# I am about to get started on the Bandmill



## TNMIKE (Mar 29, 2008)

I got tired of endless trips to the junkyard hunting for steel. it was a hit or miss thing getting a piece here and there. So. this week I ordered all the steel for my Bandmill yesterday for $480 delivered. The track is going to be 
3X5 angle with 3 inch C channel for the cross pieces. It should be here by truck tuesday and I should have the track welded up by wednesday evening. Yipee!!!! 

I decided on twenty feet of track in two ten foot section. I wanted to be able to move it on a ten foot trailer when I needed to. I will certainly post pictures if anyone is interested. ??

I lucked up on an engine this week. I found a nearly new 10 hp I/C Briggs for 150 bucks at a local trade lot. The only material I lack now are blades. Does anyone have a recommendation on them? 

Thanks


----------



## dustytools (Mar 29, 2008)

Cant wait for the pics.


----------



## farmerjack68 (Mar 29, 2008)

very interested to see the pics


----------



## Matildasmate (Mar 29, 2008)

Sorry cant help with blade's . Will be looking forward to pic's though


----------



## Mike Van (Mar 30, 2008)

I buy my blades from Cooks, they'll weld up any length you need. Wait until you have it built though, get the right length. What do you have for bandwheels?


----------



## TNMIKE (Mar 30, 2008)

*Mill Wheels*

The wheels I am using are tires. 480 x12 trailer tires and rims


----------



## Mike Van (Mar 31, 2008)

Mike, if the OD of those tires is less than 18", I'd really re-think using them. Reason is the life of the bands. The tighter arc they're bent around, the less life you'll get from them. I run 24" dia. wheels with .042 blades. I'll sharpen some blades a dozen times before they'll crack. Whatever you do use, make good guards over the wheels, when those blades break [they will, sooner or later] You want that 14 ft or so of steel inside a guard -


----------



## MotorSeven (Mar 31, 2008)

X-cellent! I can watch/wait & see how yours turns out, then if you do a really good job, i might let you help me build one........ :hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## TNMIKE (Mar 31, 2008)

*Thanks for the suggestions Mike Van*

I will keep that in mind. The guard for sure is on my build list. My steel is being delivered tuesday and wednesday Ive got a buddy coming to help me. I should have pictures of the track to post by thursday..


----------



## redprospector (Mar 31, 2008)

Mike Van said:


> Mike, if the OD of those tires is less than 18", I'd really re-think using them. Reason is the life of the bands. The tighter arc they're bent around, the less life you'll get from them. I run 24" dia. wheels with .042 blades. I'll sharpen some blades a dozen times before they'll crack. Whatever you do use, make good guards over the wheels, when those blades break [they will, sooner or later] You want that 14 ft or so of steel inside a guard -



Very good advice.
I have 19" sheaves for wheel's on mine and that is the minimum I would consider. If I had to do it all over again my band wheel's would be a lot bigger.

Andy


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 3, 2008)

*I got the track built tonight*

I started on the track tonight about 6 pm and finished at 11pm . Its twenty feet long and built in two ten foot sections. The track is 3x5 angle with the larger side up and the cross braces are 3 inch C channel. The V groove casters roll on 1 inch angle welded to the outside edge of the three inch part of the 3x5 angle. I felt really good about how it came out. The track is square to within 1/32 over ten feet. 

This is a really heavy duty track and much heavier than some of commercial mills I have looked at. It would be an easy job to put some rectangular tubing under the angle iron and mount an axle under it. Its not too hard to load the ten foot sections in the back of a pickup. Two men can easily do it. I intend to ground mount mine and not put an axle under it.

I took some picture but its so late I will post them tomorrow. The mill I am building is like the one shown in the link below. I have $345 in twenty feet of track. That is new steel not including my labor and the help of my son and a friend who is a professional welder.

http://kruppt.tripod.com/mill_1/index.html


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 3, 2008)

*Cooks bandsaw blades*

I did contact Cooks and they were very helpfull on the blades. I intend to order from them. I measure the OD of the wheels I am using and they are 21 inches with four bolt wheels.

Thanks for the tip on Cooks....Mike


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 3, 2008)

*Here the pics*

I always have trouble resizing the pics for the forum. The camera I am using is old..and only 3 megapixels. It was light out when I took the first one and dark on the second. I think you can tell what is going on.

As I was uploading these I noticed the maximum file size was 300kb and not 100kb like I thought it was. Two of these may be sort of small...sorry about that. 

The track was welded with a Miller 200 MIG. Its an old machine and Lord only knows how many miles of wire have been through it.


----------



## MotorSeven (Apr 4, 2008)

Looks good Mike, i can't wait to see the carriage go together.....
RD


----------



## dustytools (Apr 4, 2008)

MotorSeven said:


> Looks good Mike, i can't wait to see the carriage go together.....
> RD



+1.


----------



## BIG JAKE (Apr 4, 2008)

Mike-How much money do you think you'll save building your own mill as opposed to buying one already made?


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 6, 2008)

*Mill cost*

I figure with all new steel and a used engine I will have about 900 dollars in the mill. I think the lowest cost commercial mill is about 3 K. If you add in the track length I will have even more.


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 6, 2008)

*In my last post*

I meant to say , save even more in the last sentence. I wrote the reply about 1 am sunday morning after a long road trip to a knifemakers symposium at Tannehill , Alabama. We left thursday night about 11pm and got there around 5am friday morning. Left saturday around 6pm and got back to NC about 12am. 

As the old saying goes..Im getting way too old for this _hit.


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 8, 2008)

*Ive got all the steel for the mill head cut*

I will start welding it up tomorrow. I should have some pics tomorrow night or thursday. I am really enjoying this project..cant wait to see it mill the first log..MIKE


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 8, 2008)

*I ran into a little trouble tonite*

I did not make as much progress today as I would have liked to have. The power head rides on two sections of 3 inch square tubing that slide over 37 inch lengths of 2 1/2 inch square tubing. The weld inside the 3 inch tubing must be removed for a nice fit. Doing this with a file took some time. I did get the track completley finished and drilled so it can be bolted together. The first picture is the two ten foot sections on my ten foot trailer. Two men can load and unload these sections. ( it aint easy but it can be done.)

I did get the feet with the V groove pulleys finished. They turned out really nice. I have added a picture of those too. 

I should have the mill head steel structure together next week some time. It will begin to look like a band mill/


----------



## dustytools (Apr 9, 2008)

Looks good Mike!


----------



## DRB (Apr 9, 2008)

Nice start.

I am looking forward to watching your build.opcorn:


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 10, 2008)

*Tubing Weld*

I finally got the weld out of the three inch square tubing sections. They are ten inches long and the best way I found was to use a new 12" flat mill file and just go at it from both ends. I tried a dremel tool and a die grinder but you just cant get to it. Ive got a good slick fit on the 2 1/2 inch frame tubing and Im ready to weld up the post, slider section and v groove feet. 

There is a large storm in western tenn headed this way and we are in for storms friday and saturday and then SNOW if you can believe that sunday and monday. Im not sure how much I will get done until next tuesday. I have to weld outside here at the house but have access to a nice enclosed shop then.

Ill keep posting pictures and progress. Thanks for the interest. Maybe someone else can learn from my struggles. (This is my first bandmill. )


Mike


----------



## TNMIKE (Apr 24, 2008)

*I finally got back on the mill*

I got out of the house today for the first time in about 11 days. I was about to go nuts. Made some good progress on the bandmill. The slider piece that raises and lowers the wheels is a pain to keep in line and make smooth. You cannot weld the carriage frame without drawing the steel tubing but you can compensate for it. You can also post heat it with a torch and straighten it. Anyway I got the carriage head together and on the track. YEAH. The slider is really smooth. You can see from the pictures Im well on my way.


----------



## TNMIKE (May 1, 2008)

*Did some more mill work last night*

I worked on the tensioner/blade tracking mechanism last night. I also got most of the steel cut for my log arch. The tensioner is pretty neat...it uses a sliding plate affair and a heavy duty hinge made from black pipe. Its probably the most complicated piece of the whole mill.


----------



## slabmaster (May 1, 2008)

*Engine*

Looking good! What size engine are you planning to run? Mark


----------



## TNMIKE (May 7, 2008)

*Right now Im thinking 10hp*

Ive got a 10hp Brigss but Im looking hard at the 13hp Chinese Honda knockoffs...HF has them pretty cheap...


----------



## slabmaster (May 8, 2008)

Should work good! The 13 H.P. wouldn't have to work as hard and might last longer. I saw them myself,can't beat the price on those. Mark


----------



## Zodiac45 (May 15, 2008)

Any new progress yet Mike? Really looks good so far. Do the V groove pully wheels ride on the angle irons or on the outside flat?


----------



## TNMIKE (May 15, 2008)

*I havent been working on the mill in the last week*

Ive been tied up on the farm and Ive got two sons graduating from college this week.

The pulley ride on a one inch angle iron that is welded point up on the flat of the large angle iron. The v groove pulleys fit this angle perfectly allowing more bearing surface on the pulley itself. Makes for a much smoother roll.

I just bought a new MIG and Ive got to get a cart made for it then I will get back on the mill. 

Too many projects too little time


----------



## Zodiac45 (May 16, 2008)

TNMIKE said:


> Ive been tied up on the farm and Ive got two sons graduating from college this week.
> 
> The pulley ride on a one inch angle iron that is welded point up on the flat of the large angle iron. The v groove pulleys fit this angle perfectly allowing more bearing surface on the pulley itself. Makes for a much smoother roll.
> 
> ...



Hear that!


----------

