#42 Sawmill Build for Our Off Grid Building, DIY, Homemade. 

Thank you for your kind comments. The purpose of our video channel is to share experiences and problem solving in chasing our dreams. If we can inform or inspire others to chase their dreams then the videos are a success. I am glad you found something useful here. Thank you for watching.

Thank you for the kind comments. There is definitely more steel in this machine than it needs but is the result of using stuff from the scrap pile vs. buying. But machines like to be heavy. I feel the weight smooths out vibration and ended a successful project. Thank You for watching!

Thanks Lance! You’re just running behind in videos. You can jump ahead to this video…or go through the build. #59 Home made sawmill making sawdust off grid on Spencers-Mountain ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pKGz-2iqcTY.html

Thank you! There are several more videos on the build and subsequent use of the saw. Thank you for watching.

Thanks for watching our video. Although I do try to put a little extra effort into fit and finish this machine is after all an implement. There are indeed easier ways to build a sawmill...but this is the path I chose. Thanks again for watching.

Glad to hear you found some value in my video. Hopefully you found the several other videos that complete the build. Fortunately there are many sawmill videos with ideas to keep a project inside of cost and capability. Good luck on your build and share your decisions. Thank you for watching.

Thank you for taking the time to comment and thank you for watching!

Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for watching!

Thanks for the kind comments. This is exactly what I had hoped to provide as I documented my build and to pay forward the ideas and knowledge taken from other videos. There are many ways to build a sawmill and this is a single example. It is all about sharing ideas. Thank you for watching.

Thank you for watching our video and leaving a comment. Much as I like building machines...we have a lot of stuff to do on our off grid build. The saw will definitely help out. I do enjoy putting quality in my work but there was also a bit of get-ur-done pushing this project along.

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Really appreciate you stopping by.

Cool story! My father-in-law worked for Otis installing elevators and dumb waiters. Thanks for watching!

Thank you! A great part of this project was using surplus parts I had collected over many years. I worked in places that often trashed parts and tools. I learned to mine these discarded treasures. I had considered using automotive spindles, but already had bearings, and other parts for my path. Cost was not an issue since many costly parts were free salvage from scrap bins. As a machinist, I have recognized heavy machines have a benefit to resisting the power, flex and vibration inherent to a cutting machine. In my case the saw will be stationary and extra strength from weight benefits blade tracking under power and absorbing vibration. Thanks for watching.

Take a video...love to see you build your saw! Thanks for watching!

Thank you. The band wheel adjustment is just my version of metal cutting horizontal saws I used over the years. Consider the wheel bearings on a car or trailer axle. Very similar in form and function to my application. I did look at load and the bearings used are massive overkill. But I was more concerned about axle flex. The 1-1/2” stainless bar I used has very low flex and the bearings were free salvage headed to trash. This build came largely from having an accumulation of usable parts and buying property with a lot of trees. Thank you for the comment and for watching my video.

@@SpencersMountain Thanks for your response . In France , I am about to start mine . I will used scrap metal i have and I am intending to use 40 mm axle slightly bigger than yours with 53 cm pulleys coming from a combine. Should be ok.

@@philippelegrand7992 Very cool! Looking forward to the video!

Don’t know much about clock towers, but I did a few years fabricating parts for early to mid 1900 hand built car restoration. Thanks for watching!

Thanks so much! The bench grinder was a solution to rough cutting from a plasma torch, a few people told me I was too fussy. Turns out it was not a lot of work making the cart or doing the grinding and it produced nice accurate results. The surface the carriage rolls on directly impacts the cut results. Yes, my machine is very similar to Woodland in first appearance. But there are many sawmills that use similar features. I did not invent anything in this build (I don't think?) My saw is very different in the band wheels bearings and adjustment because I was stubborn to use parts I had laying around. Thank you for the comment and thank you for watching our video.

Thank you for watching my video! The saw band wheels are 18.75" ( 18-3/4" ) diameter and purchased from www.surpluscenter.com. You will need the correct split shaft adapters to match your build. They also have finished bore sizes if you can use those. They have decent prices on their parts and sell a lot of DIY parts. The saw bands are Woodmizer 158" long 1-1/4' x 7/8" tooth pitch. Blades are available from many places and lengths according to what you need...and can be custom welded to length. Let me know if you need anything else, glad to help out.

@@SpencersMountain We’re a lot alike the way we think when creating things. Love the bench grinder setup on the rails! I’m probably gonna get a motor cycle Jack-stand for the slope correction on centering the log… Did you make the “shape” of the adjustable blade guide wheel arm ( with detents ) or buy it? Did you calculate your blade cutting speed, what’s the ideal speed for the bade you’re using? What source are you using for v- belts? Have you seen these? timberwolfbandmillblades.com/Band-Mill-Urethane-V-Belt.php …don’t forget to add cable sweeps to clean out your carriage roller wheels 🖖😁

@@MrTrekFanDan The movable guide arm is 1-1/4 square bar with two corners milled off. In this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-F9M452w4VvI.html The blade speed is calculated. The HP of your engine dictates what Surface Speed per Minute (SFPM) you can run a blade. Seems 5000 SFPM is idea if you have the HP. Lower SFPM can be geared into you system for lower HP. Cook Saws has a blog on their website that covers this concept. I used an online pulley calculator to figure the speed of my pulley system considering 3500 rpm of my engine. The v-belt on my idle pulley is a standard fractional HP belt since it is only a "tire". The poly belts are used by Woodland and other saws for the idle pulley. Saw on a forum that not many were impressed and went back to cheaper v-belts. I will have to try one for myself. The drive side is a BX notched belt since they handle higher engine output and accept the reverse bend at the tensioner on my machine. The cable sweeps are on the finish item list...have the parts just didn't get them installed in all the excitement...the wheels have packed up with sawdust. In my wheel grooves there is a crown giving a place for the sawdust to be pushed out...we will see how it holds up since the wheels ride on two outside edges of the angle iron track.

@@SpencersMountain Thank you sir

The leveling cap screws are fine thread 3/4” drilled through for the fine thread 1/2” cap screws. Thank you for the comment and thank you for watching.

The blade is 1-1/4 wide x 158” length. Blade length is a consideration for the maximum width you would realistically cut. The band wheels are 18.75” diameter. Thanks for watching. Whole build series Homemade DIY Sawmill Build ru-vid.com/group/PLqbvRJ6oY7GQpE3smgtqQbJG2fqIGTyTz

Glad you found the video interesting. The band wheels are 18-3/4” outside diameter. These “wheels” are usually identified as “sheaves”. These sheaves use “B” belts. The wheels or sheaves I used have a tapered center hole and use a tapered collet for 1-1/2” shaft. The collets allow different size shaft to fit the sheaves. surpluscenter.com has been a good source. Beware that people sell “kit” simply reselling parts at an elevated cost. Here is a playlist for my sawmill videos, thanks for watching! Homemade DIY Sawmill Build ru-vid.com/group/PLqbvRJ6oY7GQpE3smgtqQbJG2fqIGTyTz

@@SpencersMountain Thank you for your reply. That's the size I was thinking they'd be. I want to build one and I was thinking of 15.75" sheaves with a 0.042x158" to fit wider logs but I think the 15.75 sheaves will create more stress on the blade and it could brake more often. I'll probably order from surpluscenter even though I'm not from the USA. I have 1 1/2" axles so that's what I'm going to use. I have some logs to mill and I have a sawmill kinda close to me but the logistics to take them there is quite complicated so I decided to build my own sawmill. I like to build things so I diceded to give it a go. I've started to collect parts but it's difficult to find good priced sheaves in Europe.

@@arqhist maybe check for older industrial machines. Wheels from a retired metal cutting saw would work very well. Have seen successful saws using automotive or motorcycle wheels/ tires. I agree that 15.75” would put greater stress on blades but have seen successful saws with wheels that size. Just requires closer watch of blade gullets for stress cracks. Wish you the best of luck collecting parts and building your sawmill.

@@SpencersMountain I have searched for old machines and parts but I couldn't find anything suitable.I thought that I could use a 0.035 blade. Being thinner, bends better to the wheels. I'll probably go with the 18.75. The biggest log I have is around 40" I think I'll decide from that. Thank you for the information and for your time.

@@arqhist you mentioned 158” blades. That is the length blades I use. My saw will only take a 28-30” diameter log. You will most likely need a longer blade length. At least 20” longer. 40” logs are some ambitious weight to move and roll on the saw bed. Keep safe and good luck with your build. Hope you make a video!

The cost on this build was severely reduced with restoring an old engine from a lawn tractor. Scrap steel from years of accumulation and low cost steel from a pallet rack salvage. My experience welding and machining metal greatly reduced cost, although the project could be done with simple tools. I may have been around $1200 to $1500 with blades. The main thing here is what the saw can do to replace the cost. Filling your needs for lumber or custom cutting has value and return on your investment. It can come down to building or cutting or having someone else do the work. All depends on what you need back when everything is done. There is great reward in accomplishment alone. Thanks for watching.

@@SpencersMountain Thank you for your reply. I have a 120 acre farm that is roughly ½&½ pasture to timberland. Some of the trees are 30-36" if I buy the saw I need it will cost me around $20,000. I strongly believe I can build what I need for much less while having it fill my exact needs. I dont have any machining abilities but I can weld. With your permission I'd like to show the machinist your video/s to help explain what I need him to fabricate. I feel what you've built will suit my needs perfectly? Thank you again.

@@americanhottopics7373 thank you for asking but my videos an content are public knowledge so no permission is required. It may be hard to tell but many of my parts are smaller pieces welded together to get a more complex shape. After smoothing off a weld and rounding some corners, some fancy shapes can be made. A good drill press can help with straight holes. The bearing plate tilt adjusting bolts would be best center drilled in a lathe but a drill press could do the job with careful vise setup. A small angle grinder takes care of cutting and grinding. Good luck with your build. Take a look at this guys build series his saw is made for large logs. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9fyUMNAjVas.html

The "tire" is just a standard vee belt that fits the band wheel sheave. My belt had to be pried on and is a tight for. Others use a loose fitting vee belt claiming saw dust self cleans out of the belt. There are also polyurethane belts made for this purpose (e.g. Timberwolf). I have seen mixed reviews on poly belts. Hope that helps. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.

Thank you! The engine is a 1980's Kohler KT17. That is 17HP. Probably have to derate about 1HP for altitude. I used information found on the Cook Saw website that describes Surface Feet Per Minute SFPM, blade size an Horsepower to determine my gearing for the sawmill. I was fortunate enough to have an engine (although in rough external condition) suitable for this project and built basically around that engine.

This saw was built to use an old engine and scrap steel around the shop. There are too many production saws out in the market already. Competition in that market would be difficult. I would also most likely change a number of things such as solid band wheels and drive. This saw works great, there is always improvements that can be make.

Thank you for watching our video and taking the time to comment. Years back, I did build my own CNC plasma cutting table that could cut. up to 3/4" steel. I guess it would be pretty easy to install some servo motors. But is really fun to push the saw by hand...gets really boring waiting on CNC machines to finish working. That leaves cranking the saw head up and down...which is pretty easy also. Guess that would leave a controlled log roller and computer AI to figure out maximum yield and a log loader...then I would not have anything to do but build with the lumber it throws out. Seriously, thanks for watching.

@@SpencersMountain ))Ok

re "CNC": yes but that's all layered "bolt-on" engineering sugar which happens after the real work completes. What you see here is a case study (if not informal lecture) in true engineering: design from available and economical resources, managing the tradeoffs those constraints impose, while still optimizing the outcome.

@@uhmgawa1435...wow, you are a word engineer! Thanks for watching!

I dressed the wheel once. It stayed in good condition for the whole job. I was surprised. Since there was not a lot of wear, adjusting the grinder for per pass height. Only taking about .005 per pass but went quickly. Checked progress with digital calipers. The results were more accurate than needed but eliminates another source for error. I am very happy with resulting cuts and machine function. Used it today to cut up a few boards and it is fun every single cut. Thanks for watching.!

I like that youre obsessive about accuracy because id be the same. May aswell do it well or not at all i say.

I am using 1-1/4” wide x 158” long blades. The blades are 10 degree rake. Could use 14 degree for the soft wood here. 7 degree for hardwoods. Thanks for watching.

متاسفم، ولي برنامه ي مناسبي براي ساومیل ندارم. امیدوارم شما می توانید یک طرح از ویدیو مونتاژ.

Keep in mind that I watched a lot of RU-vid videos and adapted that knowledge to my build. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.