# A 'working' sawmill?



## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Our club layout has a a pretty decent 'mountain', and was fairly barren. I've put up some 'spar trees', run some cable and have a a couple logs dangling off the carriage. I decided a good logging layout probably needs a sawmill to haul those logs to. Where to start.......? Looked up some pics on the net and decided a saw blade was the start! I ordered a 4 3/8" blade, probably goes on those battery operated saws. I've got several motors to try and get it powered. I guess the next step is to build the 'carriage', that too I'm hoping to power so as to move back and forth. From you fellows advice below, a sawmill sound unit is also required. We now have one of the ITT units of the mine 'blast', the kids love stepping on a floor switch to watch the mine 'explosion'. Thus far, my idea is to have a switch turn on the 'saw', move the carriage back and forth with...a log precut, of course, and trigger the sound effects. Maybe you gents have seen this done and have some suggestions? Bill


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## K.A.Simpson (Mar 6, 2008)

Jack Verducci has a saw mill which you may find suitable. It has the moving carriage, blade and sound. I saw it on the Crystal Springs garden railway, on the Backyard Railroads DVD. He also has some great tips & good ideas on various areas of the railway. Hope this is some help to you. 
Regards Andrew


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Not familiar with that, but I'll look into it! Thanks, Bill


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Cap'nBill on 19 Oct 2009 03:18 PM 
Our club layout has a a pretty decent 'mountain', and was fairly barren. I've put up some 'spar trees', run some cable and have a a couple logs dangling off the carriage. I decided a good logging layout probably needs a sawmill to haul those logs to. Where to start.......? Looked up some pics on the net and decided a saw blade was the start! I ordered a 4 3/8" blade, probably goes on those battery operated saws. I've got several motors to try and get it powered. I guess the next step is to build the 'carriage', that too I'm hoping to power so as to move back and forth. From you fellows advice below, a sawmill sound unit is also required. We now have one of the ITT units of the mine 'blast', the kids love stepping on a floor switch to watch the mine 'explosion'. Thus far, my idea is to have a switch turn on the 'saw', move the carriage back and forth with...a log precut, of course, and trigger the sound effects. Maybe you gents have seen this done and have some suggestions? Bill

Talk to Noel Wilson out in California he did a segment on a working sawmill which after our show he received three requests to build one in G scale for them. Take a look at the video in video on demand it was around 4-6 weeks ago and would be in video on demand either in my site or his listed below. Or email him through here for more information. The Regal


Crazy Train Guy's Garden Railroad Channel - live streaming video powered by Livestream 

Santa fe & Butthead Cove. R.R.- livestreaming video powered by Livestream


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

The Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette has had several articles about modeling sawmills and sawmill equipment.


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## Allegheny (Jan 2, 2008)

The old Modeltec magazine had an 18 part series on building an actual working sawmill in something like 3" scale. Guy used a 10" blade from a table saw and it would cut dimensioned lumber from branches he harvested in his back yard! Granted that's way more than you want to do with your model, but the descriptions of how a sawmill works - all of the various parts are detailed - was phenomenal! If you're seriously interested, I could probably dig up the issue numbers for you.

Brian


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

I would be most appreciative if you were able to find it. Be more than glad to reimburse you for copy/postage, or whatever means you have. The saw blade I ordered is a working blade but smaller-4 3/8", at least for a start! This is a pic of the layout. I'd like to put the mill where you see the white plaster. Thanks for your thought! Bill


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

One of the vendors that always shows at the 'Big Train Show' makes a sawmill that does pretty much what you're after, if you want to just buy one & plug it in. I _THINK_ it's *J&S WOODCRAFTS*. I've seen (and heard) the rig in action at several layouts -- I suspect I've put a picture up from one of the convention open houses -- I'll go look for it when I get a round toit.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/sawmill.html

Mine is static 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Okay, it's "J.S. Woodcrafts", and though I looked for a website for them, the only one I could find was for some Scandinavian craftsman who hand-carves bowls.

Here are some pix from a layout that was open during the Arizona "08 convention. I'm pretty sure that the building came directly from J.S. Woodcraft, although the owner (named Rauperstrauch) may have dressed it up a bit more.

The blade spins, and the carriage passes the log across it, with the appropriate sound effects. Because of the arrangement, you don't not[/i] see a plank falling as it's cut from the log, if you catch my drift!


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks for the pics, guys! Mik, the photo 'essay' is a real help, that should be archived for future reference. Looks like they were taken with the builder in mind. I had to order another 4 3/8" saw blade, I got the bright idea to silver solder a sleeve into the 5/8" standard hole. Have you ever seen a saw blade that's been heated? Talk about warped! Tried several re-heats with weights to no avail.... Next is to come up with the track/wheel arrangement for the carriage. I'm thinking maybe some HO rail and wheels, unless someone has a better......more scale, idea.... so that the carriage moves easily. Bill


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, it looks like pix for a building project because it was.... I also have a reprint of a Frick size 1 parts book, from which I stole details like the belt tightener for the top saw (Specific questions I'll look up. sounds like a real pain to scan and upload 50 or so pages, especially when I can't MAKE pdf files. (can't afford the program).

This is the guy I got my blade off of. 3" with a 1/4" mandrell... MUCH easier to work with, and a realistic 72" size in 1/24 or 61" in 1/20.3

http://cgi.ebay.com/Woodworking-Cir...53dd2fa0de

As for a fairly realistic trouble free carriage and track, consider o or s scale wheels on wood stringers topped with 'strap rail' made from those 1/4" wide stainless reinforcing thingies from used wiper blades. A largish gear underneath the mill with a slot that engages a pin sticking down from the carriage is the easiest way to make it go back and forth. A hidden crank and connecting rod set-up would work as well but takes up more space.


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Here's a start to my mill: Used Wiseman 'ore car' wheels for the carriage, wooden rails (slides easily but could add brass), Graham Industries reversible 1 cylinder. Pic to show some perspective. That's 'Indy' working the engine!


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Made a 'skid' platform to hold boiler, engine blade etc. Been testing the boiler and trying to break in the engine. I need to get a feedwater hand pump, I'm amazed at how much water one uses. Have to build a belt tensioner, would like to make a scale lever. I'd also like to build a winch to make this into 'double duty'. That is, a steam donkey, and run a sawmill. The burner is a' beverage can hiking stove' (the char came from using my torch to run the boiler!).


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