Want to build 40" bandmill any recomendations

[Matildasmate]

Guday guys , it has been a while since i have been back here. So what do you guys recommend for a 40" bandmill , i am currently redrawing my bandmill plans , i was going to use Toyota 27 1/2" tyres and rims , not sure what width band to use , any info welcome. Cheers MM

 

[rarefish383]

Guday mate, I've Googled some home made band saw mills and they seem to work pretty well. I'm not up to a project that big just yet. I'm gonna follow your post and see where it leads. Good luck, Joe.

 

[redprospector]

Mine won't cut 40", but from my experience on wider cuts you probably want to look at going at least 1 1/2" on blade width, the 2" blades might be better. Use plenty of horse power.

Andy

 

[Brmorgan]

How are auto tires as far as wobble goes compared to spoked bandwheels? I've seen plenty of mills on Youtube etc. that use them, but some of them seem to have some wobble/balancing issues. Admittedly a lot of those mills look pretty, well, let's just say "redneck", so the problem is just as likely not with the tires themselves and I'm sure you'll be putting the time and effort in to make yours much more refined anyway.

I'm still nowhere near being done building my mill, so if you start outpacing me I'll also be watching with interest.

 

[Matildasmate]

How are auto tires as far as wobble goes compared to spoked bandwheels? I've seen plenty of mills on Youtube etc. that use them, but some of them seem to have some wobble/balancing issues. Admittedly a lot of those mills look pretty, well, let's just say "redneck", so the problem is just as likely not with the tires themselves and I'm sure you'll be putting the time and effort in to make yours much more refined anyway.
I intend using new rims and tires to avoid the wobbles .
I'm still nowhere near being done building my mill, so if you start outpacing me I'll also be watching with interest.

Not much chance of me out pacing you , I have a 24hp diesel motor and quite a bit of steel and bearings , pillow blocks etc , but I need more info before i resize the plans .

Mine won't cut 40", but from my experience on wider cuts you probably want to look at going at least 1 1/2" on blade width, the 2" blades might be better. Use plenty of horse power.

Andy

I will have to make do with 24hp motor , the 40" is actually to allow for bends and deformities in the logs , which should allow me to be able to get usable slabs up to 36" wide , I will be cutting mainly smaller diameter logs , but don't want to restrict the size limit .I was thinking 2" bands too , but i have zero idea yet .

Guday mate, I've Googled some home made band saw mills and they seem to work pretty well. I'm not up to a project that big just yet. I'm gonna follow your post and see where it leads. Good luck, Joe.

Yeah i had a look on you tube too , lots a good stuff . Cheers MM

 

[RVALUE]

I was about to start to build my own mill, before an injury sidelined me.

I found some 36 bandwheels at what I thought reasonable, (ebay?) and the guiedes, etc.

Then all the scrounged materials, etc. will work fine.

Keep us posted.

Since you are down under, do you put the bands on 'backwards' because they run a different direction?

 

[Andrew96]

Since you are down under, do you put the bands on 'backwards' because they run a different direction?

Good one. I wondered about ignition timing too.

 

[Matildasmate]

cypress

Hows this for a cypress tree. cheers MM

 

[Brmorgan]

Man I wish I could "make do" with a 24HP for my mill! That's one thing I haven't figured out yet for mine is the power source.

 

[whitworthsocket]

Production Bandsaw

Hello MM,
This one is slightly more powerful than 24 HP.
It was home built and used to Mill wide boards.
That business was closed down some years ago.
The saw now lives outside on a relatives farm in the southwest of Western Australia.
It is reported to be 90hp. One metre diameter wheels and approx 1.8metre cut.
It uses a 4" band. A hydraulic edging saw.
I have not seen it working yet. However it is supposed to work well with our hard and dense timbers.

I hope that this is inspiring.
I have thought long and hard about using car tyres as bandwheels.
I know that many have been built using tyres. I am not convinced that a tyre can maintain the high tension that is necessary to hold the blade from wandering in the cut.
Regards Whitworthsocket

 

[Matildasmate]

Hello MM,
This one is slightly more powerful than 24 HP.
It was home built and used to Mill wide boards.
That business was closed down some years ago.
The saw now lives outside on a relatives farm in the southwest of Western Australia.
It is reported to be 90hp. One metre diameter wheels and approx 1.8metre cut.
It uses a 4" band. A hydraulic edging saw.
I have not seen it working yet. However it is supposed to work well with our hard and dense timbers.

I hope that this is inspiring.
I have thought long and hard about using car tyres as bandwheels.
I know that many have been built using tyres. I am not convinced that a tyre can maintain the high tension that is necessary to hold the blade from wandering in the cut.
Regards Whitworthsocket

Guday Whitworthsocket , I used to work on a large upright bandmill occasionally , which had about that size bands wheels etc , I suspect my mill will be under powered for the wide cuts and slow , but most of the time hopefully i should be be milling smaller timber , i could use a small 4 cylinder vehicle motor , they are easy enough to get , i am not to keen on real wide bands though , only because of the price of the bands , but i don't want the blades wandering either , as for car tires i am not concerned about using them , there are plenty of mills out there using them , the light truck tires on my ute can be inflated to 65psi , mmmm i may have to use 33" tires . Thanks for input there Socket , Cheers MM