PTJ potential project - Roundwood shelter for sawmill power head

Feb 28, 2024 08:48:27

While using the sawmill at WL this past year I encountered an operational challenge. The sawmill frame sits out in the weather but the motor and saw portion need to be moved indoors when not in use. It's a very challenging job for one person (heavy and awkward). It's annoying for two people. And it takes up room in the solar leviathan (solar trailer where it's kept).

I'm imagining a small roundwood structure at the far end of the sawmill. It would be as low as possible to keep windblown rain off the saw. It would be high enough to allow the saw to travel to its full height. It would be sloped so the rain drips off past the end of the mill (to the West). It would be a single plane, shed roof. Posts in the ground so minimal need for bracing. Sawn wooden shingles :) Aim for a 2+ foot overhang past the footprint of the saw.

Kinda like this only just the roof:

Maybe it could be done with just two beefy posts and the roof braced from them....

I'd also need to make sure you can get boards off the mill without it being a major hassle.

This kind of structure could be replicated elsewhere for firewood storage or a small shelter of some sort.

We can't (or I don't want to) put a shelter over the entire sawmill for a couple reasons.
- It might be too big and be an eyesore on the scenery
- It would be tricky to get logs into the sawmill with posts in the way
- I only have a week and I don't think it could get done in that amount of time

The biggest question is.... Is this worth doing? Does Wheaton Labs need this?

Feb 28, 2024 08:56:30

My 2 cents - WL does a lot of roundwood timber projects, has a lot of wood and this machine facilitates that. The sawmill needs protection to last a really long time. To me, it makes sense to create a dedicated structure to protect it.

Feb 28, 2024 17:15:38

I have a portable sawmill that I use mostly in the winter. I have thought many times of building a shed on skids that I could drag over the last four feet of my track. I would also put a small wood stove between the rails in that last four feet of track.

That way when I need to do mechanical work on the head of the mill I can push it into a somewhat heated shop and work on it out of the weather.

Since the building would be on skids I could drag it out of the way when I need the full length of the mill. The shed would also work good for storing all the various tools, and chains and oil products that go with a sawmill.

I usually move my mill a time or two each year so it isn't really practical to do it but I sure dream about it on cold days.

Feb 28, 2024 20:22:59

Thanks J! I hadn't thought of a moveable shelter. Now my mind is gonna chew on that for a few nights....

Apr 10, 2024 20:57:46

In a youtube live thingie that Paul hosted, we talked about the PTJ and spent a minute on this project. Paul wants the sawmill to stay mobile which I had forgotten was a design feature of it. So this structure needs to be able to move.

I noodled on it a bit and I'm thinking it might be neat to have a roof that covers the mill when not in use and then flips up out of the way when you're using the sawmill. Then it would truly be out of the way. Skiddable would be ok if you have the equipment to skid it around. I want it to be rather beefy so I'm thinking a pivot would work well.

I even had notions of making a set of wheels for it (from wood) so it can be moved around and then pivot in and out of position on those wheels. It would be fun to build wooden wheels and an axle without using metal...

Apr 12, 2024 11:07:12

Mike Haasl wrote:In a youtube live thingie that Paul hosted, we talked about the PTJ and spent a minute on this project. Paul wants the sawmill to stay mobile which I had forgotten was a design feature of it. So this structure needs to be able to move.

I noodled on it a bit and I'm thinking it might be neat to have a roof that covers the mill when not in use and then flips up out of the way when you're using the sawmill. Then it would truly be out of the way. Skiddable would be ok if you have the equipment to skid it around. I want it to be rather beefy so I'm thinking a pivot would work well.

I even had notions of making a set of wheels for it (from wood) so it can be moved around and then pivot in and out of position on those wheels. It would be fun to build wooden wheels and an axle without using metal...

Pivot could work, but I also think that a shed is an easy build, and can be really light weight. It can stay in place if the saw ever leaves the current mill spot.
Personally, while I understand the convenience of being able to move things, I think that most often it isn't worth the downsides of making them movable. Also, you can build a roof that will cover the whole length, but only have posts on the far side (north side). That way, you have lots of freedom to put logs on from the road side/ south side of the mill.

Apr 12, 2024 11:47:23

True... It would be possible to make a human-skiddable shed for it. I just don't know if it gets windy up there and the lightness would be an issue for it blowing out of position?

If I cover the whole mill, it would have to be a pretty tall roof to keep from being a head bump issue for tall operators or getting smacked by the tractor bucket when moving logs in (which is probably frowned upon). The higher it is, the more overhang is needed to keep snow off.

If it was my sawmill, I'd put a roof over the whole thing in a heartbeat. Paul said in the youtubecast that he's debating having people move the mill once or twice a year to to prove that it can be moved. So he definitely wants any covering moveable...

I'm looking forward to seeing you out there again this summer Kate!

Apr 12, 2024 12:36:17

Mike Haasl wrote:True... It would be possible to make a human-skiddable shed for it. I just don't know if it gets windy up there and the lightness would be an issue for it blowing out of position?

If I cover the whole mill, it would have to be a pretty tall roof to keep from being a head bump issue for tall operators or getting smacked by the tractor bucket when moving logs in (which is probably frowned upon). The higher it is, the more overhang is needed to keep snow off.

If it was my sawmill, I'd put a roof over the whole thing in a heartbeat. Paul said in the youtubecast that he's debating having people move the mill once or twice a year to to prove that it can be moved. So he definitely wants any covering moveable...

I'm looking forward to seeing you out there again this summer Kate!

You too!

And yes, it would have to be a large overhang.
I just don't get the priority of proving that things are movable, and moving it twice a year? If so, build two sheds, and move it between them!

One could be down by the gate (SE of it). That'd be a nice central place to store lumber, too. Right on the road to the whole east part of the lab.
So, two tall sheds, accessible for both tall people and tractors, move the sawmill between them at will, and call it good.

I understand the hesitance of a light shed in strong wind conditions, I'm still cleaning up after our February storm with 89 mph winds. What about tying it down? Earth anchors and wires? Seems too bad to lose out on the investment of the saw for the convenience of mobility.

Something like this (

could work, but it's a longer project than your one week.
Also, you're only there for one week this year?

Apr 12, 2024 13:14:58

I'll be there for the full two weeks this year!

Part of the fun of a pivot and wheel is to try to make a wheel/pivot that can hold up to the outdoors. It might be overkill for this application but then it could be copied elsewhere.

Another idea is a pivot like this. Downside is that more of the wood is exposed to the elements. Upside is the roof is smaller and tighter to the saw motor and maybe easier to pivot out of the way

Apr 12, 2024 13:29:32

Mike, are you thinking something that just pivots up and down or could it pivot side to side as well?

Apr 13, 2024 06:16:12

Great question... I was thinking it would pivot/flip up and off the end of the the sawmill to get out of the way. But swiveling out of the way would be another option. Or flipping to the side. Options options options :)

May 28, 2024 10:50:37

Hey Mike, You might be able to stabilize that support beam like Beau did on the Grape Arbor...low-tech. He demontrates his dovetail by making a model of what he has planned.

May 28, 2024 12:13:18

Thanks! I suspect Beau's design options were greatly limited by the inability of moving the posts that were stuck 8' deep in the ground. I'm guessing we'd use through tenons on most of the connections with pins or wedges to hold them tight.

May 28, 2024 14:38:26

It is needed and all methods under discussion. I thought it a nice bump.

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