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Does anyone run a small sawmill on natural gas?

Started by gemniii, October 29, 2009, 09:23:52 PM

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gemniii

Tried a search but couldn't narrow it down.
So does anyone, say maybe collect methane from cows and run a sawmill on it?
Or propane?

Puffergas

I fueled a IHC 450 red diamond on natural gas (well head) and propane as a back up. Propane had more power but cost a lot. Sawmills have been fueled by producer gas (wood gas).


Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

schmism

you considering running the saw head motor directly off the gas?

i would think a stationary NG generator to provide power to an electric motor saw head would be a preferred setup.  Then its easy to come up with power for 120v hydraulic systems and blowers etc
039 Stihl 010AV  NH TC33D FEL, with toys

bandmiller2

It would be awkward to festoon a gas line to a moving saw head,but as stated more practical to have a stationary gen.and run electric,three phase gen.more the better.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

sawmillsi

g'day jeff,

some friends of mine are looking at setting up a kara mill in northern nsw (australia) and i would love a lead on the 'producer gas (wood gas)' you mentioned.

thanks

simon

Puffergas

There are advantages to a gen set but if your only running one mill engine there are the advantages of just using a flex hose to your engine. It was done in about 1920 with our type of band saw but using steam with flex pipe. See below:



Self-contained Band Mill. — A type of self-contained portable band mill which was placed on the market a few years ago is shown in Fig. 65. This mill differs from the usual types in that the log remains immovable on the log-bed while the saw equipment travels back and forth during the sawing operation.

The machine is of the horizontal band type, with 4-foot wheels. The mill is driven by a 25 horsepower steam engine mounted on the framework, steam being supplied from a 50 horsepower stationery boiler, through flexible pipe couplings. The saw cut is made from the upper side of the log, the thickness of the cut being regulated by raising or lowering the sawing apparatus by means of pinions which mesh into racks on four supporting posts. The feed is of the rack-andpinion type, power being furnished by a 5 horsepower engine mounted on the framework.1 The saws are 19 gauge, 7 inches wide, and doubletoothed, being designed to cut both on the forward and rear travel of the carriage.

1 Another mill, similar in form, which was put on the market in 1921, is equipped with a cable feed.

Stock mills having a 28-foot log bed will handle logs of a maximum diameter of 44 inches, and a maximum length of 20 feet. The rated capacity of the mill is from 1000 to 1500 board feet per hour. This mill is offered as a substitute for portable circular mills on the basis that it will saw lumber of any thickness from veneers to timbers with a minimum waste of raw material and can be set up more readily than other small ones because the entire equipment is mounted on a truck of special design which can be quickly moved from one point to another.


Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Puffergas

Quote from: sawmillsi on October 31, 2009, 06:04:54 PM
g'day jeff,

some friends of mine are looking at setting up a kara mill in northern nsw (australia) and i would love a lead on the 'producer gas (wood gas)' you mentioned.

thanks

simon

Hi Simon,

I have to go right now but will get back.


Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

Puffergas

Simon,

To get your feet a bit wet I would start with a charcoal gas producer and by the way Australia is the king of the charcoal gas producer (in past history). The one that comes to mind is the Pedrick. Below is a link and at the end of the page is a picture of the manual from about 1940. Just click on it and you can down load the manual.

http://www.puffergas.com/pederick/pederick.html

Also from your library is the below link. I just got done filling out the form to get a copy. I hope they send it to me, maybe not because I'm on the other side of the pond...

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2491923

That would give you a ton of experience plus most every thing would be set up and make swaping to a wood gas producer somewhat easier.

No idea what a kara mill is. What kind and what size is it.

Australia looks like a good place to live..


Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

sawmillsi

thanks heaps for the information - now i have to read and understand it :-)

we were already looking at something along these lines, so this is reall helpfull.

australia is a very nice country to live in

simon

sawmillsi


solidwoods

Ohhhh, so many natural gas jokes.
Come on just one?
No but I know how to run a Human on Natural Gas.

jim
Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

pineywoods

Big comercial sawmill where my dad worked when I was a kid ran the planer mill with a 6 cyl continental burning natural gas, right out of the gas well. It was real hi-tech... ran a garden hose over to the gas well, stuck the other end down the carb throat, and opened the gas valve until it started running smooth. It did have a mechanical governor set to a constant rpm. They ran that rig for several years.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Puffergas

Quote from: sawmillsi on November 03, 2009, 12:52:15 AM
forgot to post a link to karasaw http://www.karasaw.com/eng/   :D

Simon,

Now that's a sawmill and family owned operation for a long long time. Kind of stuff I like to buy.

So anyhow you might want to check these people out:
http://www.gasificationaustralia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=27

I don't know anything about them but I know the man behind the Fluidyne technology.


Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

bandmiller2

There is alot on the internet about wood gas,would be easier to build a stationary generator than mobile.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

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