It's Alive...IT"S ALIVE!!!!

[Shawn]

I have finally completed my mill. Too bad the weathers is not playing nice here in SE Michigan. Rain in the forecast for 7 of the next 10 days. I think I will make a better scale while I wait for the weather to improve. My BIL is making better wheels to roll down the track. BTW, I am not good at sheet metal. Kind of hard to weld 14Ga sheet metal with a stick welder. It's ready to produce perfect sawdust. Thanks to everyone who helped with advice and suppliers. Also, a big hats off to The Forestry Forum site. Who know a guy looking for rough sawn lumber could build his own sawmill.

Shawn...



11HP Tecumseh w/ alt and electric start
Power raise/lower
Lube System
30" log capacity
3-6' track sections, able to cut a 14.5' log
Bicycle-brake-handle throttle, like the lumbermate 2000
Manual everything else
Weights close to a gazillion pounds

[sawguy21]

 8) 8) Nice job indeed, I'm sure it will work as good as it looks. Now git the grin  off yer face and put er to sawing.

[SwampDonkey]

Pretty spiffy Shawn. I'm sure she'll make lotsa sawdust for ya. ;D

[getoverit]

nice looking paint job too   My old jr. high school colors

congrats on the job well done!

[Modat22]

Good job and congratulations.

Would you mind visiting me in KY and painting my mill?? ;D

[Daver]

Looks real nice..  I am looking for wood... Did you make that because getting would is a pain in the butt?

[jpad_mi]

Congratulations on getting it finished. Looks great! And you did it quickly too!

What did you do for blade guides?

J

[Burlkraft]

Congrats Shawn,

It looks great...but that paint is waaayyyyy too nice ;D ;D ;D

First thing is ya gotta drag a slab acoss it and scratch her up a little :D :D

[isawlogs]

 Nice mill , sooo when is the official saw dust flying day going to be ... Rain or no rain I sure would be out there getting some sawdust done ...  :D but I have cooled off since  ;D
  Now for that paint job . Jeff is in need of one , I forgot my brush and paint can's this summer when I went to the piggy roast ... I am cetain he would not mind at all if I was to let you do the painting in my place .  ;)  Ya just gotta learn how ta make pokky dots .  :D

[sawguy21]

Marcel, leave the guy alone. He done good. :D :D :D :D

[sprucebunny]

It looks great, Shawn  8) 8)

Hope we will see pics of the first board being sawn .

Congratulations  8)

[Shawn]

Thanks to everyone for the paint job. My tracks are the same yellow. Maize & blue for the univ of Mich. Photo's of milling and even maybe video will be included. My wife wants to know what I gonna do after I mill my stack of logs. I told her
" I'll be on the look-out for more logs"!

jpad: blades came from cookssaw. They were very helpful in finding the blades I needed. I bought Simond's 13'11" .042 7/8. Hats off to the crew at cooksaw.

Daver: I was looking at homebrewed mills and decided to take on that adventure.

Modat: I'm always looking for a reason to get out of town, But painting is not one of them.

[Modat22]

I don't blame you shawn, I'd rather go to an insurance seminar than paint anything.

Really good job on the mill though, can't wait to see some boards.

[RichlandSawyer]

Congrats Shawn!!!

    Thats a nice looking machine and i'm sure it will cut as good as it looks. We need to have a "convention" for homebuild folks. I'll see if i can slow down this rain from here before it gets to you.
When i made my first cut i brought the board into the house to show my wife, she just stared at me and said "Can you stop smiling?". No, no i cant!!!!! I'm sure Sam can back me up on this, during those first few cuts i couldnt stop giggling. Its a very satisfying feeling.

Again great job!! I cant wait to see the pictures of the first boards.

Tony
aka. RichlandSawyer

[Modat22]

I'll back you up on that richard, though my neighbors where more excited than I was  :D

[tcsmpsi]

Shawn,

When you get a moment, could you elaborate a bit on 'getting better wheels to roll down the track'?  Problem with what you have?  Just trying to upgrade?  What/why?

Wheels out of square?   ;D

[Shawn]

tcsmpsi,
I'm using wheels intended to hang overhead fencing. Salvaged from the scrap bin at work. they are stamped steel plates, formed into a wheel halve, riveted together with a cheap bearing. The outer race of the bearing is the stamped steel. My BIL is going to machine me some wheels. I bought sealed bearings for them.

Jpad- Sorry about that, I had my BIL made my guide wheels. They are like the cooks saw type.

Shawn...
You can almost smell the saw dust!!!

[tcsmpsi]

Thanks, Shawn.

I am looking at upgrading the wheels sometime in the future when I begin upgrading things.  Will be curious to see what you come up with.  What I have works ok, but believe I can get a bit smoother ride and would like to have something with grease fittings.

Looking forward to see your unit complete with some sawdust.  Looking good.