Sawmill

• HABITAT: CEB Press - Sawmill - Living Machines - Modular Housing Units
  
• AGROECOLOGY: LifeTrac Multi Purpose Tractor - MicroTrac - Power Cube - Agricultural Spader - Agricultural Microcombine - Hammer Mill - Well Drilling Rig - Organoponic Raised Bed Gardening - Orchard and Nursery - Modular Greenhouse Units - Bakery - Dairy - Energy Food Bars - Freeze Dried Fruit Powders
  
• ENERGY: Pyrolysis Oil - Babington Burner - Solar Combined Heat Power System - Steam Engine Construction Set - Solar Turbine - Electric Motors/Generators - Inverters & Grid Intertie - Batteries
  
• FLEXIBLE INDUSTRY: Lathe - Torch Table - Multimachine & Flex Fab - Plastic Extrusion & Molding - Metal Casting and Extrusion
  
• TRANSPORT: Open Source Car
  
• MATERIALS: Bioplastics

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Introduction

Sawmill - highly versatile and valuable lumber if woodlot is available - or lumber may be bought from neighbors. Decentralized sawmilling may obviate clear-cut lumber companies in a new economy. Many uses. Flex fab opportunity. Lends itself highly to the type of modular structures proposed by the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems - look for GreenForms at http://cmpbs.org/flash/download.htm . Lends itself highly for flex fab production, especially kits. Fabrication is absolutely simple - after metal is cut - only a drill press is required. Zero welds in structure, with minor welding for motor attachments. DfD, lifetime design. Driven by a hydraulic motor powered from tractor hydraulics.

As a first attempt at a robust and replicable sawmill, we are proposing a chainsaw mill, like a Logosol, with a 25 hp hydraulic motor.

Update Dec. 2, 2008: Based on a comment from our blog, we decided to pursue a circular blade mill, one like the Mobile Dimensions Saw.

Collaboration

Review of Project Status

Nov. 2008: Robert Todd is entering as project manager. Dec. 2008: Jeremy Mason is entering the project onsite, until Robert returns to Factor e Farm. At that point, Jeremy and Robert will work together.

Local Sawmills

1. http://simpsons-nativehardwoods.com/page7.html - St. Joseph, MO
2. Watkins Sawmill - Stewartsville, MO - (816) 669-3218

Sawmill - Current Work

We have a hydraulically-driven PTO motor as a start. It will be powered by LifeTrac. All hoses are already available - it is part of our flexible open source tractor infrastructure. Here are the motor specifications, from Surpluscenter.com:

Here is the hookup diagram:

Note: Since we have 3600 PSI available, we can run 2 of these motors in series to match available power more closely.

Sawmill - Developments Needed

Sawmill - General

We are still narrowing down an option for the sawmill. We are considering a chainsaw mill, and here are some comments on multipurpose sawmills

Development Work Template

1. Sawmill - Product Definition
   1. Sawmill - General
   2. Sawmill - General Scope
   3. Sawmill - Product Ecology
      1. Sawmill - Localization
      2. Sawmill - Scaleability
      3. Sawmill - Analysis of Scale
      4. Sawmill - Lifecycle Analysis
   4. Sawmill - Enterprise Options
   5. Sawmill - Development Approach
      1. Sawmill - Timeline
      2. Sawmill - Development Budget
         1. Sawmill - Value Spent
         2. Sawmill - Value available
         3. Sawmill - Value needed
   6. Sawmill - Deliverables and Product Specifications
   7. Sawmill - Industry Standards
   8. Sawmill - Market and Market Segmentation
   9. Sawmill - Salient Features and Keys to Success
2. Sawmill - Design Evolution
3. Sawmill - Technical Design
   1. Sawmill - Product System Design
      1. Sawmill - Diagrams and Conceptual Drawings
         1. Sawmill - Pattern Language Icons
         2. Sawmill - Structural Diagram
         3. Sawmill - Funcional or Process Diagram
         4. Sawmill - Workflow
      2. Sawmill - Technical Issues
      3. Sawmill - Deployment Strategy
      4. Sawmill - Performance specifications
      5. Sawmill - Calculations
         1. Sawmill - Design Calculations
         2. Sawmill - Yields
         3. Sawmill - Rates
         4. Sawmill - Structural Calculations
         5. Sawmill - Power Requirements
         6. Sawmill - Ergonomics of Production
         7. Sawmill -Time Requirements
         8. Sawmill - Economic Breakeven Analysis
         9. Sawmill - Scaleability Calculations
         10. Sawmill - Growth Calculations
      6. Sawmill - Technical Drawings and CAD
      7. Sawmill - CAM Files
   2. Sawmill - Component Design
      1. Sawmill - Diagrams
      2. Sawmill - Conceptual drawings
      3. Sawmill - Performance specifications
      4. Sawmill - Performance calculations
      5. Sawmill - Technical drawings and CAD
      6. Sawmill - CAM files whenever available
   3. Sawmill - Subcomponents
4. Sawmill - Deployment and Results
   1. Sawmill - Production steps
   2. Sawmill - Flexible Fabrication or Production
   3. Sawmill - Bill of materials
   4. Sawmill - Pictures and Video
   5. Sawmill - Data
5. Sawmill - Documentation and Education
   1. Sawmill - Documentation
   2. Sawmill - Enterprise Plans
6. Sawmill - Resource Development
   1. Sawmill - Identifying Stakeholders
      1. Sawmill - Information Collaboration
         1. Sawmill - Wiki Markup
         2. Sawmill - Addition of Supporting References
         3. Sawmill - Production of diagrams, flowcharts, 3D computer models, and other qualitative information architecture
         4. Sawmill - Technical Calculations, Drawings, CAD, CAM, other
      2. Sawmill - Prototyping
      3. Sawmill - Funding
      4. Sawmill - Preordering working products
      5. Sawmill - Grantwriting
      6. Sawmill - Publicity
      7. Sawmill - User/Fabricator Training and Accreditation
      8. Sawmill - Standards and Certification Developmen
      9. CEB - Other
   2. Sawmill - Grantwriting
      1. Sawmill - Volunteer grantwriters
      2. Sawmill - Professional, Outcome-Based Grantwriters
   3. Sawmill - Collaborative Stakeholder Funding
   4. Sawmill - Tool and Material Donations
   5. Sawmill - Charitable Contributions