Revised Mini-Mill

[820wards]

After building my fist mini-mill and using it, I found improvements that I would make it easier to use and safer to operate.

I will describe my process for building the mill. I tried not to use any special tools other that my metal lathe for one piece. I will also try to give you dimensions as I describe the parts. Here we go... jerry-


Here are all the pieces for the mill cut to size.
Rails are 2 x 4 x 1/8"wall steel tubing.
Al-thread is 1/2-13NC 12" long w/lock-washers and nuts
Bar mount is 1-1/2" x 2" x 1/2" thick stock

Main rails are scribed 1-1/2" from bottom, 3-1/2" off center.

Main rails for 1/2" All-thread

Bar mount is drilled/tapped for 5/16-18NC.
Drilled 1" on center.
Bolts are auto body mount bolts w/attached lock type washers.

Before I drilled the holes for the All-Thread, I tack welded the two main rails at each end. By doing this it kept the drilled holes perfectly aligned. After drilling I used my 14" disk grinder to remove the tack welds.

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[820wards]

Post 2

Post 2 continued

This pictures me drilling both rails simultaneously.

Getting ready to start assembly

Here I have adjusted the rails to fit my rail board guide.

This picture shows that I have drilled the 1/2" holes 1-1/4" from the bottom of the rail. This is so my 3/4" angle mounted to my rail board does not touch the bolts when the mill is sliding across the board.

After drilling and taping the bar mount plate, I have drilled 5/16" holes in the rail to make it easier to locate and then weld the bar plate to the rail.

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Post 3

Here is the bar plate positioned on the rail.

You can see the locking style bolts I used for the bar mounting plate.

Bar plate welded.
Note: when welding the bar plate to the rail, clamp the rail down to your welding table. The rail will want to warp with the concentrated heat on the center of the rail. I forgot and it wasn't fun correction my problem. I know better...

Here I have made a drilling guide for when I drilled my bar to attach it to the mill. 1" on center and I used a 5/16" drill.

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Post 4

Here is the mounting bracket for the throttle handle. It is made from a piece of 1" angle iron, a piece of thin wall stainless steel and part of the neighbor kids old bicycle handle bars. I'm taking after BobL....

Here I have drilled and mounted the handle with 1/4-20 bolts and nylock nuts.

Here is the mill assembly starting to look like a mill.

Throttle Assembly on Saw
Here is the start of the throttle assembly mounted on my Husky saw. This shot shows the swing are that will operate the saw throttle trigger.

This shot is the opposite side of the assembly. It is all made from aluminum. Before my final assembly I lined the area on the inside that would touch the plastic handle. There is no metal to plastic contact that could wear a hole in the handle.

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[820wards]

Post 5

Starting On the throttle cable assembly.
Here is one part I made on my lathe. I made it to fit the throttle cable end. after machining it round I installed my 4-jaw chuck and machined a flat side to make welding easier.

Here the sleeve has the cable installed. You can see the flat side I milled. It could be done with a grinder or file.

Here the sleeve is welded to the mounting plate. This is all steel and I have counter sunk the mounting screw hole for clearance.

Here is the bolt I drilled and taped for a 1/4-20 threads.

The sleeve welded to plate is mounted on bracket.

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[DRB]

Nice Fab work 820. opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[820wards]

Post 6

Here is the throttle bolt with the 1/4-20 bolt. Easier done with a lathe, but could be done with a hand drill or press.

Here you can see the throttle bolt cut to proper length. I used a piece of electrical shrink tube that has the sealer on the inside that literally glues itself to the what ever it is shrunk onto.

I ended up rotating the cable pivot mount around to give the cable a straight shot at the sleeve end. It works real smooth.

On this throttle handle I have re-shaped the handle with more radius. Go slow or you can break the aluminum cast handle.

 

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Post 7

Throttle assembly with handle, ready for attaching to mill handle.

Assembled mill ready for attaching saw. Note how the handles are not equal length and also rotated on the far handle. I built the mill to be operated on the non-blade side of the log. When operating my right hand is farther back making it comfortable to operate.

I installed a compression spring on the linkage to be sure I get full return when I release the handle.

I also machined and welded a tube end bung for mounting a bracket I will make for holding a chip/dust deflector. I will work on that tomorrow and post a picture of how I made that part. Bung is drilled and taped for a 5/16-16NC bolt.

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[820wards]

Post 8

Here the mill is final assembled sitting on my guide rail board. Once I get the dust/chip deflector made it will be ready for milling. I have a test log I got from a neighbor, only problem is we're going to be getting rain for the next 3-4 days. Bummer.... :-(

Hope you all like my rendition of a mini-mill?

jerry-

 

[820wards]

Nice Fab work 820. opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

Thanks DRB, I like building things.

jerry-

 

[Brmorgan]

Lookin pretty sweet, especially your throttle rig. Just wondering though, you planning on milling with the topside of the bar or is the saw just like that for show right now?

 

[john taliaferro]

this needs to be sticked nice work Jerry. John t

 

[cowboyvet]

Great work and thanks for the great step by step. I have only used the Alaskan style so far but I'm looking into building a mini soon to compliment it. I have a couple questions. What is the longest bar you can get away with? Second, is there any thoughts about setting it up so it could cut at 45 deg instead of 90 deg to make it cut easier? Many of the logs I mill are located where it is hard/imposible to roll them and some are to big for my current 36" cut so the mini would only be used to narrow the sides for me.

 

[820wards]

Lookin pretty sweet, especially your throttle rig. Just wondering though, you planning on milling with the topside of the bar or is the saw just like that for show right now?

Brad, Thanks

I am planning to mill using the top side of the bar. If I ever decide I want to mill in the opposite direction and use the bottom of the bar, the throttle linkage will work.

I'm headed out to the shop this morning to start on the dust/chip deflector. When I used my first mini-mill turned around so the top of the bar was facing me, I looked like a snowman covered in sawdust after making one pass. So I turned the saw around, cutting with the top of the bar and didn't get as much dust in my face and all over me.

When I looked at the oiling of the chain for this saw, it oils the top of the chain going towards the tip of the bar which is what most all saw do. So I set this mill up for top of the bar milling. I didn't experience any problems with the saw wanting to rise on me while milling. I hope to use it next week after the rain stops.

jerry-

 

[820wards]

this needs to be sticked nice work Jerry. John t

Thanks

Wait till BobL see's what attachment I have in store for this mill. Bells and whistles Bob....

jerry-

 

[willbarryrec]

Wow!

Nice job mang!

Posts like this are what make this great site even greater!

 

[mtngun]

Thanks for the detailed fab pics, Jerry. Pretty fancy !

 

[820wards]

Great work and thanks for the great step by step.

Thanks, I wanted to build it so that anyone with some basic tools could build the mill. Granite, the throttle linkage piece is specific to my saw, but could be adapted to most any saw.

I have only used the Alaskan style so far but I'm looking into building a mini soon to compliment it.

I built this mill for the same reason. Side trimming logs or making lumber and beams. I need to get a piece of 3/16" thick aluminum plate so I can make an attachment that would allow me to quarter saw or just make thinner boards from smaller logs.

I have a couple questions. What is the longest bar you can get away with?

I think you are only limited to what your specific saw can handle. My saw has a 20" bar. Maybe someone on the list has used a mini-mill with longer bars could let us know. I think the longest bar I would use on my Husky 365 Special would be 24" bar.

Second, is there any thoughts about setting it up so it could cut at 45 deg instead of 90 deg to make it cut easier? Many of the logs I mill are located where it is hard/impossible to roll them and some are to big for my current 36" cut so the mini would only be used to narrow the sides for me.

I have seen mini-mills used at 30-45 degrees. When I get the metal I need for quarter sawing or thinner lumber milling, I'm planning to set the log at an angle, I'm sure it will be much easier to mill with the weight supported at an angle vs 90deg. It will also be safer to operate working on the opposite side of the log. No chain issue.

jerry-

 

[820wards]

Thanks for the detailed fab pics, Jerry. Pretty fancy !

Thanks, I think it took me longer to make the throttle piece than the actual mill/parts. I do hope the pictures help anyone considering building a mini-type-mill. I know seeing pictures on this list helped me with ideas to build my big Alaskan style mill.

jerry-

 

[BobL]

Thanks

Wait till BobL see's what attachment I have in store for this mill. Bells and whistles Bob....

jerry-

opcorn: