Hello again, the new rookie on the block with another question. I would like to build an old saw mill for logs and lumber to go on my layout idea, but can't locate anything in the old forums that address this subject matter. The one item I can't seem to locate on the web is the how-to-build that cone shaped kiln where they use to burn all the extra saw dust. You know, that cone with the wire on top to stop sparks from flying out?
Also, how do you scale the saw as if it is actually cutting a log, etc. Where is Phil when youneed him?
Allen
Here is some numbers for you. +/- on your scale.
Real/Scale Fractions Dimensional lumber in inches 1"=.042" 1/16"=.0026" 1x2=.042x.084 2"=.084" 1/8"=.0052" 1x4=.042x.166 3"=.125" 3/16"=.0078" 1x6=.042x.250 4"=.166" 1/4"=.0104" 1x8=.042x.333 5"=.208" 5/16"=.0130" 1x10=.042x.416 6"=.250" 3/8"=.0156" 1x12=.042x.500 7"=.292" 7/16"=.0182" 2x4 .084x.166 8"=.333" 1/2"=.0208" 2x6 .084x.250 9"=.375" 9/16"=.0234" 2x8 .084x.333 10"=.416" 5/8"=.0260" 2x10 .084x.416 11"=.458" 11/16"=.0286" 2x12 .084x.500 1'=1/2" 3/4"=.0312" 4x4 .166x.166 3'=1.5" 13/16"=.0338" 6x6 .250x.250 6'=3" 7/8"=.0364" 12x12 .500x.500 12'=6" 15/16"=.0390" 18x18 .750x.750 1 mile (5280')=220' 1"=.0416" 24x24 1"x1"
Teepee (tipi) burner is what they've always been called around here. if you go to google and click on images use the search teepee sawdust burner you'll find some pictures. The images section of google has been a great way to find pictures of just about anything you might be looking for.
Making the saw mill loo like it operating will take a bit more work but I'm sure some people have done them. I'm thinking Jack Verducci is one of the people. He may have a book out on the subject somewhere.
Toadfrog:
That's a good list if you are working in 1/24 scale. not a lot of help if your not working in that scale.
There are some programs out that will do conversions for you so you don't have to do the math yourself, the one I can think of right off the top of my head is called "Handy Converter" do a google search on it and click the one that says for model trains. Something like that would allow you to get plans in a different scale and easily convert the measurements over.
Hope this has been a help,
Jack
I got a saw mill kit from Garden Textures. The saw blade is a floppy disk taken out of it's plastic case and had pinking shears run around it for teeth. I built the saw dust burner from an old watering can and a tea strainer and let them rust a little. Saw mill sounds will really enhance the project which are in my plans for the future.
Rex
In New Mexico and East Texas, the burner is a "slash burner". Last months GR had some very good pictures of a model of one that still is in use in Chama NM.
Most 1880's to early 1900 mills that I've seen have been reciprocating vertical blades a lot like a jigsaw or scroll saw. These blades were less expensive than the large circular blade, and because they were thinner they made less saw dust and yeilded more wood. They don't look like the silent movie scences in 'Perils of Pauline' but realistically more appropriate.
mark
Rastun wrote: Toadfrog:That's a good list if you are working in 1/24 scale. not a lot of help if your not working in that scale. Jack
Jack, if you would Could Have Read the Last Part of My Statment you could change ON YOUR SCALE!
Wake up Jack!
Allen:
You can build a sawdust burner if you want. Most of the mills I knew of just blew it into big piles and let it rot away.
Basically, you need a miniature trestle with a little car on it that rides past the saw. It's pulled by a cable system. I'm sure there are other ways. The log is rolled onto the car, or cradle, and the 'dogs' are set, holding the log in place. The sawyer then decides how thick a slice to take off, mentally dividing the log into sections. He's the highest-paid man on the crew, and the most skilled. A good sawyer gets the most out of a log. Then he engages the clutch (a lever) and the car/carriage trundles toward the spinning blade. The sawyer may make one last 'hitch' on the dogs to postion the log, then feeds it into the saw. The first cut, with bark all on one side is called a 'slab', and it falls onto a roller conveyor and slides down to one of the carry-off men, who take it and walk to a slab pile and toss it. The log is then backed up, rotated 90 degrees and repeat. and repeat until the blank is bark free, or nearly so. Then it is sawed, usually at that mill, into a RR tie. The rest is turned into pallet lumber. These boards/ties slide down the same conveyor and are carried away by 'off-fall' men. The 'waste' boards after the slab, but before the tie, go to a different set of rollers to a sizing saw, where the outer edges of the board are trimmed to width by the 'cut-off' man.
Hope this helps.
Les
Wow, I didn't mean to hit a nerve there. The reason I posted that was since you didn't bother to state the scale for the list and I don't know what scale Allen is working in that it should be stated. If for some reason you took that as a personal attack or something you're just going to have to work that out for yourself since there was nothing of the sort there.
Toad Frog,
Great chart! I'm working in 1:20.3 scale. Thanks for the help!
Rastun,
Again some good advice! Thank you! I'm working in 1:20.3 scale and sorry I didn't indicate that in my original question.
Rex,
You know those little circular saw blades that you can get for a dremel? Would that look good as a saw blade for a saw mill? By the way, thanks' for the help. Now all I have to do is figure out the size of an appropriate saw mill shed in 1:20.3 scale. I've never seen one in person and have no idea what they look like. Maybe I should google saw mill and see what comes up! Thanks again!
Les,
Wow, that is great! Obviously you've been up close and personal with a real saw mill? Thank you for that little S.O.P. on the workings of a saw mill. It gives me a clearer picture of what goes on in a mill.
Steam1800s wrote: I would like to build an old saw mill for logs and lumber to go on my layout idea, but can't locate anything in the old forums that address this subject matter. Also, how do you scale the saw as if it is actually cutting a log, etc. Where is Phil when you need him?
Tom Trigg
Allen,
The dremel blades would be a little small. The floppy is about 3 1/4" in diameter. Although as mentioned earlier most of the stationary saw mills used band or jig saw type mills. The semi mobile ones used a belt driven circular saw run off of a small steam engine or a gas "donkey" on a sled. The blades were about 6' in diameter so for your 1-20 scale the 3" range would be close. My Garden Texture mill kit is semi open so you can see the logs coming up the chute, going into the cradel, and heading for the saw. Be sure to leave enough slabs laying around and piles of cut lumber or ties so that the place looks like it's in business.
Tom,
What a great idea! Hooked up to a water wheel! Years ago I traveled to New Hampsire and visited a carpentry shop still being run by a water wheel. All of the machinery had big pully's and very thick and wide cow hide (leather) straps or belts that ran each machine. The owner would pull a lever to switch the belts from one pully to another which would transfer the power from one machine to the other. The entire length of the building had one very long belt coming from the water wheel into the shop turning various pully's which in turn supplied the power to the shorter pully's to each machine. It was a sight to see!
Your links for the pictures were great as well! Thanks for the assistance!
Reminds me of our shearing shed when i was a boy, our family had 40,000 acre sheep property. Interesting enough i visited an oasis in Dubai when i was there last year and they had a lot of machinery running just like that, mainly for pumping water.
Rgds Ian
Yeah, I used to be a logger when I was a young man. (20-24). We did it all by hand. This was down in the MO Ozarks, ca 1964. There used to be two or three of us that rolled logs up to the carriage. My grandfather was a sawyer.
I think you want to scale to a 4 foot circular blade. Seems like that was the size. It was powered by an old Case stationary diesel with a flat belt. I don't remember what powered the blower. I do remember someone set the old sawdust pile (about 20' tall at that time) on fire, and it burned (smoldered) for years. Three or four, if I remember, before the creek got up one spring and took the whole works downstream.
Les Whitaker
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