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Unconventional Sawmill Build

Discussion in 'Quitters' Club' started by ITLKSEZ, Oct 29, 2021.

  1. Nov 19, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
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    I’m waiting for the torrential rain/snow to slow down so I can go out and strip the rails off the mill and take them to the yard to see what kind of steel I can trade them for.

    Meanwhile, this is the proposed layout.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Fireball, 47v6, 73 cj5 and 1 other person like this.
  2. Nov 19, 2021
    hudsonhawk

    hudsonhawk Well-Known Member

    North Texas...
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    Will the pullies provide enough bite so the belt does not slip and stall out the chain?
     
  3. Nov 19, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    I hope so. I’m planning on running a manually applied idler. It’ll allow me to have a clutch of sorts, as well as wrap the belts greater than 180° around the pulleys for more surface area.

    If not, I can ditch the clutch feature and run a chain.
     
  4. Nov 19, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
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    Target acquired

    [​IMG]

    Got’r home

    [​IMG]
     
    Fireball, Ol Fogie, 47v6 and 6 others like this.
  5. Nov 19, 2021
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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  6. Nov 19, 2021
    dozerjim

    dozerjim Member

    western New York
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    Nov 22, 2010
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    :watch:............:waiting:............o_O
     
  7. Nov 21, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    So this is 420# of 12” channel. I couldn’t find an I-beam that would work, so I’ll dice this up and make it happen.

    [​IMG]

    I ripped it twice down the middle for two 4” wide pieces using a piece of 3” wide tubing as a guide. I made individual cuts in 2’ lengths with about 3/4” sections uncut to try to keep the warping under control. I’ll zip through them after it cools. The webbing is 5/16” thick, and it flexed like cardboard.

    [​IMG]

    You know you’re blowing through O2 when your gauges freeze over.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    dozerjim, Fireball, Ol Fogie and 2 others like this.
  8. Nov 21, 2021
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    "Put down the torch, back away from the steel, and no one gets hurt..."

    Let me get this straight - this is to replace the parts you started the whole project around because they were 'cheap?' o_O

    :rofl:
     
    Twin2 and Lockman like this.
  9. Nov 21, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    Yes? I guess? I’m not sure what you’re asking. I’m still in less than half of the cheapest sawmill on the market that uses a ladder as a track and a saw you supply, and this has already roughed out around 315 bf of lumber. I bought this channel mostly with credit from a load of aluminum scrap, and it’ll allow me to produce 16’ lumber. The pulleys and sprocket were around $50, but with the doubled increase in power with the new engine, to me, that’s a small price.
     
  10. Nov 21, 2021
    Lockman

    Lockman OK.....Now I Get It . 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Silver Hill,...
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    :crazy: Let It Be , Pete........
     
    jeeper50 likes this.
  11. Nov 23, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    I manhandled the pieces into the shop, and I got the 4” spacers heavily tacked in place after fighting every single one of them to get the rails parallel, straight and level. This revealed just how bowed the assembly was after ripping the channel. I checked with the laser level, and it was out by about 2 3/4” in 18’.

    [​IMG]

    I started by fully welding the tops of the spacers to see if the heat from the welds would draw it down at all. It only gained about 1/2” total.

    Next up was the torch. My little cutting torch just doesn’t have the power to get this heavy iron hot enough. I made rosettes every 2’, but it only moved another 1/2”.

    Time to break out the artillery. This is a trick we used to use for straightening tubing at a place I worked at that built the printers that printed billboard wraps. The 6x6” tubing that the printer head ran on had to be dead straight. Cold-straightening takes the guesswork out of the sometimes unpredictable contraction rates of flame-straightening.

    [​IMG]

    This worked perfectly. I’d give it all she had, then move 2’ and do it again. It’s going well.

    [​IMG]

    About 3/4 of the way down, BANG!! The chain launched, the jack somersaulted across the bench, the shop got darker, and it rained shards of glass.
    I found the weakest link. :shock:

    [​IMG]

    I’ve had this chain forever, and it might be hand forged. This isn’t the first time it’s broken a compromised link like this, but it’s not usually up in my face when it happens. The broken piece launched up and hit the fluorescent light 20’ away. There’s glass everywhere.

    [​IMG]

    End result: It’s perfectly flat. Worked like a charm. Now I can start rebuilding the trolley.

    [​IMG]
     
    73 cj5, Ol Fogie, dozerjim and 8 others like this.
  12. Nov 23, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Holy cow. I'll bet that adrenaline rush lasted a while.
     
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  13. Nov 23, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    Yeah, I needed to step outside for a minute.
     
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  14. Nov 23, 2021
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    One of my best investments was buying a half-dozen Grade 70 chains. I take daily pleasure from using them, secure in knowing they will hold.

    I'm totally stealing your idea for that device on top of the jack. (y)
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  15. Nov 25, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    Version 2.0 is tacked together.

    [​IMG]
     
    73 cj5, Jw60, givemethewillys and 5 others like this.
  16. Nov 25, 2021
    dozerjim

    dozerjim Member

    western New York
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    How cool is that !Think you need an axle under it ....:watch:
     
  17. Nov 25, 2021
    Lockman

    Lockman OK.....Now I Get It . 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Silver Hill,...
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    X2 ......He's gonna need one to move it .:rolleyes:
     
  18. Nov 28, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    Moving along….

    [​IMG]
     
    73 cj5, Ol Fogie, tomasinator and 6 others like this.
  19. Nov 28, 2021
    Lockman

    Lockman OK.....Now I Get It . 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Silver Hill,...
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    Nice........But like I said earlier. :watch:
     
  20. Nov 29, 2021
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    It’s getting closer, but still a lot to do.

    [​IMG]

    Still need to attach and plumb the oil reservoir, figure out the idler arm and how to engage it remotely, get a worm screw boat winch for a lift, and I might be forced to get a harvester bar. One thing I was worried about was the size of this sprocket in relation to the bar. It’s almost as wide as the bar at it’s widest point, so it leaves a gap in the chain/bar 1/3 of the way back. A harvester bar is made for wider sprockets. I’ll get it running with this to make sure the rest works first.

    [​IMG]
     
    73 cj5, Ol Fogie, SFaulken and 7 others like this.
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