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Want to build small cicular resaw mill- need ideas

Started by Popeye1, April 07, 2010, 05:24:27 PM

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Popeye1

I am new here, but it seems like you guys know your stuff, so here goes my plea for help. I have recently been thinking about a crazy idea- I really need some help.
First off, I have a CSM with an 066. I use it for cutting large slabs and actually for everthing right now.
I am planning to cut a fair amount of 6/4 boards up to about 10" across.
I know that I could do it with the CSM, but it is slow (and I want to make something).
Here is my idea, I really like the swing mills and there speed. I would love to build one, but don't have the money or time right now for that size of project....
I was thinking about making a smaller version fixed blade circular mill. If I could set it up to double cut, I think I could get away with a 10" blade. I am talking about 10" in DIAMETER, so one you could go buy at a hardware store.
Basically it would be a table saw or a panel saw that I would double cut with.
I have a few ideas, but I was wondering if someone else has better ideas.

I was planning to cut trees into cants with the CSM and then resaw with the faster circular blade.

Ron Wenrich

If you're going to double cut, where would you be saving much time over your chain saw mill?
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

bandmiller2

Popeye,sure you can build a mini sawmill.I would think you'd be better off with a blade from say a Lucas swing mill,insted of one from the hardware store.Really though you can find a ripper deal on a full size handset circular mill or a Belsaw.Where are you located?? Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Meadows Miller

Gday

and Welcome to the Forum Popeye with the idea it works in pricipal alot of small mills in australia run whats called a rip bench with 20" to 44" saws in them for resawing baasicly its a large table saw with gauge and dead rollers and a trolly at each end to carry the flitch .

but like frank said it might pay to save some more coin and have alook around for an old circular mill belsaws that can be run of a tractor pto or old car motor can be found for a couple of grand with saw Tripp has a nice M14 that he uses quite often  Mate

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

bandmiller2

Popeye it will take considerable power to get any real production with your resaw,I don't think I'd try it with less than a 5hp electric motor or 15 hp gas engine.A small carriage could be fashioned from angle iron [or wood] with "V" castor wheels rideing on ^ angle iron.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

jimparamedic

A few yrs ago there was a company that made a resaw that was like a band resaw it used the same type feed works and instead of a band saw it used two circular blades set in the same horizontal plan. I have been trying to find this but have not located this yet.

Popeye1

Thanks for the replies.  I was actually considering using a 15 hp gas engine.  One question I had, I noticed that the sawmill blades like lucas have like 5-6 teeth.  My understanding is that with less teeth each tooth cuts more wood and you don't waste a lot of power making a super smooth surface.
Would this work on a smaller blade too?  Think I could just remove some teeth from a blade or is that counterproductive?

mad murdock

for limited use, I have resawn on my Craftsman Radial Arm Saw, with a decent carbide tipped blade (10").  It actually did a pretty good job, though for production this is not the way to go.  I put on a little larger than usual table area, to make it easier to saw.  I have resawn 8/4 and 4/4 boards this way.  I think that trying to do anything more than 2" would be undo-able with a radial arm saw, too slow and would such a lot of juice.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

Popeye1

Mad Murdock,
how long of boards did you resaw?  Did you set it up differently?
Where are you in OR, I used to live in Corvallis.

backwoods sawyer

Welcome popeye1
Where are you located?
What type of wood are you planning to resaw, hardwoods or softwoods, and what depth of cut are you looking at making?
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

Popeye1

I'm in Montana.  I was planning to mill mainly softwoods, pine, fir, and hopefully some juniper.  I would have an occasional hardwood, but not much up here in MT.
I would need to get about a 4inch depth of cut.

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