homemade bandsaw mill, help

[Ox]

If you have a lawn or garden tractor or a four wheeler, parbuckling  works well and requires just some cable or chain or a combo of both.  I remember seeing some threads on here about it and there's a few videos on youtube on it.  Very simple and rugged if done right.  I use it on the bigger logs using a hand winch.  Your mill sits on the ground or close to it and would be faster and easier for you to use a machine, even your car, to parbuckle with!  Something to consider, anyways.

[gww]

Ox
I didn't know that is what it was called till I looked it up on you tube but I do put my logs on the mill like that with a hand come-a-long.  I haven't figured out how to get them on my little trailer in the woods using that method and I haven't figured out how to use it to turn logs on the mill with out it putting too much pressure on the mill and bending things.  I bent things once just rolling a log on the mill cause of how I had it hooked up and didn't relize I was at the end of the pull and needed to reattatch it for more distance.  I felt stupid that time but came up with less stressful ways to roll it on the mill.  I had not thought of using a pully and my 4 wheeler as the winch and may have to look at that avenue.

I have a fence beside the pulling side of the mill but a pully attached to something solid and I could pull from 90 degrees.

Good thoughts.   If I made side ramps to go over the wheel wells of my little trailer I would probly need a winch with a much longer cable then my little hand come-a-long.  It takes a lot of ratchets to move anything very far.  My sticker lean to needs reworked as well.  Unpacking and packing boards due to differrent lenghts is killing me.  It also just won't hold enough boards and give me enough walking room to be able to stack and unstack.  I split the one bys and two bys on differrent pallets but then I cut differrent lenghts and widths and it leads to stacking and unstacking. 

It would take a lot of resources to be efficient in board making and cut out wasted movements and my hat is off to those who have got the prossesses down.  Your earlier ideal of just keeping cants around and cutting what you need when you need it has more and more merrit.  If it were not for wanting to get some boards dry, I believe it would work the best.

Just thinking out load here.  It is on my mind cause I just stickered and stacked the boards from the log in the picture on the mill and my back is killing me.
Cheers
gww

[Ox]

I know the overwhelming feeling of so many variables that can happen and being afraid of making the wrong choice.  I can also relate to the different length stacking - that's the worse there is!  Sounds like you need a day or two to rest up your back.  You don't want to be crippled up in the middle of everything now.

I really don't think there is a perfect answer to sawing lumber, not knowing what you might need, and having a backup plan all at the same time unless you have a huge yard, huge woodlot and lots of equipment and time.  These are luxuries most, if not all, of us don't have.

Maybe saw at 2 1/8" for 2x and you'll be able to throw it back on the mill and split it for 1" stuff if you need it?  Heck, if you saw right at 2" and split it, you'll still have 2, 7/8" boards.  I think.  You might want to check my numbers and ciphering including kerf taken out.  Me and numbers are NOT friends.  I'm just rambling hoping to maybe turn on a light bulb for ya.

[gww]

Ox

Me and numbers are NOT friends.

And mesuring tapes hate me and I hate them ;D
gww

[gww]

Well broke blade eight today.  I am down to two blades left before I am destitute.  I do not like not having extras around incase I am in the middle of wanting to do some work and have problims, I can keep moving.  I am going to have to break down and get more. 

I can not for the life of me remember how much wood I have cut with this last blade.  I even went back in this thread trying to figure it out.  I was wanting to remember so I know when I am getting close to what everyone else gets from their blades.  I know I have gotten at least 200 board foot but it might be half again more.  I think about 7 logs but only two where the 18 inch type log.  I am not sure though.  I hate it cause it was still cutting quite good and I wasn't pushing real hard.  It is better then when I begain but not good enough yet.  I am on the last of the logs I took pictures of and have two sides squared on it.  I am out of trees for now and starting tommorrow it is supposed to rain and storm for 3 days.  I am having a hard time deciding on wether I want to try a 7 degree blade or stick with the ten.  I have heard some where that the 7 degree blade stays sharp longer.  I am scared to switch from what I am using now cause I am getting good cuts.  I have been reading the other threads on this subject but will probly just get what I already have.  They where the cheepest shipped I could find.. I am going to check shipping on the kasco blades.  I am using cook blades now.

Thanks
gww

[Ox]

I've been sharpening all my blades to 7° and I prefer this to 10°.  Seems to stay flatter in the cut and lasts a bit longer before dulling.  Some guys are running 4° for everything and I may try this with 2 blades someday just to see how I like it.  Don't hesitate to get 7° blades, you'll like them.

[gww]

Ox
Thanks for the responce.  I do have one more question.  I think but am not sure that I orderred the 1.3 blade per inch.  I have a small engine and am also cutting mostly oak.  taking the above in consideration.  what is best on teeth per inch? 
Thanks
gww

[Ox]

I think that's 7/8" tooth spacing and is the most common and will work fine.  I use Cooks too, Silvachrome cause I want them to last as long as possible.

[gww]

Ox
thanks
gww

[gww]

Ox
After a lot of searching and looking, I ended up buying 10 of cooks exel blades, silver this time.  I thought about trying the super sharp crome but they only offer packages of 20.  I looked and wood mizer, wood master, lenox etc.  I had cooks black last time which are I guess harder then the silver for faster speed.    I read a bunch on blade breakage and think I am going to see if I can cut strait with less tension and tighten as the blade dulls.  I am guessing that my wheels being out of ballance and maby not perfectly round is helping the blade break a bit faster.  My guess after reading.  I guess I will also sharpen the point a bit more often and see it that helps the blade last a bit more.

I could find no cooks 7 degree blade anywhere and didn't want 15 kasco blades cause they charge tax and quite abit more on shipping. 

Time will tell. 
gww

[Ox]

Yep, you're right about all the messing around with blades - only time will tell.  Maybe take notes so you don't forget what you've done and what works or doesn't work?

I take notes all the time.  My desk is full of notes.  I sometimes forget what they were for or where to find them, but at least I can't be faulted for not trying!

Only thing I don't like about the Cooks blades is they don't take a backstop hit like Lenox or Woodmizer blades!  ;)

But I do like them a lot, same as the other two I mentioned.  They all seem to be good blades.  Someday I'll try Woodmax or Timebrwolf just to try around.  Maybe one will just totally stand out as exceptional for my mill.

[Magicman]

A significant determining factor with blade manufacturer choice is "where/who" will sharpen them.  You could twist yourself into a web.

[gww]

Magic
I have not figured a sharpening proceedure out as of yet and am basically running untill breakage.  I would like to get it figured out but I am not on a level to send but about 4 back cause 3 are broke and small scale doesn't seen to work for anyone who sharpens.  I also don't understand shipping and how to do it reasonably.  I am looking for someone local and the closest so far is 80 miles away. 

Ox
I thought this thread was a pretty good note pad as I haven't left much out but I couldn't figure out how much the last blade cut from it.
Cheers
gww

[Magicman]

and am basically running untill breakage. gww

That is really not good, but you knew that already.  My comment was suggesting that you use one manufacturer/source so that resharp could be an option.  WM resharpens only WM blades because of different profiles.  The cost for 10 blades resharpened including shipping is ~$100.  All things considered, that is not a bad price.

[gww]

Magic
What do you use to ship to them (ups, fedx)?
That is not bad if the metal is not already fatiuged from a bouncy mill.  Cooks has a resharp but charges more for six blades or less.  I have not added cost cause I don't ever ship anything and live in the boonies and am not exactly sure how to go about it.

I admit that I am a dummy.
Thanks
gww

[Magicman]

WM has a shipping contract with FedEx.  Mine are shipped each way in an ~18" cube box that holds 10 blades.

[gww]

I guess I should have checked harder.  It is hard when you are cheap and know nothing to boot.  If I make it through all my new blades (which is questionable) I will have to look harder.  I spent 5 hours on the computer yeterday looking at differrent blades but didn't know what to do.  I think I had blades orderred from every company so I could check shipping.  I think wm was $30.  I then cancelled the order.  I thank you for the info and kinda wish I had had it earlier.  I am hoping I am picking up some things from you smarter guys so that I get a bit better at this.  It did say that the blade profile of the blades I bought could be sharpened with wm sharpening system. 

Quote from there site.

Cook's Excel™ Bandsaw Blades - Not your average bandsaw blade, but you can sharpen like one




The Xcel™ blade incorporates an industry standard tooth profile while providing a superior body for performance sawing. By having this tooth profile, it allows sharpeners set up to grind common profiles found on brands such as Simonds, Lenox, Munkforsager, and Woodmizer to grind the Xcel blade as well.

I wonder if wm would sharpen these blades?  Do they also have a minimum prosses number?

I like fedx.  I have only sent one thing with them and they came to my house to get it.

I wonder if it is a waste of time to contact wm?

I guess I will see what I can find out on their site but if you have an answer that stops another long internet search I would be happy to have it.

Thank you for your help so far.
gww

[gww]

I called cooks and they said it is usually around $20 to $30 to ship blades back depending on where you are.  So It is $75 for ten blades to be sharpened and then $50 to $60 to have them shiped both ways.  That is $125 to $130 for resharp if all the blades are good enough for resharp.  New blades are $178 shipped.  So that is about $50 savings unless two blades are too bad and if it is three blades I start losing money.  I would like to save but am worried that I might not really be saving.  I have zero experiance on this stuff and don't know what I will have when I get my sharpened blades back.
Thanks
gww

[gww]

I did look wm up and notice they have a resharp shop in Mt vernon Mo.  It is over three hours from my house.  I have a daughter that lives in springfield Mo that looks to be about 30 miles from there.  There is a resaw shop 80 miles the other way but I never go that way now that I am retired.  I lived an hour away from wood mizer head quarters in indianapolus for four years till two years ago.  I don't see any real easy avenues as of yet.
gww

[Kbeitz]

Honesty... Take one of your old blades that you have givein up on and take a deamal to it.
I'm useing 5/16 normal stone and it take me about 5 min the do the blade and
I'm not even taking it off the saw... I am very happy with my results.



 



 

[gww]

Kbitz
I thought that is what a deamal was when you mentioned it earlyer but with pictures, now I know.  I have been sharpining the points from the back.  I have a couple of blades that I believe are sharp but the set is gone on one side.  I seen a home made setter on ebay for $35 bucks that I almost bought.  It isn't worth it cause it really looks easy to make but I haven't made it yet.  My total consintration has been getting logs and getting them on the mill and then cutting at my leisure.  I am to the point that it is cutting bairly good enough and I sorta know my cost on the blades even though they are much higher then they need to be if I would just take a little time to make a setter and ballance my wheels and maby work on getting them more round. 

My problim is it is putting good boards in my lean to and my lean to is not full and I am having a hard time switching gears. 

I appretiate that you also mentioned the size deamal you are using as now I can try to find one.  I don't have the driver for the stone either. 

I sorta like what you are doing cause it fits my anti social style to be able to just get by at home with out having to leave.

I really like what you are doing with your mill.  I just can not justify going that far for my needs and probly don't have the skill anyway.  I rushed through my build with one goal and that was to make enough boards for my needs and I have pretty well hit that mark.  Now I do need to take a bit of time to try and make those boards a little cheeper. 
Thanks for posting here.
gww

PS except for the 4 blades with bad set.  The others I have given up on are in one long peice.  I have broken them.  I do believe that if I kept them sharper sooner and more often that I would not break them as soon.  I have read what the manufactures say about band breakage and sharp blades helps even on a poor mill. 

[gfadvm]

WM has a shipping contract with FedEx.  Mine are shipped each way in an ~18" cube box that holds 10 blades.

I noticed that Fed X label in the box but I always send mine UPS as they are a lot closer to me. Is this dumb on my part? I do the 10 blade boxes also.

[Kbeitz]

Guess you can just call me old school...
Yesterday my radial arm saw was pinching the boards.
I took a marker and marked one tooth.
I then grabed my adajustable whench and hand bent every other tooth to the left.
Then the next every other tooth to the right... Works great.
So when I think my bandsaw blade needs set i will find a way...

[Ox]

Do you sharpen just the face and part of the gullet where the stone fits like in the picture or do you hit the back of the tooth and the whole gullet as well?  As in a big "C" shaped sweeping motion.  If this works it seems like a viable option for many folks.
As far a an old timey quick setter, why not an old piece of railroad iron (track, rail).  The old timers used these for setting the old misery whips (two man crosscut saws) and I don't see why it wouldn't work with a little practice and a caliper to check the tooth set.  The rail is made with a weird shape and the set will vary depending on where you place the blade before you strike it.

[Kbeitz]

I only sharpen the gullet right behind the tooth.
I think this keep the shape of the tooth and changes nothing.
Taking some off the top of the tooth would change the shape of everything.
On my blades the 5/16 fits right into the blade degree.
Sorry but I do not know what degree my blades are. So this size stone might not be the right stone for you.
Also taking off the top would be taking some of your set.
I could not believe how well this works. Cuts great and was so easy to do.
I dont even tilt the dermal. Striate cut on each tooth.
Stones can be had real cheap on E-bay.