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Author Topic: My home made mill...  (Read 36052 times)

Offline kbeitz

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My home made mill...
« on: January 11, 2019, 04:04:31 PM »
Guess I'll try my first picture posting....
I will be happy to answer or help anyone with build questions.



Home made band saw mill.
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Offline Ox

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2019, 09:51:37 AM »
Too bad you can't just cut and paste all your pics from the other place, huh?  Now ol' Jeffy boy owns all of them.  Just ask him - he'll tell ya so.

How are all the components you used holding up?  Would you have changed anything if you could go back and do it again?  I'm starting to make my homemade mill into an automated one using wheelchair motors and control boards for reversible variable speed with limit switches on the track.  Then onto hydraulics for log loader, log turner, 2 plane clamp and powered backstops.

I've been talking with Richard at Cutting Edge and he's given me some good ideas along with some good pictures as he's made himself a hydraulic/electric/gas mill in the past.  I'm always trying to gather as much info as I can (usually pictures because I frequently have trouble seeing and thinking in 3D) so I can make the best decision as to what I want to build.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2019, 10:05:11 AM »
The only change would be bigger band wheels and wider hear...
It works better than I thought it would...
Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline Crusarius

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2019, 12:59:42 PM »
Ox, you will definitely have to document and post that. I am slowly working towards the same thing.

Just like KB, Mine works better than I thought it would. I did figure out my absolute max length cut is 20'-4.5" its a real pain to get the log just right.

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2019, 06:44:43 PM »
Just one old farts opinion but the fewer low voltage motors, rheostats and electronics you have the less problems you will have. Most anything that needs doing can be done better with hydraulics. Frank C.

Offline Ox

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2019, 10:05:15 AM »
That is definitely a route I will go (eventually) if I find the electrical gives me fits.  I would do it all hydraulic first time around if money was no object, but it is
The reason I went electric is because so many have and have had good luck with it.  Parts are cheaper by quite a shot, too.  For instance, I've got 2 wheelchair motors and 2 - 55 amp, reversible variable speed control boards to run them for $115 altogether, brand new.  All I'm lacking is some wire, an outdoor electrical project box, several sprockets, and some fabbing.  I'll have a completely motorized carriage that saves my shoulders from more agony (mostly from the up/down).  I won't have $300 in motorizing the carriage I don't think.  I've been working with wires and hoses and chains and shafts and all things mechanical and electrical enough years that I know what works and what doesn't so at least I have that going for me.  I'd be quite tentative if I was completely new at all this, I know that.  I thank God that he gave me the brain I've got, messed up as it is (memory/dyslexic when thinking/building in 3D), because it allows me to save me and my family thousands of dollars every year.

I have thought about documenting it with pics to show folks how simple things can be and still work OK.  I've never done this.  Ever.  It will be a challenge to remember to take pics.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2019, 04:48:27 PM »
Wheelchair motors never gave my any problems...

Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2019, 07:39:14 AM »
Electrical's not so bad.... If you like to do it...

Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline Ox

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2019, 08:42:26 AM »
Better pics this time - glad you got it figured out.

I've got similar control boards for my setup.  Similar project box too.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2019, 05:27:46 PM »
Better pics this time - glad you got it figured out.

I've got similar control boards for my setup.  Similar project box too.

I'm still uploading my pictures as an attachment... Before I was optimizing my pictures but I found out that they look so much better if I only resize them to 640x480. No optimizing...
Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2019, 07:40:59 AM »
Hats off to you guys!! I wish I could do stuff like that! I'm pretty good at machining wood and building stuff, regular home/shop type electricity/plumbing and all that. But I wouldn't even know where to start on doing this kind of stuff! Hell I don't even own a welder! Someday maybe, who knows..

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2019, 08:52:09 AM »
I don't think working with wood or metal is much different.
A few different tools and work slower. Sometimes working
with metal is easier. It's not easy to bend wood. I do both
and I love working with both...
electric is like running water... In and out... Valves and
switches.
Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2019, 09:08:05 AM »
I don't think working with wood or metal is much different.
A few different tools and work slower. Sometimes working
with metal is easier. It's not easy to bend wood. I do both
and I love working with both...
electric is like running water... In and out... Valves and
switches.

Yep, electric isn't bad been doing that for years.. and yes electric and plumbing are similar.

Offline furu

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2019, 01:17:19 PM »
Yep, electric isn't bad been doing that for years.. and yes electric and plumbing are similar.

Yes but don't mix them. That can result in a shocking outcome.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline Ox

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2019, 02:33:46 PM »
Only if you have an electrifying personality.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2019, 03:03:18 PM »
Yes but don't mix them. That can result in a shocking outcome.

Yeah, probably not a good idea!

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2019, 03:18:08 PM »
Guess I'm going to have to sell my electric water wheel....
Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2019, 03:41:29 PM »
How much?? ;-)

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2019, 05:33:25 PM »
I really was thinking about selling it...

Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2019, 05:39:31 PM »
I really was thinking about selling it...

Yeah, not sure what I'd do with t or how I'd get it here.

So you say its electric? does it generate electricity?

Offline starmac

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2019, 06:31:57 PM »
I found some of that in and out electricity last week, while wiring up my compressor.
She didn't feel too good. lol

Offline moodnacreek

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2019, 07:06:00 PM »
Just one old farts opinion but the fewer low voltage motors, rheostats and electronics you have the less problems you will have. Most anything that needs doing can be done better with hydraulics. Frank C.
  There you go again Frank using MY word of advise that nobody listens to.  Keep it up and I won't have anything to say!

Offline kbeitz

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2019, 07:50:37 PM »
I was making electric when I had a water supply. When my brother sold his part of the land I lost my water supply.
Home made band saw mill.
Machine shop.
Wood work shop.
Weld shop.
Collector of mechanical things

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #23 on: February 24, 2019, 08:12:11 AM »
I found some of that in and out electricity last week, while wiring up my compressor.
She didn't feel too good. lol

Updating my service box many years ago I got bit big time! Electrician that was helping me just laughed and laughed..

Offline A.O.

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Re: My home made mill...
« Reply #24 on: February 24, 2019, 08:18:18 AM »
I was making electric when I had a water supply. When my brother sold his part of the land I lost my water supply.

I have a water supply, but its too far back in the woods to get that thing to, and would have nothing to power back there anyway..