of all the videos of homemade bandmills, and trust me I've watched every single one on TH-cam, this is by far the most efficient, and functional design.
Joe Grosso thanks for the compliment. I watched a lot of videos too and did a lot of research before I designed and built this one. I have cut a lot of wood with it!
Thank you so much for the info, I cast aluminum wheels and Keyed hub today. Can you tell me what size pulleys you are using with your setup? Also, would this blade your using be good for cutting oak or other hard woods? Thanks Jeff.
+Jeff Nading My band wheels are 20inch and run at 945 rpm. that's 4974 surface feet per min. you can size your motor pulleys accordingly to get the surface feet you want.
Doug Young sorry I haven't replied I machined the wheels on a CNN machining center. They are from solid aluminum plate. I drew the machine on CAD but don't have plans.
I plan on a video for each step as I build the saw mill, If there not to long I'll make them all one video, or I guess I could shorten them to do the same.
Your mill is well thought out. Couple of questions: 1) you made your wheels, what is the thickness of aluminum you used and diameter of the wheels? 2) How did you machine them? 3) what is the orange coating on your wheels? Some type of rubber no doubt. 4) do your wheels have a slight crown in them for tracking?
2.0 wide. 20 inch in diameter. Yes there is a slight crown on the face. I believe I made it .015 higher in the center. The orange stuff is a urethane tire that is bonded on and very tight. They do sometimes need redone. Especially if I break a blade. Also machined them on a larger CNC vertical milling machine.
If you have that information I would accept and appreciate it, if not that is fine as well. Any information you can provide me for this build will truly be used an appreciated, thanks, Jeff.
+Jeff Nading I'll answer anything I can, sometimes it might take a bit, things can get busy. I'm building a solar kiln right now to dry my wood . I'll try to put together a video of that if I can.
That's a real nice setup you built there. I'm especially impressed by your bottle jack / hydraulic pump conversion. Did you pump the jack all the way out, then cut it off and weld on a cap or did you just weld the cylinder down in place? Did the welding cause any distortion in the pump? I hope to pick your brain in the future as I start planning my own build.
TBigLug cut the top off. pulled the shaft all the way up. cut it off and welded the top back on with a 1/8 pipe tap to put the oil to the ram . added oil and worked out the air. the pump is in the base so no problem with the pump after welding.
Excellent. Thanks Whistle3man, that is very helpful. I did fail to ask one other very important question. How much can you raise or lower the blade with one full turn of your handle?
looking to do a budget build then a big one all with this mans advice give him a thumbs up and subscribe to his channel we need people like him on youtube great workmanship and all around good guy.Lets prove the good guys dont finish last they just finish.
I agree very good job and well built... that could be your next bus building quality Mills... I get the first one...... how much..... thanks for the video....
Robert, I wouldn't know what to charge for one! It is an ongoing project. I give you any specs you need if you make one. I now have it in a building (made from rough cut) the winch for loading and turning is mounted on the wall. I have been sawing a lot lately. Trying to cut siding for my 100 + year old barn than needs new wood. That is why I built this in the first place. I have been doing some work on my band saw sharpening rig, I may build a new automatic machine for that.
AzDadOnFire I designed it to cut a 30 inch dia. log. I can cut up to a 36 inch dia. but everything has to be perfect. Straight log, no branch knots and so on.
Great build I love the detail I do have a question on your guides you said that you made them with 4140 steel did you harden them after you machined them or just run them the way they came out?
I'm about to build one myself using a 14hp twin engine, did you have to modify anything inside the engine to lay it on its side. to keep oil going in all the right places?
Thanks. I try to use the belt and suspenders approach. I have sawn a tremendous amount of wood with it and I really don't sell much. It's been a very useful tool.
when you say 3 roller guides do you mean 1 on top 1 on bottom and 1 behind?. if so they are used on a lot of mills and work fine. I chose to use 1 roller guides. the roller guide is slightly lower than the bottom of the saw wheel. so when under tension it pulls the blade tight to the bottom of the guide. works good for me and it is 4 less guides to worry about.
Can you tell me what blade you are using, length, pitch and kerf, width, where to buy and so on? Also the diameter of the pulleys. I sure like the design you came up with, am going to use a few of your ideas to build my own. Yours is by far the best design I have seen from a home built model. I plan on casting aluminum for some of the build to save a few coins. Thanks for posting all this information, I will do the same, Jeff.
+Jeff Nading I use wood master c Sharp blades 12 feet 4 long. I buy them from spectrum supply. You can google it. they are around 27-30$ a blade. The kurf is about .07 thou. the tooth pitch is 7/8 pitch. I would have to dig up a bill to be sure. Check out the website because you can vary the pitch according to the type of wood you cut. also it is a 1 1/4 wide blade.
Great job, very solid ideas incorporated into the saw. I'm in the process of building one and have most of the parts. I'm very interested in the right angle drive used to raise and lower the saw on the acme screws. Can you give specifics on a brand/model if possible. I plan on using a 1"-5 screw also. Thanks
that my friend is an excellent job. ..I'll be building one myself in a couple of months, hope it turns out as good as yours. we have a harbor freight in our town now, I might use an electric motor and put it inside my new pole barn. thanks for sharing. .
I'm getting prices on steel as we speak, Freight charges are killing me..😕 I'll check local prices in a couple of days. Internet is not the way to buy steel. .. Will keep in touch.😆
Amazing. I'm building a much smaller system. My next project is to make some blade guides. I see so many different ways to design them. I see some with bearings top and bottom and rear and some just one bearing positioned on top of the blade. Not decided on which way to go.
poochie49 just so you understand. Mine are above the blade but the bottom of the guide wheel is lower than the bottom of the 20 inch saw wheel. So when the blade is under tension it is pulled tight to the guide roller. Hope that makes sense. Good luck with you project
Robb403 I'm sure I have. Maybe not in lumber sold but certainly in lumber made and used around the farm. a lot of lumber has been going to reside an old post and beam Barn. So I saved a ton by cutting my own.
nice mill! Do you have any trouble out of your electric clutch? just wondering cause I'm thinking about putting one on mine and wonder if it would burn it up turning it on and off so much
Hi, I need you help me. My band saw cut along awry, shows superficial wavy. All the saw structure slices correctly and does not move but the blade does. Also sometimes the cross cuts like a pot. I dont know witch is the problem, if the blade tension is poor, the blade guide is failing or the problem is the blade (sharper teeth ot and other problems). I appreciate if you help me.
im not completly sure what you are describing but you must have a blade that is sharp with the teeth on the right and left be evenly sharp and equally set. you also need proper band tension as well.
ok, wich is exactly the presion number that you use. my Saw has motorbike wheels and the adjustement tension is mechanic. i Will do convertion that value. From Argentine thanks again.
ok, wich is exactly the presion number that you use. my Saw has motorbike wheels and the adjustement tension is mechanic. i Will do convertion that value. From Argentine thanks again.
I'm sure that I could not have bought one for what I have into this one. Granted I put in a lot of time and that I have not accounted for in $. 777strongcoffee's comment is true its about the fun of making it and see just how well,(or not) it works. this one is working great and I have some upgrades in the future and maybe a video of what I have been doing with the wood. Thanks for the comments
You mention you made your own wheels. Did you cast them yourself or modify something existing? Nice trick modifying a bottle jack for a static hydraulic tensioner!
Lawrence Withrow machined the wheels from solid 6061. designed them in cad first with the curved spokes just because it looked a bit like the old machinery.
Lawrence Withrow the marriage of the computer and machine tools is a wonderful thing. I'm old enough to have done everything manual. But there is no looking back.
George Batton I always center to the pith of the log. I measure up from the log bed and raise the low end of the log, so your cuts are all parallel to the logs center.
I designed the wheels in CAD and then machined them from solid 6061 aluminum. They are 2.0 thick with a crowned outside diameter. the OD also has a grooved outer surface. Then I used Dev-than 5 to bonded on the urethane tires. The curved spokes are just because i wanted them to look cool. Like some of the details that old time equipment might have.
Whistle3man where did you find aluminum that big around to make your wheels and what did that size stuff cost you and the next thing what's the chance of you making me a set of you still have access to the use of the CBC mill or do you own one yourself
of all the videos of homemade bandmills, and trust me I've watched every single one on TH-cam, this is by far the most efficient, and functional design.
Joe Grosso thanks for the compliment. I watched a lot of videos too and did a lot of research before I designed and built this one. I have cut a lot of wood with it!
hi there one of the best home made saws i have seen . very well made john
Thanks John. I've cut a ton of wood with it. I'm working on power feed for it now. I put up a little video when it's ready
I agree, one of the best homemade sawmills on youtube. Great Job!
Great mill like 👍
Thank you so much for the info, I cast aluminum wheels and Keyed hub today. Can you tell me what size pulleys you are using with your setup? Also, would this blade your using be good for cutting oak or other hard woods? Thanks Jeff.
yes its a good all purpose blade. pulley size I'll get for you. do you really want to know band speed?
+Jeff Nading My band wheels are 20inch and run at 945 rpm. that's 4974 surface feet per min. you can size your motor pulleys accordingly to get the surface feet you want.
Awesome
Best diy mill I've seen on the Tube of You. Spectacular set up. I'm very impressed. I'll be closely following your setup. Thank you, sir.
Thanks. I cut 750 board feet on it Saturday. if you need to see anything in particular to help the build let me know
Will do. Thanks.
not much profit in lumber. i cut mostly for my own use. i do sell some enough for blades and gas
Sure wish u would share more detailed plans. I build best following plans. Also, u said band wheels were home made. Could u expand on that.
Doug Young sorry I haven't replied
I machined the wheels on a CNN machining center. They are from solid aluminum plate. I drew the machine on CAD but don't have plans.
Fantastic
Thanks
I plan on a video for each step as I build the saw mill, If there not to long I'll make them all one video, or I guess I could shorten them to do the same.
Your mill is well thought out. Couple of questions: 1) you made your wheels, what is the thickness of aluminum you used and diameter of the wheels? 2) How did you machine them? 3) what is the orange coating on your wheels? Some type of rubber no doubt. 4) do your wheels have a slight crown in them for tracking?
2.0 wide. 20 inch in diameter. Yes there is a slight crown on the face. I believe I made it .015 higher in the center. The orange stuff is a urethane tire that is bonded on and very tight. They do sometimes need redone. Especially if I break a blade. Also machined them on a larger CNC vertical milling machine.
Also the wheels can be adjusted for tracking also.
Always amazed by Everyone’s Talent that make Homemade sawmills !!!!
Thanks. I'm working on a power feed system for the mill now.
Nice build. Looks like a very sturdy saw with good features.
If you have that information I would accept and appreciate it, if not that is fine as well. Any information you can provide me for this build will truly be used an appreciated, thanks, Jeff.
+Jeff Nading I'll answer anything I can, sometimes it might take a bit, things can get busy. I'm building a solar kiln right now to dry my wood . I'll try to put together a video of that if I can.
Well done and well explained....Very similiar to my build ...Good job.
Thanks. Do you have an videos of your mill here on youtube. If you do I would like to check it out.
That's a real nice setup you built there. I'm especially impressed by your bottle jack / hydraulic pump conversion. Did you pump the jack all the way out, then cut it off and weld on a cap or did you just weld the cylinder down in place? Did the welding cause any distortion in the pump? I hope to pick your brain in the future as I start planning my own build.
TBigLug cut the top off. pulled the shaft all the way up. cut it off and welded the top back on with a 1/8 pipe tap to put the oil to the ram . added oil and worked out the air. the pump is in the base so no problem with the pump after welding.
Cool, I plan on doing the same after the my saw mill is finished.
Excellent. Thanks Whistle3man, that is very helpful. I did fail to ask one other very important question. How much can you raise or lower the blade with one full turn of your handle?
1 inch 5 TPI screws so 1 turn equals .2 of an inch. Or 5 turns to I inch.
looking to do a budget build then a big one all with this mans advice give him a thumbs up and subscribe to his channel we need people like him on youtube great workmanship and all around good guy.Lets prove the good guys dont finish last they just finish.
thanks for the compliment and sorry for not getting back sooner
I agree very good job and well built... that could be your next bus building quality Mills... I get the first one...... how much..... thanks for the video....
Robert, I wouldn't know what to charge for one! It is an ongoing project. I give you any specs you need if you make one.
I now have it in a building (made from rough cut) the winch for loading and turning is mounted on the wall. I have been sawing a lot lately. Trying to cut siding for my 100 + year old barn than needs new wood. That is why I built this in the first place. I have been doing some work on my band saw sharpening rig, I may build a new automatic machine for that.
What's the widest log you can cut?
AzDadOnFire I designed it to cut a 30 inch dia. log. I can cut up to a 36 inch dia. but everything has to be perfect. Straight log, no branch knots and so on.
Great build I love the detail I do have a question on your guides you said that you made them with 4140 steel did you harden them after you machined them or just run them the way they came out?
It was pre hard 28-32 rc. Holds up great nice to machine. They have been running for years now with no issues.
I'm about to build one myself using a 14hp twin engine, did you have to modify anything inside the engine to lay it on its side. to keep oil going in all the right places?
Jonathan McMillen you have to use a horizontal shaft engine.
great job!!!!!!!! how much would you make a set of wheels for?
I don't think I could make a set for you.
@@whistle3man why not man? I got money😊
It would be totally awesome to build something like that.
But I would be $hitting my pants the first time that I ran it! LOL
richie4ohio it might be a little scary at first. But I did make sure I had the blade guarded. I have had them brake and its not fun!
that thing is built like a tank. very nice!
Thanks. I try to use the belt and suspenders approach. I have sawn a tremendous amount of wood with it and I really don't sell much. It's been a very useful tool.
2016. You are a great builder. Well planed. BEST on TH-cam I have seen. FIRST PRIZE Category. ONE SMALL THING .. 3 roller guides.. YEA or NEY?
when you say 3 roller guides do you mean 1 on top 1 on bottom and 1 behind?. if so they are used on a lot of mills and work fine. I chose to use 1 roller guides. the roller guide is slightly lower than the bottom of the saw wheel. so when under tension it pulls the blade tight to the bottom of the guide. works good for me and it is 4 less guides to worry about.
YES that's it. Thanks. YEA on THREE.have a great day.
Ok, this will help, thank you.
👍
I would very much like to have a pattern of your wheels ; they look professional and mastered crafted
I machined them from solid aluminum plate stock. I could get you some info on them. Not sure how much detail you want.
Can you tell me what blade you are using, length, pitch and kerf, width, where to buy and so on? Also the diameter of the pulleys. I sure like the design you came up with, am going to use a few of your ideas to build my own. Yours is by far the best design I have seen from a home built model. I plan on casting aluminum for some of the build to save a few coins. Thanks for posting all this information, I will do the same, Jeff.
thanks for the compliments I'll get you all the info you asked for
Jeff I just watched your Tesla coil vid. awesome. I made 1 years ago. it was 5 feet tall and was supplied with 12k volts on the primary
Thanks, I plan to up the voltage on my coil as well. Going to build this saw mill first though. I have orders already.
Looking foreword to the info thanks.
+Jeff Nading I use wood master c Sharp blades 12 feet 4 long. I buy them from spectrum supply. You can google it. they are around 27-30$ a blade. The kurf is about .07 thou. the tooth pitch is 7/8 pitch. I would have to dig up a bill to be sure. Check out the website because you can vary the pitch according to the type of wood you cut. also it is a 1 1/4 wide blade.
Great job, very solid ideas incorporated into the saw. I'm in the process of building one and have most of the parts. I'm very interested in the right angle drive used to raise and lower the saw on the acme screws. Can you give specifics on a brand/model if possible. I plan on using a 1"-5 screw also. Thanks
I'll check to see if there is a name on it. I found it in the scrap heap. Brand new
It's a Boston gear. There is a number stamped in the side. EV3503. There is also another number it looks like...?a1521. Hope that helps
that my friend is an excellent job. ..I'll be building one myself in a couple of months, hope it turns out as good as yours. we have a harbor freight in our town now, I might use an electric motor and put it inside my new pole barn. thanks for sharing. .
glenn underwood electric motor would be nice and quiet. I have since put mine in a building. that I have in another video on youtube
I'm getting prices on steel as we speak,
Freight charges are killing me..😕
I'll check local prices in a couple of days.
Internet is not the way to buy steel. ..
Will keep in touch.😆
glenn underwood I was able to buy a lot of steel from a local scrap yard. So I had to buy new but Check some salvage yards. Good luck
Amazing. I'm building a much smaller system. My next project is to make some blade guides. I see so many different ways to design them. I see some with bearings top and bottom and rear and some just one bearing positioned on top of the blade. Not decided on which way to go.
poochie49 just so you understand. Mine are above the blade but the bottom of the guide wheel is lower than the bottom of the 20 inch saw wheel. So when the blade is under tension it is pulled tight to the guide roller. Hope that makes sense. Good luck with you project
It's a beautiful machine. Do you feel like you will be able to recover your investment?
Robb403 I'm sure I have. Maybe not in lumber sold but certainly in lumber made and used around the farm. a lot of lumber has been going to reside an old post and beam Barn. So I saved a ton by cutting my own.
nice mill! Do you have any trouble out of your electric clutch? just wondering cause I'm thinking about putting one on mine and wonder if it would burn it up turning it on and off so much
J B clutch is holding up very well. I have been using that set up for at least a few years with no problems.
Nice, I have been wondering why one couldn't be used myself.
Hi, I need you help me.
My band saw cut along awry, shows superficial wavy.
All the saw structure slices correctly and does not move but the blade does.
Also sometimes the cross cuts like a pot.
I dont know witch is the problem, if the blade tension is poor, the blade guide is failing or the problem is the blade (sharper teeth ot and other problems).
I appreciate if you help me.
im not completly sure what you are describing but you must have a blade that is sharp with the teeth on the right and left be evenly sharp and equally set. you also need proper band tension as well.
Thank for your attention. Now, wich do you think is the proper tension, how can i measure It?
my setup is hydraulic so i use a pressure gauge to set my blade tension
ok, wich is exactly the presion number that you use. my Saw has motorbike wheels and the adjustement tension is mechanic. i Will do convertion that value.
From Argentine thanks again.
ok, wich is exactly the presion number that you use. my Saw has motorbike wheels and the adjustement tension is mechanic. i Will do convertion that value.
From Argentine thanks again.
This is so well built when you figure all you've got into this would it have been less expensive to just purchase one? Just curious.
From my experience, you could buy one. But that's just not nearly as fun as making it.
I'm sure that I could not have bought one for what I have into this one. Granted I put in a lot of time and that I have not accounted for in $. 777strongcoffee's comment is true its about the fun of making it and see just how well,(or not) it works. this one is working great and I have some upgrades in the future and maybe a video of what I have been doing with the wood. Thanks for the comments
You mention you made your own wheels. Did you cast them yourself or modify something existing? Nice trick modifying a bottle jack for a static hydraulic tensioner!
Lawrence Withrow machined the wheels from solid 6061. designed them in cad first with the curved spokes just because it looked a bit like the old machinery.
Really classy. They look strong enough to survive a war! Someday this old dog is going to have to learn some new tricks like CAD/CAM.
Lawrence Withrow the marriage of the computer and machine tools is a wonderful thing. I'm old enough to have done everything manual. But there is no looking back.
excellent machine...about how much you expend money wise ...and time..to build this sawmill.
Fred Martinez it's hard to say how much money I have in it. Maybe 2 thousand tops. not sure of the time. It is an ongoing project.
Thank you for your comment.
Coolest wheels ever
Thanks. I designed and machined them like that because it's like machines of the old days when they did that kind of cool craftsmanship.
I do not think you can buy a better saw than what you have made
thanks!!
Anyway, nice job.
excelent job!! what do you use to lubricate de saw? whater? thanks!!
Mariano Dominguez I use a little kerosene. If the Wood is dry then I don't use any lube.
great, thanks
Beautiful. You sir are a craftsman. Thanks for sharing.
PressedEarth thanks for the kind words.
how do you cut the first piece to be perfectly level?
George Batton I always center to the pith of the log. I measure up from the log bed and raise the low end of the log, so your cuts are all parallel to the logs center.
Solid.
Good job on your mill love it
Leroy Adkins thank you
kong piseth
thanks. i think
Awesome job.
RGilbert xIx thanks
How did you make the blade wheels?
I designed the wheels in CAD and then machined them from solid 6061 aluminum. They are 2.0 thick with a crowned outside diameter. the OD also has a grooved outer surface. Then I used Dev-than 5 to bonded on the urethane tires. The curved spokes are just because i wanted them to look cool. Like some of the details that old time equipment might have.
+whistle3man you did a marvelous job on the design of these wheels.
+spartaeus I machined them on a CNC machining center.
+whistle3man Thanks, put a video of your work when you get some time.
Whistle3man where did you find aluminum that big around to make your wheels and what did that size stuff cost you and the next thing what's the chance of you making me a set of you still have access to the use of the CBC mill or do you own one yourself
If your camera work were better I might agree with others