Folely-Belsaw M-14 Mill

Ron R. · June 03, 2009, 06:12:11 PM

Finally found a Foley Belsaw mill. Got an attentative agreement on the mill so hopefully I'll be dragging it home in a few days. Appreciate all the great feedback and advice from all on the forum. Really helps to have a few noggins beside your own thinking about things. I'm looking forward to when I get it home and start setting it up and posting some pics so you guys can see how I getting along. Again, many thanks to all on the forum for all the help. Ron

zopi · June 03, 2009, 09:12:28 PM

Cong-a-rats!

bandmiller2 · June 04, 2009, 06:30:50 AM

Good news Ron,theirs quite alot on the internet about setting up belsaws,and alot of practical knowledge here on the forum.One site is www. owwm.com [old wood working machines].What are you planning to use for power?What about the headsaw inserted tooth or solid??Enjoy the trip,keep us in the loop.Frank C.

Ron R. · June 04, 2009, 08:52:19 AM

Frank C., The mill has been in storage for the past 15 years. The gentlemen's father owned the mill and he still has the operators manual for it. It has a 40 inch inserted tooth blade with it. I am powering it with a 3020 John Deere (70hp.) tractor. Hopefully will go this weekend or early next week and pick it up. Maybe with a little luck I can finally get my shop and now mill shed :D sawed out. Thanks for the heads up on the website, I'll be sure and check it out......Ron

KyTreeFarmer · June 04, 2009, 01:38:20 PM

Congrats on your find Ron. I remember well the day I picked up my old Foley. Had lots of fun restoring it. Just need to get back to playing with it again, but the new LT 15 is taking up all my time now!! Is yours on a metal base or wood? Mine was wood and all rotted down. Had to re-do the whole shebang. If you come my direction you are welcome to stop by and see how I went about it. Have fun!!
Mike

Ron R. · June 04, 2009, 02:00:47 PM

Mike, This one is on wood. But have the operators manual so set up shouldn't be too bad. I'd like to see yours and if I'm ever headed over in your direction I'll be sure to give you a holler. Been keeping up on the post on your LT15 and glad to see you are having fun with it. Keep us informed.................Ron

Meadows Miller · June 05, 2009, 09:51:23 AM

Gday

Congrats Ron you have made a fine choice there Mate ;) ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) I like the M14s Dad and I where looking at the full steel framed Timberking M16 with 44" insert back in 95/96 before we got my first bandmill a little Jonsered portable sometimes i wised wed got'n the TK :

but then again it couldnt saw upto 50' ;) :D :D its a pitty they dont build em anymore :

as they are a top little mill for sawing out your own timber and doing a light commecial work as long as your not pushing and doing Huge logs on em all the time ;)

Itll do a top job for you and remember you can allways add a little track to saw abit longer ;) Keep us posted and upto date with plenty of pics Mate

Reguards Chris

uncle kenn · June 05, 2009, 10:56:23 AM

I have the same mill. 1999, like new, all metal. driven by a 70 hp jd combine engine. have the footings poured and the table set up but still working on the set up. I have the 40" inserted tooth blade and am very excited about the prospects of getting it up and running this summer. uncle kenn

Joe Lallande · June 11, 2009, 08:28:52 AM

I am currently rebuilding a M-14 and a 60HP diesel engine that came with the mill. Matt at Timberking has been very helpful in sending me a current list of their Belsaw parts inventory. Good luck.

Ron R. · June 11, 2009, 07:47:00 PM

Joe and Ken, Glad to see there are several of the M-14's still around. Always helpful that some are up and running to get help with problem solving. I'll have to get in touch with Timberking as I'm sure when I get it home there will be things that need repaired...Best of luck on the mills and hopefully we'll be visiting quiet often about them......Ron

bandmiller2 · June 13, 2009, 07:24:51 AM

Ron,its a good you have the manual,really pay attention to the wedge shaped log turners that hinge up to turn the logs/cants.Belsaws don't like heavy shock loads on the carriage,those turners take the brunt of the shock.I mounted mine on deeply burried sections of utility pole.Its been mentioned many times but working hight is very important.You want the sawyers side with the carriage bunks [top] about mid thigh hight or a tad lower,offbearer about waiste hight.Best to work off a wood platform that also allows you to have the mill higher than if you work off the ground for cleanout.A device to remove sawdust will be required,you will soon tire of pulling it out with a rake.Best on a small mill is a conveyer,that can be a simple belt or chain with paddles.I have never tried it but I think a long screw like they use to transfer grain would work also.Frank C.

Ron R. · June 13, 2009, 10:27:10 AM

Frank C., Going tomorrow to pick up the mill. I'll probably be posting some pics as I start my adventure of trying to get it up and running. I'm sure I'll need lots of advice from folks as several on here have figured out better ways of doing things. I'm thinking of a blower for the sawdust eventually but that's going to be down the road. A shell corn elevator would work in my opinion or maybe an old elevator off of an old corn picker. I'll just have to figure that out later as I'm probably not going to be making much dust for quiet a while......Thanks for the advice and input ............Ron

Ron Wenrich · June 13, 2009, 11:20:41 AM

Auger style might work as long as the tops open. If you get a chunk of wood in there it might get lodged between the auger and the wall side. You will get a chunk of wood in there sometime.

HOGFARMER · June 13, 2009, 09:30:50 PM

Bandmiller2, could you describe the wedge shaped hinged turners you refer to? My setup manual for an M-14 from Timberking neither mentions or shows a photo or drawing for them. Am in the process of setting mine up and would really appreciate seing a photo or copy of that manual page. As always thanks for the help!!!!!!

bandmiller2 · June 14, 2009, 07:19:05 AM

Hogfarmer,go back to page 5 to JSNH's post and hit on his photos theirs some good pictures of me Jason and the log turners,my bandmill turner,and home made band setter.I guilded the lily on the circle mill log turner using rollers ,works almost as well with just round stock or pipe on the incline.Pictures also show circle mill foundation and sawyers platform.Frank C.

bandmiller2 · June 14, 2009, 08:28:28 AM

Hogfarmer,the lower part of the incline should be just a little above the hight of your carriage.They are hinged to allow for log loading,they are put down and two 3' pieces of oak are put on top of the posts and the log deck that is the same hight as the carriage after loading their removed that way you don't have to step over them when dogging the log.To use the turners flip them up and 1/4 turn the log or cant twords you ,it hits the incline and slides back on the carriage with little impact on the carriage.In the back of one of the photos is my carriage stop its independent of the mill a section of utility pole with a auto leaf spring hit it and it fires the carriage right back.Frank C.

Ron Wenrich · June 14, 2009, 09:02:42 AM

Here's the pictures that Frank's talking about:

I had some like this that I used back in the early '80s. I bought them used and they only had 2 rollers on them. They were larger rolls then the one's pictured. At that time, I had some long hickory poles that were had the bark peeled off as a log deck. I took them right to the carriage and had the turners mounted on the end of the poles. I turned some really big logs on those, and turned them a whole lot faster than without.

The only problem with that configuration is that you had to climb over the poles to flip the turner up or down. Some guys have used a lever device to move the turners up and down.

There's other types of designs that will work using the same concept. It all depends on how much you're going to saw, and how much you're willing to commit to the project.

bandmiller2 · June 15, 2009, 06:06:38 AM

Thanks Ron W.,Ron R. blowers are the best way to get sawdust out of your county but they pull alot of hp right off the top of your power plant and are noisy.Unless they are heavy duty they will take a beating from knots and chunks.Conveyers wile not as efficient at getting rid of sawdust are quiet and require squat for power.Frank C.

Ron R. · June 15, 2009, 07:47:56 AM

Frank C., Like the looks of those log turners. I was thinking of just cutting a wedge block but the rollers are a slick idea. Got the Belsaw home yesterday. Fairly good trip (8hrs round trip). Anyhow, have a trailer load of parts to put together. Luckily have the manual for it. So I guess as soon as I get some hay cut and some work caught up here on the farm I'll get busy and start putting her together. Mill looks to be in good shape. I'll try to post some pics and probably gonna have to start a new topic of my progress. Thanks for all the input....................Ron

bandmiller2 · June 16, 2009, 06:26:20 AM

Ron, those rollers are truck air brake cam rollers,the ones that fit in the pressed steel shoes.A wooden wedge with a piece of strap metal bent over the top will work too.Years ago I learned to saw by reading the belsaw manual , a friend made a copy of his.Frank C.

Tripp · June 21, 2009, 08:36:30 PM

Those log turners look great. I am using flip up blocks at the present. Those should make sliding the log back on the carriage easier.

Dust removal was the hardest part of getting my mill setup.

Here is my current configuration. (just food for thought)

I now have it working well and it is pretty trouble free.

rpg52 · June 25, 2009, 02:48:46 PM

Thanks for the photos Tripp. A sawdust drag, some dead rolls to move boards, and protection for the sawyer are next on my list to finish up my M-14.
Ray

Ron R. · June 27, 2009, 08:20:24 PM

Well guys, took some pictures of my mill that's still on the trailer and was gonna post some but I am not having any luck with that. I tried everything I knew and they are too big. Went to the jpeg upload to try that route and that didn't work either. Must not be holding my mouth right. Anyhow, soon as I can get someone with more brains than me then maybe I'll get them posted. ..........................................Ron

Tripp · June 27, 2009, 10:24:46 PM

I had the same problem when I first tried to post pictures.

This is the procedure that worked for me.

First upload the pictures to your gallery.

Then go to to your gallery and view a picture.

Under the picture there will be a line with the question to post the picture in a response to the forum. Click on that line and it will load the picture to your post.

Hope this helps.

Tripp

Ron R. · July 07, 2009, 06:56:54 PM

Poured the footers on the mill today.Got hotter than a two dollar pistol .(90+ here today) Going to give it about 3 days to cure and start putting things together. Can't figure out how to post pics so I'll just have to keep everyone informed on my progress. Taking pics so maybe someday I'll get it figured out and get them posted in my gallery.....Have a great day all ........................Ron