# Homemade Bandsaw Mill



## Mitch1001 (Jan 25, 2016)

Hey Everyone,

Just signed up to this forum with the intent of building a cost effective Homemade Bandsaw Mill but have been struggling to find an all-in-one location to glean information. 
So i would like to put a call out to all you folks on the forum that have plans, pictures, sketches, part numbers, web links (previous threads), Youtube videos, etc... that have something to do with making a homemade bandsaw mill and post it here on this thread with hope of create the ultimate resource for individuals building a homemade bandsaw mill.

Thanks
Mitch


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## Jimbo209 (Jan 25, 2016)

There is a few builds done recently one with a vertical mower shaft and other conversion / improvements threads


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## kimosawboy (Jan 26, 2016)

If you punch in bandsaw build/bandsaw mill build in the search, you get 10+ pages of results that cover most everything ...Unless you break it down into components you will have a stupid amount of information at your fingertips with what you are suggesting.
Since this is a Milling/Saw Mill sub forum I think your asking a little much of Arboristsite.com

With a little time and determination you can pretty well find most things bandsaw mill related on the web somewhere...
Just my 2 cents

G Vavra


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## mesupra (Jan 26, 2016)

With the price of used bsm and even some new ones I think you would be crazy to try and build your own unless you have a supply of free materials. The motor on my used $5000 mill is $1200 alone. Add the clutch, band wheels and the steel to build a 24' bed a axle and you are well over the $5000 without labor. If you enjoy building stuff with steel go for it, If you enjoy cutting and sawing wood I'd buy one.


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## HuskStihl (Jan 26, 2016)

What does a pill you shove up your ass have to do with a bandsaw?


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## babybart (Jan 26, 2016)

HuskStihl said:


> What does a pill you shove up your ass have to do with a bandsaw?




I had to reread the whole post before I figured out what you were talking about... definitely laughed out loud sir.


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## Mitch1001 (Jan 26, 2016)

I think you guys are missing the point... my intent for this thread was to amalgamate information from a lot of existing sources into one thread...sort of a one stop shop if you know what i mean.



kimosawboy said:


> asking a little much of Arboristsite.com



seems like im barking up the wrong tree on this forum..my fault ..sorry for wasting your time..


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## kimosawboy (Jan 26, 2016)

Hey mitch1001, I'm not trying to piss on your parade, more so let you know that there is scads of information on here and you would wind up with a few hundred pages in no reasonable order,
all in one thread!
G Vavra


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## abbott295 (Jan 27, 2016)

Mitch 1001, Have you seen the chainsaw milling 101 sticky at the top of this forum? Is that the kind of thing you would like to see for bandsaw mill building too? That would be a good thing to have here, I agree. How to keep it concise and avoid the information overload that kimosawboy foresees is the question. 

Not a waste of time, but it will take time.


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## BobL (Feb 2, 2016)

The reason the CS milling 101 sticky exists is because I noticed the same CSM questions were repeatedly being asked . The resulting thread is the second most viewed thread on this forum after the very popular "What are you building with your milled wood thread" started 2 years earlier by Stonykill. Of course this hasn't asked the same old questions being asked but at least we have a thread to point to for these questions

Interestingly, the third and 4th most viewed threads on the forum are about Bandsaws which suggests the ongoing interest in BSM. The problem with these 2 threads (especially the one by Gene1605 on building a small BSM) is that all the early images are gone when the site went down, so most of the info is useless. The CSM 101 thread was in the same boat until I went back in and reinserted my images but there are still gaps etc in that thread.

I would encourage BS millers to start a thread and we ask the Admins to make it a sticky. As a new BS Miller I have noticed one thing about BSM and that is that it is not that easy to understand or explain what is going on otherwise I would pitch in and start a thread. This is where the voice/text of experienced BS millers would be really useful in starting and leading the discussion. The topics for posting could be similar to the CS 101 thread; e.g. setups, tips and tricks, sharpening, etc.


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## Timberframed (Feb 2, 2016)

Mitch, good luck with your build. I'm sure you can gather all the info you need here. When I need angle iron a trip to the scrap yard can have enormous yields for 10 cents on the dollar. Piece by piece is how I built my shop. Weld this, drill and bolt that. Grind this, prime that. Wax on... Are the tides notably higher these days?


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## BIG JAKE (Feb 6, 2016)

mesupra said:


> With the price of used bsm and even some new ones I think you would be crazy to try and build your own unless you have a supply of free materials. The motor on my used $5000 mill is $1200 alone. Add the clutch, band wheels and the steel to build a 24' bed a axle and you are well over the $5000 without labor. If you enjoy building stuff with steel go for it, If you enjoy cutting and sawing wood I'd buy one.


Dude, you don't know what your talking about. I built one of Gene's mills last year for inside of 650 bucks, and it has a 13 hp Honda GX390 engine driving it. I intend to post pics when I decide to make the time. If you can weld and fabricate, you can make anything as good or better than what you can buy, if you chose to put in the time. BobL is a classic example, and a class act because he is so willing to share knowledge and ideas for the express purpose of helping other people out. Most of us on here enjoy threads from guys willing to innovate, so be careful that you don't crap on their parade. 


.


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## Mitch1001 (Feb 11, 2016)

BIG JAKE said:


> Dude, you don't know what your talking about. I built one of Gene's mills last year for inside of 650 bucks, and it has a 13 hp Honda GX390 engine driving it. I intend to post pics when I decide to make the time. If you can weld and fabricate, you can make anything as good or better than what you can buy, if you chose to put in the time. BobL is a classic example, and a class act because he is so willing to share knowledge and ideas for the express purpose of helping other people out. Most of us on here enjoy threads from guys willing to innovate, so be careful that you don't crap on their parade.



Good points...nice machine by the way...do you by chance have any details of the blade tracking system... from what i have gathered so far that seems to be the critical part.


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## gene1605 (Feb 13, 2016)

Mitch1001 said:


> Good points...nice machine by the way...do you by chance have any details of the blade tracking system... from what i have gathered so far that seems to be the critical part.


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## BIG JAKE (Feb 14, 2016)

Mitch1001 said:


> Good points...nice machine by the way...do you by chance have any details of the blade tracking system... from what i have gathered so far that seems to be the critical part.


Mitch-I started here: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/small-bandsaw-mill.156857/

Like-BobL said, when the nutcase hacked the site most of the pictures were lost, but most details are there like the bearing types. I have many of the pictures from that thread and had intended on re-posting those with permission, but I can't insert them where they go. The best I could do is post them at the end. I'd like to keep that info in that thread as Gene and others contributed alot of info that is not necessary to duplicate. On page 4 is a link to one of Gene's mills in action on you tube. I'll try to get more pictures posted on Gene's thread of my own mill later this week.


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## gene1605 (Feb 14, 2016)

BIG JAKE said:


> Mitch-I started here: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/small-bandsaw-mill.156857/
> 
> Like-BobL said, when the nutcase hacked the site most of the pictures were lost, but most details are there like the bearing types. I have many of the pictures from that thread and had intended on re-posting those with permission, but I can't insert them where they go. The best I could do is post them at the end. I'd like to keep that info in that thread as Gene and others contributed alot of info that is not necessary to duplicate. On page 4 is a link to one of Gene's mills in action on you tube. I'll try to get more pictures posted on Gene's thread of my own mill later this week.


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## gene1605 (Feb 14, 2016)

Big Jake, You have built a nice looking mill, makes Me proud, Jake I would like to have my bandsaw mill plans and pictures posted on this site, for everyone to use, but I don't know how, I will mail or email my plans and pictures to you or any one that will take care of it.

Gene


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## BIG JAKE (Feb 15, 2016)

gene1605 said:


> Big Jake, You have built a nice looking mill, makes Me proud, Jake I would like to have my bandsaw mill plans and pictures posted on this site, for everyone to use, but I don't know how, I will mail or email my plans and pictures to you or any one that will take care of it.
> 
> Gene


Sounds good Gene. PM me if you need my address or email they are still the same


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## gene1605 (Feb 17, 2016)

BIG JAKE said:


> Sounds good Gene. PM me if you need my address or email they are still the same



Jake I need a email address
Gene


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## BIG JAKE (Feb 21, 2016)

gene1605 said:


> Jake I need a email address
> Gene


Sent - check your inbox


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## gene1605 (Feb 26, 2016)

Mitch1001 said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> Just signed up to this forum with the intent of building a cost effective Homemade Bandsaw Mill but have been struggling to find an all-in-one location to glean information.
> So i would like to put a call out to all you folks on the forum that have plans, pictures, sketches, part numbers, web links (previous threads), Youtube videos, etc... that have something to do with making a homemade bandsaw mill and post it here on this thread with hope of create the ultimate resource for individuals building a homemade bandsaw mill.
> ...



Mitch, if you will send me your email address I will send the plans and pictures of my 24 in. mill

Gene 1605


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## Wagnerwerks (Mar 1, 2016)

gene1605 said:


> Mitch, if you will send me your email address I will send the plans and pictures of my 24 in. mill
> 
> Gene 1605


. Pm inbound.


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## Mitch1001 (Mar 1, 2016)

gene1605 said:


> Mitch, if you will send me your email address I will send the plans and pictures of my 24 in. mill
> 
> Gene 1605



gene, i sent you my email address via a conversation...not exactly familiar with this forums functions i'm assuming that is like a PM.

thanks again in advance for the plans


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