Thread: Summer Sawmill Project

Good use of the shelving. Just as an idea, if ya cut down the support frames at each end and re-attached the braces for stability you could run the blade parallel to the shelf rails and operate like a traditional mill bed, be easier to power the blade, tail off the timber and feed the blade, plus if you wanted to be portable the engine could be mounted under the bed and towed easily...just spitballin

Those pallet racks will be OK as long as you only resaw boards.
If you start with trees, you may have a lot of problems with lateral movement and I wouldn't want to be around with a loose blade whirring.
Greg

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Good use of the shelving. Just as an idea, if ya cut down the support frames at each end and re-attached the braces for stability you could run the blade parallel to the shelf rails and operate like a traditional mill bed, be easier to power the blade, tail off the timber and feed the blade, plus if you wanted to be portable the engine could be mounted under the bed and towed easily...just spitballin

hey mate ,was gonna go parallel and lower the shelf rails as low as possible so the logs can be kept low which will add to the stability, be adding another length of rail to lengthen the table for tail off and timber feeding hoping to make that removable tho? and got lots of Ironbark logs that ill mill into the decking and some 5x5 or what ever is needed for bracing and log slippage ( hoping to still keep it paddock portable ,depends if the axle can support the weight for towing behind the tractor )...scavenging around for parts at the moment ,its amazing what ##### laying around that seems perfect for a hillybilly mill

Originally Posted by Greg Ward

Those pallet racks will be OK as long as you only resaw boards.
If you start with trees, you may have a lot of problems with lateral movement and I wouldn't want to be around with a loose blade whirring.
Greg

hey ! got a heap of material in mind to be incorporated into the frame ,it'll be able to support logs when finished ..just not shore if it'll be portable still ? ..i tend to overkill things and like things heavy and old school ... ..........................................................................................................................
found some more stuff to use !

I love this build.
Brings back memories of my childhood. Where farmers made all sorts of amazing bits of machinery, from whatever they could scrounge.

Of course there were no "insurance" issues then.
Safety meant taking responsibility for your own actions.

Great stuff.
I will follow this thread with interest.

Paul.

hey boys just some pics of saw blade positioning options ...think ill go with parallel !? which gives me a better mill chassis for a future second blade above the other one ,to increase cutting width! also more room for bigger blades....tho the horizontal position has a better option to add a motor "within the chassis" with direct drive to the crank .. most likely go with the PTO on them both anyway ,that will give me a on and off switch ...

I've been thinking about something similar to this so I will be watching how yours is going to help give me some ideas.

How are you going to feed the logs through? Its not as if you can just push/pull them through so will there be some mechanical aids to help?

This looks good, good luck with it. I love the deck into the dam. That would be great.

Widowmaker

This looks like a really enterprising project. Remember the triangulation principle when you want to strengthen a frame. A truss effect becomes very strong and normally is not heavy. I think the lewis saw was of this type.

A couple of pallet rack rails with some struts between would be exceptionally strong. You may need to bolt the rails to the uprights to improve rigidity and not rely on the slots.

Lastly, unless you are confident of the history of your blade it may be neccessary to have it checked by a saw doctor. Those style of blades require hammering to achieve the correct tension. Also make very certain it has no hairline cracks, which is a distinct possibility once they get older and have a little surface rust. Check too whether you have a ripping blade or a crosscut pattern.

I was given some large blades (to my mind) just to use for promotional purposes as they were bugge**d, although they looked ok to my untrained eye.

Perhaps one of our saw doctor members can add more professional advice here.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by brody_94

I've been thinking about something similar to this so I will be watching how yours is going to help give me some ideas.

How are you going to feed the logs through? Its not as if you can just push/pull them through so will there be some mechanical aids to help?

hey bud ,gonna use several timber (Metal reinforced) frames ,running on steel tube rollers either side of the blade that run along the length of the frame ,something like the underside of a rail carriage ,but upside down kinda like a boat trailers rollers either side of the blade ,and a pulley winch system ,that's what i have in mind so far ,it might change as I progress tho ...

Originally Posted by Dean M

This looks good, good luck with it. I love the deck into the dam. That would be great.

thanks bro ...just need a diving board right ?!

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Widowmaker

This looks like a really enterprising project. Remember the triangulation principle when you want to strengthen a frame. A truss effect becomes very strong and normally is not heavy. I think the lewis saw was of this type.

A couple of pallet rack rails with some struts between would be exceptionally strong. You may need to bolt the rails to the uprights to improve rigidity and not rely on the slots.

Lastly, unless you are confident of the history of your blade it may be neccessary to have it checked by a saw doctor. Those style of blades require hammering to achieve the correct tension. Also make very certain it has no hairline cracks, which is a distinct possibility once they get older and have a little surface rust. Check too whether you have a ripping blade or a crosscut pattern.

I was given some large blades (to my mind) just to use for promotional purposes as they were bugge**d, although they looked ok to my untrained eye.

Perhaps one of our saw doctor members can add more professional advice here.

Regards
Paul

hey mate ..yeah i gotta sand the blade back to metal and check for any defects (hairs etc) seems the blade tension depends on what RPM ill be running it ,so ill give it a spin and alter the speed to find out how true she runs ,if it needs to be hammered there's a few mills in the district to help out ,tho seems if you up up the RPM the blade stretches outwards (centrifugal force) which can straighten the blade ...But Ill be checking it as i fire her up and test ,Ill be standing back when she shreds into a log cheers