Frick 00 Sawmill Restoration

This video documents the 4 years that it has taken us to restore our Frick 00 sawmill. It is now producing beautiful lumber and we hope to be sawing with it for many years to come.

[@bruce2900]

The algorithm revealed this video to me and I am so glad it did. Great job on the mill! I cut my teeth (inserted) on an old OO Frick in 1974. Wood husk, and track frame. 671 Detroit power added a 27” Frick edger soon after. Then a Mellot 4A turner and a Cornell “scratcher” to clean a path for the saw. Even though it had small collars it cut very accurate lumber. I went to the Pennsylvania Lumberman’s Museum and was amused to find the demonstration mill was newer than the one I made my living with. I’m now 75 and spent my entire working life in the production end of the Hardwood lumber business. Thank you for triggering great memories.

[@fletcher3913]

I'm glad your wife made you git it running. It must be really satisfying milling wood on your own sawmill that you restored.

[@davidcunningham257]

It is very satisfying to be sawing on it. I tell my wife that being at the mill is like oxygen for the soul. You just feel better all over watching those logs turn into lumber. The smell of the sawdust, the sound of the engine and the saw just can't be beat.

[@drmike505]

spoken like a true craftsman, congratulations on your beautiful project

[@johngrace199]

Great persistence has paid-off with a great tool. Wonderful job David and yes, I suspect it will last you many years to come. And with all the work and re-work you've done...you now have an intricate understanding of all that goes into that machine now and in the future. FANTASTIC...

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much! It was a ton of work but now the saw has been sawing well for several years and is a pleasure to saw on.

[@livingstonexcavation732]

Outstanding job. It looks great

[@brandstetterflorian1594]

I have a Selfmade Sawmill. I know how hard it is wiht so much problems. And the best moment ever when the Sawmill works well 😊🤩

[@davidcunningham257]

You have that right! Nothing like seeing it saw correctly the first time. After so many years of working on it, I was almost in tears when it sawed correctly the first time. Now, I have just come to expect that it will saw well each time and when it doesn't, I know there is an alignment issue and we make the appropriate adjustments and keep going.

[@larryhayes3822]

really admire you fellars restoring that old mill and great video to

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much. My patience was running thin by the end of the restoration but it was worth it. Today we can go to the mill and saw all we want and if there are issues, they are minor ones. It now saws consistent straight lumber each time we use it.

[@hughlink3122]

I believe hard work always pays off in the long run, you guys will reap the rewards of your labor many years to come. Good luck

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Hugh, it has been a joy to saw on since we finished it.

[@sidneywallace48]

You have done a good job restoring your mill...when you are doing the jobs of both the sawyer and the setter it will make for a killer day though!! I too have an old frick 00 that I'v had for 12 years waiting untill I retired to start restoration... just hope I don't die before I get through doing it!! You are cutting some good looking lumber from some good looking logs!!! You can be proud of your accomplishment.... Good Luck.

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much Sindey. It was a lot of work to get it going but two weekends ago we sawed some 3/4" pine for siding my son's tree house and it was wonderful to sit there making boards that were the same thickness the entire length and making them fast. I had a friend off-bearing and I was keeping him running! Good luck on your Frick. IF (big IF) I had to do it over again, I would start with a Frick 01. You can still get parts for them whereas I had to have shaft and some other items custom made. The axles we changed to are 01 style since the 00 are not available.

[@sidneywallace48]

Thanks for your encouragement... If I didn't already have this old 00, I probably wouldn't even try to have a lumber mill... but I started collecting things for this many years ago and I have all the parts and pieces I just have to assemble them...I will be using a Ford tractor(propane powered) to power the mill and have a flat belt powered edger and planer that I plan to run off the same tractor... unlike you (your little helper is a goodlooking kid!) my children are all grown and gone and Momma sure don't have any intrest so its just me and my old junk as she calls it! LOL I raise heirloom corn and grind it into cornmeal on a Williams gristmill powered with an International Harvester U2 engine... and I'm wondering more and more if I shoulden't just downsize and focus on one thing... Oh well ...I tend to ramble when I get stated..Once again you have done a wonderfull job and I envy you!!

[@kingoghearts1]

reaching over to set sizes while the carriage is creeping , is a good way to become two

[@kevinhoffman8214]

so true , my grandfather lost both arms to a frick , and went on to run until his late 90's

[@robstagner2086]

What a thing of utter beauty! How very satisfying it must have been to see and hear it just gliding through the wood! Wow!

[@davidcunningham257]

Yes it was. It was a long and sometimes painful road to get it where it saws like that but it was worth the effort.

[@johns8771]

I just stumbled upon your video. Great job on the restoration! It brought back a lot of memories for me. During the early to mid '80s I worked for a company that had purchased the rights to build Frick sawmills. We built the basic model like you have up to hydraulic and pneumatic carriages. The one thing I did not care to assemble was the setworks like on your carriage. The cast parts were a pain to put together where they would work freely.

[@paulsaliba4119]

Congratulation watching your video I saw the inspiration in trying to build the machine, you persisted and thanks to your wife to keep going atlast it is working perfectly and wish you a good future with your busness well done to all involved in the project

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Paul, it is a pleasure to saw on these days.

[@ambiguoussoul1246]

fantastic job sir! I could tell by the sound that it was sawing clean.

[@arthurkorir7846]

The power of not quitting

[@brianbradshaw1566]

The sawmill reminded me of one my dad had . His was a Turner sawmill . Worked a many Summer days with it . I like the way you restored it , it’s a nice set up 👍🏻

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Brian. I don't think I have ever seen a Turner. Most everything around here is either Frick or JA Vance. You sometimes see a Corley but those are not as common here. Summer days on a mill are rough days depending on where you are in the country and the humidity. My dad worked a mill all summer long in TN where humidity is high. Don't know how he did it.

[@terrimoore8433]

Congratulation on this beautiful old mill running like a thoroughbred! Wish I had mine running. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@whistle3man]

what a great job. I love those frick mill. I run a band mill but nothing beats the sound of a big circular blade! awesome job thanks for sharing.

[@scruffy6151]

nice restore. old mills need alot of tlc to get milling and stay milling all the best to you

[@kingoghearts1]

well done sir . , that big ole saw is capable of cutting even smoother

[@garbabby]

Great job - well done

[@mmccoy577]

Love them old hand set mills.We sawed on a Meadows for years. If a hand set mill is right. They make the best lumber you can get.

[@rickdearmont9950]

It is wonderful to see such a great restoration of such a wonderful machine.

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Rick, it has been awesome to saw on over the past few weekends.

[@hughlink3122]

I hope it goes well with you guys, you deserve it with all that work and money you put in it

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much. It has been sawing consistently well since got the engine repaired. We sawed 54 21' pines over the summer and it sawed beautiful lumber.

[@fricknjeep]

you did a real good job . been redoing a #1 myself . it takes a lot of time .seams just when you think your done there is another bump in the road . got a few how to does on fricknjeep you might like . working on my slab wood saw now .slab wood piles up fast . i will post some on it soon i hope . keep up the nice work

[@scottwadsworth5889]

Well done fellows!!!!! That thing is beautiful!!! It took a LOT of determination and resourcefulness to make that happen...big-time congratulations are in order!

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much Scott. It was quite the challenge. In response to your post on the Essential Craftsman video, I do have saw guides and they are up close enough that you can just see the light through them. My sawdust comes out very course. Looks like what I was used to as a kid from my great uncles sawmill back in Tennessee. With regards to heat on the blade, that is gone. When we did the alignment of the saw all of the heat in the blade went away. I sawed pine on a cold day a couple of weeks ago and after two logs, the blade was still outside air temp. Thanks for the suggestions. We just got a load of 30, 21ft pine logs in this past week so there will be more videos to come.

[@scottwadsworth5889]

Can't wait! You really paid attention to all of the details in the set up of that mill...everything looks perfect. Do you have any plans for mechanical help with turning the logs? Peaveys and cant hooks alone will finish making an old man out of ya'll!!

[@colinmccauley3301]

what an odyssey. you have a beautiful mill. sounds great

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@wilmamcdermott3065]

Good old mill now

[@avecforte8851]

Great work!

[@kathyparker7140]

Awesome to see

[@Z-Bart]

Great determination and a will to win. Job well done! 👍

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Ray!

[@martinspijker9661]

this vid will always reminds me.. don,t restore a old mill, buy a new one..😁

[@davidcunningham257]

Completely agree. I could have easily bought a new sawmill rather than restore this one. However, when it isn't sawing right today, I can usually shut down and take 30min and correct the issue. Had I bought a new one, I would not have gained the knowledge of what issues cause it to not saw right so I did get an education out of the process! Lol!

[@martinspijker9661]

@@davidcunningham257 but you could have bought a new frick 00, they are still made today..

[@OutothehousewithPaul]

Congrats on the successful restoration, I smile thinking of the fun you have sawing.

[@davidcunningham257]

It is a joy to saw on and we love it!

[@papasteve215]

Great restoration! And nice looking steel toe flip flops Safety First!

[@davidcunningham257]

LOL! My wife fusses at me all the time about what I wear to the sawmill. I protect my sight and hearing but probably should put more emphasis on making sure my toes don't get mashed off.

[@papasteve215]

David Cunningham yeah sometimes I think my wife might have more smarts than me too. Seriously though very nice job on the mill

[@davidcunningham257]

@@papasteve215 Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. Dave C

[@trafficczar3366]

Outstanding effort.

[@chrisdunham7169]

Well done you guys, top work.

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks, we really enjoy sawing on it.

[@melvinjohnson7981]

Well done , Congratulations! You're hooked now!

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Melvin, it was a long road but just a couple of weekends ago, we walked up to the saw, started the engine and started sawing without issue. It was worth all of the work we put into it and today we reap the rewards.

[@cookleehi]

Grew up carrying slabs at my dad's 00 mill. Ha. So proud to see what you did to restore this mill a lot to sweat equity plus cash investment. Enjoy it. Two bits of unsolicited advice be oh so careful at all times especially with that little fellow hanging around bad things can happen so fast around a sawmill. Second, Always swage your saw when you file it, I assume you file your saw in place, swaging is a skill to be learned as is filing. I'm old man now.

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Roger, I know the dangers of a mill and keep my little guy away when we are sawing. I do have a swage and use it. Not saying I am "skilled" at it but I will get there one day. Glad you enjoyed the video. We sawed hickory this past weekend and I learned that I don't want to saw hickory again! Three boards and the teeth were getting dull.

[@grantclarke4713]

What a great project. A job well done....

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks Grant, sawed some cedar on it this weekend and it is so nice to watch those boards being made.

[@markhicks8377]

nice

[@davidcunningham257]

Thanks for the comments guys. It has been a long process and we are thankful to have the major portions of it done. Just as we got the saw going, I started having engine troubles. A couple of new fuel lines and a new solenoid valve and the mill is back in operation.

[@deksper]

+David Cunningham Given Your shirt message, I assume that You also believe that the Holy Spirit has wiped the dust of the religious?

[@organbuilder272]

You went through an amazing amount of trouble to make it clean and pretty, not to mention preserving the metal from further rusting. But when a machine is in the condition you first showed, surely you should have know that the carriage might not have been straight and the bearings were loose or misaligned from years of use and neglect. I think, had you been as considerate of the bearings and all the things that held the carriage in line you would have been finished quite a bit sooner. But you know that now. The big story would be that you have become expert in the construction, assembly, maintenance and operation of a Frick sawmill. It must have been a happy day when that first plank came off. But you didn't show first cut and all the problems you went through. Your failures are as interesting and educational as you final glorious success.

[@davidcunningham257]

When I started this, I was green about anything sawmills so I had no ideal the affects that a bent carriage frame, moving axles and the rest of the stuff would cause. Of course as you say, I for sure know now! Just had to get there the hard way. I had told my dad that I could have bought a new sawmill for what I put into this one but when something broke or wasn't working right, I wouldn't know what to do with it. It was a tough road to get it sawing but what I learned from the experience was worth the trip.

[@organbuilder272]

I suppose you know that in the end - you did it and it works. I gues we do go through trial and error at times and maybe that is a good way to learl a lot about a little. The accomplishment is that you know what you are doing and have possibly become expert on the why's and wherefor's of sawmills. Good luck with the future operation.

[@govtwheelspinner]

David, I live in Asheboro and would love a chance to come by and see this. I have a bandsaw mill but LOVE these

[@davidcunningham257]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I had thought about a band mill but have always just loved the old circle mills just didn't know what a challenge it would be to restore one. Maybe we could meet in Siler and then run to the mill?

[@davidcunningham257]

Dewayne, the mill is located in central NC near Chapel Hill. Thanks.

[@ps3shakes123]

Nice job! 4 yrs late but still enjoyed it. Btw I have uncles named David and Steve Cunningham.

[@davidcunningham257]

Well, I have given up on my ability to get the engine fixed, so I am going to load it up on my F-700 and carry it to my uncle to fix. Someone over the years has messed with the timing and there is just no way I am going to get it back without help. Had I not removed the injectors for repair, I would have been fine but there you go. Probably two more months before I have it fixed and back at the mill but I have complete confidence in my uncle's abilities whe it comes to a Diesel engine.

[@davidcunningham257]

As an update, we took the engine to my uncle and he had it running in a couple of hours. The engine is back on the mill and we sawed two 24" white oak logs on it last weekend. I have a few more things to complete on the mill before I will consider it fully operational. Look for some new videos in the next month or so.

[@pignuts9797]

can we see some more videos of this working?

[@davidcunningham257]

+pignuts Since getting it operational, we have had issues with the engine. I have all of the parts and working on it. Once we get the engine back to normal, we will post some additional videos. Thanks.

[@jamesrussell6870]

Saw that Cummins & thought that thing would shred that mill? Apparently after bugs were worked out it's not overkill? I've got similar Frick mill in pieces after watching this will just stick to the woodmizer. That restoration is a TON OF WORK!!

[@davidcunningham257]

The Cummins is "too big" for the mill but got it for $500 so..... The way to rectify that problem was to use only 4 V-belts instead of the 6 that the pulley can handle. That reduced the amount of power we could transmit to the shaft and protected the mill. It was a ton of work to restore but circle mills have been in my family for years and years although I never was around them until I started up myself. I don't see myself ever owning a band mill, I just love the old circle mills.

[@rocsvidrock]

Great work and thanks. I learned a bunch about my past as a setter? was that the word? I kept looking to ID the machinery and yours was probably it, up in Ct. 40 yrs ago. Really liked this and don't like the nannys or Karens now!

[@davidcunningham257]

Glad you enjoyed the video R.L. This was the smallest of the Frick models and can't handle the horsepower of the larger models but works great for me. If I had to do it over again, I would probably start with an 01 model because you can still get parts for them but the 00 model saws great as you can see from my other videos!

[@rocsvidrock]

@@davidcunningham257 I am not sure on the mill I worked at but it had a D9 Cat if Im not mistaken. The guy knew his stuff and flipped giant red oaks by hand often, while sawing

[@scottyroland1998]

David what size blade are you running and how many teeth im going to finsh my dads mill but some one stole the blade i can rember his blade was hammered at. 650 rpm but that's all i hve to build a new husk frame but the rest is finished

[@davidcunningham257]

+Scotty Roland The blade is 54" and I think it has 56 teeth. I will get a count this weekend and update this. It is an F pattern hammered at 600rpm. In "circular sawmills and their efficient operation" there is a chart on page 18 (Table 8) that shows the speed and horsepower range that you should be using with your arbor diameter.

[@davidcunningham257]

+Scotty Roland There is a post on this thread from Gary K where you can download a PDF of the book I mentioned. Sorry, I am having issues posting replies for some reason and had to break this up.

[@scottyroland1998]

+David Cunningham thank you so much dad had had his rehammered for some reason i thank you very much i just wont to finshed what he had started i just wish he could have seen it run but thats a job left for me.

[@cpenn9304]

For those who might attempt this it needs to be mentioned that someone with knowledge of hammering temper in the blade for the speed its going to run will have to service the blade from time to time.This one requirement makes it more difficult as time goes on to keep these old mills running.It is not something that anyone with a hammer and anvil can do.It was mentioned this mill is in nc.If he hasn’t retired there is a man in Hamlet NC that does this.

[@davidcunningham257]

I have all of my blades hammered at Union Grove Saw and Knife which, as the name implies, is in Union Grove NC just north of Statesville on I-77. Agreed, not something you will do on your own unless you go through specialized training for it and get a lot of hands on practice.

[@franklinbrooks9506]

Dang. Y’all fought a war, didn’t you? Congratulations! Now turn some $$$!!

[@brianwalmsley447]

😎

[@kentcampbell526]

Great video, does one pull of the handle bring the log towards the blade 1 inch? Looks like that’s what it was. Just curious is all, thanks

[@davidcunningham257]

Kent, you can set the handle up for various thicknesses. There are movable pins on the setworks that allow you to set board thicknesses in 1/4" increments. You can set two thicknesses at a time so I normally have it set for 1" and 2".

[@garykrutsinger1651]

saw this in ebay rite down you alley ??? thinking of your project

[@dandeforest9439]

best part of the vid. was that grin at 9:48

[@davidcunningham257]

I will be honest, I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get that thing going! It was wonderful to see it saw correctly for the first time.

[@dandeforest9439]

@@davidcunningham257 i know the feeling,i've built four mills ,two of them were from scrap.one hadn't been run since 1938.last one is a 01 frick with live log deck ,log turner ,and 8"dust blower.all i had to do on that one is haul it home (6 loads on a 36' trailer) and set it up

[@scorpohead]

very impressive. Is this mill still up and running near Chapel Hill? I am in South East Alamance and work in Chapel Hill about every day. I am in the process of restoring an old house here and am setting up a small mill so I can mill up what I am clearing on this land. I am not looking to get into the milling business as much as being able to cut mill dry and build right here. I would love to see your set up. You are at least as crazy as I am...

[@davidcunningham257]

Mike, the mill is still up and running although we don't have any logs or prospects at the moment. To tell the truth, I am pretty full up on lumber at the moment.

[@johns8771]

What company owns the rights to the Frick line now? Where did you get your replacement parts?

[@davidcunningham257]

Albright Saw reproduces the Frick sawmills now and I got a couple of parts from them but most of what I bought, I got from D&D Sawmill Parts and Service in Chambersburg PA.

[@johns8771]

I knew that Carthage Machine Works had purchased their sawmill line in the early 80's as I was working for them at the time. Didn't know where it had eventually ended up as Carthage was bought out by Precision in Leeds AL.

[@davidcunningham257]

The generator was a 240V, 3 phase, 4 wire so it could not be wired for anything else. In addition, the controls were 1955 vintage and were pretty much shot. To be of much use, the gen would need to have been a 12 wire, 3 phase so that I could have matched to any motor voltage that I came up with. So, we took the gen off and put the PTO on.

[@kevingriffiths4981]

Hello...love the old mill....just bought an 01.....really like how you set the track ....how far apart are they and what did you make the cross pieces out of..

[@davidcunningham257]

Sorry for such a long delay in responding. The supports are 3'-4' on center. The verticals are just utility poles cut to length. I then made I beams for the cross pieces out of 2" thick pine boards 8" wide. I made the bottom and top flanges of the I beam out of 2x8 boards then sandwiched two 2x8 boards together for the web of the beam. It has held up really well over the years, just had to shim them all to get them level.

[@kevingriffiths4981]

Not a problem at all....thanks for sharing the information

[@scottvernon4021]

Hey David! I'm looking at a 1940s Frick of my own to restore. It definitely needs a restocking, but the carriage moves when you twist the driveshaft, the setworks works well, the bearings spin freely, and its powered by a Cummings diesel engine. I need to check on the blade manufacturer to see if they are out of business. i've heard other channels say that circular saw mills are obsolete. Would you dissuade me from undertaking a restoration project in favor of a newer bandsaw mill?

[@davidcunningham257]

Scott, I am not a bandsaw guy and when starting to look for a sawmill, a band mill was never a consideration for me. I love the old circle mills and will always have one if it is up to me. In order to restore one of these you really need to have a love for circle mills and a heart to see it operate again. It took me 4 years and lots of expensive mistakes to get this one going. A lot of the problem is there are not a lot of resources to help on issues but I found them, used them and got my mill going. This past Saturday we sawed 25 2x10x10', 20+ 2x6x10' and a lot of 1x6x10ft with each board having perfect dimensions . That is why I restored my mill, stand at the stick, pull and watch the lumber fall. I would not dissuade you, just be warned of what you are getting into. It is a lot of work to restore one of these but today, for me, it was worth every minute of the time I took to do it. If you are just looking to make lumber with trees you have on your property, a band mill will do the job and its easy to get parts and support when there are issues.

[@scottvernon4021]

Thanks David! Once you have the saw running how often are there issues? Was your project a process of elimination kind of discovery? What does the tooth life look like?

[@davidcunningham257]

Have not had a lot of issues since we got it going last year. Each year I do a full alignment which we completed about two weeks ago. Other than that, check belts, check teeth, clear sawdust, etc. before and after use. The process was a discovery for sure. I didn't know anything about circle mills or how to relate sawing problems to the causes. My biggest issue by far was that the carriage had solid axles all the way across (original) where both wheels turn together. The old axles were allowing side to side movement of the carriage with respect to the blade which caused me to hang the saw and destroy the new $2,000 mandrel I had just installed. We replaced the mandrel(again), replaced the bent carriage frame and installed new axles with which each wheel turns independent of the other. Once we got the carriage going by the saw at the same location each time, most of our issues went away. Of course when I got the mill, there was more bad than there was good. We basically replaced about everything except for the track and husk frame before it was over. Tooth life is pretty good. As long as you don't get too aggressive with filing, you can get about 10 or so sharpenings out of them. I usually sharpen about every 2 days of sawing but I am only sawing about 3-4hrs a day on the weekends.

[@neilhicks7893]

Great job! Where did you get the new parts?

[@davidcunningham257]

We bought all of our parts through D&D Sawmill Parts and Service out of Chambersburg PA. They also helped troubleshoot the problems we had to get the mill fixed.

[@JacobWilliams1968]

Is there any way you could give me two measurements? I’m rebuilding my grandfathers 00 mill and forgot to get the following measurements. 1. Height of the Mandrel above the track 2. Distance between the track and the husk Any and all help is greatly appreciated. NICE REBUILD BY THE WAY!!!!!

[@davidcunningham257]

I will get over there this weekend and get the measurements for you. My mill is all steel but was originally wood as all 00 models were so I can only assume the measurements match the original. I will also get you the distance from the saw to the ways on the headblocks as that is the most important measurement of all.

[@davidcunningham257]

Jacob, from the top of the groove on the grooved track (mine is closest to the saw) the dimension is 9". From the center of the grooved track to the face of the husk frame is 6-1/2". The husk frame is 4" wide so center of bearing nearest the saw to the center of track is 8-1/2". Hope this helps.

[@JacobWilliams1968]

David Cunningham what size saw are you running? 9” seems like you’re running very low if you’re running a 52” saw. Thank you for the measurements! I will definitely check them against my set up. I think my dads old mill was 24” from guide rail to center of the saw..... let me know the difference. Thanks again man!

[@davidcunningham257]

I am running a 54" saw but when I changed the axles from the 00 style to the 01 style, it raised the carriage up. The maximum I can saw with the raised carriage is 20-1/2".

[@lindsaythomas2283]

Well done, we're happy for you. Does your brother get over to the Hale Farm Music festival in Ohio in July ? He looks familiar.

[@davidcunningham257]

Honestly I don't think he has left NC in the past 15 years. Glad you enjoyed the video, check out the other two I have on here as well.

[@maximummarklee]

That is a monumental achievement and I congratulate you. I'm curious what your investment (in dollars) was. I'd also highly advise you to keep the youngsters out of the building. until they are in their teens!

[@davidcunningham257]

Mark, we were just above the $30k range on the restoration and that did not include the shed. One third of that was in the new carriage frame and axles with the rest being made up in small amounts that in the end add up to a lot. That to say, I could have bought a new mill for the price of the restoration but I would not have learned all that I did in the process.

[@puncherdavis9727]

And now in 2-18 I bet he has cut and sold the million board feet to break even on all the unexpected fixings this nice mill needed :)

[@davidcunningham257]

Not sure how much we have sawed but have sawed quiet a bit. Problem is, my day job gets in the way of my personal life so I don't get to saw as much as I would like to!

[@puncherdavis9727]

Take Joy and Solice where you can and smile for the next time you enjoy it. I think I would probably set up a cot and a radio at the saw and grow crops so Id never move :)

[@neilmacleod5371]

Set that up so the carriage doesn't creep like that , there will be parts of you missing if you keep it set up like that

[@davidcunningham257]

Neil, that was fixed a long time ago. You are right, that creeping was scary!

[@martyadams3915]

Is this mill still running? We used a 190 hp Cummings on one of our mills and it ran like a top. We had alot more load than you though. Slab belt, edger and a dust chain for the edger. Man I want a mill so bad but my old body says nope you stay away from that lol.

[@davidcunningham257]

Yes, the mill is still operational. Unfortunately my 40hr a week job keeps me busy and hard to find time at the mill. Haven't had logs in a long time. Need to scrap some up and do another video.

[@dalethomas8866]

Where did you order the axles from? I'm buying a Frick 00 sawmill here in Virginia to start a sawmill business, and I'm curious where to get parts from?

[@davidcunningham257]

Dale, I got all of my parts from D&D Sawmill Parts and Service out of Chambersburg PA.

[@dalethomas8866]

@@davidcunningham257 thank you. It's a very impressive job you did on this!

[@elliottsawmill9616]

I met you at the shooting range one day. I need to talk to you about that Cummins engine. What is a good way to get up with you

[@davidcunningham257]

Give me a call on my cell.

[@invisiblewithlibertyandjus8458]

Can anyone come and watch? I'd love to see this being operated! Be hard for me to just stand there and watch. I would itch and squirm to just get to help do something even if it was just stacking the lumber!

[@davidcunningham257]

Unfortunately in today's times, we don't allow visitors at the mill due to liability issues. My insurance company had a fit with me putting the mill on our property but would probably drop me if I allowed visitors.

[@louisgorman8446]

where did you get the new axles and wheels

[@davidcunningham257]

I got all of the parts through D&D Sawmill Services out of Chambersburg PA. They made the carriage frame as well, or rather worked with the machine shop in PA to have it made.

[@scotthunt9529]

I am considering a restoration project very similar to this one, how much did it cost to complete, if you dont mind my asking.

[@davidcunningham257]

Scott, it was in the range of $32k and that doesn't include the cost of the shed, that is sawmill only. I kept a running tab on it as we were building it. I could have bought a new Frick for that price but would not have learned how to repair and align it. What type of mill are you considering restoring?

[@scotthunt9529]

Looking at frick 00, and frick 0. Working mills for 5k and under. But I know they will need repair. Found 1 for really cheap, but was wood frame and it rotted away. It had no carriage, and an obsolete blade

[@davidcunningham257]

@@scotthunt9529 If you can, I would go with an 0 or an 01. You can still get parts for those more easily. I have the 00 and had to have the mandrel custom machined. My axles are 01 as the 00 axles are no longer available but that set my carriage up higher and I lost cutting thickness.

[@markthompsoncpa]

Could you hinge the one support you keep stepping over

[@davidcunningham257]

The supports are made from railroad tracks so it would be tough to hinge a section but this issue has been on my list. Problem is, I keep adding logs to the rack and don't get around to addressing this issue. We had thought we might build a wooden "bridge" that we could place over the rail and then let it rest on the carriage frame and use that only when loading logs. We think it will work...just haven't gotten around to building it yet.

[@dalethomas8866]

How far apart did you space your post under the track?

[@davidcunningham257]

Dale, I honestly don’t recall but think it is 3 or 4 ft. I am traveling this weekend but can measure when I get back next week.

[@dalethomas8866]

@@davidcunningham257 hey that'd be awesome! My wife and I are traveling to Missouri and won't be home till the 8th anyway, thanks so much!

[@davidcunningham257]

Dale, sorry it has taken me so long to get back with you. Life is crazy sometimes. I checked the mill last night and the posts are no more than 3'-6" apart. There are some that are closer due to location of a cross member or joint in the track as my track has two twelve foot sections that come off of the ends for transporting and we placed a post and beam directly under those joints. We put in two posts and then made a wood I beam out of 2x8s that span across the two posts. Hope this helps.

[@dalethomas8866]

@@davidcunningham257 hey thanks so much! That's a big help :)

[@dalethomas8866]

How long is The carriage on this mill?

[@davidcunningham257]

It has a 16ft carriage and will saw a 20ft log.

[@donniebargo964]

You need to have had the blade hammered for the dish in it and put wooden dowels in your blade guide

[@davidcunningham257]

Blade was hammered and wooden guides are also installed.

[@louisgorman8446]

wgat is the average rpm of your blade

[@davidcunningham257]

The saw is hammered for 600rpm but the engine typically runs it at 625. Sometimes the engine gets a little faster for some reason. I probably need to have the blade hammered for 625 or 630rpm and be done with it.

[@garykrutsinger1651]

any way hope this helps if its needed

[@MusicMike939]

Use eye and hearing protection please. Old timers didnt know better.

[@davidcunningham257]

We are using hearing protection and eye protection. Just can't see the ear buds in the video but we do always wear it. Not sure how they did it years ago sawing all day without hearing protection.

[@theshadow1559]

Great restoration rebuild on a great old saw. Albeit, I am sure that you got pretty frustrated several times over those 4 years before the total restoration was completed. Now, that's all in the past and behind you and only great sawing days are ahead. On a second issue, I know that it is none of my business, but I have just got to give my opinion, that being, that a sawmill is no place for children to play around, near nor in, even when the saw is off and no sawing is taking place. Just saying.

[@davidcunningham257]

Shadow, thanks, yes the mill does saw well now and is a joy to operate. With regards to my son at the mill, I respectfully disagree. If you don't teach them early how to respect machinery and repeat that process over and over, when they go to work on the machine as they get older, they may end up learning in a way that could affect them for the rest of their lives. He knows that when we are sawing, he isn't to be near the saw. If he needs me, he comes to the edge of the sawmill shed and gets my attention so I can shut it down if need be. When it is off, he helps get all of the sawdust out from under it and yes, has bumped his head a few times and skinned a knee or two but that is the learning process. He has been riding a tractor since he was 6 months old, can operate the forks on the forklift and by the time he gets in his upper teens, he will know how to operate all of the equipment safely and not put himself at risk. On top of all of that, just like I, he will fondly remember playing in the sawdust pile the rest of his life.

[@garykrutsinger1651]

looks good i know you have had lots of advice but i would like to help is your saw hammerd to your rpm and different teath make a big difference in sawing the saw sounded great wasent crowding the bunk when returned you mus have the lead set rite....>>>www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/misc/circsaw.pdf hope it helps always wanted to set one up myself

[@davidcunningham257]

+gary krutsinger Gary thanks so much. Yes the blade is hammered for 600rpm. Also, we have a copy of the book you shared the link to and keep it close by the mill. Our problem has been controlling the speed of the engine as it tends to creep up and let the saw go to 680rpm. I had the injectors, the injector pump and the governor all checked. The injectors and governor were good with the exception of some minor tweaks and the injection pump was rebuilt. As things go, when I put the injectors back in, I got off on the wrong timing mark and bent all of the pushrods for the injectors. I have new ones and installing them right after Christmas and will see how it goes on getting the engine to hold a stable speed. Thanks again.

[@garykrutsinger1651]

good luck find a old junkyard mechanic all these new guys know is to look it up

[@gary24752]

No knee bracing on a building that high? I think you had better hire a structural engineer to look at that building structure.

[@davidcunningham257]

I am a mechanical engineer and structural engineer reviewed and signed off on the shed. Will handle 80mph winds, has been through 60+ with no issues. Since there are no walls for wind to push on, you don't need the bracing. If I enclosed it, we would have a different situation on our hands!

[@alberteinstein9045]

(SFPM x 12) + π x Dia = RPM

[@tarmstrong4058]

This may be a stupid question but what is SFPM?

[@alberteinstein9045]

@@tarmstrong4058 (Surface Feet Per Minute)

[@paublusamericanus292]

good grief, horror story on running down problems. now this mill can put 20 men to work for 40 years before that engine and bearings wear out. with a lot of blade sharpening.

[@davidcunningham257]

It was a pain to get it going but now that it saws so nice, it is a pleasure to operate.