Cut a log, drop a log, cut a rug, whatever. Yours looks as though it is one of the more simple, do-able designs I have encountered on RU-vid. It makes my having my own much more a possibility, I thank you. Mike
Congratulations for your simple, practical and easy step by step video. This is so far the best RU-vid guide video for an aspiring sawmill builder like me. Thank you
I have sent about 5 copies of the drawings of my version of your sawmill design to various people around the world. The basic design is solid. It is nice to see it is so popular. Thanks for the inspiration.
Very clever and still simple. I like such machines and constructions very much. Keep up a good work. I'm now finishing design of my diy wooden bandsaw, so your video was very helpful. I think I'm also getting interested in bandsaw mills :-D
I know I have said this but awesome video..One thing I really like about you’re sawmill build is all the parts can be found almost every..I live in a small town in the far northwest Ontario Canada it’s about 3 hours one way to the closest city so driving to get parts is not a easy thing
Dennis, I put a Utube video of my sawmill based on your design up. It also shows how the log dogs work. It is "sawmill DIY squaring a log". Thanks for all the help and inspiration.
I am about 95 % done building my sawmill based on your design. There is an advantage to being retired. All I have left is the Idler pulley assy. and the guards. I am impressed by your blade guides. The tolerances are pretty close for them to work properly so I need to rebuild the first one I made. If most of this is your original idea I can see several things that might be patentable. One last question How did you figure the belt size to make it slip when the idler is not applied and work with the idler. I hope to make a video of some of mine so you can see it. I have added a means to adjust the tilt of the wheels and therefore tracking and have added a brake for the trolley.
Dennis, Thank you for your series on building a sawmill. I just finished mine based on your design and in my preliminary tests it works better than my wildest dreams. I made a few changes to your design. I used Grizzley 17" wheels which included an 8" and 9" pulley attached to the wheel. I also used 2" and 1 3/4" steel for the uprights. I Added a means for tilting the wheels to adjust the tracking. I love your blade guides that can be tilted. They are great. Your tensioning system is also a great idea. Nice and solid. I used cheap bearings that people have complained about,but at 10 for $13 I can replace them. Mine is a little bigger. It is also taller which was probably a mistake. Ill see. Thanks for the inspiration and for answering my questions promptly. I am currently working on dogs to keep the logs steady. I don't suppose you will be working on a solar drying kiln to dry all that lumber you will be milling. And doing a series. Just a suggestion. Thanks again. Great series! It is a great little saw.
Thanks Dennis I have a lot of video and a hundred or so pictures. When I get them organized in, I hope, a few days I'll send you the best ones. Thanks for the inspiration. My wife was supposed to take a video of cutting the first log, but I think the "on" button didn't work so I will have to retake it soon. As a retired engineer I couldn't get over making a parts list and complete set of drawings so I could send them (pdf) along when I check them over if you want. Stephen Anderson
@@richardnipoels7401 Richard Just send me your email address and i will send you a copy of my design ased on Dennis' desiogn with a few changes. stephen.anderson58@gmail.com
I had a blade that I ran into the saw guides so I used it to test and adjust my saw sharpener. I ruined it even more testing the saw sharpener. Even with the saw sharpener not completely adjusted it improved the performance of the damaged blade. I will let you know if I get it running perfectly
So far I have sent over 20 copies of my plans of your design all over the world. Lately it is been one request every few days. Many commented favorably on the simplicity and portability of your design. They like it. It is a great design. Don't give up on it. Wondering how you are coming on your redesign.
Hi Stephen, I'm still working on it. I just haven't had the blocks of free time to do the grinding and welding. Also debating whether to build the rails first or mount the new wheels. I have a trailer that I plan to attach steel rails to semi-permanently. Portability is still the goal.
Here a few thoughts on using my copy of your sawmill. One of the members of my crew in Wisconsin was a small engine repair teacher. He said to use premium non ethanol gas for small engines. He also said to turn off the Harbor Freight engine first slow it down then turn off the gas and then the spark. Also to drain water from the gas tank there is a screw on the side of the carburator base that can drain some gas/water from the tank. This has happened to me and it works. Also one cause of blade wandering is a dull blade. Today I had this problem cutting 16" oak. I put on a new blade and problem solved. Dennis, have you given any thought to blade sharpening? Also to answer the previous post. Mine cost approximately $1000 counting every nut bolt and screw with all new material.
I'm trying to build my own mill and using 12 inch pulleys the only part I'm not sure of is the size and lenght of blade and how many teeth per inch. What size blade did you use
Place a centrifugal clutch belt drive on the engine and a bike brake handle on the push bar with a brake cable going to the motor, that way you wont have to keep stopping your motor like you did in the last video, the clutch will disengage at about 1800 rmp but will still give you top end speed once the engine has been re-engaged with the brake handle. the blade will slow to stop while taking the last slab off. with this you will be able to pull back the blade, set the height for the next cut pull the handle to engage full power and start another cut quickly. I've seen this done on the larger machine you can buy.
my first production mill came with all kinds off glitches and it had all the bells and whistles but over the months and years i fine tuned it so stay with it lots of help out there and if it fits in the car your on the road just tweak it then how meany board feet will it cut build a jig for the track two cut sized lumber call it the weekend worrier would i build a mill from scratch yes have fun Dennis stay small that tinny house thing still out there
One more thought. I have heard from a few sources to not leave the blade under tension even for as short a time as 6 hours or under extreme temperature changes.
think if you were two sell this mill i would add two more up rites the square box stability. the rail i like if you add a metal clip two the baring it can,t jump add four ass it moves down the track also stabilizes. nice job
Thanks much. My sawmill based on your design is done. I should start testing it this week. Thanks for all the info and answering questions for us. Great job
Another question. What technique did you use to weld the nuts to the corner of the square tubing. I didn't see any way to do it on the various welding channels. Thanks much.
+Stephen Anderson grind a flat about the size of the nut, then drill a hole larger than your fastener. So maybe 3/8" if you're using a 1/4" nut. Then just tack the nut on.
it might add some more rigidity if you add a bar on each side of your yellow handle bar, up to the top of the uprights. it"ll tie it all together and maybe take some more of the wobblyness out of it, as its cutting. I think you have better luck if you had used bigger, heavier materials to build it, but i think its a great little mill. hey it saws wood! awesome
What Dennis Does, yea if you looked at it from the side, a diagonal from the top of the machine, down to the yellow handle bar. One on each side of the machine. It looks like your crank handle might get in the way but you could probably bend it out or move the crank assembly over or something.
What Dennis Does, one more thin I want to suggest, you mentioned having an issue with your adjustable blade guide getting knocked down and sending your blade of coarse. That adjustability needs to be more rigid. Hard to describe, but of you go to 9:44 in this video and pause it, the verticle bolt in this frame, replace it with a bolt that has more threads so you can double nut the bottom of it, a nut on each side of the roller bracket. Then you'd have to weld the bolt head on the top side. This would keep the pivot stationary and would not be able to move unless you screw both of the nuts to adjust it. Another way you could do it without welding, is to use a piece of all thread and just double nut both ends, that way the adjuster can't get knocked off coarse. Hope that makes sense, I'm not good at describing what I can see haha! As the roller guide sits now, nothing is really holding it in position except one pivot point and any little slightest jerk will send it facing down, throwing your blade off coarse. I don't think you even need that adjustment really, if it was mine, I would just weld the pivot solid so it can move at all.
What's the length of the main carriage beam?And what is the length of the uprights that slide into the square tubing that's welded to the carriage beam? Also is your bandsaw blade 104" long? BTW your sawmill design is amazing!
Main beam is 47" long, the uprights are 41.5" and the blade is 110" ...though if I had to re-order I would have gone with 109 or 108". 110 doesn't give me a ton of room for expansion on my saw. The only reason I went with this size was because I thought it would also fit a 3 wheel bandsaw I have in my shop. Starting from scratch I recommend just putting the wheels where you want them and then measuring with a string to figure out the length blade you need.
Thank you!!! Btw I looked over your video again I I think your saw could use another steel roller in between the front and back; basically inline with the uprights. Once again thank you!
The blade is a Lenox Carbon Steel Flex Back Hook Raker Set, 3/4" x .032, 2 TPI, 110" long. I tried several other 3/4" wide blades (there aren't a ton of options in this width) and this one happened to be the cheapest and cut the best. I bought them from www.toolcenter.com - sketchy looking website but totally legit and they got my custom order to me fast. (no affiliation, just stumbled on that site)
Thanks Dennis for the info and very quick response! I really appreciate your getting back to me. Seeing your mill operate has been a big inspiration for me to continue working out the bugs and getting mine running right. I know the effort you put into yours. The basics are simple but the details must be right. Thanks for sharing!!!!
I have spent many days watching,designing and building a sawmill,now that I have finished and cut many boards,all the cheapskates are out wanting my lumber for cheap,lots of hard work with very little reward in my future.
Appreciate your effort and frustration. I think you try to saw too bigger log for such a mall contraption. Wheels are too small so you cannot use a proper larger ,thicker blade. Also your guides are dodgy! Not holding the blade consistently because not griped downwards. I might add that the blade is not exactly parallel to the rails so it tends to go one way or the other fighting the grain of the log. Good effort though. I plan to build one sawmill and have several band saw stop get experience from. Have a good Xmas
I am looking for all the help I can get with the parts that are needed to build a sawmill I would like to ship these parts to the country of Belize to help with farming anyone can help me with the names of the different parts that are needed to be purchased other than just the framework the type of police and other pieces that goes together thank you thank you
Found this website watching another youtube video, thought it might help www.cookssaw.com/index.php/sawmill-blade-insight/how-fast-should-a-bandsaw-turn-and-does-that-change-for-frozen-logs
