sawmill

alderman · Apr 29, 2015

Who out there has a sawmill that they run off their tractor? I am looking for ideas on setting my father's up under a shelter. We will be moving it to my place soon and want to make a nice home for it.

VaTom · Apr 29, 2015

Belt or hydraulic? I'm about to move an old Frick here, set up for either belt or hydraulic. I'm going to use the belt power plant, if I can get it running. I'm not thinking to use a tractor, but the hydraulic power plant that comes with the mill appears too small. Current owner never got it fully operational, doesn't know.

You definitely want a roof over your setup.

Tom in TN · Apr 29, 2015

alderman,

I don't know anything about setting up a sawmill but it's a shame that you weren't on this forum a year or so ago. There was a Canadian guy who set up a sawmill and showed lots of pictures as he progressed. Very interesting, but he's no longer on the forum.

Good luck with your project.

Tom in TN

alderman · Apr 29, 2015

It's a belt set up. it is set up at his place now but no cover. He runs it with my grandfather's Moline R. I'm thinking of pouring a pad and setting on that. I'll be running with a Farmall Super MTA. Pretty awesome to keep the old girl going.

ShadetreeRet · Apr 29, 2015

Nothing like keeping old machinery going! When I was in my early twenties we had a neighbor who pulled a sawmill with a belt off a John Deere model G. I was used to seeing four cylinder stationary power plants used, (there was another in the ares who used a Case power plant), when I saw that Johnny Popper I said to myself, "You got to be kiddin' me!" But that thing nearly worked me to death one day!

Jo Bird · Apr 29, 2015

You would do well to go over to the Forestry Forum to get answers to your question.

VaTom · Apr 29, 2015

I'd be curious also. The search box at the top of the page works pretty well, but I didn't know quite what to search. "Canada saw mill" was a little to vague. Those photos should still be available.

VaTom · Apr 29, 2015

Concrete foundation is what I'll use. Previous owner used some timbers, and never got the roof up. They won't be moved, not much of them left. As I understand it, sawdust removal is a primary issue. You're fortunate to have it operational to study.

No idea of your log supply, but for me the guys who love to talk about the importance of a small saw kerf have nothing to offer. Large majority of my could-be-milled timber rots in the woods. I've used several bandmills, have no problem with a circular mill. Which is better suited to my temperament, and budget. I expect my cost is exactly what yours is.

My benefactor attended enough auctions to stock up whatever he thought he might ever need.

jCarroll · Apr 29, 2015

We had a 50" circular mill with a 3 block carriage in the 1950s.
Used a McCormick 15-30 most of the time for power via belt.
It often was not enough power.

If I were doing it now, knowing what I do - I would run the carriage and sawdust drag with a separate tractor - PTO

The saw runs better at nearly constantly speed - lugging it down with not enough power adds to the "problems".

Mark W. · Apr 29, 2015

The fellas name is Lyle Nemei

Mark W. · Apr 29, 2015

niemi

VaTom · Apr 29, 2015

Thank you, but only one photo on that thread (below).
Lyle Niemi

thurlow · Apr 29, 2015

I agree with Jo Bird; check out the Forestry Forum, though there are 3 or 4 other timber/logging/sawmill forums. Lyle Niemi has a complete story w/pictures on setting up his mill on FF. I've had a pto-powered circular mill for about 30 years and would definitely recommending putting a roof over your mill. I've got a bunch of pictures somewhere, but apparently they're on another computer.

Richard G. · Apr 29, 2015

I have a Turner mill with a 42 foot track. Bought it in 1977 and redid all the woodwork.
Used a Massey Harris 101 SR with a 6 cylinder 226 Continental engine for years. Plenty of power. Later picked up a Case LAE power unit with 403 cubic inches and ran it for years. Again, plenty of power. It sits unused under the shed now and as much as would like to, my shoulders tell me I am done with that kind of work.
I always preferred a flat belt system so if something got hung up, the belt would slip off.
Used homemade sorghum syrup for belt dressing.
A trick I figured out later on was to put an auger flighting under the blade angleing out to a gear motor to remove sawdust. One bearing mounted under the blade. The auger pulled the dust out and made it's own trough in the dust as it went. Would never go back to a dust chain again.
Richard in NW SC

Geo-TH,In · Apr 29, 2015

My dad tried to run his 48 inch sawmill off a belt drive case tractor. He discovered the blade speed is very important. Under load, tractor slows down, blade warps and there goes your cut. He converted his over to using 2 3 phase motors.

Richard G. · Apr 29, 2015

Never had a problem with those 2 engines slowing down in the cut. Both had fast governors and plenty of torque. I just know how well things worked for me. An Oliver 88 will pull the heck out of a sawmill also. I always ran my saw at 450 RPM and had plenty of reserve power in big log.
This argument can go on forever, but I believe in slower speed and plenty of power. Some believe that high speed is the answer. Have had this discussion for over 35 years.
Old sawmiller up in the mountains of our county ran 2 JD A tractors. One long belt and one shorter belt. Wish I could have seen that run.
Richard in NW SC

agonair · Apr 29, 2015

Years ago, we had a Steam Show at Arcola, IL and they had an old Gaar Scott Sawmill. I ran my Oliver 88 on it several times. Here's what we learned. The drive pulley on the mill was set up diameter wise for a Steam Engine that had a large diameter flywheel. When we put the Oliver on, it had a smaller diameter pulley, thus it would run the blade faster than rated speed. We had an experienced sawyer running the mill. At faster speeds, the blade would vibrate, so I had to throttle back, then as the log would come into the saw, I would lean in on the throttle and give her all she had, then would back off when the blade was empty.
As far as moving the saw dust, we used a drag chain off of a cornsheller that was attached to a shaft under the mill and attached to Briggs engine at the top. It worked very well.

randy hall · Apr 29, 2015

the blade on circular sawmills is hammered to a specific speed and left hand or right hand operation.

Pete in MD · Apr 29, 2015

Before you saw your first log make sure you have a Good metal detector and use it on Every log no matter where they come from.

gbs · Apr 29, 2015

look up amish sawmill on youtube then fast sawmill fast sawyer he running a frick mill pulled by 2 steam engines

sms · Apr 30, 2015

As mentioned blade speed is very important, saw is hammered for a specific speed. Also for setup level and straight are very important for sawing square. Saw should have lead of about 1/16 inch meaning sawing side is closer to the cant so plate doesn't rub and heat. There are several good books about setting up a circular mill, one is; Circular Sawmills and Their Efficient Operation by Stanford J. Lunstrum. If you google this title the whole book is online to read.

Sawmill book online

sms · Apr 30, 2015

I forgot to mention I have a sawdust drag chain and used to run it of the arbor but if something went wrong (jamb, something stuck) all that power would tear things apart. Now I use an electric motor with a gear reducer for speed ans v-belt drive and have a lot less trouble and repairs. I don't have electric so use a small generator for power. My sawdust chain is from a self unloading wagon and the original gear reduction was the feed from an ensilage chopper. Pictures of old setup and broken teeth, why I changed it.

Geo-TH,In · Apr 30, 2015

My dad passed in 85 so I can't ask. I don't think speed is the issue as much as keeping it at a constant speed like electric motors will. And I think the cost of gas was an issue too.

Blackhole49 · Apr 30, 2015

Unless i'm missing something, a smaller pulley on the drive unit would run the mill slower as long as the rpms were the same.

mj · May 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 07:39:59 04/29/15) It's a belt set up. it is set up at his place now but no cover. He runs it with my grandfather's Moline R. I'm thinking of pouring a pad and setting on that. I'll be running with a Farmall Super MTA. Pretty awesome to keep the old girl going.

Can't you take some pictures and measurements and reset it like it is? :?:

mj · May 1, 2015

(quoted from post at 07:16:13 04/29/15) Who out there has a sawmill that they run off their tractor? I am looking for ideas on setting my father's up under a shelter. We will be moving it to my place soon and want to make a nice home for it.

A Google search for Lyle Niemi turned up a link to a Facebook account AND some news reports about a guy in Canada with that name being nabbed for smuggling coke :shock:

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