Vertical Shaft engine to power mill???

[jrokusek]

My name is Jim - I'm a new guy.  I've been reading this forum for a few months and finally joined....now I have a question.

I'm slowly starting to build a homemade bandmill.  It's not going to be a real large machine, but should cut up to a 30" log or so, most I anticipate will be smaller.  I live on the plains of South Dakota so I don't see the massive trees that lots of you guys do.  I can find loads of vertical shaft engines around here for about $100.  Has anyone adapted a vertical shaft engine to work on a bandmill?

I was thinking of simply twisting the belt.  It would run from the engine to a jackshaft assembly.  Then from the jackshaft  to the drive side of the mill.   A clutch would be located between the jackshaft and the drive side of the mill.  I'm also worried about power loss with a twisted belt.  Has anyone ever done anything like this?

BTW, I'm sort of recording each step of what I do at http://www.diybandmill.com.  I haven't got far yet...but I have to figue out how I'm going to power this beast before I get too far.

Jim

[D._Frederick]

the size of engine J.,

A while back someone posted a picture of a home-made mill using a vertical shaft engine. They used a right angle gearbox to transition from vertical to horizontal. 1, The transition is going to loose energy to the saw blade and 2, you are limited to the hp you can use.

[DanG]

Welcome aboard, Jim.

Sure you could do it with twisted belts.  The edger blades on my MD are driven by them....there are six of'em.  I think the more practical way, since you're starting from scratch, would be a gearbox.  There are all sorts of gearboxes available that will handle any amount of power you might put on a sawmill.  You might could even use the transaxle from the same lawn mower you get the engine from. ??? :P

[jrokusek]

Actually that was my other option - use the whole mower.  Edsaws - a member of this forum - did just that. 

Jim

[DanG]

Another member, RBarshaw, used a has-been motorcycle to build his.   Just another thought.

Might be interesting to have a multi-speed transmission on the mill. You could run the engine slow in high gear for the little stuff, then gear down and speed up the engine for the tough ones.  It might work well, and might not, but it would sure create lots of chatter on the ForestryForum. ;D :D :D