Author Topic: My Sawmill Kit (Read 10227 times)

Mark M · « **on:** January 27, 2003, 04:35:42 pm »

I thought I would share some pictures of my Norwood Sawmill "kit" as I put it together. It came in 33 boxes and will keep me out of trouble for a while. You can view the fullsized pictures at http://www.pbase.com/mmathys/my_saw. I'll be updating the pbase site each day or whenever I make progress.

Mark

DanG · « **Reply #1 on:** January 27, 2003, 05:06:49 pm »

Allrighty, Mark! Looks like you've got a nice little shop, there. I hope there is an air compressor somewhere in there. Air tools make a job like that a whole lot easier!

Mark M · « **Reply #2 on:** January 27, 2003, 06:15:53 pm »

Hi Dan

Yep I dusted off the air ratchet and went to town. There is a lot of darned bolts in this thing. I'll be working on the track tomorrow, right now I'm trying to figure out why they are calling for 1 1/4 bolts to hold the track down.

Mark

DanG · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2003, 06:26:08 pm »

Those things are built very light. The 1 1/4" bolts are to keep it from floating up off the ground when you don't have a log on board.

Kevin · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2003, 06:38:35 pm »

From what I hear it's important to have a good flat level surface to assemble the bed on and it looks like you are off to a good start.

Chet · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2003, 06:57:14 pm »

Mark, before you tighten down all the frame bolts, measure corner to corner to check the frame for squareness. Don't ask why I bring this up?

Happy BOLTING

, and I hope you have a log ready to try it out.

Mark M · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2003, 02:45:16 am »

Hi Chet

Glad you mentioned that, luckily it is square but you had me worried there for a while. The side plates don't seem to seat very well, did you have that problem? Also the track is about 1/4 to long. Guess I'll have to whack off a piece to get it to fit.

Mark

PS - DanG I thought the box of sinkers they sent was for weighting it down.

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2003, 03:08:23 am »

Mark, you have the hard part done. Once I got the frame straight on mine I spent some pleasant evenings bolting the rest together. But getting the frame straight, well I strung lots of new words together. I had a factory defect in my rails.

What engine did you get?
What blades are you going to use?
Enjoy

Mark M · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2003, 03:17:06 am »

I got the 20 hp Honda and a box of Norwood blades. Right now I don't know enough about blades to pick something better. Is there a certain one you recommend?

I have to do a little more on the rails before I tighten the track. It seems to have moved a little when I was tightening it down.
Some of the brackets from the cross pieces don't sit completely flat agains the bottom inside of the rails so I might try to reposition them. I'll be glad when this part is done. One thing is I am pleased with the construction of the frame. I was concerned that it might be a little light-duty but once it is together it appears to be very sturdy. I guess things don't have to be super heavy to be strong.

Mark

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2003, 03:31:44 am »

I like the Woodmizer blades and the resharp program. Did you purchase a sharpener?

I am running the 20hp Honda also. It does not like cold weather but it will run.

Have you run a string down it to make sure the bunks are all at the same hight? I have placed a few logs on the bed a little harder than I ment to, had to pick it up with the skid steer the other day to cut some releifs in the concrete pad and it stays pretty square. I recently ran a string down the bunks and one was a little low, about 1/4 inch. It was easy enough to fix.

These are good mills, easy to maintain and you will make some great lumber from them.

Paul_H · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2003, 10:57:10 am »

Mark,
I'm looking forward to seeing the mill come together.I have heard a lot of positive comments on the Norwood.

Good luck

MrMoo · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2003, 07:02:04 am »

Hey Weekend_sawyer,
Do you run into any problems with the frame of this mill flexing when you are using it.

You mentioned a concrete pad so I guess you may not run into this much.

I have my mill (not a Norwood) setup on sandy gravel which over time compresses. I put cement patio block under the legs but they slowly get pushed into the ground. This causes the support under the legs to change. The frame on my mill flexes some & I end up having to restring the bed & true it up. I end up working on the mill instead of making dust.

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2003, 07:52:02 am »

Before I built my pad I used it in the yard, Usually on grass. My mill has 8 leveling feet, I would put down somepices of scrap 2x10s and 6x6's and a few 2x4's if needed. It would seat itself after a log or 2 and you just have to relevel it on mine it only takes a few minutes to adjust the levelers.

Mark M · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2003, 08:15:50 am »

Hi Weekend_Sawyer

Thanks for the advice on the Woodmizer blades and Resharp service. I think I will wait a while before I buy a sharpener. They are pretty expensive and right now I don't know knothin' 'bout blades or sharpening. Do you know if Woodmizer can or will sharpen the Norwood Blades?

Also I have to find some trees to saw. I saw (as in seen) some on the way to work today that looked pretty good. They were really straight, about 60ft tall, 14"dbh and only two limbs at the very top. Also they were planted in a straight row right up close to the road that went as far as you could see. In fact some of them even had cables already attached for easy skidding

I'll post a picture later so maybe someone can help be identify the species, I couldn't tell because I didn't have my glasses on.

Mark

PS - Thanks for the tip on checking the bunks. I was wondering about that and don't know why they didn't mention it in the book.

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2003, 08:41:27 am »

Mark,
Wach out for those roadside spruces they bite

I don't know if Woodmizer will resharp other blades I don't see why not but I havent asked.

I beleive Norwood could update their instruction manual some.
About the bunks, remember the bunks keep the log a set distance off the rails, and the saw guide on the rails need to be a set distance apart. When I went to bolt the guide onto the rails I had to file out a couple of the bolt holes to make them the correct distance. The rails are not perfectly straight but the saw guide came out right on. I got a little stressed during this part of the assembly. I may have a footprint on my Norwood hat! My Brother came in and helpet me get it aligned and after that it went well. A fresh set of eyes helped alot.

If Norwood would make the rails solid it would take a lot of flusteration out of the assembly.

Keep us posted on your progress.
Jon

Bibbyman · « **Reply #15 on:** January 29, 2003, 08:42:58 am »

Mark,

I know Wood-Mizer sells blades that fit other mills and applications - not just for their own mills. I know they will re-sharpen them.

Wood-Mizer blade info

Their re-sharp service works great. They give you pre-printed UPS shipping labels to stick on your box. This way any place you can catch a UPS guy, he'll take them. The shipping is figured back in your bill from WM. When they are shipped back to you, they include more new shipping labels.

EASY!!

Will Baugh and Marty down in Mt. Vernon, MO do a great job on sharpening.

Mark M · « **Reply #16 on:** January 29, 2003, 07:56:24 pm »

I got a little more work done on my do-it-yourself saw kit. Actually I've worked a little each night but it doesn't really look that much different with the bolts tight than with them loose

.

Tonight the cat and I got most of the track put on and aligned. It is a little too long so I'll have to cut off some on each end. Tried my darndest but couldn't position it so I would only have to make 1 cut on each side.

I'm taking 2 days vacation to work on this, hopefully I'll be able to show you more in the next couple of days.

Mark

The fullsized pictures are at http://www.pbase.com/mmathys/my_saw

PS - I actually do have feet, you just can't see them (neither can I for that matter)

whitepe · « **Reply #17 on:** January 30, 2003, 03:24:33 am »

Mark,

I complained about having no shoes until I met a man
with no feet.

Man if must be a bummer not
being able to wear CAT work shoes.

By the way, does your helper also work at the CAT
dealership?

Keep purring along with that mill assembly.

I'd mention that it took Rick Schmalzried and I about
90 minutes to assemble my LT15 but I don't want to hurt
your feelings.

P.S.
I've got some replies to your earlier e-mail messages
in progress in my drafts folder at work. I'll get them sent soon.
Sorry I'm so slow.

Bibbyman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 30, 2003, 04:39:11 am »

I just hope you're not putting it together in your basement and have to carry it up the stairs to get it out of the house.

Kevin · « **Reply #19 on:** January 30, 2003, 04:47:00 am »

Mark,
If those are pants you got taken, if they're shorts you got a screaming deal!

Looking good so far .

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Author Topic: My Sawmill Kit (Read 10227 times)