Interesting Things I Learned Building My Car-Wheel Bandsaw Mill.

This saw mill was built without any sort of plan - I just made it up as I went along. And of course, I learned a few things on the way. In case you’re planning on doing something similar - here are some thoughts on the build.
There’s a whole playlist of videos about the build - just look in our playlists..
or you could just go here for part one.. • Homemade Bandsaw Mill ...
Ok, here are some important website links. Please check them out..
Here's Tim's amazing guitar machine..
www.chordelia.com
here's our online store where you can see some of the craft things we make and sell..
www.wayoutweste...
and here's our Patreon page where you can see more of our plans and dreams. (Remember even 5 dollars would make a BIG difference to us and we'd be very grateful.)
www.patreon.co...
Thank you!
Sandra & Tim
[e-mail]
Copyright WayOutWest. All rights reserved. Please share if you like, but don’t copy or use without permission. Just get in touch via email blowinblog @ gmail.com
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[@josketobben]

Thanks for minding the noise, Tim. Much appreciated! Very pleasurable to hear nothing but that pleasant Irish accent. :)

[@tatedrum]

I have watched 1000's of videos and none have been as enjoyable to watch as this one. Great work!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Wow, thanks!

[@mikemoore9757]

I love your saw, sir! Regarding the blade drift issue; when sawing big wide lumber , you need a blade that has the largest blade gullet you can get. The gullet has to have enough volume to carry the sawdust completely through and then discharge it when said tooth exits the cut. If the tooth gullet fills up and clogs before the exit, then the blade may not cut straight. The fewer the teeth, the larger the gullet.

[@BrassLock]

This style of engineering is probably much more fun than merely following conventional ways. New discoveries and trying out hunches, using stuff that's available, and just letting it emerge "all by itself" allows you to sit back after all the effort and be amazed 😃. Creativity is what gives engineers, authors and artists, musicians and chefs a reason to wake up each morning and try out another beaut idea.

[@bill45colt]

the best video ive ever seen,,,not too much useless talk,,,very informative,,clear,,,and hes easy to understand,,,talks slowly and cleanly,,,and does some great work,,,,ive learned a lot,,,thanks

[@flashgordon6238]

You should narrate stories. You have the perfect speech pattern for it!

[@mikemai6036]

What a good narrator. Having taught in a trade school I know that you would have made a fantastic instructor. Maybe that is your vocation.

[@mcremona]

It's been fun following your journey. Glad you were able to build something so awesome!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers, Matt. You've been an inspiration all along. (Even though this is a toy compared to yours, it suits the work it has to do, so I'm happy with it. I just wish we had trees around like you do.)

[@billmckee3992]

@@WayOutWestx2 ak kkk

[@susanvaughn741]

This is the best way to make firewood!

[@wakest]

I love your narration. this is definitely the sweetest diy mill video...

[@matthiaswandel]

I had all kinds of blade drift issues with my first sawmill attempt, which also used 0.6 mm thick bandsaw blades. The blade kept drifting up too. I suspect it wasn't so much tooth set but dawdust in the kerf that was the problem (those blade just weren't meant for that wide a cut). With my latest sawmilling contaption, which uses proper 1 mm thick sawmill blades, I haven't had any drift issues.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Interesting. I hadn't thought of the kerf being clogged. Maybe that was part of the problem too. I imagine those blades might cut cheese really well - but not much else. Very impressed with your latest bandsaw slicing the logs. Well done, Matthias. Seems to me you might need a bigger, horizontal bandsaw to complete the set though? Green, of course..

[@dozer1642]

WayOutWest Blowinblog woodmizer recommends the saw blade have a slightly upward angle of attack. It seems to want to dive a little on its own. Really admire your build, hope you post video of your milling products!

[@Allupinmybiznes]

Firstly thanks for such an informative video. I found that blade speed was my biggest issue causing drift. tpi was a close second as a cause. I use 1 1/2 inch blade with 1 tpi at 3500 feet per minute and it cuts really well.I used an electric motor at first. 25 amp (7 hp) was the biggest I could safely use without rewiring my house and shed. I have since moved to petrol and it is far superior. I use an 12 hp petrol motor now.

[@ahmedjabbar7467]

Matthias is the man!

[@ValioMadre7]

شكرا جزيلا

[@TimsBitsnPieces]

I think its fantastic and shows exactly what can be done with minimal tools and finances.

[@normanboyes4983]

I enjoyed that so will now ferret around in the playlist and watch it’s gestation and development. 😀👍

[@johncourtneidge]

Magnificent! The idea of a fixed saw and tracked log carrier is marvellous. I love Jo Sal Won's Woodmizer LT15 videos. And there are plenty of fixed circular saw/tracked log set ups on yt. Heroic! Thank-you!

[@migmagingenieria]

Great job!!! And masterly explained. Thanks a lot for sharing!!!!

[@SmallestWorkshopGH]

What can you say ? Bloody brilliant, Heath Robinson, eat your heart out. More please 😂😂😂😂👍🏻

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers, Smallest Workshop!

[@davidwilkie9551]

Some interesting ideas, just good enough.

[@tomcorcoran5600]

What a nice down to earth simple and functional piece of machinery. Thanks for sharing!

[@MrFakit]

11:43 That fine specimen is on a mission

[@j.m.5917]

Outstanding!!! Simple, efficient and inexpensive. Thanks for sharing.

[@sharonlong8969]

I really do love your mind. You need something, so you just make it. Great! Well done!

[@jimbos3421]

My hats off to you from acoss the pond! Your railway & bandsaw are just plain genius! GOOD JOB!!!!

[@arielkozak]

Awesome build

[@therealsparkman]

Rudimentary, but very effective. Pros and cons of your fabrication vs. industry made. The fact that you have a lot of space to make a runway is essential to your plan. I like it! Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

[@daleshewchuk3523]

You are in the same league as Matthias Wandel et al,for your inventiveness and creativity.I find this very inspiring and entertaining at the same time.Thank you.All logs are fair game now!

[@joesouth3873]

Where can I find plan's to build a saw mill.

[@bencarter4254]

I have no idea if you ever go back and look at comments on your older videos, but here goes. I really enjoy seeing all the contraptions and building you do, your calling really should have been an engineer of some sort, I was really enamored with your car wheel saw and your catamoran. Thanks For sharing!!!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Cheers, Ben!

[@woodstockpotter]

Thank you for the video! I glean little helpful bits from everything I watch about home built band mills; trying to work up the courage to try building one myself. Best of luck with your project(s)....

[@michaeledwards8242]

What a great idea on moving log on trolley. I dont have a loader to lift onto high bed. Re heavy log turning, fit a second block and tackle use a short strip between them under log. Use one block to lift log, then by lowering other block will rotate log in the air so less stress on uprights. Just make sure stop is higher on side you are rotating towards so hook doesn't get trapped underneath.

[@NathanNostaw]

Great setup. I like the stationary saw and the track/dolly setup. Very handy saw.

[@170166]

Awesome! If only I had the mind, the tools, and the logs! Thanks for uploading.

[@marthaanderson2656]

always amazed by the thinking that goes in to all the projects. i admire anyone who can think up something and then create a item from those thoughts. Artists all. Hot and cold weather will likely cause changes in those tires and brackets so I imagine that is when you play with air pressure and tensions had noticed in the past that saw blades teeth are off-set, now I know why. BIG spider at the end. cool

[@youshouldread]

I am impressed! Looks solid and just as safe as any large wood working machine. 2👍

[@davesmith8053]

Great job

[@paulangeli9710]

Wow, that's really ingenious! I'm amazed at the thought and creativity. Great video. Greetings from Illinois, USA.

[@TheDistur]

Hello. I really enjoy this project and hope it continues to serve you well! Thanks for the update!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks!

[@emilee172]

heat the cutting tooth before the 'set' then go around and resharpen if needed, I will bet that those spares tires they call 'donuts' would work great, they are a bit smaller and more harder rubber and are semi pneumatic, they are most all the same for each tire size and are ALl over the place cause no one really likes them but they save space and are limited to around 45 MPH so not supposed to run them only for emergency

[@Lee-qp6gf]

Just caught this series and enjoyed your build. Congratulations.

[@bruceshearer1719]

Thank you from Canada

[@johnt7232]

Great video I love the way you explain things in all your videos , looking forward to the next

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

This gives me ideas, now I want to build a rocket to space in my shed.Lol. A good and useful project this one. Thumbs up!!

[@Artesaani]

I enjoy that relaxing speaking voice.

[@rickeckerson4316]

Very impressed. u gave me inspiration to make one. Chainsaw from Virginia Beach, VA.

[@danvize4284]

This is an extremely informative video. Thank you for this.

[@briannewton3535]

Superb. Great commentary. A nice build.

[@tomayrscotland6890]

Hi Fella' A great project, I will watch your video if you don't mind and take a few pics! Again if you Wont mind. I have okum sleepers and my local saw mill wont touch them, Just like yourself when you hit the nail.#Run A metal detector over your logs to find the metal?. Cheers A great and educational video. Tom Ayr Scotland.

[@paulrothenburg1945]

Brilliant demonstration of milling timber would really love one myself as I love to build furniture and have a forest across the road full of logs left by the tree cutters. Maybe one day I'll have one I build a band saw so I guess same rules apply just more tension on the blade

[@maximonacer5039]

Thank you for sharing this. The track configuration can also be improved improving the angle of both the track and the blade so once it is loaded; gravity will moves the tree down virtually free. It might save you time.

[@evopwrmods]

very creative...use what ya got and then make it work. Jack of all trades and master of none ...... there is always room for improvement and growth of the mind and faculties...

[@thatbiguy1975]

super cool- thanks for sharing. love hearing the thought process behind it all

[@Gantzz321]

wish I could have seen this before you started. Recently seen a new design for cutting logs at home. The biggest difference is instead of a Bandsaw blade, it just uses a 24" circular blade. What makes its really nice is, u can tilt the engine 90 degrees and cut horizontal and vertical, with by simply pulling a pin and pulling a lever. Advantages to this design are: 1. Safety, bandsaw blades seem way more dangerous then a circular blade. 2. the blade connects directly to the engine, no Tire to have to keep square, goes back to #1, wondering blade. 3. Sharpening, Taking a file to circular blade is dead simple compared to even attempting to sharpen a bandsaw blade.

[@baltsosser]

I like the idea of a track supporting the logs to run them through the mill. I have friends that have large woods. Consequently they have trees all over their acreage. It would be easier to simply run a set of tracks on the center line, and move the logs to those tracks, then straight up to the mill.

[@brukernavnfettsjit]

Works very well and looks dangerous, what more can you ask for? :) I like your voice by the way, very soothing and relaxing to listen to.

[@myredute]

Sure is home-made but hey, it does the job. Well done!

[@miffoivan]

Protip: When you want to machine/remove rubber, Use a regular garage knife and spray some oil on the knife-blade and the rubber you want to cut. regular penetrating oil will due fine. This makes the knife go through the rubber like it is butter! its almost like magic! :)

[@WayOutWestx2]

I'll try it - thanks

[@DormantHeart453]

Brilliant, a thoroughly impressive build.

[@gersontv1]

I really liked this video, I'm already building my saw based on your saw several projects, but your project is the most used to work as a small sawmill, Parabens friend. Country Brazil. Thanks Gerson

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Gerson. Good luck with yours : - )

[@JDK45ACP]

Nice! Thanks for the video, Sir.

[@martystratton5818]

Great job, great video as well

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks!

[@joetiller1031]

I like it. simple and it works, beats paying thousands for a factory built one.

[@jamescarruthers8184]

Take the wheels to your local lorry tyre shop and ask them to cut a groove in each tyre. Mark the rubber before you dismount the wheels from the machine

[@RickRabjohn]

Wow great job mate - a very interesting and creative design not seen before - congrats to you!!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Rick. Just looking at one of yours too..

[@RickRabjohn]

Terrific!!!!

[@oneshotme]

Great job making this sawmill!!!

[@walterforsiethe2567]

That is ingenious and a marvel to look at. I really want to make one myself with my everlast welder even though I probably don't need one!

[@kutzbill]

I think you did great job. If it works to your satisfaction, isn't that all that counts? I am disabled in the fact I can not ride my motorcycle anymore, so I am contemplating turning a 1983 1100cc Honda Gold-Wing into the sawmill. Power wouldn't be an issue, and speed shouldn't be either. Tracking and the guides would have to be engineered. I must say your saw is really stable. Over here we run feet per minute, so I'm looking to run about 4500 FPM because I have a lot of Oak and Walnut on my land. I also have a 46hp V-4 Wisconsin engine off my old log splitter that works, but uses more gasoline than the 1100cc engine. With the drive already in place, it may be a little easier to make. I want to build it to cut up to 60 feet long as I have a lot of wood I can get a 60ft+ beam out of it. Thank you for posting and inventing. It's great to see. Wishing you the best, Smiles!

[@WayOutWestx2]

That sounds like a plan! Best of luck with it. Perhaps you need to film it?

[@Kristoferskogsberg]

it seems like you can do anything! a true genius !!!!

[@leoveroude4492]

Great job and great narration. You should be so proud of yourself! I built mine in 2005, I used spare tires, much more "rounded" and the tread pattern ideal for the teeth off rubber issue. Buy guide bearings bulk 😀. Enjoy your saw, thank you for the entertainment.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Leo : - )

[@TheOregonTale]

Fantastic! Would like to eventually build my own to do our flooring in our cabin. Thanks for the ideas!

[@dalemcinnes1834]

I have just found your channel and have watched some of the videos. I know I'm a little late getting here but watching you turn that log to cut the other side was difficult. Get a canthook and easily turn the logs. You could turn any log that you can fit in your mill. You could even make one and make the handle whatever length you need for leverage. Also on the bearings you can get a grease needle and just put some grease in them once in awhile. You can get in okay but I think with more frequent use you could drill a tiny hole to fit the grease needle and then close the hole with something that will stick. I have even used silicon. Very much enjoyed watching the videos. Thanks Dale in Canada

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Dale. I now make cant hooks for sale. And I've replaced the bearings with stainless steel ones and they work really well.

[@marsdenbalaska784]

I know!I saw that big ass bug too!I am quite impressed by the level of enginuity of your ability and it's awesome bc there is only a small amount of cash invested!Keep on,keeping on man!

[@OpiateTaylor78]

This is brilliant man. Thank you for the video.

[@cocospops9351]

Wow amazing job. Pity you're over on the west coast, I'm here in the east and I'd love to have a look ☺

[@BeeRich33]

Hey man, suggestion. Get some bike tires, bike tubes to flush the outside of your main compression tires. Double win.

[@johntraynor8777]

Nice one Tim as usual very interesting.

[@timothylongmore7325]

cool build. Many ad vantages with this design. I'm sure you've come up with log turning ideas since first posting.

[@markifi]

Great narration!

[@glassjb]

I was thinking about building one just like this

[@Thestevesongs1]

bloody brilliant , love it!!!

[@johnmason6443]

if interested there is a sawyer in usa who builds his own saws and he holds the world record-77inches!! very interesting!

[@WayOutWestx2]

thanks, John. I'm happy with the size of my saw but I'm sure it seems small to anyone living in the states. (There are probably only a handful of trees that size in the whole of Ireland!)

[@1crazynordlander]

It took you a long time??? Adding up your playlist minutes it only took about 30 minutes to build this unit. The first video was January 30th so that is not too bad. I enjoy your videos and sense of humor. If I traveled abroad your place would be first on my list. I feel I would be welcome there. Thanks Kevin

[@Pharesm]

You should not use *just* water to cool your saw band, because you keep hardening the metal of the blade, until it will develop cracks. You should buy or create cooling milk, like they use in tool shops. I forget the exact mixture, but 3/4 water, 1/4 mineral oil plus emulgator, to prevent it from unmixing...

[@WayOutWestx2]

You're right - I'm working on it

[@1980PintoMan]

I used to run a small sawmill everyday for a log home company. The car tires and bearings is brilliant. The pressure required for a blade is too much for the bearings that come with factory, small sawmills. Your guide bearings shouldn't be lower, just tighten the blade, the tires can handle it, the guide bearing can't, thus they wore out. If you tighten the blade just to where it no longer flutters, it should be tight enough. Also sealed guide bearings are better because of the water lubrication, but they still wear out.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thank you. Some of the bearings are seized - but I'm leaving them on to see what happens to the blade and to them. Nothing at all, so far..

[@supereman009]

Great video. Thanks for sharing

[@Aleph-Noll]

thats so cool!

[@waynoswaynos]

I wonder if the water (fancy blade lubrication device 00:07:22) is the reason for the bearings seizing so soon?? Maybe fancier more sealed versions would solve it. John Heisz ceramic guides idea perhaps to save a buck/quid. And most importantly, I very much appreciate you sharing with the world. Amazing, thank you.

[@bulent500]

Thank for video

[@michaelmcclafferty3346]

Well done Tim. Very interesting video.

[@piperalpha]

You've outdone yourself with this one, Tim. Excellent commentary and interesting stuff. But... but I still don't understand how you're going to drive it to the hardware store.

[@cameronmurray5688]

Bravo and thank you sir

[@carlpbrill]

Really really good! Thanks for a cool video.

[@alexpowers3697]

Cool machine.

[@meradu2]

Nice work 👍

[@oldthrasbarg641]

Watching this for the first time and it looks amazing but the terror in me is screaming safety guards.

[@PotatoKaboom]

Amazing video! I really enjoyed it! :)

[@normellow]

Use your basic golf cart DC motor and controller. You could use a DC ark welder to power it. Forklift motors are nice too. Cheers 🥂

[@Thundermuffin93]

By the way, You might try diesel (dunno if its available in Ireland) as a lubricant for the blade, which might cut down on rust on the blade and the bearings....not 100% on that, but I have seen many use that as lubricant. This is one of my favorite bandsaw build videos ever by the way. So happy to have found your channel. Cheers!

[@WayOutWestx2]

thanks, Andrew. Yes, diesel might work but it would cost a lot and go everywhere

[@chrisgriffith1573]

You Sir, are an inspiration.

[@TheNosoup4u]

Awesome Job! Loved the series!

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Very cool setup all around.

[@mason6391]

look at the size of that spider running across the tracks at 11:45

[@WayOutWestx2]

I was going to point it out, but then I thought someone would spot it..

[@sheller94]

WayOutWest Blowinblog Do you have a breeding pair ? I can't see much profit in breeding such small creatures ..... although a saddle would not cost much in materials.

[@Gorgonzola1970]

I thought it was a mouse!

[@williamwazere]

For Ireland that's massive alright

[@PuchMaxi]

@Stuart K, I don't think spiders spread Phytophthora infestans. High humidity levels and temperature plays a big role in spreading Phytophthora.

[@Scranny]

You should replace the wheel rims with diamond encrusted shiny rims with flashing lights. Then give the saw a hip-hop name like Dr. Loggy Log Master McRhymes-Saw Jr.