Home built bandsaw

[Al Smith]

Perhaps this has came up before,I don't know.I have been toying with the idea,of making a bandsaw mill,for several years.I have heard both sides of the arguement,pro and con.I visited a local pallet works,this week,that uses rubber tired resaws and pallet disassembley saws.These are commercialy made,and the owner has had excellent luck with them .I have a design in mind,that is a little bit of Bill Rakes,and a little bit of Pro cut[chainsaw mill],and a lot of Al Smith.I usually have a big project planned for the period of nasty weather.Last winter,I rebored and sleeved a McCulloch super pro 125,made some cabinets,and made the roll former in the picture.Has any one else,made a bandsaw mill,and what advice would you give?

 

[Crofter]

Al;

I got about 75% of the way to completion of a band saw about 5 yeaars ago and got stalled and eventually sold it on its trailer to someone who wanted to tinker. I dont know whether he finished it.
I picked up weight a little bit here and there and discovered it would need a powered travel for the saw. Brand names aare much easier to resale at a good price. not so with home jobs. If you have time on your hands go for it. Otherwise buy used and resell when your project is finished. If you do build, copy one brand exclusively. Dont try to incorporate all the good features of a dozen different ones. The clashes and the hedscratching to make everything mesh may get to you befor you get to it. I have the plans for the Pro Cut here. That is much shorter project. I may get around to that one day. Actually have collected most of the parts for it. PM if you wish.

Frank

 

[Jwoods]

Al,

You're more than welcome to come out to the farm and take pictures of my mill. It's the next step up from home-made, but follows the Bill Rakes design. A guy stopped in last night and took a few photos for himself. I am toying with making a bigger model of what I currently have. It's the small details that are overlooked most of the time. Tensioners, guides, alignment, etc.


Joe

 

[Al Smith]

Band mill

I'll take you up on that offer,when I ever get a day off.I plan on using a 34 Hp Wisconsin,and hydraulics.Where are you at,Van Wert?

 

[Jwoods]

34 HP Wisconsin? Yeah, that's enough. You could run a circle mill with that thing. I'm next to a town called Oakwood, north of Delphos about 15 miles on route 66.

 

[Al Smith]

I am going to do it

I have the tracks almost done.I used 4" heavy wall H beams,with 3" by 5",5/16" thick angle,for the cross members.I will use a rubber tired drive and 30 plus HP Wisconsin,for power.I drove up to see Joe Woods bandsaw mill today.Thanks again,Joe.It is a very well made machine,with a very interesting drive.A set of cast iron v-belt pulleys,are used,with a belt for the tire.Excellent example of "yankee ingenuity"

 

[glens]

The v-belt "tires" are the way Woodmizer has been doing it for better than 15 years that I know of.

I see you got an image posted okay today, Al.

Glen

 

[Al Smith]

Didn't know that

I just assumed[ got to watch that one],that Woodmizer used the shrunk on rubber or urethane type.Never too old to learn.

 

[Jwoods]

FWIW,

1. Al, you're more than welcome to come back and talk shop, take pictures etc., I enjoyed it. I'd like to get peruse your shop sometime as well. If you find a motor, let me know.

2. I looked into getting urethane v-belts for my mill. There is a company that sells urethane v-belt material by bulk roll, and also sells a end splicing heat gun so that the user can then manufacture any length v-belt they desire. I wore out my first set of standard belts fairly quickly. What happens sometimes is that when you want a B36, you end up with a B-36.5, or B36.75, or on the upper end of the manufacturing tolerance. When it is installed, there is always a leading gap, or wave just ahead of the contact area of the blade, i.e., it's too big for the pulley. leading to premature failure.

I figured that a B35 urethane would be the best of all worlds, once it was installed, which is also a problem with the standard v-belts, because of a lack of memory, and they are a real chore to put on.

When I asked the mill manufacturer, they stated that some V-Pulleys need to have the o.d. cut down in order for the urethane belts to work properly. Sometimes they ride down in the groove too far, and the belt makes metal-to-metal contact. Long story short, I'm going to stay with that standard rubber belts.

As well, if you use a water-based blade wash solution, the urethane gets very slippery, and will throw blades like no tomorrow.

Al stated he's going to use pneumatic tires and rims. I think this may be a better way.

Later,

Joe

 

[Al Smith]

Progress so far

I've got the track framework welded,and the transport axle attached.I will be side tracked a bit,because I am installing another set of booms on Toms truck,the one with the boom failure.I have to locate a junk escort,or like size,to get the wheels and spindles.Shouldn't be hard to find.I'll keep posting,from time to time,with the progress.Oh,about the urethane.This danged stuff,is tough,but is temperature sensitive. The seam closer,I made,for standing seam roofing, won't grip below about 50 degrees.The commercial made ones,have heated rollers,but cost several thousand bucks.All I have in mine is the price of a right angle drill.Ole Al is somewhat of a tight wad.