Replies

1. 
   Curtis | Jul 24, 2005 04:24am | #1

   Building one no. I cant help you. but for the cost and safety measures Ide look into buying one .

   I know a few old sawers, and all are missing fingers and other body parts, due to the  risky business of cutting trees with a large circular saw.

   If you want to cut lumber quickly and safely, I would check out Lucas saw mills, are really neat! http://www.baileys-online.com/index.htm check it out! and the cost is affordable.

   Just my two cents. ;-)

   C.A.G.
2. 
   none | Jul 24, 2005 05:01am | #2

   A few years back, my son and I were riding around in adjoining county, when we spotted a homemade band mill. It used steel belted radials for drive wheels. Blade tension was adjusted by changing air pressure in tires. Talked to young lady at house and she said her uncle made it. She stated that it was used to make all of lumber in house and barn. I don't know of any reason that you coughn't buy a couple of trailer hubs and some shaft stock to make drive assembly. Would require some lathe work.

3. 
   KeithNewton | Jul 24, 2005 05:21am | #3

   Here is a link to an earlier discussion at woodweb.com. I have seen some photos of one from somewhere that I will try to find for you, however, For what you can but one for, it is crazy to think about building your own when you consider how cheap you can buy a used one for.

   However if you brother-inlaw is into re-inventing the wheel as a means of passing time, then I say go for it.
   http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Building_a_bandsaw_sawmill.html

1. 
   ohcomeon | Jul 24, 2005 05:35am | #4

   go to arboristsite.com and do a search

   There have been quite few discussions about milling, including making your own jig along with some pictures.

   You will need a big chainsaw, really big.

4. 
   Gnome | Jul 24, 2005 02:45pm | #5

   Go to http://www.pennswoods.net/~zigbug/ They sell plans for a homebuilt portable bandsaw. There are also links to people who have built and modified their saw. I have entertained this idea for some time but a project like this is way beyond my welding skills.

5. 
   MichaelPB | Jul 24, 2005 05:25pm | #6

   Rich,

   Glad to hear there are people with the skills and initiative to still believe in building their own machinery.  That is something I really miss from the early FWW days.

   The people who saw the most expensive wood in the country generally use homebuilt sawmills, at least here on the West coast.  Lots of bandsaw mills and more than a few chainsaw ones as well.

   The design of small sawmills has been greatly advanced by the commercial machines and I would definitely take the time to check them out and as someone else posted, try and use a few different ones to see why the various features are there and which work better for your application.

   Not sure where you are located but if you are anywhere near a gunstock blank supplier, they usually have a mill or two and know others who have them as well.  Might be a good chance to pick up a good used machine and or watch one in action.

   While it only covers some of the smaller machines, there is a reprint of the article by the guy who created the "Alaska Sawmill" in the Taunton reprint "Making and Modifying Machines" and there are a number of articles in the early days of FWW about sawmills.

6. 
   DennisS | Jul 24, 2005 06:05pm | #7

   Rich -

   You can buy what's called an Alaska Mill which is a setup for holding a chainsaw for milling lumber. I've seen these in operation and they work quite well. You'll need at least a 044 sized chainsaw for the 36" version to be effecient with one. At one of our local chainsaw carving exhibitions a fellow was slabbing off huge slabs of cedar for making beautiful bench seats. For best results you'll need a chain that's ground 'special for ripping as well.

   Granted you loose lots of material with the wide almost 3/8" kerf of a chainsaw bar & chain but the cost comparison between that and a good quality band mill, especially for very occasional use makes it economcally viable. And if you and/or your bro-in-law are considering lots of lumber milling then I'd agree with those who bring up the safety issues.

   All that said, I have to admit I've toyed with the idea of building one myself.

   ...........
   From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
   Dennis
7. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 26, 2005 09:45pm | #8

   I start one of them 'Reality' shows with 'Lumberjacks'..
   The winner cuts the "Longest" AND "Cleanest" cut logs!

   May work.... If you move to Canada...

8. 
   Gnome | Jul 27, 2005 03:11pm | #9

   Here's a link for a home made chainsaw mill. http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tresl39.html

1. 
   KeithNewton | Jul 27, 2005 04:34pm | #10

   I spent the first half of my career wishing I had one of those chain-saw mills. If you go back and look at those guys operating them, you should notice the position that their body is in while making the cut, and they always show the first slab being sawn. The ones that follow keep getting closer to the ground.Take it from someone who loves to saw great big boards with my mill. The work of just removing and stacking the lumber is all of the work that I want. If I had to stoop and push that chain-saw blade from one of the log to the other as well, is just a little more work than I am willing to exert for lumber.I have a couple of friends who bought a chain-saw mill about two years ago. They ordered a woodmizer last week. It was not due to having made so much money from the first mill. There must have been another reason.If I liked working that hard, I would push my car wherever I wanted to go rather than buy gas and drive there. Ha Ha..