Author Topic: Gonna build a swing mill! (Read 14090 times)

TinMan · « **on:** February 02, 2009, 01:19:50 am »

Hello

I am working on building a swing mill. Its going to be electric to start with, my boss says I can run it off his power behind the shop where i work. I have a gear box on the way and have already purchased a nice 10hp electric motor. My next purchase is a blade. Anyone know if there is a saw place around here in Oregon where i can find a blade? Probably end up getting one from Craig (Captain) if I cant find anything around here. I used to own a Peterson ATS 8 and sold it to BurlKraft Steve. I miss it and cant afford to buy one again, but I can build my own. I work in a shop where we build everything from aluminum boats to billet lower receivers for AR-15s, 308 and 50bmg, and everything in between. We have a large waterjet pro, and an Esab CNC plasma cutter for custom cut parts. A 16 foot brake, and a 12 foot shear. Oh and 3 Haas mills for the receivers and whatever else. My boss said go for it....

Anyone have any input? I know dangerous dan has a electric swinger. Anyone esle ever build one?

Tracy

Meadows Miller · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2009, 05:41:57 am »

Gday Tracy

Ive never built a swinger but thought about it alot and even did a set of turbo cad plans for one that looked like a Wpf

done a few thousand hours on them tho and probobley got another 10 thou left to go on the Lucas prob last me another 20 yrs

I dont see any dramas with building your own mate plenty of ppl have had a crack at it in the past

with variaing degrees of success

I know an old Bloke overhere that made his on and it worked a treat

It sounds like you have it pretty much nutted out how your gonna sett it up and your experiance on the Ats you had makes all the differance

How come you sold the Ats

I know the feeling mate

With my gear You would have pry it out of me hands after im dead these days mate

I dont let go of any of my gear these days Ill loan it to someone but I Wont Sell it I went through lossing alota gear when i was about 20 and it aint gonna happen again

Good luck Mate

as if you will need it with access to a workshop like that and a boss willing to give you a fair shake

Reguards Chris

bandmiller2 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2009, 06:01:53 am »

Tracy,good project,after I retire I may build a swinger to make it a complete set of built mills circle .band and swing.I like the idea of an electric motor,they themselves can tilt horz. or vert.you just need belts and an arbor.The hardest thing for my old brain to comprehend is where to put the pivot point,so the cuts intersect.Mayby you could document everything with pictures as you build and have plans you could sell.Full speed ahead keep us posted Tracy.Frank C.

cheyenne · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2009, 05:03:25 pm »

There is a man in Oregon that makes carbide tooth blades. If you call Gary at LInn Lumber Co. he'll probley give you his name & no.

Jeff · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2009, 07:02:56 pm »

By buying a blade from the captain, you are supporting your membership and the forum at the same time.

cheyenne I edited your post, not because you are posting about an alternative place to buy a blade, but because you are posting someone elses personal information which is not allowed on the forum

http://www.forestryforum.com/disclaimer.htm

cheyenne · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2009, 07:43:06 pm »

Sorry: I have a twin blade mill & would be happy to buy all my blades from Captain

How do I go about it. Cheyenne

cheyenne · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2009, 07:45:55 pm »

I figured it out thanks again.Cheyenne

TinMan · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:26:52 pm »

Thanks for the input guys. The gear box is a Comer made in Italy I think. The case is aluminum, and has 1 inch in and output shafts. Have not got it yet. Bought it on Ebay last week for 150.00 Never been used. I opted for a gear box so I do not have to flip that heavy electric motor back and forth. Plus I can stuff a gas engine on top of it at a later date. I may build the center unit out of aluminum and the tracks steel....

Once I pick up a blade I can start goin for it.

Gonna go 10inch.

Similar look and function to a WPF Im thinking. Spent alot of hours putting ideas on paper thus far.

I barrowed the money for the ATS, times got tough. I had to sell it. What an awesome mill....If I can build this for a fairly low cost, I can keep it forever..

Tracy

scrout · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2009, 08:54:15 pm »

Tinman,
Woodsman Sawmill in Eastern Oregon has some type of blades.
The Dangerous Dan design is cool because it does not use a gearbox, thereby getting the deepest cut possible only limited by your blade hub size.
I have thought about a swing as well, a 180 degree version.
You might also get the free DVD from Brand X for some info. That thing cuts like crazy.
I saved these some time ago on the Firegass design.

Did you see that Timber Champ sawmill for sale on Craigslist down by you recently?
Like a MD design, I am wondering who bought it.
Best of luck on the build.

aburge · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2009, 10:56:21 pm »

How's it goin Tracy,
I just happened to buy Steve's ATS about a month ago. It has a new home in LA were it is a little warmer. Haven't
had much of a chance to use it yet only 1- 20ft oak too much other stuff going on, maybe this weekend, a friend has
an oak that was taken down so i'll try to setup Friday.

Albert

TinMan · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2009, 12:00:16 am »

Albert

Congrats on the mill!!!! your gonna love that thing, I know i did. How many hours on the engine?? Did he sell you the slabber with it?

Scrout

I will know more when I get the gearbox. I'm sure its at least 4 inches thick. Still shouldn't have any trouble getting a hair over 10 inches. The motor I have is DanG heavy, would rather not have to swing it. So far my plans are to mount the motor directly above the gear box so that I can swing in both directions. I Didn't see the mill on craigs list. Where are you located??

Tracy

fishpharmer · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2009, 12:07:24 am »

I would pay a reasonable amount for some plans, next winter of course.

TinMan · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2009, 12:32:52 am »

I better start taking notes.

Firebass · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2009, 01:00:49 am »

I would be happy to share what I know about building a swingmill. It's the least I could do to return some of my expertise in trade for what I've learned from other members who shared their's. This will be fun.

Start by purchasing a blade. It's a good motivator. Hang it on the wall and it will just keep beggin you to hurry up...

Yes buy from Captain. He has some good input also.

I would consider still using a gearbox design even though you are going to go electric. The gearbox is not that difficult to do if you go by my design. There are issues about the guard if you use DangerDAns tilt motor design.

This weekend I got to teach my youngest brother to run my mill. about 2 hours and he had a pile of 50 2x4s. Not bad for his first time. He's got the bug BAD now.

Firebass

TinMan · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2009, 09:31:46 pm »

Firebass

Thanks for the input. I like your mill, looks similar to what I have in my mind so far. What blade are you running? Also what are you using to raise and lower the center unit?

Tracy

Firebass · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2009, 12:40:28 am »

I used a gearbox I had in my junk pile that just happened to be the right ratio. It moves the carriage up/down 1 1/4" per 4 rotations of the handle. My machine is all steel so it's fairly heavy but its no problem to lift it. I used #60 Chain and sprockets I purchased from surplus center. They have everything you need at the best price you'll find anywhere. I'm using a 5 tooth 8" (21 1/2" Diameter) lucas blade. I wouldn't be afraid at all to run a 10" Peterson Blade. To do this on my machine I would have to lengthen the shaft that the saw mounts to, change Pulleys to lower RPM and make the guard larger. Personally I am a hobby miller so the 8" cuts everything I'll ever need just fine so I dont really see the need in the added cost to go 10". I can cut up-to a 8" x 16" Beam without moving the log. Some I've read say that the bigger the blade the more you need to worry about blade tension. I've been using the same blade for 3 years roughly 15,000 BF of lumber and it hasn't lost its tension yet and only a few sets of carbides.

Enjoy your build
Firebass

Radar67 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2009, 01:18:09 am »

Firebass, did you make any drawings of your build? How about some better pictures of the pivot point?

Firebass · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2009, 01:52:55 am »

I don't have drawings that would make much since to anyone. The trunions and arbor bearings mount in 1" steel plate machined to accept the pivot shaft and saw arbor bearings. The pivot is 1.5 diameter welded to the end plates. The Trunion pivits in Bronze Bushings and housing shown. The Gear box you have dictates how wide to make the 1" plates. The 2 outer sandwich plates both screw to the 1" plates using 3/8" Flat head screws for Clearance.
Extra Note:
Pay close attention to Rotation arrows on colored picture. If going with a gas engine this is the way your gear box needs to be configured. Some are oppisite rotation gearbox's. The purple disk is the drive pully.
Saw Shaft is driven with 2" wide Timing Belt

fishpharmer · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:37:30 am »

How wide is that track, Firebass?

I have a 48 inch wide track and think I could just make another cutter head with a swing saw. But I am thinking out loud now. I suppose it needs to be wider than that to account for the motor and swing machinery. So maybe 48" would only be wide enough for a small log. Scratch that.

How big a log can you cut Firebass?

Firebass · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:02:10 pm »

60" log with some limitations. Like the opening cut would have to take off a good sized flitch first. 78 1/2 Inchs between post.

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Author Topic: Gonna build a swing mill! (Read 14090 times)