What should my bandsaw feed rate be?

kip · April 28, 2003, 01:03:05 PM

I hope someone can give an idea of what my feed rate should be on my homemade mill. I have a 30hp wisconsin running a 1.25 blade. I cut mainly green SYP. I have noticed that the sawdust is real fine & think that is from cutting to slow.?.? This is my first sawmill and I haven't been around any to compare feed rates with. As all ways, Thanks!
Kip

Minnesota_boy · April 28, 2003, 05:08:50 PM

If yuo have a variable speed on that mill, keep increasing the speed until the motor is working hard or you start to saw wavey. As the saw dulls, you'll have to slow down as the cut gets wavey from the duller blade. The sawdust should be pretty fine though, anyway When you are sawing as fast as you can and still sawing straight, look at the amount of sawdust you are producing. Remember how much it is and use that as a guage for the future. Watch the knots, as the curly grain around them saws much harder and that is where you will see the waves first.

Tom · April 28, 2003, 05:51:52 PM

Right on, Minn.Boy. Feed rate is dependent on too many things to do too much comparing. I'm sure there is some one out there intelligent enought to figure it out but I'm not him.

There are different hardnesses in different species, differences within species, width of the cut, sharpeness of the blade, aggressiveness of the blade, engine size, effectiveness of transfer of power to the blade, blade setup, ambient temperature, age and gung-ho-ness of the sawyer and probably a bunch of other things that can make a difference.

You can start with "not bogging the engine" and watching the cut, like you said but the iimportant thing to remember is that much of this operation is an ART not a SCIENCE. Some of it you have to learn on your own. You may end up being able to saw faster on a mill than another sawyer can saw on the same mill. Neither of you may be wrong. It's like comparing Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.

You might study other sawyers techniques but, in the end, you have to be satisfied that you are doing the best you can do. A stop watch isn't always a good measure of ability.

Fla._Deadheader · April 28, 2003, 05:56:48 PM

Read the "bandmill fer sail, Cheeep" post. If you can saw faster than that, yer doing fine !! ;D ;D ;D ;D :D :D :D :D

Minnesota_boy · April 28, 2003, 06:09:49 PM

I saw by myself, and stack and sticker as I go, so I just saw as fast as I'm willing to handle the lumber. ;D

kip · April 28, 2003, 07:50:46 PM

I do have a SCR on the feed motor. I can run it full speed and it cuts fine. I know i can run it faster but to do so i have to change the sprocket. I did have a 10 tooth sprocket that I changed to a 16 tooth. That helped alot but I still think it is to slow because I can run wide open and the motor doesn't bog down.
This is the setup i have now:
43 rpm motor x 2.81 dia. sprocket = 120 inches per min. (10 ft min..) That is with no load. I still have plenty of torque so I know that isn't gonna be a problem by going to a bigger sprocket. I just want to run the motor as close to 100% as i can. I guess I will just go to a 32 tooth sprocket go from there. Thanks for the replies!

Tom · April 28, 2003, 08:21:32 PM

You need the "range" anyway so that would be my concern. I'd be looking for the fastest that I could handle without the cut going bad or the engine bogging and that'll be different in different woods. You just need a wide range of speeds.

D._Frederick · April 29, 2003, 04:34:08 PM

Kip,
I have watched John (the WM sawyer) saw a number of times, he saws faster than any of the others I have seen. He never lugs the engines, there never is any dark smoke coming out of the diesel. With a 1 1/4 blade, the blade is the limiting factor of sawing speed. The set, tooth spacing, hook angle, blade thickness, and if it is a hard back or flex back will determine how fast the blade will cut. Try different blades that have have different configurations to find which blade cuts the fastest in you wood.

Tom · April 30, 2003, 04:46:49 PM

Our new Sponsor, Timberking, gives the rates of their saws as being 25 to 60 feet in 12" Red Oak. That is dependent on engine and mill size. You might want ot go look at their site. Jist click on the yellow Timberking under the timberframe topic.

kip · April 30, 2003, 09:44:39 PM

Thanks Tom,
I just ordered a bigger sprocket to try out. It cuts fine now but I know it will cut much faster. ;)

solidwoods · May 01, 2003, 06:38:58 AM

Kip.
Hello from TN

If you can, make your feed into a variable rate system (if it isn't now). Use a DC gearmotor with a rheostat. Fractional HP is fine less than 1/4hp should be fine. But only having one feed rate will not be flexible enough with some logs/woods and cause all kinds of probs.

I use 7/8 tooth space for SYP, I think most would recommend that. I also use mid or low price blades,,no fancy blades.
And I don't mean to over simplify the blade choice about quality/price, but hitting tramp metal makes the blade real simple,, It' TOAST

I saw an add for 13' 2" blades $12.75 (10 or more)

Also if the mill is not setup just right like Blade track off, or some mill head bounce during the cut or a soft spot in the carriage (head will dip on that spot) cutting performance can be reduced. If you go portable make sure the frame/track is dead on level with no twist and it's footing doesn't sink down on any footing point as you cut that day.
JIM

kip · May 01, 2003, 07:23:38 AM

Hi Jim,
I do have a variable feed rate. Its just not fast enough yet. I am using timber wolf blades and I have had no probs like waves yet. I think because I'm not cutting fast enough!

Does cutting the log dog qualify as tramp metal ? :'( Speaking of that mistake, I haven't had to have my blades sharpened yet. The blade that I cut the log dog with has rounded teeth now of course. It didn't break any off, just rounded them about an 1/8". Can this be fixed at sharping & re-set?

I overbuild my frame and made sure it is level so that is not a problem. It did sink it in the ground about an inch with a large pine once. I need to take the wheels off the trailer jacks that I use to level with and put flat bottom feet on them.

Do you have a web address or phone # for those cheap blades? I use 14'-6" and would like to if they have those too.

Thanks,
Kip

Tom · May 01, 2003, 12:04:37 PM

Cook's Saw www.cookssaw.com will sell you one or a hundred and the price is pretty good. They are in Alabama.

Shipping can get into your pocket pretty quick so find someone close by if you can.

Larry · May 01, 2003, 04:14:01 PM

Kip,
If you rounded off the teeth 1/8" it will take a few trips around the sharpener to get the teeth sharp again. You can leave a few dull teeth and the log will never know the difference and those teeth will clean up the next time you sharpen. Don't take off too much metal on the band at one time because it will overheat and destroying the temper. If you decide to resharpen and set save the band to cut logs that may have tramp metal in them or junk logs.

solidwoods · May 02, 2003, 03:59:21 PM

Kip / All

I saw this add in Sawmill and Woodlot Mag.

Simonds Blades 1.25" X 13'2 10ea or more $12.75
Coleman Supply Co.
800-459-4626

Another to ask Sharp Co.
800-221-5452

Please let us know if they are worth a Hoot
JIM

kelLOGg · November 07, 2005, 08:34:38 PM

Quote from: kip on April 28, 2003, 07:50:46 PM
I do have a SCR on the feed motor. I can run it full speed and it cuts fine. I know i can run it faster but to do so i have to change the sprocket. I did have a 10 tooth sprocket that I changed to a 16 tooth. That helped alot but I still think it is to slow because I can run wide open and the motor doesn't bog down.
This is the setup i have now:
43 rpm motor x 2.81 dia. sprocket = 120 inches per min. (10 ft min..) That is with no load. I still have plenty of torque so I know that isn't gonna be a problem by going to a bigger sprocket. I just want to run the motor as close to 100% as i can. I guess I will just go to a 32 tooth sprocket go from there. Thanks for the replies!

What is the voltage and HP of your feed motor. I am planning on adding opne to my mill. Where did you get it?