mobile sawmill desighn

[weisyboy]

i have been looking around for a new mill for some time but cant find anything that meats all my requirements.

so im gunna build one.







30hp Diesel engine
Curtis gearbox with custom output shaft/hub.
air ram to swing blade
hydrostatic transition to drive feed.
winch on each end to raise/fall maby 12 volt if i can work out power for them.
main beam is a 12" x 12" I beam

[terrifictimbersllc]

Nice plans. What blade will you use? How is power transmission maintained in a swing blade mechanism, obviously the motor does not swing too.....forgive dumb question never thought about it before.  Is this Google Sketchup?

[weisyboy]

yep its sketchup.

using a 646mm blade with the same hub profile as Lucas blades. putting in a large hub witch will stiffen the blade right up. but limit cut depth to 200mm. but i never cut board over this anyhow.

the input shaft on the gearbox is aligned with the swing point. so when the frame swings the pulley just rotates but dosnt change location.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Why do you want mill with this capacity when you already have an 8" lucas?

[weisyboy]

i need higher production

and i dont wanna keep pushing the bloody thing.

the rails on the lucas are not rigid enough for me, they slow the cutting, the rails get in the way of log loading.

[Nate Surveyor]

An advantage of your design, is you can correct for taper. A disadvantage is that if you build it LONG, then you have to go heavy, (strong) to eleminate bounce.
So, I will comment, that if I were doing it, I'd loose a bit of the conpactness, and add some triangles, (like a Mobile Dimensions),
And, on the power, I'd DESIGN it for up to 60 HP.
Ya never know when you are gonna want MORE POWER! (grunt to time Taylor!)
I mean, nothing is in concrete, (yet), And I am not doing the work, so, I can TALK about what I think! (and talk is cheap!) :D


All I mean by saying this, is I have a 24 HP Peterson, and I wish it were a bit more ridgid, and had more power.

Nate

[weisyboy]

yes the beam will be 7.5m long.

300 x 300 x 15mm web i beam if its not strong enough i can tehn triangulate under the wings.

i calculated the weight of the beam to 900kg.

still desighning and changing things.

my requirements were as follows.

- adjustable for taper -
this is sompthing a lot of mills overlook, timber in australia has to be cut free from heartwood (anything within 2" of the center of the log), this means you have to lighn the blade with the heart.

-automatic -
im sick of walkign back and forth in sawdust and fumes all day

-eliminate the bounce-
most mills are just not strong enough.

-6.1m cut length-

- swing blade mill-

- power-

i have a 25 on my lucas its not enough, but a 30-40hp deisel is more than enough to run a 200mm cut.

[snowshoveler]

Allowing that I have never seen a swinger...mobile sawmill work.
I would say you could look at the Bestbier mill and perhaps use a few of their ideas.
They are using 2 rails set on the ground,like tracks and the sawhead is in a carriage like a bandmill.
Looks to be a very sturdy machine.
However It must be a heavy thing to assemble.
There is 1 only a half kilometer from me and im going to visit with the owner and see if we can saw some pine that is a bit big for my
mill.
I will take pictures and perhaps if I ask nice the missus will put them here.
looking at your pics and im impressed with your work so far.
Chris

[weisyboy]

they are just a copy of a peterson. wpf lo-lo

[snowshoveler]

I just checked out their website (peterson) and your correct.
Thanks for the heads up.
Im new and still learning.
That framework does look sturdy.
An automated unit would be very nice as would some sort of sawdust handler.
Do any other mills offer ideas like you propose.
I can understand the walking in sawdust all day. Not likeing it with my own mill.
With that kind of horsepower available a blower would be possible ?
An automated track should be as well.
  Chris

[weisyboy]

all the features i am using are avalable on mills.

jsut not all on the same mill.


a blower was one thing i thaught about.
it can be done althow it would not work 100% as the blade when i horizontal is not enclosed.

it would also steal a bit of horsepower and i need all i can get to run the blade.

[snowshoveler]

I called it a blower ...but after thinking about it I guess it would really be a vaccuum.
sort of like they use on big planers.
seperate power unit and vaccuum,might as well use the seperate powerunit to run hydraulics or electrics
for the travel on the mill.
is your new mill going to be portable...easily portable that is.
Now you have me thinking.
New idea ( for me anyway ).
Seperate engine all together.
Large diesel off to one side.powering all hydraulic (or electric).
Blade, carriage feed,height and width adjustment and blower vac all hydraulic.
Sit down and run the mill.
Im liking this idea...okay who is going to offbear.
Oh well its a nice idea for me anyway.
  Chris

[weisyboy]

my feed will be run by a separate 5hp motor with hydrostatic box.

there has been totaly hydrolic mills produced but you need about 80hp - 100hp to run tht kinda gear,

you could put a seperate blower runnign its own motor


yes it would be portable lower beam onto a axle setp and hook onto one end of beam with ute.

[TeenSwinger]

Now you have me thinking.
New idea ( for me anyway ).
Seperate engine all together.
Large diesel off to one side.powering all hydraulic (or electric).
Blade, carriage feed,height and width adjustment and blower vac all hydraulic.
Sit down and run the mill.
Im liking this idea...okay who is going to offbear.
Oh well its a nice idea for me anyway.
  Chris

Why could you not run the hydraulics off the trucks power take off?
You wouldn't need another motor to maintain, or buy. 

[tjhammer]

      weisyboy

     I can see a 2000lb I beam on wheels would the end frames be detachable,turbosaw has a saw that runs on some sort of a trus or beam with a 12in cut,I think its like a cantilever sawhead I guess you have seen it on u-tube.
   tj

[weisyboy]

yes the turb-o-saw is the best saw on the market in my opinion.

the only thing it lacks is independent end frame height adjustments.

they are pricing one for me at the moment.

the end frames are only 2m wide so could be wound up and left attached to transport.

also the mahoe mill has a single beam.

[snowshoveler]

Well...
Just read where you mentioned that the turb-o-saw was pretty good.
Of course i just had to check out their website.
Now whenever I close my eyes to sleep im going to see one of those mills.
Iron envy, truely an awesome mill.
thanks again.
Chris

[okie]

Same concept I think, just not a swinger.

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[weisyboy]

kinda the same.

[buildthisfixthat]

just a few tips on building a sawmill first thing you need is time about a month,next is equipment bridgeport,metal lathe,welder stick and mig ,metal cutting saw,and money the more money you spend the less time it will take however does not always happen ,just a thought instead of starting from scratch why not buy a mill close to what you need and then refit to youre needs

[weisyboy]

i could.

all the machined parts i can buy off the shelf or get made by local firms.

its just the fabrication tha ti will do, and i have all the gear for that.