Detailed assembly of a factory home sawmill step by step. We make it with our own hands: band sawmill. Video: DIY band sawmill

The construction of any country private home is impossible without intensive wood processing. A do-it-yourself sawmill made from a chainsaw is the most effective tool for such work, allowing you to significantly save both labor costs and time. Not everyone can afford to purchase such a factory-made tool, so making it yourself can be a real way out. from a chainsaw, if done correctly, will not be inferior in efficiency to factory-produced samples. At the same time, its design is quite simple; almost anyone who is at least somewhat familiar with manual labor can make it with their own hands. In any case, a person who undertakes the construction of a house on his own can easily solve the problem of how to make a sawmill from a chainsaw.

Sawmill with a vertical chainsaw

First you need to find a straight piece of metal channel or rectangular pipe. These will make a base, the length of which depends on what kind of logs will be sawed at this sawmill. Round timber is sold in standard sizes of 2, 4 and 6 m. In this case, a section of channel plays the role of a guide along which a special frame with a chainsaw attached to it moves. To make it, you need to take two pieces of steel angle with a side of 5 cm, having a length of 40 cm. Perpendicularly located rectangular plates with a thickness of 3-4 mm and a length not less than the width of the guide are welded or bolted to them on both sides.

In order for a sawmill using a chainsaw to cut boards of various thicknesses, it is necessary to ensure the ability to move the chainsaw not only in a vertical, but also in a horizontal plane. To do this, two small sections of the same angle are welded on top to the sections of the corner, in which holes are drilled, located coaxially. A steel rod with a thickness of at least 10 mm is threaded through them, to the end of which a metal frame in the shape of the letter “P” is attached. A chainsaw is installed on it. Through the holes, the axis passes through a piece of metal pipe of larger diameter, in which 2 threaded holes are drilled. M8 bolts are screwed into them, which can fix the axle in a certain position. This will allow you to vary the thickness of the resulting boards.

Before starting work, the guide is attached directly to the surface of the log using self-tapping screws. The heads of the screws must be recessed into special secret recesses so as not to interfere with the movement of the movable frame. The thickness of the future board varies with the help of the movement of the axis and locking bolts, which adjust the position of the saw bar. After this, you can turn on the chainsaw and start sawing the log.

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How to make a horizontal sawmill from a chainsaw

Making a sawmill with a horizontal sawing bar from a chainsaw with your own hands, if it is more difficult, is not much more difficult. As the basis of the structure, you need to build a frame from two metal profiles measuring 7x7 or 7x8 cm, which are fastened together with angle pieces of approximately the same size. It can be either welded or fastened with bolts, the heads of which should be directed into the structure. Moreover, the length of such a frame should be approximately 0.5 m greater than the length of the log that this homemade sawmill will process. This excess is necessary so that the saw can freely approach the end of the wooden workpiece.

The movable block is made from a steel corner 5x5 cm, having a length of 1 m. Holes are drilled at its opposite ends into which two steel rods 1 cm thick, covered with threads, are inserted. Each of them is secured on both sides of the hole with two nuts. A 2 mm thick steel plate is attached to one of them, on which the chainsaw is mounted. The opposite end of the saw bar is threaded onto a second rod using a wooden spacer and secured with nuts and washers. This design helps maintain the aligned position of the saw bar even with significant pressure on it.

You can also make a sawmill with a horizontal saw in a mobile version. This mini sawmill has a frame made of corners in the shape of the letter “F”. Another frame in the form of an inverted letter “P” is welded to its long end at a right angle, into which the chainsaw is inserted. The main frame is placed directly on the surface of the log, the entire mini sawmill moves along its axis. The main disadvantage of this design is the need to pre-level the surface of the workpiece so that the frame can move unhindered.

If the sawmill is intended only for personal consumption, it is more cost-effective to do it this way.

Wood is perhaps the most common building material today. Long gone are the days when the process of building a house was carried out using the most primitive tools. Nowadays, to perform this kind of work, new technologies and the most modern equipment are used, including a sawmill, with the help of which the wood is processed to the required size. Unfortunately, this tool is not accessible to ordinary Russians, because it costs hundreds of thousands of rubles. However, there is a way out of this situation - constructing a homemade sawmill. You will find out how this happens in our article today.

Why is it more profitable to make a sawmill from a chainsaw?

In general, a chainsaw is a unique device, because on its basis you can make almost any tool, from a homemade lawn mower to snowmobiles. In our case, the use of this device allows us to construct the desired element almost without the use of any additional parts and assemblies. Judge for yourself - we already have the engine, along with the gas tank, the frame is also present, and even the chain remains in working order. We will not change or re-equip any of the above. The only thing we need to do is which one will be attached to the saw body. You can see the approximate design of such a device in the following photo.

As you can see, a chainsaw is practically no different from a real saw. That is, the effort and monetary costs required to complete this operation are minimal. This is the whole advantage of using this tool as a sawmill.

How to make a sawmill from a chainsaw?

To create such a device, you need to have two channels measuring 150...180 x 8000 millimeters (height and length, respectively). In addition, you will need several 50 x 100 mm corners and two rails. The latter need to be turned upside down. When creating a base for a sawmill, several holes of 14-18 millimeters each should be drilled in it. The interval between them should be approximately 1-1.2 meters.

You will also need zip ties for your work. They can be made from a regular water pipe 250 millimeters long. Bolts should be used as connecting elements rather than welding. Racks are made from rectangles, onto which the base of the sawmill is then attached. By the way, when making the base it is unacceptable to use deformed elements. All parts must have a strictly even shape. As for the distance between the posts, they should be placed to the end of the base with an interval of 80-100 centimeters. Additionally, you can weld braces between them to make the structure seem more durable.

What to do next?

At the next stage, the chainsaw sawmill is equipped with a movable trolley. It will be based on a steel plate measuring 600 x 50 millimeters. A metal corner 40 x 40 millimeters should be welded to it from below. Then the cart needs to be placed on bearings or rollers. Also weld 2 corners to its upper part. The chainsaw itself is attached to the latter.

At the final stage, a structure is made to fix the log. What do I need to do? Here you will need a metal tube with a diameter of 35-40 millimeters. Also, during the work, it is necessary to use a movable hose, which will be positioned and then secured at the desired height. In this case, the height value should not exceed the length of the pipe itself. So, our homemade sawmill with our own hands has been successfully made. You can safely start using it and process wood of almost any diameter.

How to make a sawmill from a chainsaw? Method number 2

Here is another method for making a sawmill at home. In principle, this option for creating a cutting device is not much different from the previous one - the drawing and tools for work will be the same as in the first case. However, this sawmill manufacturing technology will be more refined. How to make a sawmill from a chainsaw with your own hands in this case? On the drawing you will need to indicate 4 main elements. This is a saw, its drive, a mechanism by which the thickness of the resulting board is adjusted, as well as an element that allows you to move the saw part of the structure. You should also indicate the layout of the device for fixing the log.

How is the saw and its drive made?

There is nothing complicated here. Since the sawmill is made from a chainsaw, all these elements, including the motor, will already be ready. Therefore, all that is required of you is a working saw with cutting teeth and a working engine, which, in principle, is present in the design of this tool.

Now let's talk about how to make a mechanism for adjusting the thickness of the board. The actual sawing of a log on a sawmill occurs by lowering or raising the base of the device, which is held on by 4 screws or welded to the plate with nuts whose edges are bent. There is a lock nut at the top of the base. It is tightened after the chainsaw sawmill has been set up. Adjust to the appropriate thickness of the log being processed.

How to make a sawmill from a chainsaw with your own hands? The saw part of the tool must move along the guide angles along the frame. In this case, a distance of 50-55 centimeters must be maintained between these elements. 2 rollers are welded to each rack, the upper one rests on the guide angle, and the lower one keeps the sawmill from lifting. If it is not possible to use rollers, you can use 20 mm bearings.

A device that fixes a log on a sawmill

The wood on this tool is secured using two combs, one of which moves with a screw, and the second remains stationary. After installing the log, the first movable element is secured in a stationary state using several screws. After installing the fixing device, you can safely start operating the sawmill and process the first wooden pieces.

And finally...

Let us note a few rules for operating a homemade sawmill:

1. From time to time, lubricate and sharpen the tool chain, since the quality and speed of the work you perform depends on these factors.
2. Before fixing a log or board, make sure that there are no foreign metal objects (nails, screws, etc.) in it, other than those nailed when fixing the device to the wood. Teeth that get on the surface of such parts instantly become dull, and it is possible that such a chain will only need to be replaced.
3. Under no circumstances remove the product from the sawmill before the engine has stopped. Otherwise, operator injury and device failure are simply inevitable.

Hello dear readers and blog subscribers, Andrey Noak is in touch! Today I will tell you how to make a sawmill from a chainsaw with your own hands with drawings and photos.

The crisis forces us to look at old processes with new eyes. Somewhere sawmills are closing, and somewhere, on the contrary, they decide to open a sawmill. As a rule, private owners have recently opened sawmills; their costs are lower and efficiency is higher. Here you don’t need a sawmill business plan, but if it comes in handy, then you will!

Sometimes the word “open” is too strong. They simply set up a sawmill for use at home, for example to build a house, or, in extreme cases, to cut a log for a neighbor. This is the case we are considering.

When opening your own sawmill, there are several options on how best to do this:

• Buy inexpensive equipment;
• Do it yourself.

Again, to build a house and get 3 - 5 cubic meters of boards, buying a sawmill for 50 - 150 thousand is just some kind of waste. After all, our boards will cost several times less than 18 - 30 thousand rubles.

There is a way out, make a saw frame out of. This will not take you much time if you have hands that grow from the right place. In addition, it will serve you faithfully for a long time, because today it has its own sawmill.

Approximate price

The cost can be within 5 - 15 thousand rubles for the manufacture of your own sawmill:

• Chainsaw - 9 thousand rubles;
• Electric saw - 5 thousand rubles;
• Mechanical jacks 2 pcs. - 1500 rubles;
• Additional expenses - 4500 rubles.

What do we need?

1. Welding machine, electrodes;
2. Lumber, posts, screws, nails;
3. Chainsaw, electric saw or just an electric motor;
4. Extended tires with chains, if you cut wood with large diameters, more on that below;
5. Material for making the case, preferably a corner, as it is quite resistant to vibrations;
6. Rollers and guides;
7. Cord, clothesline or cable for moving the saw while sawing;
8. Roller bearings.

What material should I choose to make the case? Metal is certainly considered generally accepted. It can withstand the weight of logs well and is resistant to changes in humidity.

Another cheaper and more economical option for using wood can be considered as a material. With high-quality fastening with screws and self-tapping screws, the wood will easily withstand the load from.

What needs to be provided?

Before making, you need to pay attention to the following things:

1. Diameter, if there are large diameters, then you need a more powerful saw, a longer bar with chain;
2. 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;
3. The log must be fixed so that it does not play during sawing and the boards are even;
4. The chainsaw guide and sled should not play, so they need to be reinforced;
5. The more powerful the saw, the easier production will be. Therefore, when purchasing a saw, you need to take the most powerful one;
6. Using electricity as an energy source allows you to save a lot;
7. 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.
8. It is advisable to buy carbide. This is what the Shtil company is doing today. Conventional circuits fail quite quickly;
9. 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;
10. Calculate in such a way that the saw does not vibrate or play on the guides during operation;
11. 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;
12. 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.
13. 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, they fly towards the chainsaw and clog 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;
14. 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;
15. When sawing, it is better to fix the position of the chainsaw handle, this simplifies the process;
16. The cable, clothesline or lace should not drag, since the sawing process should be uniform over time.

Drawings of the Logosol sawmill

A little background, the Swiss guy Bengt-Olof Byström developed a very simple and mobile sawmill “Logosol”. Its development quickly spread throughout the world, winning the hearts of millions of private owners. As you already understood, its main advantage is low cost and mobility. Video of sawing wood at the Logosol sawmill:

Drawings of Logosol analogues

DIY sawmill drawings

Based on the drawings, I’ll tell you right away that individual drawings are made for each case. After all, I don’t know what kind of chainsaw you will use. Secondly, I don’t know what material you have, I’ll write for example a corner, and you have a pipe that will do just fine. Therefore, we draw out the entire diagram, taking the drawings shown above as a basis.

Step-by-step manufacturing process

So, our process will go as follows:

• We draw drawings based on the materials you have;
• Making the frame. To do this, we weld a corner or pipe into a frame;
• Making sleds. It can be made from a wooden board with the area of ​​movement of the slide covered with a stainless sheet or galvanized. The second option is from the corner where the rollers will roll. The third option is from rails. Options are presented as the load on the sawmill increases;

The sled is made of 50 mm boards. The board is galvanized for less abrasion. A profile (square) pipe without a fourth wall rides on the slide.

• The next step is the mechanism for adjusting the thickness of the board. There are two options here. The first one is like in the Logosol sawmill, the log is raised, and the cutting part is motionless. This option is more suitable for sawing small logs, so as not to bend over and hurt your back, and to make sawing faster. To use this method, ordinary mechanical jacks are well suited; you need to ensure that their lifting height is as high as possible. The second option is when the log is motionless, and the saw lowers and rises along the ruler. Which option you will implement needs to be thought out at the stage of creating drawings;
• Chainsaw mount. Checking the structure for strength. Elimination of backlashes;
• Making a mechanism for uniform advancement of a saw from a cable, clothesline or lace:
• Commissioning and modification.

Not everyone can afford the purchase of a ready-made sawmill, especially since it will only pay off with constant use (read commercial use). Is it possible to make a sawmill with your own hands? What difficulties will a do-it-yourselfer face if he decides to cut raw logs into industrial wood on his own?

Homemade band sawmill

Let’s make a reservation right away – making a band sawmill yourself is very difficult. It's not so much about the components, extensive turning and welding work, the need to sharpen and route the saw in a special way, but about the well-functioning performance of the entire complex.

It is necessary to ensure loading and stability of movement of up to 300 kg of one log, adjustment of cutting thickness, and most importantly, safety precautions. But if the availability of free wood wins, we make a band sawmill with our own hands.

Let us explain the principle of tape cutting with an example: take two spools of thread, stretch a threaded thin tape between them. By forcibly rotating the tape, we cut the log, the distance between the tapes is the maximum size of the beam. Band saws are convenient for cutting boards.

We start with choosing a production area or premises - at least 3x6 m, verified. The second most important thing is the metal wheels of the cart and band saw, this must be found or purchased. Order the frame of the belt mechanism with wheels, or it is better to buy a ready-made one. Self-production requires skills and a lot of high-precision tooling.

View 1: 1 - stand; 2 - roller; 3 - plate; 4 - screw; 5 - chain; 6 - guide collar; 7 - movable comb; 8 - screw; 9 - fixed comb; 10 - remote control.
View 2: 1 - pulley for starting the motor (if a three-phase motor is connected to a single-phase network); 2 - engine; 3 - pulley; 4 - shaft; 5 - housing with bearing; 6 - base; 7 - flywheel; 8 - finger; 9 - connecting rod; 10 - saw; 11 - M14x2 screw; 12 - roller; 13 - guide angle; 14 - stand; 15 - steering wheel; 16 - bushing; 17 - asterisk; 18 - nut M14x2; 19 - lock nut; 20 - asterisk.

We install guides - any strong, flat metal: I-beam, channel, corner, under them, after 0.5 m, supports or anchors for stability. The distance between the guides is the diameter of the largest log with a margin of about 0.7 m. Maintaining the geometry, we weld everything together. We attach wheels, a belt mechanism frame, and an electric motor through a pulley to the cart.

Consider a mechanism for changing the horizontal movement of the saw relative to the log. Moving the cart relative to the fixed log, we cut off a horizontal layer of wood - we make boards.

Disc sawmills have received the greatest handicraft use due to their versatility and ease of manufacture. We will make a circular sawmill with our own hands. The most important thing is that we will need a circular saw - a disc larger than 500 mm (the larger the better). The propulsion device is usually an electric motor through a pulley that increases the speed.

1 - main sleeper (steel pipe 80x80x3, 5 pcs); 2 - lining (steel sheet, 40x10x1.22 pcs.); 3 - guide blade (steel channel No. 8, L1750, 4 pcs.); 4 - trolley (telpher carriage); 5 - bottom bracket (steel channel No. 18, 2 pcs); 6 - plate - base (stylish sheet s5); 7 - bolt M20) (4 pcs.); 8 - Grover washer (4 pcs.); 9 - M20 nut (4 pcs.); 10 - three-phase asynchronous electric motor (220 V, 5 kW, 930 rpm); 11 - upper bracket (steel angle 45×45); 12 - circular saw blade; 13 - protective casing (steel sheet s2); 14 - steel pin (8 pcs.); 15 - circular saw hub (St5); 16 - thrust handle (water and gas pipe 3/4″); 17 - cut-off slab; 18 - thrust gusset (steel sheet s5); 19 - comb (steel angle 45×45, L400); 20 - log; 21 - M30 bolt; 22- split washer; 23 - retaining washer (steel sheet sЗ); 24 - thrust crossbar (steel angle 45×45); 25 - shortened sleeper (steel pipe 80x40x3, 6 pcs.); 26 - overlay for lengthening the blade (steel sheet 250x180x10, 2 pcs.).

A welded frame is prepared, a metal (less often wooden) plate with a slot for the disk is placed on the frame. The gaps between the disk and the plate are minimal. The saw shaft is attached to the plate from below on bearings and a pulley. The electric motor pulley and the saw are connected by belts (reinsurance when the saw jams) - a homemade circular sawmill can work!

one of the options for a homemade circular sawmill

To tension the belt, use the weight of the engine with the addition of weights. Make the supporting platform of the electric motor movable coaxially with the saw shaft, deflecting under weight in the opposite direction. The wheel of a running tractor with a drive to a saw pulley without belts is often used as a propulsion device.

The principles of cutting are the same as in band cutting - we feed the log to the cutting disc. After a disc cut, the surface of the lumber is of higher quality due to the speed of processing. Disc sawmills come in vertical and horizontal types - they are easier to use in mobile installations.

Tire sawmill

We need to start by understanding what and how much we will cut. If you need to cut 100 - 200 rafters for a house being built from free logs, then 400 boards, it is better to use a hand-held professional chainsaw. Let's make a homemade sawmill from a chainsaw, an inexpensive, simple and effective method.

drawing of a simple sawmill using a chainsaw (download full drawing)

You will need any smooth metal profile, welding and a grinder. We start with the maximum length of the log - practically about 4 m. For this length you need to find a channel or I-beam, you can weld it from pieces with reinforcement - the main thing is that the resulting profile is even. We are starting to make our autonomous sawmill based on a chainsaw.

The design is a powerful profile at a working height - above the waist, along which a fixed chainsaw moves in a cart.

The height is determined by ergonomics; a prolonged knee-elbow position is not useful. A log is placed parallel to the main profile on a support frame, and a running chainsaw moves along the log and makes the necessary trimming.

A few more details about the features. The main element is the main profile, which ensures the geometrically correct dimensions of the lumber, must be sufficiently strong and rigid, if the channel is at least 200. The profile rests on 3 or more supports connected to the support frame on which the log rests.

If you decide to make a chain sawmill with your own hands, be sure to look at the LOGOSOL sawmills. Drawings and documentation can be downloaded from the website and used as the basis for your homemade product.

The main errors during sawing are formed when the cart with the chainsaw oscillates, so the movement of the cart along the profile requires at least four rigidly pressed metal wheels; it is necessary to provide a manual drive. The simplest is a well crank with a drive wheel along the main profile.

To install a heavy log, slopes are usually installed along which it is convenient to push the log successively from side to side onto the support frame, wedging it on the frame.

The most difficult thing is the adjustment mechanism for the thickness of the product. The simplest method is to install screw or any rigid jacks along the edges of a support frame movable in a vertical plane. We adjust the jacks - we adjust the thickness of the product. An example of the construction of a mobile tire sawmill based on a chainsaw can be seen in the photo.

Cutting wood can be done by one person: holding the chainsaw handle and adjusting the gas, we feed with the other hand.

Conclusion

A few thoughts on the feasibility of making a sawmill. Tested by time and practice - self-production makes sense with free materials. If you count the labor costs and materials, and the possible benefits, you will understand for yourself. The worst thing about making it yourself is that few people pay attention to safety precautions. This moment definitely needs to be thought through! Trouble-free operation and high-quality wood.

Today we will talk about how to make a sawmill with your own hands from scrap materials. We will also look at drawings and manufacturing diagrams for various designs of homemade sawmills with visual illustrations and photos

Those devices that are commercially available are certainly convenient and functional, but such sawmills are quite expensive, so if you have some experience working with metal and various devices, you can try to make a sawmill yourself.

To create a sawmill from a chainsaw, you need two channels, with a height of 140 to 180 millimeters and a length of about 8 meters. We also need corners 50 by 100 millimeters and two rails; they need to be turned upside down. When creating the base for the sawmill, we drill holes with a diameter of 14-16 millimeters along its length, the holes should be located at a distance of 1-1.5 meters from each other. The work will require ties, their number should be equal to the number of holes; sections of water pipe can be used as ties.

The length of the screed should be 25 centimeters, they are connected using bolts. The stands are made of metal squares on which the base for the sawmill is placed. When making the base, you need to carefully ensure that the base consists of strictly straight elements. The distance from the outer posts to the end of the base should be from 80 to 100 centimeters. To give additional rigidity to the structure, you can weld special braces between the posts.

The first half of the work is done, then we are making a movable cart, it will be based on a steel plate 600 millimeters long and 4 to 6 centimeters thick. A 40 by 40 millimeter corner is welded to the bottom of the plate, and then the cart is placed on bearings or rollers. It is necessary to weld two corners at the top, to which we attach a chainsaw, with which the cutting will take place. The last step is to make a structure for fixing the log. To do this, we need pipes 35-40 millimeters in diameter and movable hoses, which we place and then fasten at any required height, limited by the length of the pipe.

Instructions on how to make a sawmill with your own hands

2 The sawmill is based on rails from a corner, the length of which is 50 millimeters. Install it side up. Much attention is paid to the installation of wheels. They should not rub off on the corner. Most often, installation is performed with the edge of the corner up. In this case, the wheels do not wear out. A profile pipe of size 2 is used as sleepers.

5x25 millimeters. A half-inch pipe is welded between the profile tube, which should have fasteners in the form of nails. Fasteners must move and tilt freely. The wood clamp must operate after the fastener is struck with a hammer. The clamp is self-jamming.

4 The original pulleys have a diameter of 30-32 centimeters. They are ground on a lathe. The worn belt after this operation should protrude a couple of centimeters. The pulley housings are welded to the tubes. The structure should move freely along a horizontal guide made from a half-inch pipe.

It can be fixed with bolts. The right pulley should automatically tighten. To do this, you need to install a spring from the shock absorber. The left pulley must be fixed. However, it may move as the size of the band saw changes. The pulleys are installed in parallel. However, in order to prevent the tape from flying off, they are performed with an inclination of 3 degrees.

Mechanism for vertical movement of the saw unit of a homemade sawmill

This mechanism should only be a screw mechanism with two main rotors connected to a low-speed lifting motor. Screw nuts should be made of bronze and not cast iron, which is highly brittle and not suitable for these purposes. The screws must be covered with protective rubber bellows.

Recently, some manufacturers of band saw machines have used automotive chains as a mechanism for vertical movement of the saw unit (instead of screws), citing the simplicity and reliability of the design. This is not true, since during operation the chains are stretched, which leads to distortion and jamming of the saw unit. Cables that get tangled in the lifting mechanism are also not suitable for this purpose.

The gear motor, which drives the chains or cables, wears out over time; under the weight, it spontaneously rotates and gradually lowers the sawing unit, especially from vibration during the sawing process, the result is that the board at the output is thicker than at the input.

Proponents of chain or cable lifting of the saw unit argue that the weak point of the screw lift is the bronze nut, which can also wear out over time.

But in the process of choosing between replacing a worn-out gear motor or replacing a bronze nut, it is more economically feasible to replace the nut than an expensive, mostly imported gear motor, which is 10 times more expensive.

This sawmill consists of four components: a drive with a saw, a device for adjusting the thickness of the bar, a device for moving the saw unit, and a mechanism for securing the log.

Saw drive. Using a blade from a mechanical hacksaw, you can make a saw 450 mm long and 40 mm wide. The teeth can be cut with a grinding machine disc and spread by heating them with a burner. The saw is given the desired shape on a sharpener.

The saw moves horizontally on 4 hardened rollers mounted on stands. The length of the racks depends on the thickness of the timber (80 mm in the diagram). To provide rigidity, a plate is installed between the rods.
From a 3 kW engine with a rotation speed of 1500 rpm. rotation is transmitted to the flywheel shaft pulley. A flywheel whose mass is 7 kg and diameter is 200 mm. To obtain a saw stroke of 100 mm, with a deviation from the center of 50 mm, a pin is fixed in the flywheel, and a connecting rod is attached to it. And the second end of the connecting rod is fixed to the saw. The offset of the flywheel axis relative to the saw axis is 25 mm.

Device for adjusting the thickness of the bar. To obtain the required thickness of the bar, the base, secured with four M 14x2 bolts, is raised or lowered. It is held in place by nuts welded to plates with bent edges.

The two-millimeter screw pitch allows for more precise adjustment of the thickness of the beam. All screws have sprockets that are connected by a chain. You can use a chain from the gas distribution mechanism of a VAZ 2101. When adjusting, move the chain by hand in the desired direction, thereby rotating the screws. Counting the revolutions according to the mark on one of the sprockets.

This is interesting: read our other articles from the construction industry: “Technology for making paving slabs” and “Making cinder blocks with your own hands.”

Saw installation moving device. The saw part of the sawmill moves along the guide angles along the frame. The distance between the corners is 550 mm. Each stand has 2 rollers. The upper roller rests on the guide angle, the lower one holds the saw part from lifting. The rollers are bearings with a diameter of 20 mm.
There is a chain along the front guide. A bushing is welded onto it and the sprocket axis passes through it, which engages with the chain. On the other side of the axis there is a steering wheel. By rotating, we move the saw part along the frame.

Log fastening mechanism. In the sawmill, the log is clamped with two combs. The first one is movable and moves with a screw, the second one is not movable. After installing and fixing the log with combs, the movable comb is clamped with 2 screws.

When processing a log, first four slabs are cut off, and then the tetrahedral beam is sawn into bars of the required size.
Those devices that are commercially available are certainly convenient and functional, but such sawmills are quite expensive, so if you have some experience working with metal and various devices, then you can try to make a sawmill yourself. This article provides an example of a homemade sawmill using parts from a Niva-type combine, for example, pulleys. Little turning work is used in the manufacturing process.

Another instruction on how to make a sawmill with your own hands

1 A special frame made of metal is attached to the saw bar. The thickness of the board is determined by the gap between the frame and the tire. A homemade sawmill lasts no more than three months, since cheap materials are used. They start to fail.

2 The sawmill is based on rails from a corner, the length of which is 50 millimeters. Install it side up. Much attention is paid to the installation of wheels. They should not rub off on the corner. Most often, installation is performed with the edge of the corner up. In this case, the wheels do not wear out. A profile pipe measuring 25x25 millimeters is used as “sleepers”. A half-inch pipe is welded between the profile tube, on which there should be log fasteners in the form of nails. Fasteners must move and tilt freely. The wood clamp must operate after the fastener is struck with a hammer. The clamp is self-jamming.

3 Profile tubes are used as rails. Adjustment bolts, which have a size of M14x100 millimeters, are placed on the protrusions. “Bridges” are installed on profile tubes. It is on them that the logs will be laid. The last two “bridges” are located at a distance of 50 centimeters. This is necessary in order to conveniently place short workpieces.

4 The original pulleys have a diameter of 30-32 centimeters. They are ground on a lathe. The worn belt after this operation should protrude a couple of centimeters. The pulley housings are welded to the tubes. The structure should move freely along a horizontal guide made from a half-inch pipe. It can be fixed with bolts. The right pulley should automatically tighten. To do this, you need to install a spring from the shock absorber. The left pulley must be fixed. However, it may move as the size of the band saw changes. The pulleys are installed in parallel. However, in order to prevent the tape from flying off, they are performed with an inclination of 3 degrees.

The mechanism of movement of the sawmill saw. The saw part of the sawmill moves along the frame along guide angles 13 (plan diagram 2), the distance between which is 550 mm. Each rack 14 has two rollers 12 (plan diagram 2). The upper roller rests on the guide angle, and the lower one keeps the saw part of the sawmill from lifting. Bearings with a diameter of 20 mm are used as rollers.

Chain 5 is fixed along the front guide (plan 1). A bushing 16 is welded to the front pillar, through which the axis of the sprocket 17 is passed (plan diagram 2), this sprocket engages with the chain. A steering wheel 15 is attached to the other end of the axis. By rotating this steering wheel, the saw part moves along the frame. You can do without a steering wheel - more on that below.

Log fastening device. The logs in the sawmill are fixed with two combs 7 and 9 (plan diagram 1). The first of them is movable and moves with the help of screw 8, and the second is fixed. After the log is installed and clamped with combs, the movable comb is fixed with two screws.

When sawing a log, four slabs are first cut, and then the resulting four-edged beam is cut into boards or bars of the required size.

For the convenience of loading large logs, the sawmill can be made without legs, while you can move the saw part by pushing it in front of you, which will simplify the design because no need to make a steering wheel. To make pushing more convenient, it is better to make additional handles.

Mechanism for adjusting the thickness of the resulting board. To obtain the required thickness of the board when sawing, base 6 (plan diagram 2) is lowered or raised, which is secured with four screws with M14x2 threads. The base is held by nuts 18, welded to plates 4 (figure below), the edges of which are bent. On top of the base there are lock nuts, which are tightened after setting the sawmill to the desired thickness of the boards being cut.
The screw pitch of 2 mm makes it easy to count turns when obtaining the desired board thickness. Each screw has a 20 sprocket installed (plan 2), these sprockets are connected by a chain. We used sprockets and chains from the gas distribution mechanism of a VAZ 2101 car. When adjusting, the chain is taken with both hands and moved in the desired direction, thereby rotating the base screws. In this case, the revolutions are calculated according to the mark made on one of the sprockets.

Undoubtedly, a sawmill is a necessary equipment for every person who works with wood, as well as for everyone who plans to build a wooden house on their own in the near future. But a factory-made sawmill is not a cheap pleasure, and it is advisable to buy it for those who prepare timber at a professional level, for whom this is a means of earning money. If you do not belong to this category of businessmen, but you nevertheless need a sawmill, then a homemade sawmill is an excellent solution for you. At the same time, a DIY sawmill will not require a large investment from you - at least it will cost less than the one you can buy in a store.

You can learn how to make a sawmill with your own hands from the following description.

In order to make a sawmill with your own hands, you will need 2 channels, the height of which is 140-180 mm and the length is 8 meters. 50x100 mm corners and two rails turned upside down are perfect for making a base for a homemade sawmill. It is important to ensure that the basis contains only strictly straight elements. Then along the length of the base you need to drill holes at a distance of 1 -1.5 meters from each other. The diameter of the holes should be 14-16 mm, and the distance between two adjacent holes should be even along the entire length of the base. Next, let's prepare the ties.

Their number should be equal to the number of resulting holes; ¾ sections of water pipe are suitable as blanks. The length of each tie should be 25 centimeters. Tie connections are made using studs or bolts. The base assembled in this way is placed on racks, which can be welded from metal angles or I-beams. The number of racks depends on the length of the resulting base. So, for example, a sawmill, the drawing and manufacturing procedure of which is described here, has 4 racks. The distance from the ends of the base to the outer posts should be approximately 80-100 cm. Special braces must be welded or attached with screws between the posts - this will give the base of the homemade sawmill the necessary rigidity, preventing it from bending under the weight of the log.

And one more piece of advice for those who decided to build a sawmill with their own hands: it is best to assemble it right at the place where it will then work. The fact is that its weight is quite large, and transporting it to another place without having to disassemble the entire structure will be very problematic. And when assembling it at the place of direct work, you can dig the racks into the ground for stability.

After assembling the base and installing it on the racks, it is necessary to proceed to the next stage - the manufacture of a movable cart.

This cart can be based on a steel plate, the dimensions of which are 4-6 cm x 600 mm (thickness, length). As for the width of this slab, it all depends on the distance between the base channels - the width of the slab should extend approximately 10 mm beyond the channel on each side. A stop - a 40x40 mm corner - is welded to the bottom of the plate or attached in another way, after which the cart is placed on bearings or rollers, which will ensure its free movement along the base.

It is also necessary to weld 2 corners on top of the cart - this is required in order to attach an electric motor to it, with the help of which the sawmill will perform its functions. The trolley with a circular saw and an electric motor is moved using a steering wheel and a chain from a conventional combine harvester. To clamp the log being processed, you need to make a structure that will consist of pipes with a diameter of 35-40 mm and movable rods that can be fixed at any required height within the length of the pipe.

When choosing a saw and electric motor for a sawmill of this design, it is best to give preference to a circular saw with a diameter of 1 meter and an electric motor with a power of 10 kW. Working on a sawmill of this design is easy - you just need to put a log, secure it with a bar and move it by turning the steering wheel. In this sawmill design, the movable trolley can move in both directions.

In order for the cut of a log made with a saw to be smooth, you only need to ensure that the saw is sharp enough. Naturally, compliance with safety rules when working with a sawmill is one of the conditions of paramount importance that must be observed, regardless of whether you made the sawmill yourself or purchased it in a store. Making a sawmill with your own hands, as you can see, is not at all difficult; for this you don’t have to be an ace in mechanical engineering, you just need to have skillful hands. And you can use the saved money to decorate your own wooden house.

To perform sawing work, sawmills are used as a device that will ensure the required size of wood is achieved, but how can you make them yourself?

They can be divided into two types. These are band and disc sawmills, which are based on the use of different cutting mechanisms.

Operating principle and design of a band sawmill

The design of the band sawmill is based on the use of a sawing belt, which is made of tool steel and is located between two rotating units, which ensure the movement of the blade during sawing.

Advantages of using band saws for sawing:

• when sawing, a small kerf is formed, which allows for a high (up to 70%) yield of material from the processed workpiece;
• ability to work with workpieces (logs) of large diameters;
• the ability to conveniently select the cutting thickness of the workpiece;
• smoothness and cleanliness of the workpiece cut.

The main disadvantage when using band saws is that it is difficult to use when working with insufficiently dried coniferous wood, since when sawing, tree resin sticks to the cutting surface. To work with a band sawmill, it is necessary to use dried workpieces.

Making a homemade band sawmill

The proposed sawmill has a quite presentable and neat appearance. At the same time, in terms of the scope of functions it performs, it is in no way inferior to professional factory-made analogues.

The only significant difference from factory machines is the method of connecting to the electrical network. Here electricity is supplied in the usual, household way. By plugging the usual cord with a plug into an outlet (voltage 220 volts). But this, so to speak, drawback does not in any way affect the efficiency and quality of the production process.

The band saw is driven by a conventional asynchronous motor. It got its name due to the fact that it does not reach a constant speed. It ranges from 1500 to 3000 thousand revolutions per minute. It all depends on the number of network poles.

The rail track is made of 50 mm metal angle. It may seem weak and may not withstand this design. But this opinion is deceptive. Practice has shown that the rails quite confidently support the weight of the sawmill in a level position.

The material to be cut is placed on reliable metal supports. There are seven of them in total. They are very high quality cemented into a concrete monolithic slab.

The stops are made in a fairly traditional style. They are made of ten-millimeter steel rod.

The emphasis can be raised and fixed at the required height. Fixation occurs using a special clamp. The stop is designed to lift the log to the desired level.

It is possible to rearrange the stops. For this purpose, there is a fastening on each thrust bar

The rails are attached to the support. The fastening method allows you to move freely around the sawmill along the rail structure. And at the same time, do not touch the material being cut located on the metal base.

An iron tube is attached to the stop. Its diameter is 2.5 centimeters. A movable clamping device is attached to the tube. It works on the eccentric principle. Its components are a hook and a lever. Their main function is to press the log to be sawed.

In order to increase strength, the structure is reinforced with several rectangular profile pipes. The pipes are dead welded directly to the frame itself. Their dimensions are 40 by 20 mm.

The length of the frame is 7.5 meters. Its design is collapsible. If desired, you can disassemble it into its component parts (one half-tarometer piece and two 3-meter pieces)

There is an option to adjust the saw frame. This process is carried out using adjusting bolts. They are made in a wedge shape.

Video: DIY band sawmill.

The popularity of wood in private construction remains high even with the advent of the newest building materials. This is largely due to its reasonable cost, availability and ease of processing. Despite the fact that today you can easily buy a suitable board, beam or batten, the question of cutting logs yourself is of interest to every thrifty owner. And this is natural, because the costs of purchasing commercial timber cannot be compared with the cost of edged lumber. Of course, running your own sawmill just to fix a fence or repair a roof is not practical. If we are talking about starting construction on an empty site, then your own sawmill will be very useful. And you can save on its purchase if you build the unit yourself.

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.

Some sources suggest repeating the design of units in which the saw carriage is mounted motionless, and the cutting is carried out by moving a log laid on a movable platform. Perhaps such a scheme has a right to exist, but it must be taken into account that its implementation will require rails of double length.

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.

Video: Features of the band sawmill

What you will need to build a sawmill

For those who think building their own sawmill is not a difficult task, let us say right away that creating a high-quality, efficient unit is not easy. And the point is not even that one cannot do without certain financial costs - as a rule, the budget of a homemade sawmill easily fits into the amount of 30 - 40 thousand rubles. Assembling a unit capable of producing high-quality lumber will require solving problems related to stability of operation, ensuring the strength of components and parts, setting up and adjusting mechanisms, making devices for sharpening a band saw and setting its teeth, etc. Are you not afraid of difficulties? Then check out what materials and tools you will need for the job.

As rail guides, you can use steel angles with a flange width of at least 50 mm, a channel or an I-beam. The main requirement for rails is their straight geometry. It must be borne in mind that any shortcoming of our miniature “railway” will affect the quality of the cut, since the tape blade will copy every unevenness, transferring it to the surface of the board. That is why the best option would be T, N or U-shaped rolled metal. Unfortunately, corners are most susceptible to bending during manufacturing and transportation. The most ideal case would be to use factory rails, for example, from narrow-gauge transport, which, with some luck, can be found at scrap metal collection points.

The rollers that provide longitudinal movement of the sawmill can be turned on a lathe and hardened. In some cases, the use of conventional ball bearings is permitted.

Excellent rollers are made from linear guides based on ball bearings, which can be found on sale. This solution cannot be called the cheapest, but there is no doubt about the reliability and durability of such a unit

Actually, the frame, saw carriage and bed for laying logs are made of square and rectangular profile pipes. It is best to use rolled metal with maximum wall thickness. This will provide the equipment with the necessary strength, since the operation of the machine is associated with variable dynamic loads.

For the mechanism for adjusting the height of the carriage (traverse), you will need guides made of steel pipes with sliders and two long screws with nuts. For these purposes, you can use parts from decommissioned screw-cutting lathes (unlikely, but never mind), mechanical presses, or threaded rods from a construction store (the most affordable, but least preferred option). You can also order the production of parts from a turner - it’s still unlikely to be possible without contacting a specialist. In addition, a chain drive will be required, which is often borrowed from the gas distribution mechanism of automobile engines. Alternatively, you can use a bicycle chain and sprockets.

Pulleys from old domestic combine harvesters of the Kolos, Niva brands and other agricultural machinery are best suited as impellers for the belt blade. By the way, you can also get shafts and bearing housings from there. Please note that the diameter of the guides must be at least 30 cm (optimally 50 cm), otherwise excessive mechanical stress will lead to cracks at the base of the saw teeth.

Pulleys from decommissioned domestic agricultural machinery can be used in the design of the band saw drive

There are designs of homemade installations with guide pulleys in the form of wheels from passenger cars. For skeptics, we note that such a homemade solution has a lot of advantages, starting from the possibility of using assembled hubs and ending with the fact that fine adjustment of the belt tension during operation can be done by inflating the tires.

You can buy a band saw new or used. It is best to have several blades in stock, which can be replaced with sharp ones as they become dull.

As for the tools that will be needed during the work process, every self-respecting owner should have one. In particular, you will need:

• welding machine;
• “grinder”, or, in professional language, an angle grinder;
• drill press or electric drill;
• a set of drills for concrete and metal;
• set of metalwork clamps;
• set of wrenches;
• hammer;
• pliers;
• fasteners (bolts, nuts, washers of various sizes);
• measuring instrument (ruler, caliper, tape measure);
• level (preferably laser type).

Don’t forget that you will need to prepare a strong, level foundation, so be prepared for concrete work - stock up on sand, crushed stone and cement, prepare a concrete mixer, tampers, formwork and a long rule.

Preparatory activities

At the preparation stage, the optimal design is selected, the necessary calculations are made and drawings are developed. After this, materials and tools are prepared and a place for installation of the sawmill is arranged.

Design work, drawings

The construction of a sawmill begins with the selection of a production site. It has been experimentally established that this will require an area of ​​at least 3x6 m in size. In any case, when planning the length of the working area, it is necessary to take into account the maximum size of the forest being processed. It is best if the unit is installed indoors or under a large canopy. In this case, you can work in any weather.

Then the number of angles (channels, I-beams) and profile pipes required for the manufacture of rail guides, stock and saw frame is determined. The distance between the rails is calculated by adding gaps of at least 0.3 - 0.4 m on each side to the maximum diameter of the log. In addition, it is necessary to take into account transverse reinforcements, which are installed between the rails every 0.8 - 1 m. Supporting elements for timber can be mounted on the same reinforcements, raising the bed to a height of at least 0.2 m above the level of the guides.

Sawmill diagram Saw carriage drawing
Rail guide drawing

Depending on the design, drawings are made of components that will need to be turned on a lathe - rollers, screws, shafts, bearing housings, pulleys, etc. The design of a homemade sawmill is taken based on financial capabilities, availability of materials and individual components, so the exact design of the unit everyone does it on their own. However, we provide diagrams and drawings of the sawmill and its individual components as an example. They can be used in your own developments.

Drawing of the tension mechanism Drawing of the roller Impeller assembly

Preparing the base

A properly made foundation will ensure the equipment’s stable linear characteristics during operation.

Since building your own sawmill is a serious matter, you need to approach it responsibly. Perhaps in the future the equipment will become not only a good help in the household, but also a source of additional income. Such important factors as the durability and reliability of the sawmill, the ease of operation and the quality of the resulting lumber largely depend on how strong and level the base it has.

The construction of a base slab is no different from the construction of a shallow floating or simple strip foundation. A lot has been written about it, so there is no need to dwell on the construction process in detail. Let us only remind you that you will need a cushion of sand and gravel, the thickness of the base is made at least 10 - 15 cm, and its strength is ensured by an armored belt made of steel rod with a diameter of at least 10 mm. In this case, significant variable loads will not lead to cracks or subsidence of the concrete slab.

Instructions for making a sawmill with your own hands

As a working project, we will take a design with wheels from a passenger car, known for its simplicity and low cost. Since the correct and reliable operation of the saw unit depends on each element, we will consider in detail the manufacturing process of each unit, the nuances of assembly and configuration of the equipment.

Rail guides

Laying rail guides

When using corners measuring 50x50 mm as rails, they are not laid on one of the shelves, but with the edge angle facing upward. This will reduce wear on parts and provide increased structural rigidity. If you use rolled metal with a 100 mm flange for the guides, then such a corner can be installed in any position. It must be said that the most successful option is rails made from I-beams or channels, since they have increased rigidity even without being “embroidered” with the help of transverse elements. By the way, a square profile with a width of at least 25 mm is used as “sleepers”. The rail parts are connected to each other using electric welding. When installing spacers, weld a half-inch diameter pipe with devices installed on it for fixing logs (“claws”).

When performing welding work, you must ensure that the workpiece does not “lead”, which often happens when parts overheat. Most often, such troubles occur with corners and other thin metal products, so in this case it is better to use a semi-automatic welding machine that operates in a carbon dioxide environment.

If it is not possible to ensure the straightness of the rails during welding, then the installation of the transverse elements is carried out with a threaded connection. The guides are attached to the concrete base using anchor bolts.

Simultaneously with the installation of the rails, a bed for laying timber is constructed. To do this, vertical H-shaped posts with a minimum rod height of 10 cm and protrusions to prevent rolling of round timber of at least 5 cm in size are attached to the “sleepers.”

The bed for laying lumber can have any configuration

The nearest 3-4 crossbars are installed at a shorter distance - no more than 0.5 m. Thanks to this solution, in the future it will be possible to work not only with long pieces, but also with short workpieces.

Both parts turned on a lathe and ordinary ball bearings can be used as rollers. In the first case, a hole must be provided for installing the rotation unit, and the wheels themselves are hardened. The second option involves installing one enlarged and two or three identical bearings on the axle. Of course, the parts are selected with the same internal size, and the shaft is machined with a thrust collar on one side and threads for attaching rollers on the other.

Wide rollers are good because any rolled metal can be used as rails, including channels and I-beams

Saw frame

The manufacture of the saw frame begins with vertical guides, of which two pieces are required. It is best to make the racks and sliders from steel pipes selected with minimal clearance. After this, a rectangular frame of the carriage is made, to the sides of which the upper and lower sliders are welded. Since impellers will be mounted on the lower cross member, it must be made of a rigid square pipe or channel.

Trying on guides and sliders

The body of the sawmill is not something complicated, since it consists of paired vertical and horizontal elements connected at right angles. A durable frame is made from a square steel profile with a width of at least 50 mm. Smaller rectangular metal can be used as spacers.

Welding the bed

The use of profile pipes will provide rigidity to the structure. If corners are used as structural materials, then their joints are additionally reinforced with steel braces with a thickness of at least 2 mm.

Rollers are installed at the bottom of the frame, having previously determined the distance between their thrust walls. It must match the width of the rail guides.

Saw frame assembled with guides and carriage

Carriage lifting mechanism. Photo gallery

Vertical movement of the carriage is ensured by a paired screw mechanism with manual drive and chain transmission. The nuts are welded to the lower bushings (sliders), and the thrust part of the screw is mounted to the upper crossbar of the saw frame. The screws will rotate easily if you use suitable bearings as supports.

The saw carriage lifting mechanism drive assembly with the drive and tensioner The upper assembly of the lifting mechanism The lifting mechanism nut is welded to the carriage bushing
On the top cross member the screw is installed in the bearing

To ensure that the lifting mechanism works without distortions, sprockets of the same size are installed on the shafts. After installing the chain, it is tensioned using a roller or fluoroplastic cracker. The drive of the flexible transmission is provided by gears of different sizes, one of which is rigidly connected to one of the screws, and the other is mounted on a separate shaft. The use of an oversized drive sprocket will allow you to quickly move the carriage along the guides. The fixation mechanism can be made of a spring-loaded pin, which, after adjustment, is installed between the chain rollers and fixed brackets. After assembly, the drive is equipped with a comfortable handle.

Pulleys

Manufacturing of hub adjustment unit

For pulleys, wheels and axle shafts are taken from a rear-wheel drive passenger car. To secure them to the bottom cross member of the carriage, you will need bearing units. It is best to order these parts from a turner - in this case it will be possible to make them adjustable, which will allow you to move the axes of the impellers to the sides. The fact is that during operation the band saw heats up and lengthens. If you don’t pull it up in time, it can fly off our “pulleys.” If you move them a couple of degrees away from the longitudinal axis, you can eliminate this danger.

Mounting the hubs on the saw carriage

Adjustment units are sections of pipes, one of which is installed into the other with a gap of up to 5 mm. The inner clutch is also a housing for the axle bearings, and its alignment is ensured by screws installed on the outer collet.

Installation of the power unit and main drive elements

One wheel is mounted motionless on the carriage, supplying the shank of its axle shaft with a pulley. The other is mounted on a movable unit, which will pre-tension the saw blade. The installation of pulleys is not carried out horizontally, but with an offset of 2 - 4 mm in the vertical plane. The leveling of the band saw occurs due to the displacement of the cutting blade support unit. This structural element can be made of three ball bearings, like the rollers of a saw frame.

Installation of the band saw support unit. The device of its adjustment mechanism is clearly visible

After assembling and installing all components, the power unit is mounted on the unit. Rotation from the engine to the drive wheel is transmitted via a V-belt drive. Depending on the motor used, the belt is tensioned using a spring-loaded roller, if an internal combustion engine is used, or by shifting the frame with an installed electric motor. In addition, a protective casing is made that prevents sawdust from flying in all directions. At the last stage, a container with lubricating and washing liquid (LCF) is installed, the tube from which is connected to one of the cutting units.

A small hydraulic jack can be used in the saw blade tensioning mechanism

After assembling the unit and checking the tightness of all bolted connections, a band saw is installed on the impellers, after tensioning which a test run of the sawmill is carried out. If the test switch-on is successful, then the engine is turned off and after the saw has completely stopped, the log is laid on the bed and fixed. The thickness of the first board is adjusted using the saw lifting mechanism, after which a test cut is made. The installation is turned off and inspected, a conclusion is made about the operability of the sawmill.

Video: Band sawmill made at home

We hope we were able to convince you that building your own sawmill, although difficult, is quite possible. A self-made unit can work no worse than a factory sawmill only if you follow the recommendations of experienced craftsmen during the work process. Believe me, the care and scrupulousness shown will be reflected in perfectly straight cuts. Your site will acquire new, stylish buildings, built using warm and noble materials, obtained with your own hands.

Thanks to my varied hobbies, I write on various topics, but my favorites are engineering, technology and construction. Perhaps because I know many nuances in these areas, not only theoretically, as a result of studying at a technical university and graduate school, but also from a practical side, since I try to do everything with my own hands.

Residents of small towns or villages are well aware of the role any woodworking equipment plays in their lives, which most likely many have had to use in their work. Nowadays, the construction market is replete with a large number of different models of woodworking equipment, with sawmills being the most popular. All sawmills are divided into frame, disk and band sawmills, which differ in the type of cutting tool. The tire sawmill differs radically from them in its design.

Purpose of the tire sawmill

Man has long been using wood of different species to make objects that are necessary for his life. During this time, people worked to modernize woodworking equipment. The hand saws that were used in the past have almost disappeared into oblivion. They have been replaced by more modern and convenient machines, which include a chainsaw, multi-saw and edger, as well as tire sawmills.

Any construction or maintenance of buildings is accompanied by large financial expenses, which is associated with wood processing: sawing timber, preparing boards, manufacturing rafters, beams or furniture parts. All this, of course, you can purchase at retail in a trading network, but when you buy a new tire sawmill, all expenses will quickly pay off, and with the help of your own woodworking machine you will build a house, a bathhouse, a garage, a country house and a summer gazebo.

The main purpose of a homemade tire sawmill is high-quality longitudinal sawing of logs of any type of wood for the production of unedged and edged boards, veneer, slats, carriages, beams and sawing of thin gauges. Sawmills of this type are designed for the production of small batches of lumber, processing of non-standard logs and obtaining special sizes of workpieces.

Tire sawmills do not require a large area for installation and can be freely installed on a limited plot of land. Of course, a chain sawmill will not replace a cylinder saw or a crown cutter, but you can cut timber and make boards with your own hands. In the photo of tire sawmills, you will see that there are machines that operate from an electrical network and are stationary installations, as well as autonomous options that run on gasoline, with which you can go into the forest and harvest the necessary lumber.

Construction of a bus sawmill

The sawmill consists of a frame, clamping stops, a movable trolley, rollers, a carriage, an electric motor, a tire and a chain saw. The sawmill frame is lightweight, so it can be transported in the trunk of a car. A tire sawmill can be relatively easily moved and installed in close proximity to the log that is being sawed - in a lumber yard or construction site.

You can saw logs of almost any length on a tire sawmill. And if you provide for the additional installation of another section in the drawing of a homemade tire sawmill, then you can increase the length of the log by another couple of meters. This is considered very beneficial when constructing a house or country house for the production of floors.

The design of the clamping stops is quite simple and convenient. Two clamps are located at the end and beginning of the log; the log is pressed against the stop flags with screws. During the sawing process, you can lower the stops to the appropriate level.

The movable trolley can be mounted from a steel plate, which has a thickness of 5-6 millimeters. It is equipped with a steering wheel and a thrust angle. Then it is placed on rollers or bearings. You can use a chain from a combine harvester as a chain to move the cart. Using a sharpened rip saw will ensure a smooth cutting surface. Such a saw is fixed on a special carriage, which moves along the bed using rails.

Its role is perfectly performed by two steel channels, which are 8 meters long and 0.14 meters high. At a distance of a meter and a half along the entire length of the channels, holes are made into which it is customary to install ties, for example, from sections of a water pipe. The entire structure of a self-made tire sawmill requires installation on racks.

The power unit on a tire sawmill can be a three-phase electric motor with a power of 5.5 kW, or you can use an automatic four-stroke gasoline engine with a power of 5.5 horsepower. The sawing speed in this case is 18.6 and 9.7 meters per second, respectively. The electric motor is placed on top on special welded corners.

The bar and chain on the sawmill use the usual ones. When sawing, the rigidity of the tire eliminates the appearance of a number of defects, such as, for example, a wave, and the sawing accuracy reaches ±1 millimeter per 6 meters of length. When sawing with a tire, the thickness of the cut is no greater than when using a circular saw. At the end, a convenient fixing device is installed on the tire sawmill, which is intended to secure the log.

Operating principle of a tire sawmill

The principle of operation of a bus sawmill is similar to the operation of a band sawmill. During processing, the log lies motionless, and the cutting is carried out using a saw, which is mounted on a moving carriage. The main difference between these models lies in the use of a chain saw attached to the bar.

The saw chain is much cheaper than those installed in band sawmills, is faster and easier to prepare for work and has a long service life. But the tape cloth cannot be used after work for 10 hours so that it restores its properties. If the teeth are sharpened or set incorrectly, the strip blade becomes unusable, and the lumber turns out to be of poor quality or unsuitable for use.

Thus, the use of tape in private households is associated with many problems. The saw chains that are used in bus sawmills do not require such care and careful preparation for work, as evidenced by the video about a do-it-yourself bus sawmill. The chain is sharpened and immediately installed on the sawmill. In addition, even with poor sharpening quality, the quality of the cut will not suffer: it will be excellent due to the rigidity of the tire, and waviness and barreling will not occur under any circumstances.

Busbar sawmills can be installed in any premises if the condition of protecting electrical equipment from exposure to precipitation is met. These must be indoor or outdoor areas. The sawmill is placed on a level area. If it is not there, it is customary to install anchors under the rail track. The rail track and tire on the carriage are positioned horizontally.

Sawing on a tire sawmill is carried out in a horizontal plane, while manually moving the carriage with the tire. The movement is carried out along the guide elements relative to the processed log, which is located motionless. The height adjustment knob is turned manually to lower or raise the tire.

To increase the useful life of a new chain, it is first recommended to immerse it in oil and keep it in it overnight. If the drive sprocket is worn out, you cannot put a new chain on it, since it is necessary to replace the old sprocket, as shown in the video about the tire sawmill. While operating the chain, monitor its tension, which must be carefully adjusted, and the lubrication of the tire, so regularly pump oil into the nose sprocket of the tire using an oil can.

Intensive work at a tire sawmill necessitates regular sharpening of saw chains. On average, sharpening is done every one and a half to two hours, depending on the density of the wood being cut. To sharpen a saw chain, you need to use a sharpening machine that can easily be adjusted to any saw pitch and sharpening angle. To prevent the sawing process from stopping, it is recommended to always have a supply of spare saw chains on hand.

Manufacturing of tire sawmill

A self-made tire sawmill will become a reliable assistant in the farmstead. The frame is usually made from 2 steel channels, which have a length of 8 and a height of 0.14 meters. In addition, metal corners or rails are used. The blanks needed are those that have an ideal straight shape. Along the length of the channels, holes with a diameter of approximately 14-16 millimeters are made at a distance of approximately 1.5 meters, which can be seen in the drawings of tire sawmills.

In accordance with the number of holes, it is necessary to make special ties from sections of pipe for the water supply. Parts must be secured using bolts or threaded rods. The components of the sawmill structure, which have been previously prepared, need to be assembled together and installed on racks. The number of racks depends on the length. The extreme racks are placed at a distance of up to one meter from the end of the guides.

To impart rigidity to the structure, the braces should be rationally fixed. Then install a movable cart, which can be mounted from a steel plate, 4-6 millimeters thick and 0.6 meters long, depending on the size of the electric motor. Select clamping plates and spacers for the cart.

The elements are responsible for ensuring the free movement of the mechanism, as shown in the video about homemade tire sawmills. At the same time, an extremely minimal gap is required. The gaskets are tightened using bolts. Eliminate lateral play by attaching a stop angle to the cart. The trolley can be mounted on rollers or bearings.

An aluminum profile with two strands is pressed onto the electric motor shaft. The force from the motor is transmitted through two belts to a pulley that is located on the cutting bracket. The pulleys, which have a diameter of 80 millimeters along the outer edge, can be taken from a walk-behind tractor. The driven pulley transmits force through a roller rotated on two bearings to the sprocket, and then to the saw chain.

The chain is used to move the trolley with the saw and motor. The chain on the tire sawmill should be well tensioned, as in the photo of a homemade tire sawmill. The tension of the belts and chain can be done manually, secured with two bolts and nuts. You can additionally install a tension bolt on the chain tensioner, but the force of the pliers is enough to keep the chain well tensioned. To facilitate the operation of the chain, it is recommended to constantly lubricate it with machine oil.

The steering wheel is mounted on one of the sprocket bushings, which are located along the edges of the guides. After this, you can start making a fixing device for the log: movable rods are inserted into pipes with a diameter of 3-4 centimeters, which are inserted into the stopper at the required height with an M8 screw. Pressing parts that are at least 1.5 centimeters long and cam clamps are fixed on top of the rods.

Using a homemade sawmill

After you have made a homemade tire sawmill, you can begin its installation. The sawmill is installed on guide rails using four support rollers. The rollers can be converted from tensioners of the same walk-behind tractor. Remember that the bar and chain must be special for longitudinal sawing. The sharper the chain, the easier it is to cut the tree. You will have to change from 2 to 4 chains per day. In the photo of tire sawmills you can see the characteristics of the chain and bar.

To set the thickness of the boards being cut, you can install a vertical screw, in which, when rotated, the frame moves with the saw unit. To begin with, set the size using a ruler, and when you become an experienced framer, you will be able to set the thickness of the blanks based on the revolutions of the screw.

At the beginning of work, secure the log according to the drawings of the tire sawmill with your own hands, open the tap on the oil tank, start the electric motor, lower the frame with the screw and you can start moving the tire sawmill. The force with which the sawmill will move along the rails is small. This indicator depends on the thickness of the log, the type and knotiness of the tree, the condition of the wood - dry or fresh, as well as the level of sharpening of the chain.

A self-made sawmill is capable of sawing any wood, but it is advisable to use freshly harvested wood and not dried, as they say, steamed wood. It is easier to saw coniferous logs, soft hardwoods - alder, maple, poplar, aspen, harder - ash, elm, oak. It is most difficult to work with steamed acacia, because this species has very dense and hard wood.

A homemade sawmill is capable of cutting a log, the maximum length of which is 7 meters, and the maximum diameter is 40 centimeters. The speed of sawing wood material can be characterized as follows: a three-meter board made of pine blanks, which has a diameter of 25 centimeters, is sawn through in 7 minutes.

Thus, you have learned how to make a tire sawmill yourself. The bus sawmill is distinguished by high-quality sawing of wood, accuracy, compactness, low price of the bus sawmill, simplicity of design, reliability, light weight, ergonomics during operation, ease of transportation, durability and safety. If you have a large construction project coming up, then it’s time to think about making a tire machine that is designed for longitudinal processing of logs.

Not everyone can afford the purchase of a ready-made sawmill, especially since it will only pay off with constant use (read commercial use). Is it possible to make a sawmill with your own hands? What difficulties will a do-it-yourselfer face if he decides to cut raw logs into industrial wood on his own?

Homemade band sawmill

Let’s make a reservation right away – making a band sawmill yourself is very difficult. It’s not so much about the components, extensive turning and welding work, the need to sharpen and route the saw in a special way, but about the well-functioning performance of the entire complex.

It is necessary to ensure loading and stability of movement of up to 300 kg of one log, adjustment of cutting thickness, and most importantly, safety precautions. But if the availability of free wood wins, we make a band sawmill with our own hands.

Let us explain the principle of tape cutting with an example: take two spools of thread, stretch a threaded thin tape between them. By forcibly rotating the tape, we cut the log, the distance between the tapes is the maximum size of the beam. Band saws are convenient for cutting boards.

We start with choosing a production area or premises - at least 3x6 m, verified. The second most important thing is the metal wheels of the cart and band saw, this must be found or purchased. Order the frame of the belt mechanism with wheels, or it is better to buy a ready-made one. Self-production requires skills and a lot of high-precision tooling.

View 1: 1 - stand; 2 - roller; 3 - plate; 4 - screw; 5 - chain; 6 — guide lug; 7 - movable comb; 8 - screw; 9 - fixed comb; 10 - remote control.
View 2: 1 - pulley for starting the engine (if a three-phase motor is connected to a single-phase network); 2 - engine; 3 - pulley; 4 - shaft; 5 — housing with bearing; 6 - base; 7 - flywheel; 8 - finger; 9 — connecting rod; 10 - saw; 11 — M14x2 screw; 12 — roller; 13 — guide angle; 14 - stand; 15 — steering wheel; 16 — bushing; 17 — asterisk; 18 — nut M14x2; 19 — lock nut; 20 is an asterisk.

We install guides - any strong, flat metal: I-beam, channel, corner, under them, after 0.5 m, supports or anchors for stability. The distance between the guides is the diameter of the largest log with a margin of about 0.7 m. Maintaining the geometry, we weld everything together. We attach wheels, a belt mechanism frame, and an electric motor through a pulley to the cart.

Consider a mechanism for changing the horizontal movement of the saw relative to the log. Moving the cart relative to the fixed log, we cut off a horizontal layer of wood - we make boards.

Disc sawmills have received the greatest handicraft use due to their versatility and ease of manufacture. We will make a circular sawmill with our own hands. The most important thing is that we will need a circular saw - a disc larger than 500 mm (the larger the better). The propulsion device is usually an electric motor through a pulley that increases the speed.

1 — main sleeper (steel pipe 80x80x3, 5 pcs); 2 — lining (steel sheet, 40x10x1.22 pcs.); 3 — guide blade (steel channel No. 8, L1750, 4 pcs.); 4 — trolley (telpher carriage); 5 — bottom bracket (steel channel No. 18, 2 pcs); 6 - plate - base (stylish sheet s5); 7 — M20 bolt) (4 pcs.); 8 — Grover washer (4 pcs.); 9 — M20 nut (4 pcs.); 10 — three-phase asynchronous electric motor (220 V, 5 kW, 930 rpm); 11 — upper bracket (steel angle 45×45); 12 — circular saw blade; 13 — protective casing (steel sheet s2); 14 — steel pin (8 pcs.); 15 — circular saw hub (St5); 16 — thrust handle (water and gas pipe 3/4″); 17 — cut-off slab; 18 — thrust gusset (steel sheet s5); 19 — comb (steel angle 45×45, L400); 20 - log; 21 — M30 bolt; 22- split washer; 23 — retaining washer (steel sheet sЗ); 24 — thrust crossbar (steel angle 45×45); 25 — shortened sleeper (steel pipe 80x40x3, 6 pcs.); 26 — overlay for lengthening the blade (steel sheet 250x180x10, 2 pcs.).

A welded frame is prepared, a metal (less often wooden) plate with a slot for the disk is placed on the frame. The gaps between the disk and the plate are minimal. The saw shaft is attached to the plate from below on bearings and a pulley. The electric motor pulley and the saw are connected by belts (reinsurance when the saw jams) - a homemade circular sawmill can work!

one of the options for a homemade circular sawmill

To tension the belt, use the weight of the engine with the addition of weights. Make the supporting platform of the electric motor movable coaxially with the saw shaft, deflecting under weight in the opposite direction. The wheel of a running tractor with a drive to a saw pulley without belts is often used as a propulsion device.

The principles of cutting are the same as in band cutting - we feed the log to the cutting disc. After a disc cut, the surface of the lumber is of higher quality due to the speed of processing. Disc sawmills come in vertical and horizontal types - they are easier to use in mobile installations.

Tire sawmill

We need to start by understanding what and how much we will cut. If you need to cut 100 - 200 rafters for a house being built from free logs, then 400 boards, it is better to use a hand-held professional chainsaw. Let's make a homemade sawmill from a chainsaw, an inexpensive, simple and effective method.

drawing of a simple sawmill using a chainsaw (download full drawing)

You will need any smooth metal profile, welding and a grinder. We start with the maximum length of the log - practically about 4 m. For this length you need to find a channel or I-beam, you can weld it from pieces with reinforcement - the main thing is that the resulting profile is even. We are starting to make our autonomous sawmill based on a chainsaw.

The design is a powerful profile at a working height - above the waist, along which a fixed chainsaw moves in a cart.

The height is determined by ergonomics; a prolonged knee-elbow position is not useful. A log is placed parallel to the main profile on a support frame, and a running chainsaw moves along the log and makes the necessary trimming.

A few more details about the features. The main element is the main profile, which ensures the geometrically correct dimensions of the lumber, must be sufficiently strong and rigid, if the channel is at least 200. The profile rests on 3 or more supports connected to the support frame on which the log rests.

If you decide to make a chain sawmill with your own hands, be sure to look at the LOGOSOL sawmills. Drawings and documentation can be downloaded from the website and used as the basis for your homemade product.

The main errors during sawing are formed when the cart with the chainsaw oscillates, so the cart moves along the profile using at least four rigidly pressed metal wheels; it is necessary to provide a manual drive. The simplest is a well crank with a drive wheel along the main profile.

To install a heavy log, slopes are usually installed along which it is convenient to push the log successively from side to side onto the support frame, wedging it on the frame.

The most difficult thing is the adjustment mechanism for the thickness of the product. The simplest method is to install screw or any rigid jacks along the edges of a support frame movable in a vertical plane. We adjust the jacks - we adjust the thickness of the product. An example of the construction of a mobile tire sawmill based on a chainsaw can be seen in the photo.

Cutting wood can be done by one person: holding the chainsaw handle and adjusting the gas, we feed with the other hand.

Conclusion

A few thoughts on the feasibility of making a sawmill. Tested by time and practice - self-production makes sense with free materials. If you count the labor costs and materials, and the possible benefits, you will understand for yourself. The worst thing about making it yourself is that few people pay attention to safety precautions. This moment definitely needs to be thought through! Trouble-free operation and high-quality wood.