Sawmill/Research Development
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Goals and Industry Standards
An Appropriate Scale GVCS worthy Sawmill with a modular design that integrates cleanly with GVCS equipment.
Download Sketchup model here.
- Mobile Dimension Sawmill forms a good benchmark for the Industry Standard to start with. As the design progresses, it is expected to diverge radically from the initial prototype. Separation of the power unit, hydraulic power, and automation are being explored for later designs.
Here is a video of the Modile Dimension Sawmill from Missouri:
Dimensional Sawmill in Missouri from Open Source Ecology on Vimeo.
Subject Matter Expert Review
See Sawyer Benjamen Hansen's review of the proposed design.
Comments
- Use a platform with endstands - need vertical and horizontal alignment
- Track is extendable in modular sections
Design Notes and Rationale
Z Height Leveling
- Turnbuckle attached to upper z adjustment peg
Evenness of Z Height Raising Along 4 Posts
- Build 4 inch winch drum - each revolution winds 1' of wire
Log Taper Adjustment
- Disconnect mechanism for connecting rod between front and rear z-risers to create a height differential between the two ends of the log
Edger
- Adjustable from 1-3 blades in standard version, up to 6 for 6 2x2 lumbers in one pass
- In 3-blade configuration, top edger blade is controlled by a crank that can be adjusted while sawmill is running
Gantry
- Box truss design
Carriage'
- Clearance of 1/8" around gantry
Hydraulic Hoses
- 4 Hoses
- Mast at either end
Trailer Hitch
- Telescoping piece of tubing in frame
- Hitch retracts for sawmill operation
General
- Counterweight for hydraulic motor on one side of gantry - balancing
- Saw and collar - typically from same manufacturer
Vertical Motion
- One crank with a worm gear controls one side, connected to second side via connecting rod
- Vertical adjustment - 4 worm gear sets - [1]
- Bronze bushings - for vertical adjustments
Horizontal Motion - Crosswise
- Crank with indicator
- Sprocket with chain to another sprocket with pinion, riding on rack
- Rack faces down
- Sprocket and pinion sheltered from dust
- Connecting rod connects to other end
- Link rod contains a telescoping slip joint with pin, to retain of modularity of track lengths
Horizontal Motion - Lengthwise
- Festooned hydraulic hose
- Hydraulic motor rides under the gantry
- Engine moves carriage via a spool over which a wire is wrapped
Horizontal Dimension
- Set by guides that are rolled out with a single crank
Automatic Feed
- Separate hydraulic motor - with a riding bidirectional valve that trips its lever to other dimesion upon reaching end of track
- Wire drives carriage
- Have a safety trip in case of running into metal objects in wood
Dust Ejector
- On top of blade guard
Set Works
- Set relationship of saw to the log to make the next cut
- Dimensional sawmill needs setting in 2 dimensions
Log Holding
- 2-stage dogs - one for staring the log (high center of gravity), and second for low center of gravity
- May want to flip log if it's difficult to hold towards the end
Outstanding Design Issues
- Hydraulic hose cabling guide
- Multiple edger blades in future
- Crank edger adjuster
Action Points
- Saw collar
Design
CAD
Materials Sourcing
- [10] 3/4" bearings for rollers on top of gantry- [2]
- Cam followers - 4x the cost - [3]
- [4] V-groove bearing for x (transverse) direction motion on inverted angle- [4]
- [4] 2-bolt, 1/2" flange bearing for y (lengthwise) motion - for pinion gear shaft
- Rack - 8' - [5]
- [2] Main shaft pillow block bearings, 1-7/8" - [6]
- [2] Secondary blade pillow block bearings - [7]
Fabrication
Blade
- Anneal blade to machine
- Harden blade by heating and quenching
- Surface grind to flatness
Dogs
- 1.25" square bar, sharpened to a 45 deg angle
Log Handling
- CAT 966 was industry standard for large sawmills; largest logs are 14000 lb
- John Deere 450 bulldozer - entry level, handy tool
- Yale lift
Prototype I: OSE Open Source Dimensional Sawmill
See also Dimensional Sawmill Prototype I
First prototype debut - partial completion - September 10, 2011:
Documentation
- Z raising mechanism: worm gear for 4 posts, with adjustable wire tension
- Y axis - transverse motion - gear rack with chain linkage
See Also
