# Bringing home my second sawmill



## Backwoods (Nov 23, 2008)

The sawmill had been over grown since the sawyer died.





After clearing the brush it is clear that the frame work is rotten and 
giving way so care has to be taken in removing the mill.




Everything is in working order.








I got a truck load of parts home today and the rest of the mill will be 
coming home over the next couple of days. 
Now I have a bandsaw and a round saw, now all I need is a CSM


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## Brmorgan (Nov 23, 2008)

:censored: :censored: You're contributing to my destruction, envy is one of the 7 deadly sins... Might I ask, what did you have to shell out for that whole setup? It'll go nice with your band mill, you could square cants really fast with the circular and then cut boards with the band. Isn't it you that has the fancy edger thingy too?


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## carvinmark (Nov 23, 2008)

That looks great!!!! I have a friend who has a mill that is very similar. Good thing you took pics for reassembly.


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## slabmaster (Nov 23, 2008)

Nice Find! Don't forget to grab that blade on the side of the barn as they are expensive to buy.Good luck with it. Mark


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## woodshop (Nov 23, 2008)

Nice find... it's good that it was (at least in spirit) under roof so the weather didn't have complete reign. Looks like it is'nt too far gone yet, and can be resurrected by somebody handy like yourself. 

Keep us posts as to the progress as you clean it up.


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## MikeInParadise (Nov 23, 2008)

Now that is taking on a big project! 

Be sure to post re-assembly pictures.


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## Backwoods (Nov 24, 2008)

The mill came complete with three 52” saws and one 24” saw and all of the accessories including a 1950’s dodge truck with a large winch, boxes of parts and tools, as well as all of the original paper work on the mill. The only thing missing is the roll case and power plant, and I have a set of rolls. 

Are you sitting down? 
The price was free, with the stipulation that it does not get sold for scrap. 
I wore out the tape measure and pencil. I also got lots of pictures for references. 
I got to say this is the best find I have ever came across.


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## woodshop (Nov 24, 2008)

Backwoods said:


> ...The price was free, with the stipulation that it does not get sold for scrap...I got to say this is the best find I have ever came across.



I'd say that was a serious understatement... congrats. Lots of work ahead, but it looks like serious fun for guys like us.


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## Sawyer Rob (Nov 24, 2008)

I see it was powered with a flat belt... Did they use an old tractor to run it?

You should have some fun with it, once you get it back into shape!

Rob


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## AndyR (Nov 24, 2008)

I used to love watching the old circle mill operate at a "steam and craft" show that I used to go to.

Great find, I hope you'll be able to post progress pics as you rebuild it..


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## Backwoods (Nov 24, 2008)

There is very little rebuild to it, pretty much clean, paint and reset up. It was run off a Chevy 350, the motors gone but the driveshaft is there, then it goes to a triple belt. It looks like the flat belts run the trany.


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## zopi (Nov 24, 2008)

Good find!


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## Zodiac45 (Nov 25, 2008)

How cool is that! Good score. Can't wait too see that baby sawing logs.


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## Backwoods (Nov 25, 2008)

I got the carriage, the drive and the track home now. The main frame for the mill is all that is left and will be a chore as the wood frame is collapsing as we go. The last of it fell apart as the weight of the carriage transferred to the truck. What is left is under the roof and in better condition. The plan is now to cut the wood loose and bring it with the frame if possible.


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## brisawyer (Nov 25, 2008)

What brand of mill is that?


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## Brmorgan (Nov 26, 2008)

Now that I think of it, I do remember seeing an old mill like this out in the middle of a rancher's field back in the spring while out exploring back roads. The "roof" it was under was practically nonexistent and the wood framing it was on was not at all straight anymore, so it might be a writeoff anyway. But it definitely hasn't been used in decades. I wonder...

That's a vicious looking blade, but it looks pretty small and more like a ripping blade. Is there a bigger one too?


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## Backwoods (Nov 26, 2008)

The saw that was on it is 52" and there is a pair of them stored inside another building.




I will be taking a tractor over on Friday to lift out the last piece.


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## Backwoods (Nov 29, 2008)

When we reached in and picked up the last piece the frame crumbled away.




My oldest boy only put two dents in MY truck while loading it.








Now it is home so I can start cleaning it up and getting it ready to set up.


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## Backwoods (Dec 7, 2008)

Make that my third mill.
I just could not pass this up today at a yard sale after firing up the saw. 
A 48” home built Alaska mill style roller assembly with bar and new chain (The total length of the bar is 58 1/2”), 
an 18 hp power head with 32” bar and good chain, 
and a complete set of climbing gear in top shape. 
All for $250. 
I about tore my pocket off getting my wallet out to help stimulate the economy.


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## stipes (Dec 7, 2008)

*Nice pics..*

Thats gonna be one hell of a mill when you get done...Wow,,alot of work,,but something you will have for generations on down ...That is just so cool!!!


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## redprospector (Dec 7, 2008)

What size is that Husky? I can see from here it's a 1989 model (or at least the top cover is) by the 300 aniversary sticker.

Andy


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## Backwoods (Dec 7, 2008)

You got a better eye then I got I had to have it up close to see the 300 sticker. It looks like it is a 288 XP Professional, according to the little black sticker. I knew it was an older saw just did not know how old.


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## BobL (Dec 8, 2008)

Backwoods said:


> I about tore my pocket off getting my wallet out to help stimulate the economy.



I call that a top score - thanks for helping us all out!


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## Rockfarmer (Dec 8, 2008)

Backwoods, thats a really neat project! Impressive  Nice score on the Husky to, obviously you know how good you did there!


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## Cowboy Billy (Dec 8, 2008)

Backwoods

When you are hot you are Hot Way to go and congratulations!!! I love seeing old equ fixed up and being used 

Billy


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## redprospector (Dec 8, 2008)

Backwoods said:


> You got a better eye then I got I had to have it up close to see the 300 sticker. It looks like it is a 288 XP Professional, according to the little black sticker. I knew it was an older saw just did not know how old.



You'll love the 288, I've got one just like it. It's not hard to recognize that sticker when you've been staring at one for 19 years.

Andy


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## woodshop (Dec 8, 2008)

What a deal... if I had been there and seen that first it would be in my shop pronto for that money. Looking forward to pics as you slowly rebuild that monster.


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## Backwoods (Dec 8, 2008)

I am going to take it out for a test drive tomorrow. Got a pair of Sugar pine logs that are 17’ long and in the 40-50 inch range that just need to be quartered up for guy that has an LT-15 over on the east side of the county.


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## Backwoods (Dec 10, 2008)

Put a new carb kit in it this morning after it gave me some problems starting in the cold weather. It needed it. The saw ran good and both logs are quartered up ready to go on his mill. The only problem I had with it was the sawdust/strings would plug up the saw instantly and then through them off the front of the saw. As long as I did not use the full length of the bar, they would pile up in front of the saw.


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