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building a band saw mill

Started by cluckerplucker, November 04, 2003, 07:22:19 PM

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cluckerplucker

this is the second time for the question; I am building a bandsaw mill .I am ready to weld the tracks to a 23ft trailer I built. should I weld the log bunks to the track or to the  trailer frame to keep the log weight off the tracks? Also does any one know where I can get 5ft; long garage door screws to use for carriage up and down?
cecil

D._Frederick

I would weld the track to the part of the frame that has the most rigidity, then you level the log bunks to the tracks. Check with outlets that sell bolts, the y can order the screws you want.

DanG

Hi, cluckerplucker! We hadn't heard from you from a long time, but your name is sorta hard to forget. :D

Maybe it would help if you described, or, better yet, posted pics of the frame and log bunks. I'm having a little hard time picturing just what you're asking.  There are several among us who have built their own mills, so give it a little time, and one of'em will probably see your question and answer it.
Tell us some more about the mill.  :P Is it base on the Bill Reeks design?
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."


cluckerplucker

I tried to post the two different designs but it keep telling me to many bytes I will try again but I am computer illiteret. cluckerplucker
cecil

Papa Dave

I will throw my two cents into the ring. I built my mill and posted it sometime ago on the forum. If you would like to see it, let me know and I can email it to you.

In my case I built a frame and welded the bunks to the frame. Then I took 1 inch angle and welded it to the top of the side rails of the frame. So, the bunks will be inside the carriage rails and will be higher, too.

In my case I took a line from one end of the carriage rail to the other and raised and lowered the rail and welded so it would be straight. That should be the last thing you weld, because everything you weld on the trailer will want to bend in one direction or another.

cluckerplucker

 PD just got in was scrounging scrap yardsfor parts. found a nice 90% geargox I amgoing to use a vertical shaft eng, because I have 3 old mower with good motors.Iwill send you a pic of what I have done  Reg. Email I just cannot figure out how to do it on the forum . I would like to see how you built yours        Cecil         clarkefarm@msn.com :P
cecil

UNCLEBUCK

 a place that sells scaffold equipment might have screw jacks you need , but I suppose you would need a fine thread for getting exact . they are strong and cheap and I welded them to my old circular mill tracks for leveling, just a thought ,  :P
UNCLEBUCK    bridge burner/bridge mender

UNCLEBUCK

 I download picture from digicam, open microsoft picture-it, touch up the brightness etc.. then go to change page size then type in 3.50 x 3.50 in the boxes and hit finish and then save it to my pictures , then jpeg optimizer ,then open and find the pic , then slide the scale until it gets below 15000 then I click save in my documents so then its there whenever I want to use it for a forum pic, I hated posting pics until I realized that I wasnt reducing the picture size down to 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 , I didnt know what a pixel was like 350 pixels , hope this helps, now I cant stop posting pics   ;D
UNCLEBUCK    bridge burner/bridge mender

PA

Hullo--First post here.. Been lurking for a long while.. Sure have been learning alot from you folks. Thanks for the info..

I bought a sawhead from Linn Lumber a couple months ago, and I'm at the point where I need to add the up and down screws for the sawhead. I've been considering using 1" or 3/4" allthread like the hardware store has, along with a coupling nut.. Linn Lumber uses a 1" coarse for his.. Will the finer thread on the threaded rod do OK? Any suggestions?

Thanks
PA

raycon

I'd look for acme threaded rod and nut.
McMaster Carr will have it - a industrial hardware store will have it as well.
Unless thats what you're talking about.

Lot of stuff..

Papa Dave

PA

You really need to use the course thread which is otherwise known as ACME thread. They sell left hand thread and right hand thread. I used right hand thread.

I bought mine at Wholesale tool and their number is 800-521-3420. That is just one place to get it, there are lots of industrial houses that carry it. You can get it 6 ft. long and with nuts.

I know a man that used 3\4 and I used 1inch when I built my mill. I like the 1 inch because you can put it in a lathe and turn the top to 3\4 and put a keyway in it. Then you can attach sprockets and chain to it.  ::)

D._Frederick

PA,
I bought No.8 saw carriage from LINN LUMBER, they had used 1 inch X 8 treads per inch  rods to raise and lower saw head. I have not had any problem with the rods, but I oil the them with bar oil twice a day. I have a 1/3 hp gearmotor that I use to power the up/down.  If I was going to buy threaded rod for this application, I would use  1inch diameter 5 threads per inch rod, with ACME threads and a brass nut. The 8 threads per inch is too slow if you hand crank.

PA

Thanks for the input fellas--sounds like ACME is what I'll use..  That 1/3 hp gear motor sounds like a deal a guy gave me from an old TV dish..  It's 12 volt, appx 3"x6", with a gear reduction. I have seen it on an E-Zgo golf cart powering a dump bed also,  so it may be strong enough. Is that what you have on yours D.F.? Would you have any picks you could shoot me?  Building this thing is kind of a strech for me. I'm not creative enough to get fancy on my own. But it sounds like a little extra work at this stage would save alot down the road..

Thanks
PA

Danny_S

When I worked maintenance on a Dheil Moulder production line... I made a repair to a part, that worked like this, the rod turned in a threaded plate to lift a feed roller.... anyways, It always stripped out... I got creative, used a threaded rod coupler, a bearing, a horizontal bearing, and a sprocket to turn the nut. A little lathe work and this conglomeration worked good. It takes the tourque off of the rod while it is trying to lift...  You will have to use your imagination but this method worked well.  It turned the nut instead of turning the rod.

Just a method to consider....
Plasma cutting at Craig Manufacturing

D._Frederick

PA,
My gear motor is 120volt ac 60rpm. I have the threaded rod extending about 4 Inches above the sprocket that ties the two lift rods together. I have an A size Vee belt pulley on the end of the threaded rod. I have a bracket that holds the gearmotor  that is hinged so that it keeps the Vee belt tight with the weight of the motor. I want the belt to slip if anything binds. It works well, but is a little on the slow side, @ 8 1/2 inches per minute, should be over 12.

Papa Dave

PA

One thing to note is that you will need to put the ACME rods close to the frame that is to be lifted. In my case, it is about one inch. Then you can build a bracket to hold the nut and weld it to the head frame. The bracket needs to allow the nut to be able to move a little so there will not be any binding and the headrig goes up and down.

Well, I guess that is clear as mud ;D

PA

OK--I can see where a little wiggle room would be needed.. How about the nut itself??  Linn Lumber shows a big brass block .. Is brass needed that much? I could prolly drill and tap a brass block if I really had to, but would prefer off the shelf stuff..I was thinking of one of those long coupling  acme nut with some ears welded on it to attach loosly to some angle on the slider..

PA

D._Frederick

PA,
If you keep the threads well lubricated, you can get by using steel nuts on the ACME threads, if they are screwed while dry, they can freeze-up or cut out. Brass nuts would be better,  they are some what self lubricating.

Papa Dave

PA
When you buy the rods, they also sell the big steel nuts. Not sure if they have the brass ones. I keep mine oiled and was looking at them yesterday and they still are snug and look like new. So, steel is fine, just keep the oil (not grease) on them. ;D


jwood

PA, ClunkerPlunker...LInn Lumber has a tape you can get on assembly and test of their 190 mill..it gives you all the info you need on the acme rods and the installation..it shows their head design ,how to adjust bands,wheels,blade guides,etc..  
Linn also has the belt clutch for less than some others..i have built two mills on linns design and they work well..i used the acme rods on the first and gears , chain an cable on the
second...the head on the second mill is so easy to raise an lower i'm thinking about changing the first one from the acme rods to gears an chain..cooks saw  has gears, chain ,blade guide rollers,sheaves..etc 1800 473 4804 ..they have a paper they can send to you with parts an such....good luck..

PA

CP, Thanks for the lead.. I checked them out on their site.. It looks like they hang the head on a couple roller chains from a top cross shaft, and maybe use some large springs on the tail of the chain like a garage door--Like a counter weight?? Then a bigear/little gear reduction roller chain to the crank??

Interesting!! I'll give the # a call..
'preciate it-
PA

PA

I decided to try the Cooks Saw method to raise and lower the  saw head . I ordered bearings, #40 roller chain, and gears from Cook, to hang the head,.I also ordered a 44", 1" keyed shaft and a #35 60 tooth gear and hub and chain, and a 4" brake from Northern for the crank reduction... The local overhead door shop has a 100# spring set for $30 I think I'll try. I hope to be able to use the 12V gear reducer /motor I have to raise and lower the head, and hopefully the counter weigt of the 100# springs will allow the motor to do the job. I appreciate the help and ideas, and will try and post some picks in a few weeks. Thanks for the input.
PA

jwood

 PA i was gonna use a garage door spring like on the lumber mate but after  seeing a homemade mill over in cross city an how easy it worked i skipped it..for the brake he used a piece of fan belt over a small sheave.it worked great.. i also saw that system used on a hud-son ..i think..at the ag show in moultrie..anyway it sounds like your well on your way ..
  good luck

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