# Saw mill belt drive



## dustyplank (Sep 28, 2010)

HELLO,

I am attempting to build my own Band mill from parts i can scrounge up. The problem i am running into is finding a gas engine with a horizontal crank shaft. I found alot of vertical shaft engines and sense the drive wheel shaft is horizontal i can't figure how to make it work. thought about right angle gear box but can't find one. someone mentioned just twist the belt around both pulleys but was not sure how that would work. Any ideas?


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## discounthunter (Sep 28, 2010)

tiller motors are horizontal shafts. not sure about speed out put,most ones i see are only 5-6.5 hp.


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## Brmorgan (Sep 28, 2010)

The best sources for mid-size horizontal shaft engines are generators and welders, but since they're generally coupled directly to the generator coil, these engines often have a strange taper on the PTO side of the crank that can be hard to mate a standard pulley to. Many snowblowers and tillers have horizontal engines too, as do a number of older garden tractors; most are vertical now.

It would be possible to use a right-angle gearbox as long as its design would allow it to be lubed properly in the position you'd be using it in. They are available, but aren't terribly cheap. Check a farm supply store - here in Canada I'd recommend Princess Auto; not sure what the American equivalent would be. 

I wouldn't recommend twisting the belt; for one, unless you're building the mill pretty large, you likely wouldn't have the room to use a long enough belt to make that work anyway. That's the type of thing one might see with a big old flat-belt drive on an old circular mill or something.


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## WSJchester (Sep 28, 2010)

What kind of hp? Northern Tool and Grainger have tons of options for new but if you're scrounging look for a vertical shaft single or twin from an older Cub Cadet, Simplicity/Allis/Deutz, or Snapper garden tractor or riding mower. I've owned a Cub, Allis and Snapper that all had horizontal shafts from engine to transmission or hydro unit. Kohler (Allis), Briggs & Stratton (Cub and Snapper).

Oughtta be something out there. Good luck. -WSJ


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## rxe (Sep 29, 2010)

Most vertical engines are identical to their horizontal brethren - the only difference being the design of the dipstick. I know that a Briggs 16HP twin can go from vertical to horizontal with the addition of a few cheap parts.


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## Sawyer Rob (Sep 29, 2010)

rxe said:


> Most vertical engines are identical to their horizontal brethren - the only difference being the design of the dipstick. I know that a Briggs 16HP twin can go from vertical to horizontal with the addition of a few cheap parts.



Many of these engines have "splash" oiling systems, turn one of those 90* and it won't last long!

Rob


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## Jredsjeep (Sep 29, 2010)

it is possible to turn a belt, allot of woods brand decks do this to change the direction of rotation from the pto from horizontal to verticle. other decks probubly do this also but thats what i have experiance with.

on the back of my IH cub lowboy there is a pto pulley that is hor, the belt then heads downward to two pulleys that are turned 90 deg (the axle of the pulleys here would be the same way the actaul wheel axels are) then onto the vert deck pulley. i think a drawback will be room, the pulleys need to be spaced apart to give the belt time to twist properly. there is also the ability of the belt to transmit power. my rear pulley is probubly 10" diameter and if i get into some thick grass my 14 hp (i think that is the approx rating) motor can spin it.

i will try to get some pics if i can remember.

other ideas i have tossed around are using a brush hog or a rear car axle gear box to use what i have.


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## striperswaper (Sep 29, 2010)

turn your blade 90 degrees?


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## dustyplank (Sep 29, 2010)

thanks for the input. much appreciated.


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## rxe (Sep 29, 2010)

> Many of these engines have "splash" oiling systems, turn one of those 90* and it won't last long!



Agree - but I would have thought that the sort of power needed for a band mill would mainly put you in pressure lubrication territory - my Briggs certainly is.


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## dustyplank (Sep 29, 2010)

the engine i plan on using is not in my posession as of yet. i have someone going to sell me a garden tactor and it has a 22 hp motor. not sure if it is Briggs or Kohler.


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## Guido Salvage (Sep 29, 2010)

*How about a Wisconsin?*

I do not know how large a mill you are trying to construct or what you will be cutting, but I would look into a Wisconsin engine. I would try to get a twin cylinder one, it will have a horizontal shaft. I ran a disc chipper once that had about a 60HP V-4 variant on it and it did a nice job.


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## Hillbilly3995 (Sep 29, 2010)

You can get away with twisting the belt surprisingly well, the span of the belt needs to be two to four times pulley diameter at minimum.
Good luck. Happy tinkering!


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