roll that log up on a couple of auto scissors type jacks to lift the log, place a saw horse at each end, a pair of 4x6's on top, and drive back and forth.  Set your blade to run in place of the mower deck.  Run a chain drive between the jacks and a impact wrench will lift both ends of the log at the same time.  Only your imagination will limit what you do.

[DonE911]

Tom,

Thanks...  Harold said he would drop me a line when he got back from someplace.

I was thinking a smaller mill ...  just something to make some lumber for myself.  The wheels must have something to do with blade length or maybe the band would break if wrapped around a very small wheel.

I saw same mills that come with engines smaller that 12 horse... I've got a souped up 13hp briggs but the Gov has been removed so I don't think this would be a good application for it.

The 12's aren't new but they run good and free...  I think I saw one on ebay running a 5 hp ( i knew that was toooooo small )

[Tom]

A twelve would saw wood.

The wheels do have to do with the size of the blade.  You don't want it turning too small of a circle.  The size of the wheels also determine the distance that the saw will clear.  A slab or timber has to be able to fit between the cutting part of the blade and the the return part of the blade on the other side.(top on a horizontal mill)

Small engines work better with thinner blades. 35 thou. thick.
You may also use narrower blades like 3/4 though the standard for sawmills is 1 1/4.  The wider the blade the easier it is to cut true.  It also takes power to pull more blade.

You will see what I'm talking about when you see harolds mill and get to lay your hands on it.  

there are more reasons for bigger band wheels than blade length.

You are asking the right questions though.

[CHARLIE]

Tom, Sebastion is more than 15 miles.  I think Vero is 15 miles and then you have Gifford and Wabasso before you get to Sebastion.  Has to be more like 25 miles.

[Tom]

 :-/

[DonE911]

Yep .. It's more than 15 miles, but not to far...  about 20 minutes depending on the route you take.   If gas keeps going up I may have to ride a bike... then it would be way to far  ;D

[Tom]

Edit to my above post.

......less than 100 mile trip.

to replace 15 mile trip.

That should cover round trip mileage.  Might be a stretch if you go from S. end of St. Lucie to North end of Indian River counties.

I-95 veers west and may add mileage to the trip as you try to get back east to Sebastian.  Harold, being on the West side of the tracks may be closer to 95.  I won't speculate on that part of the journey.

It's probably better that you don't use air travel. The airport at the Glades cutoff on the S. side of Ft. Pierce and on the edge of the Savannah was closed years ago.  The old  Army Bomber training airport in St. Lucie is so close to Vero that you might as well drive.  Piper's airport was closed the last that I heard and I don't know if they ever paved Vero's airport or not.  The Last I heard, Sebastian's is N. of town, so you'd have to land in the street out in front of Harold's house and the neighbor parks his boat there. Probably be better off driving.

I think, if it were me, I would take a road trip North on I-95 to SR-512 and then proceed East for a while. If you get lost, blow your horn.  Somebody will find you.

 :-/ :D

Charlie,
I've been giving it considerable thought and you're uglier than me.  

Since you complete your 60^th year on July 21^st I'll go easy on you.  It's going to be difficult enough, as it is, for you to accept the smartness that comes with entering your 61^st year without my reminding you too much of your (censored). ;D

[CHARLIE]

DanG Tom!  Sounds like you got into the Jack a bit. I'm the one that is supposed to rag on you. You are the silent type that is supposed to just accept it. I ain't used to getting it back.  I agree though.  Don should probably drive. Hitchhiking might be cheaper.  

[Swede]

15 or 100 miles for meeting a nice person and look at his saw mill can never be  wasted   time even if it´s painted green and not a 4-poster.  ;D Being that close I would go at once!  


Swede.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  OK, this is supposed to be a FRIENDLY place. Tom and Charlie can stop ragging each other now.
 Actually, I95 to the 512 exit IS the easiest. I use that to go to A-1 Metal, Turner Machine, on Orange Ave. I'm gonna PM DonE911, and see when he can make it up here.  Our mill is still in Georgetown, BUT, we have Tom's LT40 in the backyard. That's probably NEARLY as good as the Homemizer. : ??? ;D :D :D :D

  The tires and wheels debate will rage on FOREVER.  We are thinking about producing Sawheads for the folks that want to build a mill. We will use 12" Boat trailer wheels and tires. They have approximately 21½ " dia. They are narrow and have a tighter tread pattern. Wood Mizer uses a 19" dia. Cast pulley with v-belt tire. All the 21½" will do is reduce the amount of flexing the blade does, a LITTLE, and give a little more throat clearance.

  After Don gets here, he will KNOW what he wants to do.  ;D :D