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The Armchair Sawyer

Articles from Alta Resource

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Quartersawing; Mining for Gold

This article shows the process we use at Alta Resource to quartersaw a hardwood log, and explains the differences between plainsawn and QS (quartersawn) lumber.

Using Dry Film Lubricants

SliQtm dry-film lubricants were developed for bandmill operators and woodworkers. Our special blend bonds to metal and reduces friction with wood. We have several different formulas that improve the life and performance of saw blades and woodworking tools.

Building a Bandmill

Step by step in pictures, watch our custom bandmill come to life. A triumph of ingenuity and craftsmanship, the thin kerf mill gives Alta Resource precision even with large logs while not wasting wood.

Step by Step Solar Kiln - Cheap! Coming Soon!

 

Using Dry Film Lubricants

Once our bandmill was in operation, we saw the need to improve blade performance, and developed SliQ Stik 9000, a special blend of dry film, high temperature lubricants that bond to the blade surface and reduce friction with wood. Our bandmill blades ran quieter, cooler, longer and truer in all types of wood.

We now make 3 versions of SliQ Stik, and they can be purchased on-line.

We accept Amex We accept Mastercard We accept Visa		 Call 304.497.2756 to Order by phone.
Order on-line (secure) at Badger Pond
The original SliQ Stik Saw Lubricant.

SliQ Stik formula 9000, the original, is designed for bandmill operators.

For cabinet shops we developed SliQ Stik formula 8000, which is non-staining.

SliQ Stik improves the life and performance of saw blades and woodworking tools. It reduces friction in both cutting and sliding operations. Unlike waxes or silicone treatments, the dry-film ingredients reduce "stiction" to allow smoother feed rate, and makes the job easier on the equipment and on the operator.

SliQ Stik 9000 (and 8000) is packaged in a box of three 2.4 oz. sticks for $12.95. If you are not completely satisfied, return the unused product for a full refund of purchase price. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

We accept Amex We accept Mastercard We accept Visa		 Call 304.497.2756 to Order by phone.
Order on-line (secure) at Badger Pond

Building a Custom Bandmill

The mill is now in operation!! Bob has built a resawing fixture to process antique flooring from salvaged beams and 2x siding. Enjoy the building of the mill, shown here, along with new pictures of work in progress.

The mill was designed and built by Bob Hoffa, who said "The essence of this mill is its tremendous and precise linear X and Y motion control that will make it capable of more than sawing."
Building the Mill
Custom built wheels for the blade.
The gantry under construction.
Concrete pad and rails.
The gantry on track.
Custom Wheels
Gantry in shop.
Track
Gantry on track.
The Mill in Operation
Redesigned scale indicator helps measure depth of cut.
Cut One
Cut 2
Final reward
Control Center
First Cut
Two at Once
Off come boards
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The Wheels

Band mill wheel under construction.

Not finding a reasonable size wheel for the bandmill, we decided to make these. They are marine plywood composite covered with fiberglass and epoxy. A steel sprocket provides keyed hubs.

As shown here Bob used a gear motor to slowly turn each wheel for both applying epoxy and later truing with a router.

Later a neoprene tire was installed. Each wheel is 30" in diameter.

Pouring the epoxy is easier with the wheel being slowly rotated. The depth of the epoxy is roughed in.

The Track

40' of track will support the gantry.

40 feet of rail made from I beam and angle iron rest on a concrete slab. These rails will guide the gantry and have vertical adjustments for fine tuning in the event of settling.

Gantry
Gantry under construction in the shop.
 The gantry supports the mill and planer head. The log to be sawn or board to be planed remains stationary and the gantry moves along the rails.
Detail
 Dye penetrant was used to examine the welds and help determine where reinforcement was warranted.
The Red Cross tarp is an excellent temporary shelter.
With a desert camo paint job and a sporty Red Cross tarp for temporary shelter, the gantry is reassembled on the track.

The tarp is as much to protect Bob during final assembly as to provide shelter for the machine until a permanent structure can be built.

Close up of gantry wheels on the rails.
Close up of gantry wheels on the rails. After this picture was taken, additional guide wheels were added to smooth out gantry travel.
Planer Head
Two planer heads.

These planer heads are 36" wide. One is conventional and the other helical head has 192 individual knives.

What do these have to do with the bandmill? Stay tuned!!



Now in Operation!!

Control Center

A redefined weight scale indicator shows blade height as Bob aligns the blade according to the tally sheet.

Wood on the Bandmill

Cut 1

Two Beams on the Bandmill
Cutting two beams at the same time.

Cutting more than one beam is possible, as the bed is capable of a 60' cut.

Wood Comes off the Bandmill
Resawn chestnut and virgin growth white oak boards.

Resawn chestnut and virgin growth white oak boards from beams are stacked as they come off the saw.

Index | Furniture Gallery | Armchair Sawyer | Appalachian Wood | Exotic Wood
About Us | Free Plans | Specials | Telephone 304.497.2756 | email