Unconventional Sawmill Build

Little stuff…
I notched and braced the trolley tubing below the sprocket to allow the drive assembly the drop down all the way. Thinnest cut is now around 1/2”.



Here’s a better shot of what I was talking about yesterday with the bar being too narrow.



I got the oil reservoir mounted and plumbed.



I’ll start on the idler arm tomorrow.

 

I was literally losing sleep over how I was going to make the idler arm work. I just couldn’t come up with a system that would be strong and reliable. Then, at 2:10am, it hit me: an e-brake assembly.

Keeping with the Subaru theme, I had a handle from an old GL wagon in a bin of parts. I made a mount to affix it to the upper mount on the diff, and used a dowel rod to center the idler.



From there, I sliced up a piece of tubing to sandwich the mechanism.



Disengaged position



Crank up on the handle to engage the drive



I need some diff oil, a belt, and a longer bolt for the idler, and I’ll be ready to fire this up and try it out.

 

You may have just solved my same problem with an air compressor...

 

My first thought was to pillage the parking brake lever from my old Ford, but I should probably keep that where it is… just to say I have one, even though it’s worthless.

 

Happens I brought a brake handle assembly home from the dump last month. Now... if only I can find it.

 

A whole DAY without an update???

 

I got some parts today.
Tomorrow is my work day.

 

Toe Tapping......................

 

I’ve been working on piddly little stuff.

I got a belt that fits on the second try, but it’s still not the right one. These are 5/8” pulleys, and nobody around here has a 45” belt in 5/8”. All 3 stores have a gap from 43” to 47”. I’ll run this 1/2” belt until it gives me issues.



I was having issues with the trolley binding, then being too loose, then binding again multiple times down the track. My spacers were all dead-on 4”. I measured the webbing, and it varied as much as 1/4”, and if two wide or two narrow spots teamed up, it was as much as 1/2” unequal in places. I spent the last two days with the big grinder taking the width down to the narrowest point, then adding bevels, using this plywood as a guide. Used up an a tire 7” grinding wheel in the big grinder. My arms are TIRED.



And now I’m drilling out and re-tapping the holes where the bar mounts. The first bar had a tiny slot and only allowed 8mm bolts. The Stihl bar will accept a much bigger mount, so I’m tapping them out to 7/16-20.

 

I pulled the assembly off the trolley…



I grabbed a cheap boat winch and fitted it to a top cap that slides in place…



I made slots in the top to hold wedges…



I got the whole thing outside just before the snow hit.



I finally had a chance to try it out yesterday. Half way through the first cut, the differential locked up. I walked away, locked the shop, and haven’t been down since.

 

Man that sucks.

 

I have one more design I want to try before I rage quit and throw the whole mess on the scrap heap.

 

Hydrostat?

 

Ha! No, much simpler.

 

3b with modified sickle bar mower?

 

Hydraulic saw?

 

Love watching this build. Did the diff lock up due to this design or was it bad?
Jay

 

That's a Beazatch , man .
Differential Assembly - Subaru (38300AC450)

• Sale Price: $862.30

 

With the diff laying on it's side, did it become oil starved?

 

"I have one more design I want to try before I rage quit and throw the whole mess on the scrap heap."

I'm thinking a subaru diff would be relatively easy to find a used replacement? If you can correct the lubing issue.

Seems like the V-groove is giving you trouble, because it binds side to side when adjusted closely, but the important spec is the up-and-down. Not much room for variations and highly critical geometry.

When I used V-groove wheels on my mill they ran on top of an angle with one leg vertical, so no binding. But whereas mine had four legs, your rig is offset to one side, so you'd also need a roller under the rail on the outer side to counter gravity acting on the bar.

Good luck!