What? No bandsaw milling threads?

[lehman live edge slab]

Not many. A couple of logs. I'm thinking that the smaller the mill, the more likely they are to break. The wheel diameter is only 16" on my mill. That's a good bit of flex the blade has to endure.

How are you setting the tension? By cranks from snug or using a torque wrench. I was using a torque wrench at first and started at the 25 lbs but then backed off to 20. I’ve also done the 2.5-3 turns past snug method that for me came out in that 16-20 lb range. I try to hang around 20.

 

[Sawdust Man]

Not many. A couple of logs. I'm thinking that the smaller the mill, the more likely they are to break. The wheel diameter is only 16" on my mill. That's a good bit of flex the blade has to endure.

Wheel diameter is definitely an issue with blade life.
Still, if a new blade breaks before it's too full to cut well, I'd investigate stuff.

My mill has 19" wheels.

Sometimes when the boys and I are production sawing, I'll leave the engine screaming & the blade spinning for 3 to 5 hours nonstop and rarely will a new blade break on it's first use.
When we cut cedar cants we'll go through 90 + logs in 6 hours, so I leave it roaring because it saves time / boosts production.

 

[Mastermind]

How are you setting the tension? By cranks from snug or using a torque wrench. I was using a torque wrench at first and started at the 25 lbs but then backed off to 20. I’ve also done the 2.5-3 turns past snug method that for me came out in that 16-20 lb range. I try to hang around 20.

2 1/2 turns past snug is what I use. I'll check it with a torque wrench.

 

[Sawdust Man]

I'm dealing with some cruddy cuts right now...blade seems to be chattering, and I can't figure out why.
It'll cut nicely for a foot or two, then chatter for a bit, then go back to perfectly smooth....

 

[Mastermind]

I'm dealing with some cruddy cuts right now...blade seems to be chattering, and I can't figure out why.
It'll cut nicely for a foot or two, then chatter for a bit, then go back to perfectly smooth....




View attachment 393958

Blade guides?

 

[Sawdust Man]

Blade guides?

Idk,
I've checked all the regular stuff, with nothing obviously outta whack.
I've got a couple things to try today...will see if it goes away.
Bandsaws can be finicky buggers.

 

[srcarr52]

I'm dealing with some cruddy cuts right now...blade seems to be chattering, and I can't figure out why.
It'll cut nicely for a foot or two, then chatter for a bit, then go back to perfectly smooth....




View attachment 393958

That's a harmonic issue... you better nut and bolt that mill as you may have something loose.

 

[Sawdust Man]

That's a harmonic issue... you better nut and bolt that mill as you may have something loose.

That's my thoughts exactly.
I'm heading out to investigate now.

 

[srcarr52]

That's my thoughts exactly.
I'm heading out to investigate now.

I've had some softer wood grab hard on the blade and get the whole mill head bucking. Hanging some weight off the free end helped. I'm sure a different degree blade would have been the correct fix.

 

[Sawdust Man]

I've had some softer wood grab hard on the blade and get the whole mill head bucking. Hanging some weight off the free end helped. I'm sure a different degree blade would have been the correct fix.

This white pine is super soft, but it actually started when I was cutting yellow pine, and it's doing it in oak as well.
Anyways, I made a couple adjustments... we'll see if it's any better.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

That's my thoughts exactly.
I'm heading out to investigate now.

How old are the drive wheel bearings? Did you try a touch more or less tension to see if it changed. I could see a bearing that’s on the way out doing that.

 

[Sawdust Man]

How old are the drive wheel bearings? Did you try a touch more or less tension to see if it changed. I could see a bearing that’s on the way out doing that.

The mill is an '01 model with 1,300 hours, (1k of those hours are from the last two years when I bought it off a friend)
Pretty much everything is original, so it's probably about due to start exploding.

 

[Mastermind]

The mill is an '01 model with 1,300 hours, (1k of those hours are from the last two years when I bought it off a friend)
Pretty much everything is original, so it's probably about due to start exploding.

My mill is up to 35 hours. LOL

 

[Sawdust Man]

My mill is up to 35 hours. LOL

Gonna wear it out...lol

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Gonna wear it out...lol

Problem is our bandmills use farmertec bearings in them. I’m going to find out the sizes and order skf or other name brands for replacements as they go. Mine has 55 hours or so on it

 

[Sawdust Man]

Problem is our bandmills use farmertec bearings in them. I’m going to find out the sizes and order skf or other name brands for replacements as they go. Mine has 55 hours or so on it

Farmertrc? that's good stuff, isn't it?
Lol.


I'm assuming my woodmizer has good quality bearings in it, but still they've gone around a lot of times.

 

[JIMG]

Surplus center bearings on my homemade mill.
The ones I put on the homemade skidding winch blew up but the ones on the bandsaw are doing well so far.
No idea how many hours on it.

 

[Sawdust Man]

Finished the white pine today....1,900 bf.
the pigs seem to think it's okay...




Cut a little spruce log too..... doggone stringy stuff....

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Finished the white pine today....1,900 bf.
the pigs seem to think it's okay...

View attachment 394009View attachment 394010


Cut a little spruce log too..... doggone stringy stuff....View attachment 394011

Yep black and white spruce are both stringy, that’s the wood that gave me the most issues with the blade wondering around knots and waves in the grain.

 

[Sawdust Man]

Yep black and white spruce are both stringy, that’s the wood that gave me the most issues with the blade wondering around knots and waves in the grain.

Back in the day, I used to cut lots of big sitka spruce on the west coast.... it's really stringy as well....used to run stellite tipped blades with better results.