# Building a Mill



## NeilYeag (Aug 15, 2016)

Probably many of you guys have seen this or are following this. But I thought I would share. This guy posts some quite interesting stuff.






Neil

Reactions: Like 2


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## Kevin (Aug 15, 2016)

I don't have the time to watch it but I bet it's a good way road to follow. I hate to be considered a lemming but when a video this specific has nearly 600 likes and less than 10 dislikes, it's a good bet you may be onto to something. If it was a music video I wouldn't say that.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Schroedc (Aug 16, 2016)

I watched that one, he looks likes he's got a plan and when I have time it'll be interesting to watch the rest of the build.


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## Blueglass (Aug 16, 2016)

I'm going to have to come back to this. I want to make one with an electric motor. I like quiet.


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## Schroedc (Aug 16, 2016)

Blueglass said:


> I'm going to have to come back to this. I want to make one with an electric motor. I like quiet.



I've decided that if I ever get the space to move my mill into a permanent location indoors I'll convert to electric. Neighbor gave me a 3HP Single phase motor that would bolt right on to my saw.....

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Aug 16, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> Neighbor gave me a 3HP Single phase motor



You'd really regret mounting a 3HP electric motor on even the smallest of band mills. A 10HP, which is the largest HP rating in single phase I'm aware of, is the minimum you'd want. You might could scrape by with a 7.5HP if you didn't push it too hard but a 3 _"is right out"_.

Reactions: Agree 2 | Informative 1


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## Kevin (Aug 16, 2016)

Colin to give you an idea, a 3HP electric is equivalent to a 7.5HP gas. A 7.5HP electric is equivalent to a 18.75 HP gas, so a 7.5HP electric motor would probably do fine no more milling than you do. I think a 5HP electric is still a tad small as it equates to only 12.5 HP gas.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Schroedc (Aug 16, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Colin to give you an idea, a 3HP electric is equivalent to a 7.5HP gas. A 7.5HP electric is equivalent to a 18.75 HP gas, so a 7.5HP electric motor would probably do fine no more milling than you do. I think a 5HP electric is still a tad small as it equates to only 12.5 HP gas.



Thanks for the info, my mill is actually only running a 6 hp gas....


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## Kevin (Aug 16, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> .... my mill is actually only running a 6 hp gas....



How do you like it?


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## Schroedc (Aug 16, 2016)

Kevin said:


> How do you like it?



I've been quite happy with it, a couple times more power would have been nice but I just slowed down on the pushing. Usually when the blade is getting dull


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## Ralph Muhs (Aug 17, 2016)

My mill is home made. It has some defects but I have built my home and two large workshops from 
Lumber sawed on it. A guy in Illinois made it. I payed $3500 for it. I can saw almost 16 feet in length and over 2 feet diameter. I agreed to sell it for what I payed for it, along with a 20 ft trailer to haul it or to mount it on. But it is West Virginia and the guy disappeared and doesn't answer his phone! He wanted to take it and pay monthly! I told him to save his money and he could have it when he had the money. Slim and none are the chances he will ever be back! But I don't care. But a 16 ft log 2 ft. In diameter is way too much work for this old fart! Smaller is better.


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## justallan (Aug 18, 2016)

I enjoy all of these videos about building your own mill. This one was more of a "what I plan to do" video, but the guy seems like he's not just jumping in without some good planning, so future videos by him should be very educational.
Right now I'm more interested in building a slabbing mill for big logs than I am in using the mill that I have, basically just to say "YUP, I built that". I have a couple nice engines to choose from and most of my steel and so far it's all been free. I still need a handful of bearings, sprockets and shafts and think the only big expense will be a 5' bar and some skip chain.
Maybe this winter it will happen.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Palaswood (Aug 18, 2016)

That is a massive mill for massive trees. I'm gonna be watching this closely.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## NeilYeag (Aug 18, 2016)

Yep, I have been following this guy for a while. He has built some pretty clever stuff to move and handle all of that large material by himself. This is not something that I am all that familiar with like some of you guys but for me it looks impressive.

You should see how they do some in the field milling here. Scary bat guana! Just start whacking at the log free hand with a chain saw. But with pretty accurate results. I watched this guy one time slabbing up a log and then immediately using the cut slabs for siding on a house he was building. All by himself. Looked pretty cool, not sure how it would hold up though.

I will take a pic or two if I see them doing it again.


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## Palaswood (Sep 22, 2016)

The eye is a great tool for straightness and flatness. I saw an old video on youtube showing some Asian forestry workers milling planks from hardwood trees by hand, and doing a kickass job. They cut them top down, and not horizontally like a bandsaw mill would. I recently split a log lengthwise with nothing more than a pencil line, and it came out great. Just gotta go slow and keep an eye, just like any saw cut.


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