small bandsaw mill

[parttime]

I was sure hoping to see some detailed plans, this would be an awesome project to build.:msp_sad:

 

[rarefish383]

bump

 

[TMAR]

Video of one of Gene's mills

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBX4Kl8ibRM&feature=player_detailpage

 

[parttime]

that's just about as neat as ever I saw. I have to build one. thanks for posting the video.

 

[mikeb1079]

hey gene, will you post a close up pic of how you attached the hand winch to the extension rod? the design i came up with leaves a bit to be desired...

 

[gene1605]

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[dookanooka]

hi Gene, thanks so much for passing on your knowledge with this, it's very inspiring. I have a request and 3 questions I hope you'll answer for us all. Could you take a picture behind the wheel to see how the belt works? Questions are, is there a centrifugal clutch somewhere, what's the diameter of the pulleys and what size is the carriage tubing, it looks pretty chunky?

 

[betterbuilt]

[video=youtube;CBX4Kl8ibRM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBX4Kl8ibRM&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

Nice.

 

[mikeb1079]

thanks gene. that's the way i figured you set it up. my mistake was that i had the cable winding up around a pulley. problem is that it never winds up the same way twice. thus one side of the mill is higher or lower than the other. i redid my mill to copy yours.

just an fyi for you guys that are wanting to build one of these. i've tried to take gene's design and add my own ideas and while it's been fun it's wasted alot of my time. gene has a good design and my one piece of hard earned advice is to simply copy gene's setup. unless you're very mechanically inclined and/or like to putter, it's way easier to build a proven mill than to reinvent the wheel.
thanks again gene, and i'll post some pics of my progress soon...

 

[parttime]

mike, did gene send you a set of his plans to go by? or did you work from just the pictures? thanks

 

[mikeb1079]

mike, did gene send you a set of his plans to go by? or did you work from just the pictures?

just pics.

 

[mikeb1079]

so i started out with a modified version of genes mill, basically making a four post version of his build. then i found some used woodmizer wheels on craigslist so i switched from using trailer tires to the actual bandsaw wheels. here's where im at right now...

the driven pulley is on the right side, i'm waiting on a sd bearing to adapt the 1" jackshaft to the other woodmizer wheel (not shown). i also need a nut to keep the clutch on the motor shaft. that's the gas tank on the back bracket, still need some gas line to the motor (16 hp briggs) i did still use gene's design for the raise/lower function. works well. just thought i'd share my progress...

 

[parttime]

wow mike, looks like your about ready to saw. thanks for the updates.

 

[mikeb1079]

so i got some time to work on the track this weekend. it's 2x6 steel for the rails and 2x4 for the cross pieces. was curious if my little chop saw would be able to cut it, but she did just fine. was a little fussy setting up everything square plumb and level but i think it turned out pretty good! i spaced it so that i'll have angle iron tacked to the bed at 28 1/2" on center, then the mill carriage will ride on the edge of the angle iron. also gonna weld a tongue and put an axle under the frame. it's damn heavy. oh, also gonna add 6 jacks for stabilizing/leveling. cheers
mb

getting set up:

all the cross members tacked:

not perfect but plenty close for me:

 

[mikeb1079]

so i got some more time to work on the mill this weekend. tacked the angle iron to the main track. got the v groove wheels mounted (although they need some fine tuning), got the saw head up on the track, and started on the making the frame for the guards as well as the setup for the guide bearings.

here's the adjustable guide bearing setup, the other side will be fixed. i just need to drill and tap the sliding piece (which will replace the quick clamp) to bolt onto the guide assembly that my buddy made for me.

it's tough to see in the pic but the bearings are mounted off center on a shaft so that when you turn the center shaft you can adjust the bearings up or down (or in the case of the rear bearing in or out) i think they're gonna work really well. the drive pulley is still not true to the shaft so i've got to work some more on that. it's imparting too much vibration to the saw. can't wait to cut some lumber....

 

[TMAR]

Thank you Gene!

My new Mill- almost completed...

 

[TMAR]

...A few more

 

[parttime]

Tmar, your looking good. won't be long now.

 

[mikeb1079]

sweet! i didn't know someone else was making a gene inspired mill. nice work! looks like you also used garage door opener rollers for the winch pulleys. nice.

 

[joeblacky]

i dont suppose anyone would be able to suggest some good wheels to use for running along the rails? im having trouble finding any decent ones