Homemade Portables Bandsaw Sawmill Progress And Questions :)

[Magicman]

I would think that metal fatigue would be an issue with aluminum.  My choice would be steel.

[Jay Sybrandy]

I just looked at your plans on instagram.  I don't think that head will be sturdy enough.  You will probably  need another set of posts 2 feet or 18 inches behind the first with the tops tied together and lots of 45degree brackets bracing everything nice and solid.

Also you want something that wraps from the the bottom of the head down below the tracks to act as a hook so the head can't twist off the tracks.  If that happens when the head is up or the saw is running it gets dangerous quick.

If you have just a few large logs you can always quarter them with a chainsaw (the bar only needs to be close to half the width of the log) and wedges then mill the 1/4's on the sawmill.  You don't get the huge slabs but you gets lots of lumber out of them.

I sill have to put gussets in and stuff it's only an outline

Would some wheels like this hen better http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-URETHANE-TIRES-FOR-WILTON-20-BAND-SAW-FITS-WHEELS-19-3-4-DIA-X-1-Wide-/261695035610?hash=item3cee3d58da:g:yeMAAOxyi-ZTYU5N

[Joe Hillmann]

Would some wheels like this hen better http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-URETHANE-TIRES-FOR-WILTON-20-BAND-SAW-FITS-WHEELS-19-3-4-DIA-X-1-Wide-/261695035610?hash=item3cee3d58da:g:yeMAAOxyi-ZTYU5N

Those are only the rubber tire that fits on metal pulleys.  If I were building one and didn't want to use automotive tires I would start here  http://www.surpluscenter.com/Power-Transmission/Pulleys/Finished-Bore-Pulleys/18-75-O-D-1-7-16-BORE-1-GROOVE-PULLEY-1-BK190-J.axd

And run v belts on each pulley  for tires.  Also on the same site you can get just about everything you need to build a mill.

Although I am not sure if the pulleys I linked to are quite strong enough.  They only have a 1 inch bore so that may be your week point.  I think woodmizer uses 2 inch shafts and even then at some point in the past had issues with them breaking.

[Jay Sybrandy]

Would some wheels like this hen better http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-URETHANE-TIRES-FOR-WILTON-20-BAND-SAW-FITS-WHEELS-19-3-4-DIA-X-1-Wide-/261695035610?hash=item3cee3d58da:g:yeMAAOxyi-ZTYU5N

Those are only the rubber tire that fits on metal pulleys.  If I were building one and didn't want to use automotive tires I would start here  http://www.surpluscenter.com/Power-Transmission/Pulleys/Finished-Bore-Pulleys/18-75-O-D-1-7-16-BORE-1-GROOVE-PULLEY-1-BK190-J.axd

And run v belts on each pulley  for tires.  Also on the same site you can get just about everything you need to build a mill.

Although I am not sure if the pulleys I linked to are quite strong enough.  They only have a 1 inch bore so that may be your week point.  I think woodmizer uses 2 inch shafts and even then at some point in the past had issues with them breaking.

Thanks will they ship to NZ ? I dident realise they where only the rubber though they where cheap   Can I use a pully that's 1" wide and use a 1 1/4" blade ?

[Kbeitz]

what about 12 ply forklift tires ?

[Joe Hillmann]

I didn't take into account your location.  Shipping on parts that would be reasonable for me could easily double the price for you.

Maybe a tire mill isn't the worst idea for you when you figure in if you need to ship everything in from overseas.  You can get 6 ply trailer tires pretty cheap that have a max psi of 90 lbs (I like trailer tires because they have a nice crown to them that makes tracking easy that car tires don't have)

If you had 90 psi in a 24 inch tire you would be able to get nearly 3000 pounds of tension on the blade but then you will have a hard time finding bearings that could hold the strain (you would also have that same issue if you used the v pulley I linked to.

[Joe Hillmann]

I just found timberwolfs suggestions for psi on blades and they are much lower than others I have seen.  http://timberwolfblades.com/blade-tension.php  for a 1 inch blade they recommend only 14,000- 17,000psi.  But those numbers are probably for an average mill that can cut less than 30 inches wide.

[4x4American]

Will the green stickers result in boards that aren't straight or not ? Can I use pine stickers

Green stickers shouldn't bother the straightness as long as you have the lumber stacked properly.  Pine stickers are the most common kind of stickers in this neck of the woods. 

[Jay Sybrandy]

Will the green stickers result in boards that aren't straight or not ? Can I use pine stickers

Thanks


Green stickers shouldn't bother the straightness as long as you have the lumber stacked properly.  Pine stickers are the most common kind of stickers in this neck of the woods. 

[Jay Sybrandy]

This saw mill has small tiers that are quite far apart https://youtu.be/fwwpeZK2YVc skip to the end to see it working

[Ljohnsaw]

Its not the distance between the tires but the width of the log you would be trying to cut.  I think he said that was a 10hp motor and that log was about as much as it could handle.  I have an 18hp on mine and would like something twice that size ;).  What I saw that concerned me a little was how the blade was "sinking" into the tire.  I would think that would adversely affect the set on the blade and cause it to rise in the wood.  But his cuts were looking good!  The problem with smaller tires is it flexes the blade more and will fatigue it faster causing it to break.

[ozarkgem]

what about 12 ply forklift tires ?
[/quote
I know where a mill is that uses 2" bands and semi tires and 50 hp electric. Works good.

[Joe Hillmann]

This saw mill has small tiers that are quite far apart https://youtu.be/fwwpeZK2YVc skip to the end to see it working

It can be done but it is a matter of how well it works.  If you have a freshly sharpened blade with lots of set you can make a pretty nice cut with no tension at all but the end of the second or third cut that razor sharp blade is starting to dull and your blade will start to rise and dive in the cut.  The more tension you have the longer you can go with a dulling blade and still get straight cuts. 

In my experience soft woods (especially around knots) require a much sharper blade and more tension than hardwoods.  (of course I have no way to compare the woods I am sawing to the woods you will be cutting)  I often have a blade that is too dull to cut pine any more but I put it back on when I have some oak or ash and I can cut several more logs with it.

[Jay Sybrandy]

NEW QUESTION :

I might use blade guides like this https://www.timberking.com/images/talon2.jpg
But why do they have the slots in them ?
Can I make them out of 50mm stainless steel ?
And do I have it so they push the blade down all the time ? https://youtu.be/5u73MNTPnWg?t=3m49s

Thanks

[Ljohnsaw]

I suspect the slots are to let the sawdust escape/not build up on the guide wheel.  Yes, you need to have the guide pushing the blade down between ¼" and ½".  That allows the alignment of the blade guide to actually guide the blade (angle to the bed) and helps prevent the blade from hopping under the back guide surface.  Bad things happen if the blade gets behind your guides!

[ozarkgem]

18" V belt pulleys. Surplus center part # 1BKH190     47.95 ea.  I use these. Ends the uncertainty about using tires.

[Jay Sybrandy]

I suspect the slots are to let the sawdust escape/not build up on the guide wheel.  Yes, you need to have the guide pushing the blade down between ¼" and ½".  That allows the alignment of the blade guide to actually guide the blade (angle to the bed) and helps prevent the blade from hopping under the back guide surface.  Bad things happen if the blade gets behind your guides!

Thanks

[Jay Sybrandy]

18" V belt pulleys. Surplus center part # 1BKH190     47.95 ea.  I use these. Ends the uncertainty about using tires.

I have allready got hubs and stubs turned up on a shaft with bearings and pulleys

[ozarkgem]

keep us posted on your progress. pics also.

[Jay Sybrandy]

Could I use a winch like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/other-accessories/auction-1229666020.htm to pull my carriage back and forward or will it over heat ?

Thanks           

[Joe Hillmann]

I thought of using a winch like that on mine but I don't know how long it would last.   I doubt they are designed to be used constantly like that.

Could I use a winch like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/other-accessories/auction-1229666020.htm to pull my carriage back and forward or will it over heat ?

Thanks         

[Jay Sybrandy]

I want to have a winch for pulling the carriage back and forward and maybe up and down .

How would I wire the up and down so i press and hold a button and it goes up then press and hole another button and it goes down ?
How would I wire the forward and back so I have a switch (DPDT) that when I press forward it goes forward at a variable speed (speed controller) and also opens a water value (Needs 12v) and when I go back it shuts off the water value and the winch reverses at 12v (Full Power)

I will also have limit switches but i know how to do those

I hope that makes seance

EDIT: Also what motors can I use ? I thought about a winch but it sounds like they would burnout

Thanks 

[Kbeitz]

You need one of these....



 

Wheelchair motors work good.

[Jay Sybrandy]

You need one of these....



 

Wheelchair motors work good.

Whats that ? and would mobility scorers motors be good

[Kbeitz]

Wheelchair motors are already gear reduced..I don't know about scorers motors.
The switch above is a simple two way heavy duty switch.