muddstopper
Veteran Member
I am wanting to build a bandsaw mill to saw my own logs for my retirement home. I have watched about every video about bandsaws on youtube and its seems to me to be a pretty simple build, but I have a few questions. One of my concerns is chooseing the right wheels for the band to run on. I have seen everything from spare tires to vbelt pulley's.
One question is concerning the spare tires. It would seem to me that using a spare tire would create a lot of un-necessary rotating mass. Take more horsepower to turn and increase the possibilty of blade failure in the event your blade hit something hard (knot),
in the log. I also have concerns about any money being saved going the spare tire route due to the fact you now have to make spindles and hubs to mount the tires on. Free wheels from the scrap yard doesnt mean much if I have to pay a machinist to make all the hardware to mount them with.
My other concern is the use of large Vbelt pullies. Seems light weight enought, low rotating mass, less horsepower to pull and belts can be bought at any parts store. Priced about $45 for a 18.75 dia pulley, $12 for Bseries belt. $60+/- per wheel. Now the question is in longliveity of the pully and/or belt. I have seen many an aircompressor pully break the center out, altho they are usually many years old. Considering there might be some sidepressure on the pulley's while sawing, is this going to accerate metal fatigue and possible failure, or is this a non issue because the band guide wheels are taking all of the pressure. Another concern is the belts. How well do they last, do they tend to slip on the pully or the band blade and does it take excessive tension to keep them from slipping.
Factory bandwheels seem to be pretty expensive, $300+ for 20in wheels. I will be building a 36in capacity mill capable of 40ft lenght logs. To be honest, I can buy already milled logs cheaper than I can cut my own, but I cant get anything over 30ft locally. I figure if I have the mill, I can also cut my roof decking, subfloor, floor joist, beams, and other lumber needs out of the logs and it makes building a mill worthwhile, and I can sell it when I'm done with it.
I would like to hear any opinions concerning which type of wheel setup I should choose to start this build. If you have built you own mill, or know someone that has, any knowledge you can pass along, wish you had done different, etc, that might keep me from making the same mistakes would be very helpful.
One question is concerning the spare tires. It would seem to me that using a spare tire would create a lot of un-necessary rotating mass. Take more horsepower to turn and increase the possibilty of blade failure in the event your blade hit something hard (knot),
in the log. I also have concerns about any money being saved going the spare tire route due to the fact you now have to make spindles and hubs to mount the tires on. Free wheels from the scrap yard doesnt mean much if I have to pay a machinist to make all the hardware to mount them with.
My other concern is the use of large Vbelt pullies. Seems light weight enought, low rotating mass, less horsepower to pull and belts can be bought at any parts store. Priced about $45 for a 18.75 dia pulley, $12 for Bseries belt. $60+/- per wheel. Now the question is in longliveity of the pully and/or belt. I have seen many an aircompressor pully break the center out, altho they are usually many years old. Considering there might be some sidepressure on the pulley's while sawing, is this going to accerate metal fatigue and possible failure, or is this a non issue because the band guide wheels are taking all of the pressure. Another concern is the belts. How well do they last, do they tend to slip on the pully or the band blade and does it take excessive tension to keep them from slipping.
Factory bandwheels seem to be pretty expensive, $300+ for 20in wheels. I will be building a 36in capacity mill capable of 40ft lenght logs. To be honest, I can buy already milled logs cheaper than I can cut my own, but I cant get anything over 30ft locally. I figure if I have the mill, I can also cut my roof decking, subfloor, floor joist, beams, and other lumber needs out of the logs and it makes building a mill worthwhile, and I can sell it when I'm done with it.
I would like to hear any opinions concerning which type of wheel setup I should choose to start this build. If you have built you own mill, or know someone that has, any knowledge you can pass along, wish you had done different, etc, that might keep me from making the same mistakes would be very helpful.
