Almost finished up my bandmill!!! Getting very close!

[golddredger]

Awhile back I posted pictures of my carriage chainsaw mill that I finished but decided to convert it to a bandsaw mill. Well I asked what you guys thought if I converted an upright bandsaw with 18" wheels to work as my bandsaw but now gas powered. Ideas where mixed but due to money ect. I proceeded with the plan! It is awesome! I am nearly done. last thing to do it get the water system on and a belt from the engine to the drive pulley. I am pretty stoked. I plan to add an electric drive for raising and lowering very soon. But man it is cool. I am looking forward to cutting some wood. I got a 10 pack of blades from Cook's. I extended the main arm for a wider cut. I can flat cut a 28" and can handle a log up to 34" in dia. Should have it done by next week it has just been to darn hot to go out and work on it. leaning all over 100+ everyday. To hot for me to go out and work on it. Here is some pictures. Enjoy. I have also added a tongue and 4 leveling jacks at all corners. I also put on wheels and tires so it can be towed around so now fully portable. I still have to rotate the pull start rope on the engine to.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Thats pretty COOL! I'd be stoked too. Very good pictures.

[drobertson]

Looks like it should work just fine,, can hardly wait to see you lumber stack,,

[thecfarm]

I am looking forward to see some lumber off that mill. As you are too!!

[bandmiller2]

Good work Dredger, what size and tooth spacing are your bands.?? Frank C.

[Small Slick]

I'm pretty handy but I will have to admit..... It takes some serious skills to build a saw mill. I would be proud.

John.

[Magicman]

Thanks for sharing your dream and your success.   8)

[YellowHammer]

Very nice 8)  You should be very proud
YH

[Peter Drouin]

  8)

[36 coupe]

You need safety hooks that will keep the mill on the tracks if some thing goes wrong.Stop pins on both ends of the track are a must.A throttle that drops the engine to idle if you let go of the throttle.If I were building a mill I would have a toggle switch near the throttle to kill the ignition if some thing goes wrong.Read the post about a carriage getting off the track.

[21incher]

Great job! Looks like it should work good. It will be interesting to see how the stock bearings hold up to the tension required on a mill blade that size. We want to see pictures when you are making sawdust.

[leroy in kansas]

looking good bud. I gave that idea some consideration a few years back. However the fire cooked the old upright saw and squelched that Idea.

Let's see some sawdust

[Ljohnsaw]

Very nice looking.   ;D In addition to what 36 coupe said and from what I can see in your picture, be sure to add some scraper/brushes to your track.  It looks flat and sawdust will make your rollers rise up messing up your thickness of cut.  If its angle iron, you should be just fine.  How big of an engine is that?

[kelLOGg]

Which Cooks bands do you use? and I'll be interested in how you like them.
Bob

[Deese]

Very Nice

[leroy in kansas]

Very nice looking.   ;D In addition to what 36 coupe said and from what I can see in your picture, be sure to add some scraper/brushes to your track.  It looks flat and sawdust will make your rollers rise up messing up your thickness of cut.  If its angle iron, you should be just fine.  How big of an engine is that?

I had to go back and do a double take of the track. There are "V" rollers/wheels that the saw is sitting on, so I'm assuming the track is an angle iron on edge??

[golddredger]

Hey guys,
Here is the blade specs from Cooks. Took them a bit over 9 days to deliver them. I got a 10 pack $168.00 plus shipping came to $180 delievered.
Length:  13'2" (158")
Blade Width:  1-1/4"
Blade Thickness:  .042
Tooth Spacing:  7/8"
10 degree hook angle

I am cutting mostly pine beetle kill. So this is what they said to use. So I built the saw to handle this sze which is a standard WM size band.


Yes track is 1/4 angle iron on edge. Locks into the middle of the wheels. I have already been using this as a chainsaw carriage for the last year or so. No issues and never jumping off track. I am very happy with it all. So when I converted to a bandsaw I just took the chainsaw stuff off and mounted the bandsaw. Same carriage and drive setup that has already been working fine.

The ONLY issue I am concerned with is how long the stock bearings will last on the wheels. If they do not hold up long I have already found some great high quality replacements. So when they do dive I will put the very best bearing I can get to go back in.  I need to pick up a drive belt now that the motor is mounted. I am probably less than 1 hour away from cutting wood!!!!!

[36 coupe]

Theres a lot more strain on the band and wheels cutting a 24 inch log.The saw frame looks like die cast aluminum, not the usual cast iron.My mill has two 1 3/16 pillow block bearings on each wheel.Put the safety hooks on.Never say never around machinery.Read Joe Hillmans post on what happens when the carriage gets off the track.

[Joe Hillmann]

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,76459.0.html

I really should have taken pictures of how the head landed to show just how dangerous it was when it fell.  Mine is very very similar to yours except I have a cable lift system which failed causing it to be able to fall off the tracks but it could just as easily be caused by a log shifting during the cut or by flipping a heavy cant.

On yours if one wheel somehow jumps off the track there is nothing to stop it until the entire head has fallen.  On mills where the bed is sitting on the ground eventually the wheel will hit the ground and probably stop the head from completely tipping over.

Also with your engine way off to the side could make it even more likely to tip.