Design and operating principles
The main advantage of the sawmill is that it cuts logs lengthwise. Doing this manually is incredibly difficult.
To understand the principle of operation of the machine, you need to get acquainted with its structure. The design consists of several parts:
- saws;
- drive (usually electric, sometimes gasoline engine);
- saw carriages;
- guides;
- frames
The base of the U-shaped structure is metal beams or channels fastened together, along which rollers mounted on the frame move. On one side of the frame there is a stationary main wheel, on the other there is a movable one that moves along the frame.
At the base of the machine, above the rollers, there are guides, on which support posts are attached on top. The frame moves along the beams using a chain mechanism.
The cutting tool is a band saw approximately 6 cm wide. It is tensioned using hydraulics. The tape is held in place by special locks attached to the base of the main wheel.
The design is complemented by a ruler and a container with a special liquid that flows into the cutting area and protects the tape from the adhesion of sawdust.
There are several types of sawmills. The most common are belt, disk and chain. Almost any of them can be done independently, if you take as a basis a competent drawing of a homemade sawmill and carefully watch the video with step-by-step instructions. Mechanisms constructed using a chainsaw are also popular.
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Sawing logs into boards with a chainsaw
Very often there are situations when you need to produce a very small volume of boards or beams for your own needs. Of course, buying machines in this case is absolutely not an option. Having certain knowledge and skills, it is much more profitable to cut logs with your own hands, using an electric or gasoline chain saw. Despite the fact that this work is quite labor-intensive, the result is quite justified.
Most experts believe that a chainsaw is better suited for this purpose. Such equipment has high power and can operate without interruption for a long time. In addition, the operation of a chainsaw does not require electricity, so you can work far from the power supply, for example, right on the plot.
In order to cut a log into boards using a chainsaw, you will also need special tools, such as a mechanism for securing the log, a frame attachment for the chainsaw, and a guide for making the cut. The attachment frame must be attached to the chainsaw bar so that it can be used to adjust the gap between it and the chain. This will make it possible to create boards of different thicknesses. It is worth purchasing a special chain for longitudinal sawing. It has a special tooth sharpening angle. The guide ruler can be made from a metal profile of the required length or a flat, rigid board.
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Before starting work, you need to remove all the bark and remaining branches from the workpieces, and also carefully inspect the log for various flaws. This way, you can choose the most suitable cutting pattern and, therefore, reduce the amount of possible waste.
If you are longitudinally sawing trunks, you need to make sure that the resulting lumber is of the same density across the entire width. Since the density of wood from the northern part of the log is much higher than from the southern part, the cut is carried out in a plane directed from east to west (or in the reverse order).
The first step is to remove the slabs from two opposite edges of the log. As a result, a double-edged beam will be obtained, which is then cut into boards or other lumber of equal thickness, according to the intended sawing pattern. The final product is an unedged board, from which the edges must then be removed.
Homemade band sawmill
Self-assembly of a complex unit is not an easy process. It is necessary to correctly install and adjust all structural parts to ensure their smooth, uninterrupted operation. This will help you with instructions on how to make a homemade sawmill, following which you can acquire your own home woodworking complex.
To assemble the sawmill, a suitable site should be identified and prepared. Then the assembly of the frame of the future structure begins. First, a kind of rails are prepared along which the working saw will move with the help of rollers. The rails are fastened together with profile pipes that act as sleepers. Fasteners are welded to them to secure the logs.
At the next stage, a trolley is mounted on which special wheels for the tape are installed. Many craftsmen who assemble homemade band sawmills with their own hands have thought of adapting old car wheels for these purposes.
The assembly of the structure is completed by installing an electric motor connected to the moving mechanism using a drive belt.
What needs to be provided?
Before making, you need to pay attention to the following things:
- The diameter of the logs being cut, if there are large diameters, then you need a more powerful saw, a longer bar with chain;
- Loading heavy logs for sawing, for this it is necessary to provide some kind of mechanism, or they can be rolled up either by additional jacks or, ideally, by a loader;
- The log must be fixed so that it does not play during sawing and the boards are even;
- The chainsaw guide and sled should not play, so they need to be strengthened;
- The more powerful the saw, the easier production will be. Therefore, when purchasing a saw, you need to take the most powerful one;
- Using electricity as an energy source allows you to save a lot;
- Do not forget that the chain must be for longitudinal sawing, this will significantly increase the speed of the process. Experts recommend using a 3*8 chain.
- It is advisable to buy a carbide chain. This is what he is doing today. Conventional circuits fail quite quickly;
- The length of the logs to be cut must take into account the maximum and minimum. So that the longest ones fit in, and the shortest ones don’t fall between the guides;
- Calculate in such a way that the saw does not vibrate or play on the guides during operation;
- The power of the saw, in some cases you want it to be both more powerful and more economical. In this case, folk craftsmen do the following. Instead of a chainsaw, an electric motor is installed, and the tire is left for sawing, see photo below;
- The height of the sawmill. It is necessary to provide in such a way that the back does not hurt to bend over and the logs do not need to be lifted high. If the wood is not heavy, it is better to make it higher. If the forest is heavy, you can go lower.
- Sawing of wood can be carried out either by the upper part of the tire or by the lower part. When sawing with the lower part, sawdust flies towards the chainsaw and clogs it. The upper part throws out sawdust from the chainsaw, this allows you to increase both the service life of the saw and the downtime during sawing;
- During the sawing process, the chain very often stretches on the saw and needs tensioning. Therefore, when installing the saw, it is necessary to provide access to the chain tension and secure the saw with access to the mechanism;
- When sawing, it is better to fix the position of the chainsaw handle, this simplifies the process;
- The cable, clothesline or lace should not drag, since the sawing process should be uniform over time.
DIY chain sawmill
The design of this unit is simpler and smaller in size than its belt counterpart. It works on the same principle, differing only in the type of saw. In this case, a special chain stretched over a tire is used to cut logs.
It is much easier to make it; you just need to strictly follow the tips on how to make a homemade chain-type sawmill.
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How much money do you need to open a sawmill?
To open a timber processing enterprise with deep processing of raw materials, you will need to draw up a business plan for the sawmill, and in accordance with it, determine the amount of investment for the largest expense items.
Staff
As a rule, entrepreneurs who decide to start a business at a sawmill know the technology well. If this is not the case, it is better not to start at all: the wrong “round timber” will be purchased, equipment will constantly break down, and problems with drying wood should be expected.
“A small enterprise will require a workforce of 5 people, including a mechanic and a technologist, who uses a computer to calculate a set of lumber for a specific order,” says Sergei Shaposhnikov. – Neat and responsible workers will be required. If your head is in place and your hands are in place, then teaching the intricacies of the profession will not be difficult.”
It is believed that within 3-4 months the sawmill will be unprofitable. To pass this stage, it is recommended to create a salary fund for 3 people in the amount of 200 thousand rubles.
Rent
If the sawmill is tied to the production of lumber for specific orders for the assembly of ready-made country houses, it is not particularly important where the space will be rented for it. The main thing is to have transport accessibility, reliable energy supply and heated premises. According to the advice of established businessmen, it is better to spend time searching for a suitable option than to put it in order later.
“It’s best to stay where there was already a carpentry shop or a carpentry team was located,” writes the user “truth teller.” “There will probably be drying there and there will be a loader.”
About 12 acres of land will be required, on which a yard for unloading raw materials and a building with an area of 200 square meters are located. meters, as well as drying under a canopy. The building is usually divided into zones according to operations: band sawmill, log rounding, carpentry, warehouse. If you think through the plan of the sawmill, the economic calculation turns out to be more detailed. On average across the country, renting such a complex, including renting a loader, costs 50-70 thousand rubles per month. Plus another 300-400 thousand will be spent on equipment.
In principle, you can buy land and install a frameless hangar, but you will have to worry about energy supply. According to various estimates, the cost of a sawmill is 1.5 – 2 million rubles.
Equipment
The schematic design of a sawmill determines the type of equipment required, which may include:
- band sawmill costing from 125 thousand rubles
- disc sawmill costing from 190 thousand rubles;
- electric rounding machine for 200 thousand rubles;
- electric multi-disc sawmill priced from 200 thousand rubles;
- two-saw edge trimming machine for 100 thousand rubles.
- cross-cutting machine for 50 thousand rubles;
- sharpening equipment;
- laptop for generating orders and demonstrating 3D projects to clients.
The most inexpensive set will cost a businessman between 800 thousand and 1 million rubles. However, manufacturers are ready to sell equipment both on lease and on credit in installments for up to 3 years. Therefore, you do not need to pay out the entire amount at once, but it is necessary to generate money for the first six months of loan repayment. We are talking about 200 thousand rubles.
Marketing and advertising
To ensure that the opening of a sawmill does not go unnoticed by customers, it is recommended to conduct an advertising campaign. There is no need to “reinvent the wheel” here - you should perform a number of familiar activities that give good results:
- design of a sign visible from afar: emphasis on billboards and pillars near supermarkets of building materials in the “everything for repair and construction” format;
- advertising stickers on sawmill workers' cars;
Assembly of a chain (tire) sawmill
Before starting assembly work, prepare a flat, open area. Then a metal frame is assembled, onto which the racks are attached and the frame is installed as the basis of the chain structure.
At the next stage, the trolley is assembled, on which the mounts for the electric motor are mounted.
Next, the cart is installed on the frame, and the engine and saw are mounted on it.
The last assembly step is to tension the chain onto the bar, and the sawmill is ready for use.
What size should the workshop be?
Judging by the forums about private sawmills, there is no consensus on what the area should be for this business. Participants in the discussions believe that it is necessary to focus exclusively on their production policy.
“If you don’t have access to your round log, the classic scheme proposed on the Internet will not work,” writes a user with the nickname “truth teller.” – Even if you focus on an unedged board, 20-25% of the cubic capacity will be immediately lost, although in their advertising videos and articles sawmill sellers guarantee a yield of 90%. If you focus exclusively on timber processing, then for basic survival the price ratio for round timber and lumber must be 1 to 2.5. However, it is not realistic to find such delivery conditions. At best, this is possible if you have permission to cut down your own land and rent a place nearby.”
In this case, the size of the workshop and warehouse areas depends on the volume of investment. The more investment in equipment, the better the production indicators should be, the greater the income. However, about 70% of newly organized timber processing enterprises went bankrupt, despite receiving permission to cut down forests. Meanwhile, a lot of money was spent: we were talking about several million rubles.
An analysis of bankruptcies showed that competition with market leaders leads to the fact that even the delivery of one’s own “round timber” from the forest leads to a loss for the entire enterprise. And, on the contrary, very small sawmills with investments of up to 700 thousand rubles found themselves afloat. They did not engage in felling and bought rather expensive “round timber” on the market, where suppliers dictate their terms.
“We started right away with deep processing of timber,” businessman Sergei Shaposhnikov shares his experience. – We make edged boards, timber, rounded logs with ties for turnkey assembly of ordered country houses, bathhouses, gazebos. If you approach it wisely, even this business will be profitable. In short, the production plan must be customized.”
Homemade circular sawmill
A unit that is capable of sawing logs horizontally, vertically or at an angle is called an angle-rotating disc sawmill. This type of woodworking machines is very popular due to its versatility. Ready-made equipment of this type is not cheap, so it will be much more profitable to make a circular sawmill with your own hands.
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The design of this mechanism is not particularly complicated, so it will be easy to assemble it yourself. A drawing, instructions and visual pictures of a homemade disc-type sawmill will help with this.
Drawing and material
Depending on the design, drawings of a circular sawmill of varying complexity are drawn up. In custom development, certain requirements must be taken into account.
- Using log feed on a carriage, the width of the platform is taken equal to the width of the guide rails. This will ensure stability under load. The rail is taken P50, the rollers are selected accordingly;
- on the platform, provide clamps for a tree trunk, convenient, reliable fixation of various sizes of workpieces;
- It is advisable not to combine an electric motor and a saw on a rigid drive. It should be protected by a belt (chain) drive. This will improve the air cooling of the windings and remove them from the zone of intense wood dust formation. Before creating a drawing with your own hands, you need to measure the dimensions of the engine; with the same characteristics, the manufacturer gives its size according to the overall dimensions;
- calculate the working area for a saw Ø 500 – 700 mm;
- The frame, depending on the dimensions of the installation, should be welded or dismountable (moving to a new place of work). Channel No. 4, No. 6 are placed in the main harness. Additional stiffening elements are made from steel corners and pipes (if necessary).
https://youtube.com/watch?v=7YH78aJykL0
Self-assembly of a disk unit
The work begins with the acquisition of the necessary parts, assemblies and components. Then you can begin assembling the frame. Metal pipes and high-strength guides are used, which are attached by welding. The next step is to assemble the carriage.
A powerful engine is required to rotate the metal disk, so in most cases a gasoline version is used. The working elements of the unit are connected to the engine through special holes.
This usually happens using a chain drive, but in this case the sawmill will not be able to operate continuously for a long time - the drive will constantly overheat.
A rapidly rotating saw blade is a source of increased danger, therefore, during installation, all risks should be taken into account and all safety conditions must be observed.
Tips for use
Tension the saw blade correctly. Exceeding the permissible force reduces the service life of the tool. For control, you can use special devices. The saw should not be in operation for more than two hours, after which it must be dismantled and suspended for a day to relieve residual stress.
- Be sure to use belt lubricant. In warm weather, you can use water with the addition of detergents such as “Gala”, “Fairy”, etc., and in winter - a mixture of kerosene or diesel fuel with motor oil in a 5:1 ratio or lubricant for chainsaw chains.
- After finishing work, be sure to release the tension on the saw. This will prevent fatigue phenomena from forming on its surface and will extend its service life.
- Work only with properly sharpened and set tools. If you have no experience in this area, you can use the services of specialized offices. As a rule, their representatives service more than one sawmill in your area.
- Do not work with freshly cut timber. Let it dry for at least one month. In addition, before work, clean the logs from dirt and sand, and even better, remove the bark.
Mobile chainsaw design
Complex structures are more often used in those cases when the harvesting of lumber reaches an industrial scale. In particular cases, simpler and smaller mobile devices are required, which can be made independently.
One of the best options for such a mini-machine is considered to be a homemade sawmill made from a chainsaw, which plays a major role in the design. The product is light in weight and compact in size, allowing it to be moved from one place to another.
How much can you earn on your own sawmill?
Of course, as a basis for starting and determining the volume of investment, you can take an example of a ready-made business plan, which is easy to find in open sources. However, it is better to focus on specific experience. According to businessman Sergei Shaposhnikov, the sawmill, focused on producing sets of lumber for assembling country houses, earns at least 90 thousand rubles per order. At the same time, a small team of workers can complete 5-6 contracts per month. As calculations show, in a year a sawmill can bring:
6 orders × 12 months × 90,000 rubles = 6,480,000 rubles
Costs include:
- loan repayment – 350,000 – 500,000 rubles per year;
- wages for workers - 200,000 rubles (monthly salary fund for 3 workers) × 12 months = 2,400,000 rubles;
- rent 50,000 rubles × 12 months = 600,000 thousand rubles:
- unforeseen and other expenses – 1,000,000 rubles;
- advertising – 300,000 rubles per year;
- security – 240,000 rubles per year.
Total expenses – 5,040,000 rubles. Consequently, the annual income of the sawmill is approximately estimated at 1,440,000 rubles. In this case, the equipment will pay for itself in 3 years.
Disadvantages of the business include high competition, low local demand and difficulties in controlling product quality.
Making a homemade chainsaw machine
The main structural elements required for assembly are a chainsaw, a pair of channels, metal angles and rails.
First, a frame is assembled, in which holes are drilled for installing ties from metal pipes. During assembly work, it is imperative to ensure the accuracy of dimensions and observance of right angles. To strengthen the frame, it is recommended to weld several stiffeners.
At the next stage, the movable cart is assembled. Its basis is a steel plate, to which corners are welded from below and rollers are mounted. Fasteners for gas-powered tools are installed in the upper part.
At the last stage, a structure with fastenings for logs is installed on the frame.
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Modern builders of country houses and country cottages often use wood as building materials. Wooden buildings are in great demand among consumers to this day. Therefore, various types of sawmills have been the most faithful assistants for builders for many years. Recently, band sawmills have become in demand, as they have significant advantages.
The purpose of the band sawmill
Wood is a natural building material that our ancestors have used for centuries. And modern woodworking machines can significantly reduce construction costs. Therefore, a band sawmill will be useful to those developers who often work with wood or plan to build a wooden house, because it successfully replaces a plane that has already outlived its usefulness.
Subsequently, the band sawmill can become an additional source of income, because it can carry out private orders related to sawing wood, since this equipment is intended for longitudinal sawing of logs into timber and boards. A modern band-type sawmill is capable of working with different types of wood: hardwood and high-resin, processing them into edged and unedged boards, beams, veneer, carriages and various wood blanks.
The band sawmill can also be used for the production of blanks, which are subsequently used for making furniture, creating panels or laminated veneer lumber. The weight of the sawmill is one and a half times greater than the weight of the sawn wood, in order to obtain high-quality lumber and operate the device longer.
Sawing logs on a homemade band sawmill has significant advantages over sawing on other sawmills, first of all facilitating the entire work process. Using band saws, you can carry out the sawing process, taking into account the characteristics of each log. When band sawing, the loss of wood into sawdust will be minimal.
The advantages of a band sawmill over other types of equipment: high-quality wood processing, compactness, accuracy, low cost, simplicity of design, light weight, reliability, ease of transportation and installation, absence of “waves” and “bristles”, economical operation, noiselessness, low power consumption, practically unlimited work resource.
Band sawmill design
The structural design of the band sawmill is organized according to a block principle, which allows for the expansion of layout options, ranging from a simple basic device with manual feed to the most complex solution equipped with automatic saw feed, cutting thickness setting, visual indicator of current load, hydraulic saw log feed mechanisms, as well as programmable electronic system.
The band sawmill consists of the following units:
- frames with two guides for moving the saw blade;
- screw mechanism for lifting the saw blade;
- saw blade tension mechanism (mechanical spring or hydraulic);
- driving and driven wheels;
- saw wheel guard;
- saw blade holder;
- V-belt transmission;
- electric motor;
- rail track for sawmill movement;
- eccentric log clamps;
- stop and tank with wetting liquid.
The frame of a band sawmill is usually assembled from two welded soles, where the sawmill movement rollers are located. The band sawmill has a U-shaped frame, which is made of two channels located parallel and connected to each other. The driving saw pulley is fixedly fixed at one end of the frame, and the driven one, which has the ability to move longitudinally, is fixed at the other.
The guides are located on brackets in the middle of the frame. They are collapsible and consist of three sections, which is very convenient when transporting a band sawmill. At the bottom of the guides there are support rollers into which anchor bolts are screwed, and at the top there are log supports. The guides at the top are connected to each other by a channel beam, which houses a chain mechanism, which serves to move the entire saw mechanism. The log is fixed on the rail guides using four screw clamps and a stop.
The unique design of the band sawmill and the rail track allows it to be adjusted in the future, even in cases of deformation of the load frame, according to the width of the relative placement of the guides or the plane of their location, as well as to install the band sawmill on a slope with an angle of up to 15 degrees. Independently suspended guides eliminate damage to the frame even in situations where a heavy log falls. The rail track can be lengthened by joining an additional section.
A band saw is used as a cutting tool in such woodworking equipment, which has a width of up to 60 millimeters. The saw of the band sawmill is tensioned using a spring-screw mechanism. In the front beam of the band saw and on the slider of the driven pulley there are two locks that are designed for installing and removing the saw band.
To prevent the saw from coming off the wheels, the belt tension mechanism provides the ability to adjust the position of the driven wheel so that it is located at a certain angle to it in the horizontal plane. In this case, the saw blade protrudes beyond the edges of the wheel by the height of the tooth, so there is no violation of the alignment of the saw teeth.
The controls for the sawmill are located on the operator’s side in such a way as to simplify the process of controlling the band sawmill as much as possible. Measuring rulers allow you to measure the thickness of the resulting lumber in any direction - forward and reverse. The cutting zone is located in the operator's visibility sector, local lighting is provided and a comfortable height is provided - approximately at the level of a person's waist, which simplifies the process of loading logs and removing finished lumber from the machine.
A controlled lubricating fluid system is necessary to prevent sawdust from sticking to the saw and saw pulleys, and therefore extends the useful life of the machine. According to the diagram of the band sawmill, the coolant tank is located on top. The liquid supply is regulated using taps located on the tank.
The saw frame is lifted by two sliders, which are placed on the bed posts. The saw carriage moves using a screw mechanism, which is driven by an electric motor and ensures high-quality fixation of the saw carriage in the required position and its precise adjustment to a given height. The suspension of the intermediate power wire for the electric motor of the executive units is located above the sawmill and does not create interference when loading and sawing logs.
The operating principle of a band sawmill
The entire cycle of work on a band saw mill consists of the following steps:
- Preparation of logs. Logs of various sizes and diameters are cut so that they take the required shape and size.
- Log processing. The operator sets up the machine, following the instructions of the band sawmill, and sets certain parameters, and the equipment does everything itself.
- The final stage. The operator manually corrects minor errors that may remain after processing with a sawmill.
The operating principle of a band sawmill is based on sawing a stationary beam or log with a horizontally moving saw band, which is installed on the drive and driven pulleys and tensioned with a force that ensures its straightness in the cutting area. The log is placed between two guides and fixed with movable stops. The band sawmill moves along the log along installed guides.
The operator sets the thickness of the resulting material at his discretion using an electronic ruler or using hydraulic mechanisms. Manipulations with the sawn log, laying, clamping and turning are done manually. It is very simple to prepare a band sawmill for work: just sharpen the saw and spread the teeth. For sawing various types of wood, the process of adjusting the feed speed of the portal is very important, which can be seen in the video about the band sawmill.
The entire structure of the band sawmill is equipped with a rail track, which directs all the portals of the machine in a certain direction and allows you to regulate the work process even with mechanical deformation of the frame along the plane and width of the guides, ensuring the location of the entire installation on slopes. To ensure the required size of the acquired material using a sawmill, it is necessary to constantly monitor the working process, in which there are practically no low-frequency vibrations.
The stability of the saw blade position is ensured by stabilizing rollers. One roller is fixedly mounted on the drive pulley, and the second can move along the guide, limiting the free area of the saw. Raising and lowering of the saw unit occurs thanks to a cable or chain mechanism with a manual or electromechanical drive. The saw is fed longitudinally by moving the carriage with the sawing unit along the log being cut.
Choosing a band sawmill
When purchasing a band sawmill, it is recommended to pay attention to its characteristics and warranty period, the possibility of commissioning, maintainability and cost of the machine, scarcity of consumables and the cost of maintenance, as well as wearable components.
Elements of a band sawmill that are subject to natural wear and tear should be inexpensive and standard, ideally from a range of auto parts that are widely available. Such a decision will eliminate the need for the buyer to wait a long time and pay a lot for the ordered components. This is true if the manufacturer of the band sawmill is located at a distance from the foreman.
Even if you have recently started your own business, you should choose a reliable and powerful band sawmill, otherwise, if you increase the volume of sawing, you will have to buy a new machine. In addition, a low-power sawmill will not be able to cut thick logs, the price of which is much lower than the standard assortment.
Remember that when sawing logs that have a diameter greater than 250 millimeters, you have to reduce the feed speed on small band sawmills to the detriment of productivity. Therefore, you should not buy a small farm sawmill “to master this equipment.” In addition, such machines require constant, especially careful maintenance and adjustments, although they do not guarantee professional sawing.
Band sawmills have several determining factors that are very important when choosing a machine. The weight of the apparatus should be one and a half times the weight of the log being cut, which ensures high mechanical strength of the structure. And the significant diameter of the saw wheels guarantees the durability of band saws.
The best option for home use and sustainable production would be a band sawmill with a saw blade width of more than 50 millimeters, an engine power of more than 15 kW, a weight of at least 3 tons, and pulleys with a diameter of at least 800 millimeters. The price of band sawmills, the saw of which has a width of at least 80 millimeters, is much higher.
If you buy two cheaper band sawmills for the same money, the resulting total productivity will be higher and production reliability will increase significantly. In addition, for a wide band sawmill it is additionally necessary to purchase equipment for flattening, rolling and forming teeth.
It will be good if you have the opportunity to choose the configuration of a band sawmill, even if funds are limited and you prefer to take the simplest model. Remember that such a device can later be equipped with hydraulics and automatic feed. Mechanization means significantly increase the cost of a sawmill, but increase the productivity of the machine and pay for themselves quite quickly.
When choosing additional service devices, you should be guided by considerations of expediency. For example, the system for loading logs onto the frame of a band sawmill can be abandoned when organizing the loading of logs from a trestle, or using special equipment - storage tables and log transports.
It is preferable to choose a band sawmill that is mass-produced rather than custom-made. This means thoughtful design, high reliability and maintainability. The presence of certificates indicates the seriousness of the band sawmill manufacturer and insures against violations of construction safety requirements during production.
Manufacturing of band sawmills
But it is not necessary to buy a band sawmill; if you wish, you can assemble the machine yourself, you just need to know how to make a band sawmill. The base of the band sawmill frame is made up of two channels, each 8 meters long and 140 millimeters high. For this purpose, you can use two rails, with their soles facing upward, or corners 50 by 100 millimeters. In any case, the workpieces must be straight.
Drill a series of holes along the entire length of the channels at the same distance and in increments of about a meter and a half. According to the number of such holes, ties are made - ¾ pipe sections that are 250 millimeters long. To connect ties and channels, it is customary to use threaded rods or bolts with a length of 290-340 millimeters, depending on the selected materials.
Install the assembled guides on racks that are drilled or assembled with M12 bolts from channels, pipes or angles. The number of racks must be determined based on the length of the bed. With a length of 8 meters there should be 4 of them. The outer racks are located at a distance of 800-1000 millimeters from the ends of the guides.
To give the frame the necessary rigidity, braces are installed. Due to the fairly heavy weight of the frame, it must be assembled at the site of future installation. To ensure the horizontality of the guides, place boards or bars under the posts and, if necessary, dig up the soil
The next unit in the drawing of a band sawmill is a movable trolley, which is usually made of a steel plate that has a thickness of 46 millimeters. The length of the trolley is approximately 600 millimeters, depending on the dimensions of the electric motor. The width should be such that the edges of the trolley extend beyond the channels by approximately 80 millimeters on each side. Selection of the thickness of the plates and spacers ensures the ability to move the trolley along the length of the guides.
Make sure that the gap is minimal. The thickness of the gaskets should be half a millimeter greater than the thickness of the channel flange. Clamping plates and spacers using 8 M8 bolts. To eliminate transverse play, screw it with bolts from below to the base of the trolley. The cart can be placed on bearings or rollers. On top of the trolley there are two corners for mounting an electric motor.
To move the cart with the circular saw and the engine installed on it, a chain is used. It should be tightened to prevent free movement of the steering wheel. The latter is mounted on one of the bushings near the sprockets, which are located along the edges of the guides.
Convenience of working on a self-made band sawmill is ensured by log fixation devices. These elements are made of pipes, the internal diameter of which is approximately 35 - 40 millimeters, movable rods need to be inserted into them, on top of them are clamps from a 40 by 40 millimeter angle and cam clamping mechanisms. Relative to the formed distance to the sawing line, the length of the clamps should be at least 15 millimeters.
The main elements of a band sawmill are the motor and the saw. Try to buy an electric motor with a power of 10 kW and a saw with a diameter of one meter. If such units cannot be obtained, the frame needs to be made smaller, proportioning it to the dimensions of the components.
And finally, remember that working on a band sawmill is not difficult. Place the log on the bed and secure it with clamps, turn on the electric motor, turn the steering wheel and move the cart, making a long and even cut with the saw. The cart can be moved in both directions. You just need to make sure that the band saw always remains sharp, and, of course, follow the safety rules.
Homemade product based on the “logosol” principle
The idea of creating a machine of this type appeared thanks to a well-known Swedish company that produces portable sawmills of various types. The main features of such woodworking complexes include their mobility and an original way of adjusting the thickness of the board.
The machine can be moved from one place to another thanks to wheels mounted on the structure and a towing mechanism that allows it to be attached to a vehicle.
The thickness of the board on such a sawmill is adjusted both in the usual way by changing the height of the saw, and by changing the height of the log. The second option is convenient for small logs and comfortable work for the operator who does not need to work at an angle.
Otherwise, the assembly principle of a “logosol” type machine does not differ from traditional analogues. In this way, a gasoline band sawmill, an electric disk sawmill, and a chain sawmill can be assembled.
Installation features
Equipment of this series is easily installed on a concrete base or just beams along a rail track, but only of high strength, with a system for fixing tree trunks. An enclosed space is not necessarily required to secure the unit. It is convenient to use in an open area, but you need to provide protection from precipitation. Extending the path allows you to saw logs longer than eight meters.
Cleaning scrapers are located in the lower part of the saw body supports, through which the path is cleared of waste. Movement along the guides is carried out manually.
Scheme of the Taiga band sawmill
The vertical movement of the saw unit in such models is carried out through a mechanical gearbox with a chain drive, which ensures the required stop in the required position and precise adjustment of the lifting height. In Taiga T-1, the carriage is raised by manual rotation of the gearbox input shaft, in other modifications this is done automatically.
The band saw is installed on the drive and output saw pulleys. Rotation from the engine is transferred to the drive pulley by a belt drive. The working unit is equipped with calming rollers, ensuring uniform tension and preventing possible sagging.
To prevent the saw blade from jamming due to exposure to tree resin, the saw has a lubrication system that allows you to regulate the flow of lubricants. This ensures the long-term integrity of the unit.
The equipment is controlled using a push-button remote control located on the saw carriage; the machine master is able to be in a comfortable position when performing the operation of sawing the workpiece.
Sawmill control panel
Tips and tricks for making a sawmill
A woodworking unit is an object with a high level of danger due to moving cutting elements. It is also quite large in size. Therefore, the location for assembling the structure should be chosen very carefully.
The site for installing the sawmill should be level and spacious, allowing access from any side. For these purposes, you can use a well-lit garage, barn or other utility rooms. You can install the machine outdoors, but in this case you should build a canopy.
If the unit is equipped with an electric motor, it is necessary to follow all electrical safety rules and monitor the condition of power and grounding cables.
The machine must be in a stable position, and the log must be firmly secured so that it does not fall off during cutting and injure the operator.
Before starting the assembled unit, you must make sure that all components and connections are reliable.
A sawmill is a woodworking system that has a not very complex design. It is easy to assemble it with your own hands. You just need to carefully follow all the recommendations, carefully read the drawings and rely on the provided videos and photos of the homemade sawmill.
How not to make a mistake with your choice
There are a large number of types and designs of sawmills produced by both domestic and foreign companies, manufacturers of devices designed for processing wood blanks. From all the variety, it is quite difficult for a simple user to choose exactly the model of a manual sawmill that would be not only easy to operate, but also practical to use.
Type of portal design
The best option is an equipment model for which the manufacturer chose a pipe with a square profile for the manufacture of the portal, and also strengthened it through the use of special elements. You can be sure that such a device has a high level of strength and stability and does not vibrate during operation.
Some manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of the product, try to use a minimum number of amplifiers. This negatively affects the quality of the result and also shortens the period of use of the machine.
Machine tension unit
The type of tension unit has a direct impact on the service life of the device, as well as on the profitability of its use. During the work operation of sawing a wooden workpiece, it is possible that hard tree bark, knots or a lot of sawdust will get between the cutting element and the pulley.
If the design of the device uses a flexible tension system, the movement of the cutting element is absorbed, the blow is softened, and the saw itself is not damaged. Using a tighter tension will subject the saw to sudden and constant impacts or jolts, causing damage. Even the use of durable materials such as chromium or vanadium to make saws does not save the situation. Changing saws in the process of completing a task will certainly lead to an increase in the cost of the production process.
Carriage movement option
The carriage has quite a significant mass. If chains are used to move it, they will gradually stretch under the influence of heavy weight. As a result, the shape of the final wooden piece will be distorted.
This problem can only be avoided by choosing models whose carriages move using a manual or electric movement system.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=geQold6y2qI
Pulley selection
It is not uncommon for equipment pulleys to rupture under heavy loads. The reason lies in the fact that the manufacturers used low-quality material to make the pulley (this could be non-ferrous metal or metal that is susceptible to corrosion). In order to hide visual defects of the pulley, its surface is covered with a layer of paint.
The only correct solution would be to purchase a unit for which a solid metal sheet was used to make the pulley.
You should also not forget about such a criterion as the diameter of the pulley. There is an opinion that as this indicator increases, the service life of the equipment also increases. However, the use of a large diameter pulley in the design only leads to the need to use a longer saw.
Guide rollers
Preference should be given to models whose design is equipped with the largest possible number of adjustment mechanisms located on both vertical and horizontal planes.
Thanks to this, it will be possible to minimize the number of microscopic cracks that form in the body of the saw mechanism and extend its service life.
Photo of a homemade sawmill
Design and principle of operation of a band sawing unit
A modern band sawmill is a real automated complex
A band sawmill is a universal machine used for longitudinal sawing of logs to produce standard lumber - boards, timber, sleepers, carriages. Structurally, the unit consists of four main components: a band saw and its drive, a mechanism for moving the saw frame, a device for adjusting the height of the working blade and a clamping device for fastening the round timber. The sawmill is powered by an electric motor or internal combustion engine. Regardless of the power unit used, its power must ensure long-term operation of the equipment without overload. For a non-professional machine, an asynchronous electric machine with a power of 5 kW or a gasoline (diesel) unit of 6 - 8 liters will be quite sufficient. With. During operation of the machine, torque is transmitted to impellers (pulleys) with an installed “endless” saw blade up to 60 mm wide. Since the saw blade heats up and sags during operation, a hydraulic or spring-type tension mechanism is used.
Saw frame device
The longitudinal movement of the frame with the installed drive mechanism is carried out on rails installed on a solid concrete base. For this purpose, hardened steel rollers are mounted in the lower part of the unit body, the ease of rotation of which is ensured by closed ball bearings. The maximum length of the processed timber depends on the length of the rail guides.
The thickness of the wood layer cut from a log is determined by the height of the saw blade above the floor level and is regulated by a special unit, which includes a pair of threaded transmission and its drive mechanism. Thanks to the simultaneous rotation of two screws located at the edges of the carriage, its movement along the vertical guides is ensured and the saw does not warp.
Using a belt-type sawmill, you can obtain material of any thickness with minimal losses on sawdust
Shifting of the log during operation of the unit is prevented by a clamping device, which is assembled from a guide in the form of a round pipe and bushings with hooks installed on it with a large gap. The skew of the moving unit with installed “claws” leads to jamming of the device, which ensures the immobility of the round timber during processing. To better understand the operation of this device, carefully examine the illustration provided.
Jig operation
The operating principle of the sawmill is extremely simple. The log intended for sawing is placed in a bed between the rail guides. Then it is fixed with hooks, which are wedged with several blows of a hammer into the edges of the moving units. The carriage with the band saw is brought to the end of the round timber, after which the height of the working blade is set. After turning on the machine, the operator smoothly moves the saw frame along the rails, due to which the board is gradually cut to the required thickness. After reaching the other edge of the log, the cut lumber is put aside, the saw is raised and the unit returns to its original position.
The machine described above is a simple sawmill. If we talk about modern equipment, it almost completely eliminates manual labor. All operations, including moving the saw frame and adjusting the height of the band blade, are performed automatically, upon command from the control panel.
How does a sawmill work?
The principle of operation of a band sawmill is very easy to explain using the example of spools of thread.
The whole design resembles the rotation of two spools, between which a thread is stretched. This thread plays the role of a saw, and the distance between the coils is the maximum size of the log.
What a band sawmill allows you to do:
- Prepare logs, that is, adjust them to the same size and shape;
- Sawing logs according to a given pattern after setting up the equipment;
- After sawing, small defects remain that cannot be eliminated using homemade sawmills, so further processing of the wood is done manually.
The band sawmill works as follows: the log is fixed on the platform and remains motionless, the mobile cart begins its movement and cuts the tree, the saw is in a horizontal position.
In order to ultimately get a board of the desired size, it is necessary to initially set the parameters by the operator. The saw acts as a saw blade, which must be well tensioned.
How a homemade sawmill works, see the video.
Before work, you need to prepare the equipment: to do this, sharpen the saw and set the teeth.
What materials are needed to create a sawmill?
It should be noted that materials are selected depending on whether drawings are made or not, because it is the correct drawing that is the basis of a quality product, thanks to which the calculation of materials is made:
- Pulleys can be taken new or old in good condition;
- Pipes of different diameters;
- Rails - you can make it yourself from corners. It is better to place the corners edge up, this is necessary in order to extend the “life” of the wheels;
- Profile pipes for creating sleepers;
- Channel.
In addition to materials, you will need the following tools:
- welding machine;
- milling machine;
- Bulgarian;
- drill, it is more convenient to use an electric one;
- hammer;
- pliers;
- sets of screwdrivers and wrenches;
- clamp;
- bolts, nuts and other fasteners;
- rulers, tape measure, squares, etc.;
- hacksaw.
