sawmill

[bedway]

Hey all, Ive built myself a bandsaw mill. Im in the process of building a jib crane attachment that will attach to the frame of the mill. This will be used to turn cants, and to assist in loading logs. Ive just been tossing around different ideas on how to design the pivoting arm for the top. Any thoughts on this? ,,,,,,bedway

 

[hawkeye2]

Trailer axle stub and trailer Hub. Available from Harbor Freight, Northern tools, and www.surpluscenter.com

 

[DHS]

Great job, I love seeing homemade tools and equipment.

 

[PAToyota]

I've drooled over the Wood-Mizer versions at the woodworking shows, but even their littlest one wouldn't be worth the money for the use I'd throw at it.

Did you have plans or a kit to start with?

 

[bedway]

The saw head itself was a kit, (parts and pieces) i got from an outfit out in Oregon called Linn Lumber. It was a lot of drilling, tapping, and welding. I also did some redesigning of the head to fit my needs better. I have a small woodworking business and got tired of having to go out and buy hardwood lumber. The log bed is of my own design and fabrication. I can handle and saw logs up to 26" in diameter and 16' long. Its been one of the most rewarding DIY projects ive ever attempted.

 

[PAToyota]

Thanks for the info! That almost looks doable compared to the Wood-Mizer prices.

 

[mulepackin]

Great looking mill, and nice work.

 

[mmg440]

I think it would be nice to have some sort feed system to move that band saw along the log, maybe on the front of the bed frame a small winch or something rewound with 2 small cables going threw a pulley on each side to pull from both sides. It could connect to a small extension spring to each side of the saw unit to keep the slack out and give a somewhat constant as feed tension.


Maybe for loading something like this could do it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37555



Looking good, Very nice work.

Thanks another project for me to get to make some day

 

[kbs2244]

I argree with the idea of checking out truck cranes.
It is getting to be auction season.
Watch for one.

 

[sirswank]

looks good! is the wood cured or dried in any way before or after sawing? do you work from trees, or just large rough cut "billets"

 

[TRTOOLSUPPLY]

Hey Bedway,
Great looking mill!Is that an old (cast )Briggs on top with the starter/Gen?
Just curious!
Richard

 

[bedway]

Im still tossing ideas around regarding the crane set up. I do appreciate the input guys. Ive contemplated an auto feed system, if for no other reason than another project to play with. The sawhead is close to 700 pounds. With a sharp band on ive cut 20" oak and you can push the saw head with one finger. The accuracy and consistency of cut is amazing. Ive made cuts so thin on it you can see thru the wood. I have three stacks of wood, stickered and drying that contain about 5000bdft that ive cut on it. If hardwoods are to be used for furniture making the moisture content needs to be down around 6 to 8%. You can accomplish this much faster by having it kiln dried, but i prefer mine air dried. Most of the logs i cut are storm downed trees from my property or logs people give me. As you can see, yes its an old 16 horse Briggs. I had an old MTD garden tractor that was on its last breaths, so i took the engine off that. As you can see new paint did wonders for it. Thanks again guys for the kind words and interest,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,bedway

 

[Bevis]

I've thought for year on either buying or fabbing a portable sawmill. After every storm and seeing old oaks, I think about all the wasted lumber. Your mill looks great.

 

[garandman]

Nice work! https://www.linnlumber.com/

We have 12 acres of woodland in NH. We have enough downed hardwoods (Ash, Birch, Maple, and some Red Oak) for firewood. But there are a number of large Eastern Hemlocks that aren’t great for firewood but is OK for rough construction projects.

There are a number of projects I could use wood for: firewood storage, solar kiln, woods cabin, some foot bridges over a brook. Not really worth buying store-bought wood for most of them.

Harbor Fright sells a $2,000 bandsaw mill that can cut 20” diameter up to 9’. That would be adequate for my use. I’m assuming I could sell it used (since they require assembly) for good $.

There are also outfits that will come onsite and cut it for you. I’d have to harvest all the logs but that’s not really a problem, we have a tractor. Guess I’ll have to work up some cut lists from plans and see if that makes better sense.

 

[matt_i]

The easiest jib cranes I've seen were a large diameter round tube. Single tapered roller bearing (like the trailer axle) on the top except a larger bearing.

Then two steel rollers that roll around the side of the large round tube lower down.

A ladder frame to support the structure and an open rail like a channel or I-beam for the trolley to roll on.

The kicker is going to be this: the jib isn't going to do well without being perfectly level. It will be difficult to rotate it under load, won't stay in one position, and also difficult to trolley the load being out of level.

 

[steel 35]

I spent years maintaining and operating 9' 7' & a quad mill; kind of miss it, seeing your set up my hands are twitching at the controls!
My thought with what I see in the picture is the back of that Kabota!
Outriggers and a log turner instead of a bucket, (backhoe att)

 

[Bretny]

Im sure hes figured it out after 10yrs.

 

[bad_idea]

Im sure hes figured it out after 10yrs.

Maybe.. Maybe not. I'd buy a forklift for loading.