Home built bandsaw mill

[KYErik]

The rubber tires don't seem to be wearing much at all. Its just the edge of the teeth that touch the tires.

The blade moves around 6500 linear feet per minute (I geared it this way when I ordered the blade per reccommendeation of the manufacturer). Its the equivalent of those 16 inch wheels travelling at about 55 miles per hour.

I feed it manually by pushing the whole saw "carriage" through the stationary log- it almost like pushing a big shopping cart. My electric motor is a bit too small for this machine and I have to slow down when I cut through a knot or when I am cutting a really wide log. But the motor was free (from my dad's junk pile) and so I get by with it the way it is. If its a really thick log (over 20 inches in diameter) I might only be able to cut about 1 inch per second so it may take me 1.5 minutes to make a cut through a log that is 8 feet long.

 

[Clyde]

Erik - Darn nice job on your mill...congratulations! I have a Woodmizer and the toughest wood for me to saw is cottonwood. The blade seems to get caught in the track of the thick, tough fibers of cottonwood and I get some wave. Another area is around knots. Hard knots require me to slow down my feed rate and allow the blade to do its job in those areas. The one thing that you might look into is replacing the tires with a solid pulley. Woodmizer uses a "V" belt in the groove of the pulley and the blades tracks on that. I would think that maybe the pneumatic tire can't keep a steady tension on the blade in the wider cants. Other than that - you have a winner. Clyde

 

[tawilson]

I've had use of a friends homemade mill for a while. I wonder if you had a way to adjust your guides closer to the log if it would help with the waves. I know it makes a difference in mine when I keep them closer to the log.

 

[KYErik]

Good point on movable guides, my current system has fixed guides. All I can do now is clamp the log as close as possible to one of the guides. My worst cut with waves was in cottonwood, but based on what Clyde said, maybe this is typical for that wood.

 

[goaliedad]

regarding waves- I had a guy cut some basswood with a bandsaw mill- he was pretty good on hardwood, but the basswood was terrible. He had just gotten the mill from his father. Recently he did some more for me- much better. He mentioned the first time he cut for me- seems as if he figured out the set in the blade- much much better. I think he did not have enough set in the blade earlier. hope this helps

 

[KYErik]

Here is another pic that shows more of the whole machine.

 

[KYErik]

Yet another pic

 

[KYErik]

One last pic showing the scissors types jacks on the right that clamp the log tightly while its being cut.

 

[scott_vt]

KYErik,
Nice piece of work. I tend to agree with TAWilson, on the guides. The closer they can be adjusted to the inlet and exit of the blade the less waviness you should have. The blade pitch has a lot to do with the cut and the removal of the sawdust.

I know on my bandsaw I made some blade guides out of delrin af which is a teflon impregnated in the delrin. It wears great and does a good job of guiding the blade.

Nice Job!

scotty

 

[1948berg]

Beautiful! That is what I call basic engeneering! Watch out for the labor inspection guys. This is a pic of my sawmill.
http://www.gallis.com/kag/island/hjemme/saga.jpg