Homemade Circular Sawmill, 52" Blade Rips Through a Log

At Topper Machine LLC, we build and repair many things. Our Sawmill is our greatest accomplishment. Built entirely in the shop, this mill has been a great showcase of our abilities.
This video shows just how fast a circular sawmill is with a good blade. If you have been following, you saw the blade in the shop a few weeks back. It was worth every penny.
I have had a few people say I probably should probably ran a little slower.
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[@kenbabione7946]

Pretty nice sawmill. I worked in an old commercial sawmill in Oregon as a kid. We had two 52" circular blades, one over the top of the other and could cut at least 36" logs. When we broke for lunch, the millwright sharpened the teeth and changed out any that had chips in them. A very noisy place and no hearing protection back then, I paid for it later. Great video, thanks.

[@bdbnpfeni]

O

[@bdbnpfeni]

O CGo

[@bangpchannel354]

Sophisticated wood saw, sir

[@jasonshehow2785]

Peach is a great guy glad to be a part of his family! He does fine work 💪

[@therealsparkman]

Cool setup!! Love the old vintage tractor.

[@brianbloom1799]

That's the First Mill I have ever seen with a Auger, Great Thinking

[@brandonproffitt725]

We had one in the mountains of Tennessee it ran off a old v8. Dangerous but effective

[@percrawlin379]

Very nice. I have a bandsaw myself today but looking into getting a circular sawmill, this video only fuels that idea!

[@jeanphillippes2196]

1 x 4s is tantamount to using that as a pencil sharpener

[@richardcurtis556]

Mr. Topper, your mill is a thing of beauty as are your tractors.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you.

[@mudnducs]

great job. I like how fast a circ saw moves thru wood vs a band saw. Well done.

[@bostedtap8399]

Great machine, meeting of the old and the new. Thanks for sharing.

[@craigjones1115]

Impressive work. Thanks for the video.

[@ron827]

Love the big blade, sawdust auger, sawdust spreader and the tractors. I grew up in the 50s driving an M, F-12 and a W-30.

[@bradjunes1610]

I took the family, before it closed in 1982, the last running mill with ig blades. We got to walk around the log pond and float a watched the pushing of the logs to the chains which pulled them through the big blades Mill A, at Stenson Wa and up the mountain was mill A. Got see the plumes in action and was told it was where "Lassie come home" was filmed. Mill and plume stopped running because they could not get anymore of the large trees. Now days trees are harvested 35 yrs

[@kennethnevel3263]

Nice build on the mill . Works great. The tractor does better than I thought it would for power. Better slow the feed down a bit or you will stick the saw in the log if the tractor doesn't have enough power to keep it turning . Never easy to get saw unstuck from a log when the belts came off from over load , I used to get big pry bar in pulley and turn it back ward, do not want to pry much on the saw teeth , might bend the blade . Will be nice to see it run by steam some day. I used to run a Frick / Home made mill something like this but was made to be portable , had a GM 471 powering it.

[@davidppfitzner]

Very impressive machine!

[@brianbloom1799]

That Blade has the Changeable carbide cutters right, That was not a cheap Blade that's for sure, Nice Mill,

[@WatchwomanOnTheWall-zk9po]

Peach is retired, but no worries. The guy who took Peach's place actually hammered this blade, and he is really good. So anyone need a saw doctor, Menominee Saw is the place to send it to. Nice video. Really cool mill.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I knew he was, and the guy he trained in is great. Still my go to for supplies.

[@markluce1659]

Your feed rate is very impressive for such a large inserted tooth saw. Great job. I used to run a chrome plated tooth with a chip breaker. They were cheaper than hi speed steel and stayed sharp for longer. They were awesome in the winter and frozen wood. Keep up the great work and be safe

[@robertwoelk26]

I went to 30 tooth heavy blade from a 60 tooth thin blade on the firewood processor, it cuts faster maintains rpm drop of 200 rpm compared to 500 to 800 rpm drop om the 60 tooth.

[@alanm3438]

That is so cool. I am glad that it is working for you. I wish I had a sawmill. Thanks for the video from Hawkins, WI.😃😃😃😃

[@michaelclinesr.436]

Very nice mill

[@kevincurry859]

Nice set up. 👌

[@LumberjackSmokestack]

That’s a really neat mill!

[@yoseflaurent3376]

Wow ! this thing is damn powerful and cutting fast, like a large industrial saw !

[@bmw328igearhead]

Momentum and inertia are beautiful things.

[@curmudgeinnak]

Love this set up. I have a band style mill and not the most happiest with it. Would love ti build one of these but that will take a long time for me.

[@clydeschwartz2167]

Really neat video it's cuts really nice in the small red pine like that. I can make my 250 horsepower diesel engine beg with a 52 inch 46 tooth F saw when cutting full 19 inches of cut in hardwood in large pine I can go full speed and pull nice heavy chips . The super M has a quick limitation if you try any bigger log unless you slow down the feed to a crawl you need to maintain the hammered speed in the cut.

[@jeffreywagner672]

I use to know a man in my church that had a saw like this, a little smaller, great video

[@fishconsinlange8901]

Feel the power! Holy sheeeit!

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

Being that close to the blade keeps you awake.

[@jctherrien9693]

I'm in Quebec, Canada and any mill you can get here is a bandsaw one. As you Josh, I dont like them ! Very fun videos to watch. I'd like your shop to be closer !

[@visamedic]

Pretty awesome. My grandfather was a mechanic for Wakashaw Motors. Worked on oil rig engines I think.

[@kodydakin9465]

man this is cool as hell. I work in a Amish saw mill and we have a similar set up. I always wanted to be sawyer but they won't even let me try it. keep up the good work

[@uhmgawa1435]

Yeow! safety first!

[@jimpeake2656]

nice blade holds in good those chips means excellent feed rate have fun

[@SerkelDenBagus]

Wow, tajam sekali 👍👍👍

[@kens.8834]

Have to think you've made it over to Nowthen, MN at least once in your life to see what the Power Association guys got going at the annual Threshing show . MASSIVE blade you got there on your sawmill !! Very Impressive !

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have not. Been wanting to, just always something going on that weekend. I know there are 2 A.D.Baker engine at the show. Would love to talk with the owners. I have a 21-75 Baker myself.

[@devonlove9095]

I wished you published a set of plans for your machine.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

And have competition when I am finally capable of mass production? I don't think so.

[@nv1570]

Mantap gergajinya.Hadir menyimak bosku.salam sikaturohmi semoga lancar riskinya dan tambah maju chanelnya

[@fricknjeep]

hi there nice work , nice sawing . i also got a blade from Peach . a great guy love talking to him .the whole bunch there are really nice as well . keep up the good work john

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you. I subscribe to your channel. I enjoy watching your mill in action.

[@idahormj66]

im thinking of penelope pitstop, dudley doright , and snydley whiplash for some reason

[@IsleOfFeldspar]

An uncle of mine was killed with a setup similar to this. Somehow a chunk of wood was thrown and got him in the throat.

[@JourneymanRandy]

Hi Josh. I just found your channel. Max of Swan Valley machineshop sent me. I just got a blade like that for Christmas. Very interesting video

[@johnskillen6208]

thank you only other mill like the one we have

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I'd love to see your mill

[@leewatkins1610]

we had a mack engine with an air cltch.673 cubic inches..never quite the got the bugs worked out of it...sat for 40 yearsa fter that...just melted down in the woods...

[@user-sm6ef3on3w]

I think if you had a flat saw you could run your slabs thru and get another 1” board. Or half a board. When will you make your log turner? They make it so much easier and faster.

[@kylevernon9625]

That’s amazing - I’ve been researching building My own sawmill, and have kinda been stuck on a bandsaw design - but your video is making me rethink everything! Also, idk about everyone else - but something about a 4’ Ø saw blade strikes a fear in me that only god himself could do 😂

[@TopperMachineLLC]

You would regret building a bandsaw within the first day. Slow and don't cut a strait board. They have their place, but if you want to cut fast and good boards, circular is the way to go. Nothing scary about the blade, but it is to be respected. I run a 52" and know where not to stand or even reach near it.

[@hillbilly4christ638]

Look into swing blade sawmills. Look at the mobile dimension sawmill. Either way, you get accurate dimensional lumber. These big blades are expensive and the cost to maintain them goes up substantially with the size. He is right about bandmills. They just have a lot of drawbacks.

[@kylevernon9625]

@@hillbilly4christ638 good looking out, couldn't come in more perfect timing. I'm just about ready to build my first sawmill - cleared a few dead standing oaks and poplars on true ground in order to make way for it, and y'all's wisdom has given me some insight on what I think is best for the build. Keep em coming if you got anything else please - and if my reference gives you any specifics, the ole lady and I have land in the Appalachia's. Mostly red/black oaks, beech, poplar and unfortunately the ever-dying ashes. I've been handling the chainsaw mill for a few years thanks to pop pop, but I've been working on building my own fine woodworking business. Seeing all this fine hardwood go to the woodstove breaks my heart, and is the main reason I've wanted to build my own. y'all are much appreciated, and you're doing God's work - stay real and stay safe 🤙

[@jedgurley]

Jeesh! Put some pole guards on the sides, something, lol in the open just looks terribly dangerous.!

[@cliffgrimes895]

Got to admit I got a sick to my stomach feeling, watching you working a few feet from a giant, exposed saw blade spinning. I know you know what your doing. I don’t think I could operate that sawmill. A little terrifying.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Far safer than driving a car or flying on a plane. It just looks scary. An improperly set up sawmill can be dangerous. These circular mills are safer and faster than a bandsaw mill

[@ericpetz5831]

I actually live just down the road from your shop. I caught a lot of lumber off of my dad's sawmill, his also had a 52 inch insert tooth blade. We could cut an 18 inch wide board, and shorten the headblocks down to cut a 4 foot long log. Great video, keep them coning. He also ran his with a John Deere model 620 2 cylinder tractor. And you knew when it was working.!

[@woodyahh2110]

The ripper It's alive

[@GardenTractorBoy]

Great machine and you can visually see the difference with the new blade. I love your tractors, they are very cool machines

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks Joseph,. Someday when you get over here to the US, I'll let you run some of them. Maybe even the steam engine.

[@GardenTractorBoy]

@@TopperMachineLLC That sounds fantastic, thanks. One day travel overseas will hopefully get back to normal

[@GordonFreeman69]

You had me at '52" Blade Rips Through a Log'! My lord! I've been thinking about trying to build a bandsaw mill, but other than blade thickness it sure seems like this is the way to go.

[@Raul28153]

price a blade out first.

[@GordonFreeman69]

You just need to make sure to pick the right tool for the job. If you want to make bigger boards/timbers a circular blade seems ideal. If you are trying to make thin board and minimize wood waste then a band blade might be better! Thanks for pointing that out. The more I look at this video the more impressed I get. Topper can I come up and take a tour sometime?

[@joeromanak8797]

My observation is that your mill is so quiet. The blade doesn’t seem to run with the typical “whir” of others. Is that due to good bearings and an expertly tuned blade? It just dawned on me that I’ve never listened to a “brand new” sawmill before so I have nothing to compare it to. Looks like it will be an excellent machine so, good job! 👍

[@texan2560]

Wow this is fantastic!!!! Do you think you could release some kind of plans for this mill? It's exactly what I want for my farm.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Plans do not exist, it was all designed in my head. Eventually I would like to produce complete mills to sell.

[@kurtremislettmyr7108]

Safety last

[@billdunlop8683]

That is SO cool, That's what I call impressive cutting action and all home made, well done, Do you scan your logs before hand for metal ( i.e. , bullets, nails, tree spikes) ??

[@TopperMachineLLC]

we are very selective of where the trees come from. Bullets pose no risk at all. They just cut.

[@DarrenMalin]

wow , love it :) I bet it makes the health and safety cry baby's swoon lol :)

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It does and they can kiss my ass. The ones crying about safety are the ones who will never truly live!

[@davidburton1420]

Nice, are there any prints?

[@deerancourt3500]

Do you have the plans for this by chance? We are building one as well and stuck on 1 part

[@donnykiofetzis5775]

the saw mill is quite impressive . how dose that blade perform on hard wood give such a big chip

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Not much difference. Feed as fast as the HP I have available will allow.

[@drevil4454]

I like this saw a lot!! Cut up your enemies and use the bin of saw dust to cover the blood spill. Where do i place my order??

[@walterlamb4756]

Great job, but I would have thought a test run, you would have fed it much slower than you did, but I’m not a sawyer!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

This was feeding slower than what we did with the old blade. Only issue now is a lack of HP.

[@HasanAhmed-ex6jv]

That's amazing machine but for the ultimate test I need to see the machine in action up close and personal, with my wife please

[@rogstown]

Awesome! We are putting an old american saw together, what do you do with the sawdust?

[@rogstown]

Just finished the video you use it for trails, great!

[@frankboggia4964]

What speed does that blande turn at

[@douglasfick4817]

Cool old spike wheel, is that an f12?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes it is.

[@pastortomolson]

I want hear the Baker steam engine running the mill!

[@frankboggia4964]

How wide is the saw cut ?

[@jamessimmons1888]

Nice job on the sawmill, did you build everything yourself?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes I did. Everything but the blade and hydraulics.

[@jamessimmons1888]

@@TopperMachineLLC nice job on building the carriage and artworks. I wasn't sure if it was rebuilt or something you made yourself. Good job on it.

[@greenfield1944]

Nice setup, do you plan on installing any guarding?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Absolutely not. Guarding would render the saw useless. No circular mills.have guards. Best safety is common sense.

[@scottmctaggart7070]

also whats your mill like on hardwood.whats the largest board you can cut?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Could use a little more HP. Cut some white oak 16' 2x8 and just had to slow down feed a bit to compensate for lack of power.

[@davidlayne8755]

As fast as that saw is going through the log, I'm glad your log was small...if it had been a large log , I believe things would happen.... bad things

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It stalls out the tractor if I push too hard. Not enough HP for that feed rate in big timber. Once I get some power, I should be able to saw 30" pine logs at the same or faster speed. Hardwood would be just a little slower.

[@gianr2217]

Where could be posdible buy such circular saw?

[@TheSteamtrain22]

Hi I want to build one if these. Did you video as you went. Or do you have plans. I would pay you for plans.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Unfortunately I started doing videos after I built the mill. And no plans, it's all in my head.

[@bigalremington]

You have a sawmill. that you made? I subscribe to that. you bet!!!

[@millomweb]

Watched ST3 - sawmill. I've slept since then - so now I ask are there no hydraulics on the tractor - that could have been used to power the hyd motors on the saw ?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Sure there are, but how will I get hydraulics off the steam engine when that is powering it? Or if I need to come up with a different power source? This is fully contained and ready to go.

[@millomweb]

@@TopperMachineLLC I'd forgotten the plan for steam power. Bet steam would make those motors spin ;)

[@rudycarlson8245]

Is that a farmall m that you have on the mill?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes a super M

[@scottmctaggart7070]

How much is the blade worth

[@lukeprince7690]

It probably won't get a response from you but here it It is I've wanted To get ahold of one of the antique bell saws for a while But all I can find around here is the axles in the blades The track is rather simple I can make the track it's the carriage that I cannot find So how did you all go about building the carriage And do I have any kind of plans parts dimensions anything you can help me with remaking one of those.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I don't have any plans, it's all in my head. Lol. I will do a more in-depth look at the mill this summer. We are still quite frozen up here and no signs of ever thawing out.

[@lukeprince7690]

@@TopperMachineLLC Yeah. I just wish I could find parts define parts so I can put one together when I'm gonna make it from scratch

[@thedude8356]

Do you do custom orders

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Sure will

[@ZILAwelds]

where can you buy a gigantic blade like this ?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I talked about it in the video. Thanks for watching.

[@SouthJerseyDachshund]

It is very quiet when running.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes. Only the tractor can be heard when not cutting.

[@leewatkins1610]

how fast is the blade running? 400?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

520 rpm.

[@millomweb]

I wonder would a blower shift sawdust along the duct better than the augers ?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Blowers are noisy, take too much power and are not as good at dumping in a small location. Usually a drag chain is used, but I don't like them either. The auger works the best of anything I have ever worked with.

[@millomweb]

@@TopperMachineLLC It has that risk of being 'dust-logged' where the mass of dust just rotates with the auger. Have any of them used simple conveyor belts ?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@millomweb yes, conveyor belt is used on some new mills. I wasn't overly impressed by it.

[@millomweb]

@@TopperMachineLLC What was the problem with those ? Seems like a pretty standard loose transit system.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@millomweb longevity.

[@scottmctaggart7070]

How many hp you need to run blade?or the .ill

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I'm running in the high 50 HP range now. The steam engine will handle it better.

[@thomasr.miller5553]

Fantastic ..BUTT .. YOU SHOULD NEVER STAND THAT CLOSE TO A BIG SAW.. The teeth can break and become bullets. great video thanks

[@markluce1659]

I'm sure that has had self awareness and is very knowledgeable about the machinery that he is dealing with. But safe everyone

[@richardmosher7204]

what rpm are you running your saw?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Hammered for 500. Just because that is what my steam engine will be running it. Thanks for watching.

[@richardmosher7204]

@@TopperMachineLLC It sound slower than that?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@richardmosher7204 I checked it with my tachometer, 502rpm. It's only 32 teeth, so sounds super slow.

[@timmosley3331]

It seems like you feed the log too fast to get clean smooth cuts , guess that’s why your saw dust is saw chunks lol

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Chunks is the correct outcome. It's not a table saw, it's a production machine. I worked with an expert sawyer to get this mill running perfectly. If I had more HP, I'd feed it faster.

[@Raul28153]

That thing really hauls ass. Watching you standing there operating the thing gave me the willies. 'Course given camera angles and such there's no way I have the perspective to know, if you tripped and fell, whetherr you could fall into the blade.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Totally safe and I stand nowhere in line with the blade.

[@johntaylor3229]

Just ram that wood in there lol, that mill doesn't give a fuck. 🤣

[@kevinhouston38]

oK MILL did you set your lead at 3\16 of a inch, it sounds like your saw is running in. when you back up you should just barely hear the saw tips brushing up against the log. If you hear a lot of noise you are running out and if silent you are running in. Bid thumbs up for not running water on the blade shows you van control your saw, the auger not the best for moving sawdust. A chain in a trough foes a better job a dual chain with paddles is the best but you cant be lazy and use the ground it has to have a trough and use the top chain to move the dust not the bottom or it will jump off all the time. Find a air carriage and a turner and you can really get er done. $ gen Saw-miller.

[@johnh4245]

Nice you saw mill but shouldn't it be something between you and the blade

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes, the log. You don't stand in line with the blade, a few feet back.

[@scottmctaggart7070]

HOW MUCH YOU THINK YOU HAVE MONEY WISE INTO MILL

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Never really kept track as it was just for fun. But guessing less than a bandsaw mill.

[@stevepope5484]

Makes me ashamed I dont use my super c for something. folks in a 3rd world country would put my tractor to good use!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I only buy a tractor if I can put it to use. Even my 1933 Farmall is working. Hopefully next summer my steam engine will be earning it's keep on the sawmill. You'll find a purpose, maybe use it to take the garbage to the end of the driveway. Thanks for watching

[@juris.m]

@@TopperMachineLLC how many ZGs does that saw need

[@jonathanham8946]

This video was awesome but made me cringe. I was so certain he was going to cut his arm off

[@mattiperkio5997]

You must cover everything whats moving. Danger work. Be carefull. 🤔🙄🤔

[@johnnichols8553]

I know nothing and I'm sure you know what you're doing, but that just seems like an extremely dangerous tool, with that saw spinning so close and directly in line with your body. No guards of any kind.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It is not inline with me. That's an optical illusion. These mills are totally safe. 150+ years of proof of that.

[@markluce1659]

That's sawmill life. Can't be scared but respectful

[@richardgreen7811]

Just so You know ... don't spread the wood chips (aka shavings). Equestrian affiliated organizations (horse shows, stables, etc.) will pay good money for the shavings You are generating. It's used for bedding in the stalls and also in the transportation trailers. Another source would be zoos and related users. With Your expertise, You can gravity bag the shavings and also sell them by the truck load. Personally, I have bought many bags of shavings over the decades. Typical size bag would be 4X2 feet.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

The dust is almost too fine for horses and cattle. The planer makes nice shavings and that we plan to bag and sell.

[@richardgreen7811]

@@TopperMachineLLC As a 3 decade user, I can share with You the shavings depicted in the video are consistent with what I/we have used for that period. I understand Your comment, however after attempting sawmill byproduct (a truly fine powder) "that" is an unusable for the purpose. Your shavings, while finer that planer byproduct, would be perfectly usable for me.

[@robertmorton2790]

Looks pretty dangerous to me. Left handed mills look so dangerous they are two especially In a right handed world

[@Fallingleaftreeservice]

@@robertmorton2790 that's the risk you take to save money