homemade bandsaw mill, help

[gww]

Josh
Here is a simple add on so you can have a templet for the size board you want to cut.  I make mine on the table saw.

 
Hope this helps
gww

[mazdathumps]

Gww, I'm not sure what I'm looking for in the picture. Is it the measuring stick? If so, I have an aluminum ruler that I plan to work into the mill once I secure my zero point.

[gww]

Josh
It is just a board with slots cut in it.  One is for one inch boards and another is cut for two inch boards.  I make my boards 1/16 under an inch and so I have to cut slots that way with 1/8 inch added for the blade.  A ruler will not work great because you have to do the math everytime to add the blade to it.  Plus your logs will not make the same sized cant everytime and so you always have to start from a differrent place. This is just a board and a weld clamp and it is on the non movable part of my mill and is measuring the movable part.  The picture come out sideways and so I can see the confussion.  Did I clear it up any?
Cheers
gww

[gww]

Josh
I put the board on the mill at the last cut that gets me a square cant.  So I don't need a zero point because it is put on at the hight of the last cut and when I lower the head to the next notch, the board will come out correct.  So I put it on when I have the log squared.
Cheers
gww

[Joe Hillmann]

Joe, does the diesel make a mess on the wood or the mill?

No.  You use very little.  A couple drops per cut.  Just enough to remove most of the pitch.

This picture is out of focus but it is a steal plate on the side of the blade guide, a thick piece of felt and another steal plate.  The piece of felt has a notch cut in it and a piece of 1/8" soft plastic tubing is put in the notch and pinched by the plates enough to hold in place but not quite enough to pinch the tube closed.  The felt is rubbing on the blade and the steel plates are 1/8" or so above the blade.

 

This is the other end of the tube.  It is just an oil bottle that I fill half full of diesel with the tube a press fit into a hole in the lid.  Normally the bottle is standing up but once I am into a cut 6" or so I tip the bottle upside down and give it a light squeeze and the diesel works down the tube to the felt and wipes onto the blade.   

 

If I saw all day long with really pitchey pine logs I may use a full quart of diesel.

Many others us water mixed with soap or windshield washer fluid.  I found diesel works the best for me and I don't have to worry about it freezing.

[gww]

Joe
I don't have pine but you have almost convince me to try it again.  I already have the plumbing, just been too lazy to use it.
Cheers
gww

[mazdathumps]

Gww, I see... you clamp it at your highest or most recent cut and measure down from there by looking at your stick. Consistent regardless of cant size.

Joe, the first time I built this I had a 2 gallon jug and 1/4" tubing dripping down on the blade. It made such a mess and I didn't notice any difference in cut. I like the wet felt idea. I may work that in somehow.

[Kbeitz]

Cooks sells these magnetic rules at a good price.



 

[Ox]

The felt wet sandwich works great.  I need it on these nasty pitchy red pines we've got here.  Kerosene and bar oil mix.

[mazdathumps]

That magnetic ruler is pretty cool. Ive got a couple aluminum yard sticks just for my mill, just haven't spent the time to install them yet.

I think the wet felt thing is gonna happen at some point on my mill.

[Ljohnsaw]

Josh,
The issue with the yard sticks you got is you will have to do some math if you want a specific thickness like 1" or 1.5" to account for the saw kerf.  But, if that is not an issue with what your are doing, you could go to a hobby store (Michael's / Hobby Lobby) and get a roll of stick-on magnetic strip.  Stick that on to the back of your yard stick and then you can mount it on your mill (if you have a place).

[Kbeitz]

On the other side I put my second rule that measures from the bottom up.
This rule tell me how far off the bed my blade is at all times. So if I'm cutting
a cant it makes it so easy. Also on my last cut if I'm say cutting 1-1/2" boards
and what i got on the mill is 2" I know real fast that i need to cut 1/2' off.
I don't even need to know what the last board is to get my cut right.

[mazdathumps]

As for measuring my boards, right now I use a tape measure and pencil. Lol I measure after each cut. While I'm there I measure my cant for more efficient lumber with less "extra" cuts to finish off my log... I'm sure, as I cut more and more, I'll change my process and even be able to read the wood well enough to have a plan from the beginning. For another project I'm working on, I need 2x4s, so I've been cutting them exact. I think I'll pass a few feet through the blade(s) before I jump too much on technical things. Thanks for all the input. It's like a river of experience and knowledge - it just keeps coming... haha

[Ox]

What's your story about the barbecue sauce?

[mazdathumps]

The bbq sauce started when I found myself mixing sauces at restaurants because each individual sauce was missing something. I started with vinegar and ketchup and added stuff until I had a good recipe. I had plans to have it packaged for sale this year, but I think I have too much going on this year. Work is requiring an AA or AS degree in the next few years, so I have that to add to my life this year. I think the sauce can wait a few years. It's really good sauce, just wish I could sell it... My brother in law is a lawyer and he's working on my trademark brand currently, called JED's Brand Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce.

[Ox]

I wish you well on that endeavor - it sounds like you might make it given a little more time.

[mazdathumps]

The dumb part is that the state of Florida allows food sales if labeled correctly. BBQ Sauce is one of the "not included" food items... Every ingredient is store bought, but because I opened and mixed them, I can not sell it legally... It is what it is I guess. Haha

[Kbeitz]

                      JED's Brand Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce

I like the name. It's something people will remember...

[mazdathumps]

Haha Thanks. I've given away probably 3 gallons locally to friends and all. I've had all good responses and zero negative responses, so I guess it's good stuff. I like it.
The problem I'm having is co-packers require minimum orders of like 100 gallons. That's like 750 bottles. Roughly $4000 - $5000 later... That's a major investment upfront. To break even, I'd have to sell probably 80% of those bottles. Just a lot to deal with on top of everything else.

[Ox]

How about making a small batch and going to a fair or some larger gathering and asking people to taste it and giving honest views.  Don't tell anybody that you're the owner, just that you're being paid by the guy to get opinions.  You'll likely get good, honest reviews then.  I have to admit, bud.  If I was down there and one of your friends and you asked me how it was, I'd say it was good even if I didn't like it because I don't want to offend you.  Even if it was a lie.  Isn't that horrible?

[mazdathumps]

Haha, Ox. I understand your logic there. The time to do that is my problem. Maybe once I get through my college degret for work, I can pursue it.

[mazdathumps]

Well, as my fortune would have it with this mill, I broke my idle wheel axle again - just outside of my weld... Something has to be done with this I guess... I'll weld it back together tomorrow and put it back on... It bent my blade up into all kinds of shapes, so that's done... I will have to bring my other dull blades to be sharpened now while I wait on the (5) I ordered to get here... haha, it's been a rocky road with this thing, but I'll beat it and be glad I never gave up...

I'm ready to make a video of me cutting some stuff but it's getting difficult with things breaking... haha

[Ox]

Is it possible to sleeve it?

[gww]

Josh
Sorry for your trouble.  I have had things break lots of times and it can ruin a half day to a day at a time.  You really aught to think about a bar in front of your wheels.  You would lose about two inches of cut dept but it would take all the pressure off of your shafts and make for less possible flex during the cut.  I don't pretend that I know of an easy way to do it.   If you had a way to get both your shafts to come all the way through your wheels, it would be very easy to do cause all you would need is two more pillow block bearings and a piece of square tubing or pipe.

I am thinking you are going to have a continuing issue with this though it could be that the shaft is just flawed due to being broke once before.  You might need to cut with a bit less tension if you keep it like it is.

Either way when you get it going, I would still love to see a vidio.

I weld so well that one time I was cutting and my motor fell off due to the weld breaking so don't think I am making fun of anything.  Just trying to come up with ideals that help get you where you want to be with the key being "How you want it".

I always just cut till something breaks and then do the minimum to get it cutting again, but, I also don't have another job that steals my time and have no intention of trying to do anything but keep up with my own little projects.  You have mentioned maby being able to make a little extra cash off of yours and so may need a differrent standard then what works for me. 

You might try just a bit less tension if you leave it built the same and if it cuts well, that would also extend the life of your blade.

Thanks for the update and I am wishing you good luck on your repairs.  You will learn more and get much better at all of it as you do it (not saying you are not good now).  My mill right now is working better then it has ever worked (now that I am about done with my pile of logs and projects that I was set on).

One thing I have found about break downs now is that they don't bother me as bad now as they used to because I have gotten pretty good at slapping it back together pretty quick and getting cutting again.
Cheers
gww

Ps Or ox's Ideal, he is just a much faster typer then me ;).

[Ox]

It's easy to get stuck in the mindset that ya gotta fix what's there.  Maybe a new high strength shaft is in order for that side?  For reference I have 1 7/16" shafts on mine, plain steel as far as I know.  Why that and not 1 1/2" I'll never know.  Probably a cost thing for putting together the hardware kit.