Disc sawmills: review, technical characteristics, choice

In industrial sawmilling today, the most popular type of equipment for primary wood processing is circular sawmills operating using circular technology, or simply circular sawmills. This fact is explained simply:

• firstly, these installations have the highest cutting speed and power, which ensures not only high productivity, but also cutting accuracy;
• secondly, professional disk machines, due to their maneuverability and functionality, belong to the category of universal ones. They are able to easily cut logs of any type of wood and do this regardless of the ambient temperature and even without stopping for more than 5 hours in a row.

Electric models are now the most widely represented on the machine tool market, but there are also gas cutters. In any case, this does not in any way affect their purpose, i.e. production:

• blanks for molded products;
• timber;
• glued board;
• furniture and parquet blanks.

But about which of them are the most popular and have already proven themselves among consumers, as well as about new products, read in our review.

The device and its varieties

Disc sawmills are used when it is necessary to saw a wood trunk along its grain. The source of energy for the operation of the machine is electricity.

The main components of the equipment are the frame, circular saws, mobile carriage, electric motors:

• The main purpose of the frame is to combine all structural components into a single whole. In this case, the equipment elements must be located at such a distance from each other that the work can be performed safely. The main requirement for the frame: it must be stable and rigid.
• The engine usually has an operating voltage of 380 V. It is selected based on power and number of revolutions per minute. If it is not possible to connect the equipment to the electrical network, you can use a gasoline engine.
• The cutting unit of the saw can be located both vertically and horizontally, and it can include one disk or a pair at once. In this regard, there are double-disc sawmills, and there are single-disc sawmills. If there is only one disk, the logs can be sawed in two positions - horizontally and vertically.
• The carriage of such a saw can move lengthwise and crosswise. A double-disc sawmill has two saws, which are located at right angles to each other. Such equipment can operate orthogonally, and therefore its productivity is higher.

Sawmills are divided not only into two types. There are many other machine design options. For example, there is one that operates not from one, but from two motors: one is responsible for rotating the saw, and the other is responsible for moving the carriage. Regardless of what variety a particular sawmill belongs to, it will be sold at a high price. That is why many people who want to purchase such equipment, upon seeing the price tag, refuse to purchase.

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Refusing to purchase does not mean giving up the desire to have this wonderful woodworking tool at your disposal. You can make it yourself, the main thing is to approach the creation process with all seriousness and responsibility.

Power point

Below I will talk about the power plant (one of the components of our design) and look at what components are needed to automate the installation.

First is the supply line. Serves to transport material to the cutting discs. The production of the line can be carried out either with the transportation of logs to the disk, or stationary. If we want to save money, we make a fixed structure for the supply line.

Secondly, this is the control unit itself. As you may have guessed, it serves to control the installation. It is often placed on the front side of the cutting unit; I will describe what it is below.

On the main dashboard you can place toggle switches (keys or buttons) for turning on and off the power voltage, potentiometers (adjust the speed of the electric motor), a protection system (to prevent electric shock), an emergency shutdown button, voltage and current measuring instruments (voltmeter, ammeter ), warning lights (power supply, engine operation, accident, etc.).

I will tell you how to assemble the control unit in a separate article. I will describe all the basic electrical diagrams, how and from what you can build them at home. I will attach a photo of the finished block to the material.

Thirdly, let's look at what a cutting unit is. How to make this node? Can be performed with two saws or with one. We arrange the saws in the horizontal and vertical planes - an option with two saws. With this installation you can simultaneously cut a log in two planes. This process of processing logs is called corner sawing.

An important point for you to note is that when choosing a mini model using two electric motors, the parameters must be selected based on power and the number of revolutions of the electric motor. This decision will protect you from mistakes and wasted time. Synchronizing these values ​​will lead to synchronized cutting of the log, limiting vibration and evenness of the cut. This is what we are trying to achieve.

Creation of a sawmill

To create a circular sawmill with your own hands at home, it is not necessary to resort to complex drawings and diagrams. If a sawmill is needed only for one time, it is better to make the structure as simple as possible, eliminating all its components that are not particularly important. In addition, equipment created according to a simplified design is safer.

The creation of a sawmill takes place in three stages:

1. Manufacturing of the supporting frame frame.
2. Creation of the feed part.
3. Manufacturing of cutting tools.

So, having decided to make a sawmill with your own hands, first of all, you need to purchase the materials and tools that will be required for this. As for the necessary tools, they are all ordinary. You won’t have to look for any exotic, hard-to-find devices. And even more so, you won’t have to spend a lot of money to purchase them.

The main element of the sawmill is the electric motor , so you need to take care of purchasing it first. To make the remaining parts of the equipment, you will need metal plates, fasteners, boards, wooden or metal construction sawhorses. You can buy all this at any hardware store.

As soon as all the tools and basic elements of the future sawmill have been prepared, you should decide what type of equipment will be manufactured.

Step-by-step production

So, let's start looking at the instructions for creating a circular sawmill. If the installation is done in an open space, you will first need to make a base. It must be such that it does not deform over time due to vibration and permanent mechanical loads. To do this, you will need to remove a 20-centimeter layer of soil, make a cushion of sand and gravel, and then concrete the site.

To allow the disc device frame to move freely, it should be mounted on rollers. They can be bearings with a large diameter. They are mounted on a pair of axes on each side of the moving area of ​​the device. As a rail for moving, you can use a steel corner measuring 5 by 5 centimeters.

In addition, you will need to make a couple of corner pieces with a length of 600 centimeters or more. They must be attached edge-up to the concrete foundation so that the distance between them along the length of the structure is equal.

Assembly instructions

The simplest option is a design consisting of a table, a motor and a shaft with a saw. To create such equipment, you first need to make a frame. To do this, the goats are connected by disks.

The surface of the table is made of metal plates about 1 mm thick and about 24 cm wide. The plates are connected using screws and jumpers , then they are fixed on a wooden base.

To connect all the parts of the sawmill you will need fasteners such as screws and nuts. Small gaps should be maintained between the plates. After the plates are secured, a groove should be made at the base of the barrel. It should be in a place where the saw blade will not touch its walls.

The saw blade itself can be purchased ready-made or made with your own hands. It should be remembered that it must have a radius of at least 23 cm.

Disc manufacturing and balancing

The sawmill is high-risk equipment. When manufacturing a circular saw, safety precautions must be observed: rotating parts must be closed.

To make a disk yourself, you will need either a steel or duralumin blank with a diameter of about 45 cm and a thickness of 0.3 cm. To turn this blank into a saw, you just need to make just a couple of teeth on it. You can do more, but two will be enough for the tool to cope with any tree.

Cutters can be created from metal plates. When they are ready, all that remains is to attach them to the disk by welding.

After you have made a homemade circular sawmill with your own hands, you will need to balance it in order to improve the quality of the cut. The cutting element is fixed to the shaft . It can be turned on a lathe, and although careful balancing is not necessary, the blade should not be allowed to come into contact with the walls of the cut. The saw will work well with the cutters at an angle of about 30 degrees, and the back angle should be 15 degrees.

Making a sawmill is a simple process that requires only small financial investments to purchase the necessary components. In general, a homemade saw will cost much less than a machine purchased ready-made.

A mini sawmill will be an excellent device for starting a woodworking production or independently constructing a wooden cottage. Today, many people build and repair wooden buildings with their own hands. In order to quickly and efficiently process a tree trunk, you need to use a sawmill. In this article we will talk about how to make a mini sawmill.

DIY mini sawmill

For domestic purposes, it is much more profitable to make a small sawmill with your own hands.

Pros of making it yourself:

• low material costs
• creating a design that fully meets your requirements and operating features
• The components needed for such a device can be found in any specialized store.

Of course, it will not be possible to create a device at the level of factory devices, for example, Murka, Kostroma, or Logosol, at home. But a simple sawmill, both mobile and stationary, can be created by any craftsman.

When creating a mini sawmill, be sure to consider the following points:

• you need to decide on the performance of your device. Unfortunately, homemade devices have poor performance. In order to calculate productivity you need to determine the volume of wood that you need to process
• dimensions of workpieces to be processed
• transportation. A mobile sawmill is more convenient because it can be easily moved for use in different areas of the home
• battery. Factory machines require power from a three-phase network of 380 V. However, for a homemade tool, 220 V is enough. For a sawmill, it is worth selecting a separate machine for 220 V. Thus, there will be no problems with other 220 V sockets. It is better to avoid using extension cords
• the type of compact sawmill being created - disk, belt or tire.

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Mini disc sawmill

As an example, take a closer look at Murka and PD 2000. Such devices are in great demand in woodworking industries. They are simple, have high productivity, and also do not cause problems when creating them yourself. The design is based on a circular saw, which can be mounted on the motor axis or the spindle shaft.

To create the simplest model, you will need a shaft, a table, a motor and a circular saw. The main element of the design can be called a table. It is created from a metal frame, which is connected by welding and fastening bolts. There is a steel plate on top of the table. Such a plate must have holes that firmly fix the circular saw. It is into them that the cutting element is inserted. When installing the saw, you need to make sure that it is located in the middle of the saw.

Characteristics and Features

Technical data largely determines the possibilities of using this equipment to create lumber. When selecting a circular sawmill, the technical characteristics should be considered in as much detail as possible and pay attention to some nuances:

1. Depending on the overall dimensions of the installed table, the maximum length of the supplied workpieces is determined. If the bulk of the log is in free weight, it will not feed correctly.
2. You should also take into account the maximum diameter of the cutting disc - the landing diameter is usually standard, but deviations in this indicator also occur.
3. Maximum log diameter. The machine's performance is limited by the diameter of the log. When considering a horizontal circular sawmill, there are application restrictions based on the power of the installed motor and the diameter of the saw. The vertical version is limited by the height of the racks.
4. Electric motor speed. This indicator can be adjusted in some cases using a drive. Modern sawmills with miter sawing discs are equipped with engines. They have the function of changing the speed of the output shaft.

Below is a short overview of disc sawmills with their characteristics and photos.

Tire mini sawmill

The design is based on the following main elements:

• machine frame. It is the most important because it holds all the equipment equipment. Reliability, durability and safety directly depend on the frame. Dimensions are selected individually, according to the needs of woodworking
• power unit. Without a drive, of course, the sawmill will not work. For domestic use, a three-phase motor is suitable; it requires a power supply of 380 Volts. However, you can also use a gasoline engine. Power supply from 220 V is not suitable in this case, because the power parameters are very low. The minimum power parameter is 3 kW
• fastening elements. Using stationary components, you can make a cut by securing the workpiece to them. Dimensions of hardware are selected according to the parameters of the workpieces being processed
• tire. Usually the tire is 50 centimeters. The best option is to purchase it together with the chain. Thus, the thickness of the cut is minimized, and, consequently, the volume of waste is reduced
• cutting element.

The metal frame must be connected to the sawmill bar. The gap between the frame and the tire is the size of the workpieces being processed, so the drawing of the mini sawmill must include this point. If you wish, you can make it possible to adjust this gap. This useful addition will make it possible to process a wide variety of workpieces.

On the base you need to create guides along which the workpiece will move. To mount the base to the racks, you need to weld plates with drilled holes. After installation is complete, secure the position with nuts and bolts.

When making a homemade sawmill, be sure to remember to follow safety precautions. See how a mini sawmill is made correctly; a video of this process is presented below.

Band mini sawmill

Band sawmills do the best job of cutting boards. There are several methods for creating such a device. The driving force of such devices can be either electric or gasoline engines. There is no point in describing in detail a certain home-made design indicating specific parameters, because each master takes into account both the “scale” of such production and the availability of free space.

We will describe the general manufacturing procedure:

• room. Experienced craftsmen advise that for comfortable work with logs, choose a workshop space of at least 18 m2, for example 6 x 3 m
• the saw is positioned motionless during operation. The workpiece is placed on a special movable frame (trolley) and moved by hand. For this reason, you need to mount a metal frame to secure the saw. “Rails” from the corner are placed under it, along which the cart with the workpiece moves. The cutting is carried out in a horizontal plane. It is necessary to provide for a change in the height of the saw during the “dissolution” of the workpiece into boards. To do this, the frame is equipped with a special system that operates on the principle of a clamp, for example, a “lead” screw or something similar
• as a base you can take a metal corner or more serious structures, such as an I-beam or channel. Care must be taken to rigidly fix this frame to the installation site, because during operation it will be subject to high dynamic loads. Pay main attention to the evenness and horizontality of the upper beams - guides. The gap between the guides should be approximately 50 - 70 cm larger than the diameter of the largest log you are going to work with.
• Regardless of the thickness of the workpiece, it must be firmly fixed on the trolley. Wheels need to be attached to the bottom.

These are perhaps the most significant stages of creating a sawmill that you will encounter during its installation.

The disadvantages of homemade sawmills include:

• setup difficulties. Adjustment must be carried out continuously
• wide cut, which means a high percentage of waste
• The radius of waste scattering is quite significant
• The capabilities of the equipment are not high, both in terms of the dimensions of the logs and the time of continuous operation of the mechanisms.

Horizontal sawmills “DISCOVERY NEXT”

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Today, the circular sawing method is considered the highest quality and most progressive. The horizontal circular sawing machine is designed for sawing logs into edged and unedged lumber of various species and moisture content of various sizes, depending on the configuration of the machine. Sawing is carried out with two saw blades located in the same plane.

The figure shows the principle of operation and some methods for cutting logs.

A distinctive feature of working with a circular sawmill is the production of high-quality edged and unedged lumber that meets European standards, i.e., the so-called (Euroboards) with an error of no more than +-0.5 mm along the entire length.

The surface of the resulting lumber, with a correctly aligned bed, turns out to be practically planed, which no band sawmill can boast of. Usually, where a disk sawmill begins to operate, the sales of lumber drop sharply at band sawmills. The cutting of logs on unedged lumber is completely done in one clamp of the log, without turning over it, which means, without wasting time on unnecessary work, and on edged lumber, as on a band sawmill, first saw the carriage and then the edged lumber. Thus, the circular sawmill, by producing high-quality lumber, combines the machines of the first, second, and in some cases, a third line, respectively, saving your money. Moreover, our sawmills do not have idle speed; with each passage of the portal in one direction or another, you receive one board, due to which we get increased productivity. The first cut is adjusted by laser, which is very convenient. To set the dimension, the operator just needs to dial the required thickness of the board in millimeters and start the sawing process in manual or automatic mode, smoothly adjusting the cutting speed from the control panel, the operator selects the optimal mode. In manual mode, the controller works like an electronic ruler, the size is set for each board individually, and in automatic mode, like a CNC machine, for the entire cut layer at once, and the program is entered in no more than 5 seconds.

With competent operator work, we get a higher yield of commercial raw materials up to 85% and an input productivity of 10-14 m³. There are no friction units on our equipment (sliding bearings); all moving mechanisms roll on rollers through bearings, which allows the equipment to serve for many years with virtually no wear.

Recommended operating temperature from -25° to +50°

The basic package includes: — automatic feed of the carriage with continuously adjustable sawing speed; — controller (dimension setting device) with remote control; — 4 self-centering log clamps; — 2 circular saws with a diameter of 560 mm. with scoring knives; — electromechanical device for setting the thickness of the board; — 2 motors of 15 kW; — a set of saw blade guards; — supports for the frame; — the maximum length of the processed log is 6.5 m; — The maximum width of the cut layer of wood, depending on the configuration, is 350-450 without turning, 480-650 with turning the log.

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