How big of an electric motor for bandsaw mill?

Dan_Shade · May 08, 2005, 07:00:51 PM

I'm kicking around some ideas of what I want to do to speed up my process. I'm near power pretty much every where I use my saw, so I could put a 220V electric motor on it . How many HP would I need to be better than the 8hp B&S that I have on my saw now?

Any thoughts/comments are greatly appreciated.

Gary_C · May 08, 2005, 07:30:23 PM

You would probably get by with a 7.5 or 10 HP single phase electric if you did not push it too hard. If you think you need more than 10 HP electric, you will need three phase. I'd say your best option would be to upgrade to a higher HP gas motor. You could probably go to an 18 HP gas and have all the power your mill could stand and more.

mike_van · May 08, 2005, 07:57:20 PM

Dan, I run a 10hp 3 phase motor on my mill, [homebuilt] 24" wheels, 4800 fpm blade speed. It does all I want, i'm on nobodys timeclock. An average day is 1000bf with GOOD logs, i'm always alone. A few times with frozen Red Oak I wished for 15hp, so to solve that problem I stay inside & work & leave the big Oak till better weather. It is really quiet, compared to an engine, you can stand & talk with the blade cutting. It runs 28 full load amps, if you want to know if your blades dull, I click on an ampmeter, i've seen it climb up in the 30's, time to change the blade or slow down. Your 8hp gas is probably equal to 5 electric hp, but i'm not an engineer, just guessing.

Haytrader · May 08, 2005, 08:01:03 PM

Dan,

In answer to your question, I think a 5 HP eletric would do as much as what ya got.

This has been discussed before on here so the answers, opinions, calculation, and thoughts are hidden in the archives.
;D

I can tell you from personal experience this.
I had two manual mills. Both from the same manufacturer.
One had two 5 HP electric 220 motors, one helping the other.
Since it was the first mill I had owned, I had no idea if it had enough power or not. It did everything I asked it to do.
I heard a lot of talk about more power so when I had a chance to sell the mill for what I had in it....it went.
I then got the same identical mill with a 25 HP Koehler.
I did everything I asked of it too.

My conclusion was...........they cut about the same.
One was quiet and needed no gas or oil.
Second did but was portable.

Hope this helps.

Dan_Shade · May 08, 2005, 09:15:57 PM

Thanks guys, the electric motor may be more trouble than it's worth, those big motors take a lot of power, maybe more than I can supply to it. I'm just weighing options. the older I get the more quiet I like things :-\

mike_van · May 08, 2005, 09:26:14 PM

I've often thought of running my log splitter with electric, how nice & quiet that would be - And, with 3 phase, NO ONE would be able to borrow it! I split all my wood in the same area, a 50' HD cable would work fine. I like quiet too. Also would rather push a green button thats marked "start" than pull a cord on those days when the oil is like glue [or Macdonalds Maple Syrup]

D._Frederick · May 08, 2005, 10:04:49 PM

The rule of thumb is: 1 hp electric is = to 2 1/2 hp gas. I have a 7 1/2 hp farm duty electric motor on my mill, that will pull 40 amps @220volts when I hit a hard knot. If you can stand the size and weight of a 10 hp single phase motor, that would be the way to go. You will need at least a 50 amp breaker and a 60 amp would be better.

You didn't say what kind of mill you have, but if it is a manual type, a 10 hp electric would give you all the power you need.

Dan_Shade · May 08, 2005, 10:23:59 PM

I've got a Hud-son Oscar 28, i'm not sure if a 10hp would fit in it or not. I'll have to look.

Haytrader · May 09, 2005, 06:58:14 AM

Dan_Shade,

I looked up the weight of the 5 HP electrics I had.
They weigh 44# each.
A Koehler 25 HP weighs 108#

Two 5 HP electrics are most likely less weight than one 10 HP.
They would cost less also.

Dan_Shade · May 09, 2005, 07:05:58 AM

how did you hook them up? have double pulleys on each of them? and one belt running from one motor to the other?

that may be doable, but I'll have to hack on my nice shiny sawmill :D

Dan

Haytrader · May 09, 2005, 07:58:26 AM

Dan,

Only one had a double pulley. They set side by side and a belt came from one to the other. Then one belt to the drive pulley.
A small box with off/on switch and the electric cord went overhead to a swinging arm similar to the set up at a carwash.

GARose · January 06, 2022, 01:32:57 AM

Who builds that mill with two motors?

fluidpowerpro · January 06, 2022, 01:58:53 AM

I second what D Fred said about the rule of thumb. The best way would be to compare the torque curves of the gas engine you have and the actual electric motor you plan to install. Not all are created equal. Especially when it comes to engines. I bet when you compare, a 7.5 Hp electric will provide more torque than the 8 hp engine. Keep on mind Hp = torque @ a given RPM so compare at either 1800 or 3600 which is what motors will come in, and then you will probably have to change a pulley diameter to get the blade speed you want. ( Assuming you don't use a VFD)