Yet another DIY band sawmill

[Picky2016]

Well, tied up all my loose ends before snow flies, just have to tarp up the mill. I have a few people interested in my mills, so I figure I'll dive in and build a "professional" looking mill to be more marketable. I decided on going to heavy walled tubing with four posts so this thing will be a LOT more rigid than the current one. When a buddy offered up the machine shop free gratuit, I jumped. Went and picked up 60' of various tubing this morning and spent two hours on bandsaw. Will NEVER use a chop saw again!







And so, build 2.0 starts. Basically same setup and idea from the first. Just going to CNC bushed wheels for durability and smoothness. And CNC guides with dual greasable bearings. Staying with cable raise/lower. I'm hoping with rigidness, I'll be able to easily add winch raise/lower and power feed if needed. The new engine will be an electric start model, so the juice will be already there.

[Picky2016]

Busted out drill press at work and drilled all holes. Have to pickup fasteners tomorrow then get to nut welding. Things go a lot smoother second time around! Bearings and bushings are also in at local bearing shop.

[gww]

Picky
I agree with joe hillman.  I some times sharpen every log or two logs.  A new blade will get me through a couple of hard wood logs and then I sharpen like mentioned above.  I also have tried two of the cheepest blades that cook makes.  One is harder then the other.  It is the black.  I am now buying the silver which is softer.  So with the black, it might go a tiny bit longer but then it breaks.  I have not broke a silver, the softer one yet.

If I am in a hurry. I will just take a dremal (have used the angle grinder also) and just touch a small area on the back of the point.  Maby a quarter inch.  If you don't let it get too bad it doesn't take much to make it cut well.  It doesn't last that long but I find it worth it.  I also do it simular to what kbitze showed in his build thread and sometime I do the gullet.  They will never cut quite as good as your first few cuts with a new blade but it is definatly worth grinding on them pretty regular untill you take the set out.  If you want to milk you blades and also just for the pleasure of them cutting better making milling easier.

I also don't do resharp.  I did get a setter like pinywoods but to be honest,  the sharpening untill you lose set gains enough that I don't feel like I am getting ripped for what I get out of a blade.
Just thought I would weigh in.
Good luck
gww

Ps I do all my sharpening free hand with the blade on the mill.  I will put a little scratch on the face of the blade of the tooth I start on and when I get to it I am done.  If you do it early and often, a little grinding will go a long way.

[Picky2016]

Yes, I've been thinking about his comments. Built a tempo over mill for winter. Not sure if I'll cut or not. But come springtime when I order some more blades, I'll give her a whirl! Never now, maybe even come up with a sharpener before then.

[Picky2016]

 8)

[Picky2016]

Gentlemen, been a while but finally got around to finishing 2.0.

Painted and fired up today. My goodness, the difference the weight makes! When you roll her along, she just wants to keep going. No shaking or shimmying along. Solid, and blue.

Can't wait to get back at her!

[grouch]

Looks really good! Congratulations!

Where are those first cuts? Gotta have pictures.

Are those angled cables going to cause troubles cranking the head to maximu height above the bed?