Power Unit at End of Circle Mill Track

[M8274]

Does anybody here have a circle mill set up with the power unit sitting at the head end of the track? I've seen these before in this area. Always with a long flat belt along the back of the track. Mill is either modified to drive off the back of the husk, or a jack shaft runs under the mill and powers it with v-belts at the normal husk drive location.

If anybody has photos I would appreciate it. Looking at shoving a mill under a lean-to and running the power unit in that spot would make things a lot simpler.

Thanks!

[dgdrls]

Hi M8274

Sawmill flat belt drive

If I understand correctly you're looking for a similar
drive/rig as the one pictured in the link.

Is there no room on either side of the lean-to?

best
D

[Trapper John]

I have seen this here but only with a Belsaw which basically does not have a typical husk.  I believe it was apm using a Deutz air cooled engine, a 8" flat belt and a truck tire mounted on the arbor.  Looked like a good setup and it did not require twisting the flat belt which would save power.  Power unit could go at either end of the mill.   Disadvantage I could see was harder to rig up clutch throw out.  I think its important to have kill switch and clutch throw out at sawyers position, but its not a requirement.

[moodnacreek]

On the Bellsaw the power is on the back side out of the way hence the term one man sawmill. On a regular sawmill a long belt is where the boards fall off. A tractor sawmill has a long mandrel to put the belt and tractor out farther so men can work. The neatest set up is an electric motor mounted on the husk. Somewhere I have seen a shaft over head to get the power out of the way.

[dgdrls]

 

 

from the same link
Power-plant is a JD  W series

D

[moodnacreek]

Off the subject but that's a john deere D, [W]. Love to see that pull the saw.

[Don P]

That looks like Mitch's mill. Somewhere on that link he set it up with a topsaw as well.

[Honeycuttcars]

Please forgive me for not being a scholar, but is the reason you twist a flat belt, is to reverse rotation? I have seen this setup many times and often wondered...
I too have seen the Belsaw pictures and like the setup that Trapper John mentioned.

[longtime lurker]

Long flat belts went the way of the dodo for a reason. Well actually a couple of reasons... they're not particularly efficient, they're not particularly cheap, they add risk (of getting wood and/or body parts caught) right down one side of your track, and they limit material flow options as well.

For all that they are way cool, particularly hooked up to a traction engine or similar piece of vintage equipment. Great for a tourist attraction, not so great as a working sawmill so... if you're thinking more than occasional use I'd be looking to modify your buildings to suit the saw not stepping back to 1820's technology.

If thats not an option look at going electric, or mount your engine opposite the husk and use a dropbox to go under the tracks, or find an opposite hand mill.

[moodnacreek]

The double L has spoken and I agree.

[dgdrls]

Shagbark Farms and a top saw in Sawmills and Milling

New thread

Agreed on the flat-belt,

D

[Haleiwa]

Please forgive me for not being a scholar, but is the reason you twist a flat belt, is to reverse rotation? I have seen this setup many times and often wondered...
I too have seen the Belsaw pictures and like the setup that Trapper John mentioned.

Yes, you twist a flat belt to reverse the direction of the driven pulley.  It generally requires a longer belt than one without a twist.  At some point in the day it will start running to the side, requiring you to stop and realign everything.   A certain amount of bad words are usually required. 

[Trapper John]

Having tried a flat belt I would agree with every one, Ok for a hobby or vintage mill but try to avoid.  The Belsaw manual states a twist in the belt will give better traction and less slippage.  Another possibility for locating engine a distance from arbor is to use a powerbelt.  But now you are talking expensive and you cannot put a twist in a powerbelt.  

[longtime lurker]

There's no reason you couldn't mount your motor at the end of the track and run a shaft back to a right angle box.  It's just a matter of facing the engine the right way so the drive belts to shaft turn it in the correct direction for whatever hand mill you have. Or use a marine gearbox... forward or reverse is all the same ratio. Or you could run your shaft back and use a truck diff for your right angle box and rotational direction would be dependant on which axle you ran your husk belts off.