Assembling a Frontier OS 27 Sawmill
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- Frontier Sawmills incorporate many of the innovative features their parent company, Norwood Industries have patented for their main line of portable bandsaw mills. This video mentions a few mistakes I made during the assembly process and actually misses a few of the critical points due to my inattention. I took the liberty to veer off of the recommended assembly instructions while lifting the laminated saw head to slip onto the vertical uprights. I gently use a set of nylon chokers and lifted the heavy component with the two post car lift, then with relative ease, let it slip gently and in controllable fashion right into position on the risers. The same technique was put to use while then lifting the now heavier and completed saw head assembly to be set onto the bed frame and frame rails. It is by far easier and safer to perform this portion of the process if you have the necessary machinery to do the lifting safely. BUTTTT....as you attach your lifting straps be sure to not stress any portion of the blade guard. Even though it is a very thick material, it is the lightest component in the assembly and could possibly be sprung with improper slinging or choking with nylon straps.
I would recommend to others to take the time over a long mornings coffee and totally familiarize yourself with the entire binder that comes with the unit. I think had I done that, a lot of the issues I had with understanding the sequence of assembly would have been eliminated. Another suggestion is to use self sticking small tags to stick on the pages you know you will need to reference back to...like the page for blade tracking and tensioning. Another page to tag would be the guide adjustment segment. Another one would be the one for folding/unfolding a new blade. Yes...that exercise takes a little time to conquer without lacerations. And on a side note.....
Speaking of bodily harm....on some close-ups of my face, you will notice some pretty good facial swelling....well, that was thanks to the multiple red wasp stings to my eye lid and lip while stripping tarps from an old tractor the day before that portion of this video was recorded. It's all good. I killed 'em all !! ...and I am happy about that too.
So to sum up, let me say I am totally impressed with the fit and finish of the Frontier mill as a whole. In the video I complain about the instruction manual, but have to admit a lot of the issues were probably caused by my not taking the time to familiarize myself with the manual. But I stand by my statement that in many places, a different picture or illustration would go a long way to make the process much easier. 'Up close' pictures are great, but if there were a way to indicate the actual location of them on the machine would be a lot better. On so many pages with illustrations, there is ample room to make highlighted notes pertinent to the illustration.
I think the technical writers and illustrators for the manual really ARE so familiar with their product that they forget that the majority of end users are NOT familiar with the terminology or parts of the mill. Now granted, after assembling one mill, I think I can assemble another one most of the way without the directions at all, but boy o boy, the first one was a doosey ! The coolest thing about the package however are the numbered bags of nuts, bolts and washers... almost to a 'T', the quantity was exact. But there are a few left over, so there was either an extra one here and there OR I missed them during the assembly. Heaven forbid, that can't be right...or can it ??!! - Розваги
Thanks for the great info. Just received my os27 Thursday. Have a few accessories on backorder. I'll definitely refer to your video this afternoon as I start the assembly process. Thanks again.
Great !! I hope you find some help in my ramblings during the assembly. The best decision for me, I think, was building my own trailer instead of buying what I thought was an inadequate accessory offered by Frontier. Good luck with your mill. They are really easy to operate.
@@tractorman4461 I agree, I plan on doing the same. Got so many irons in the fire now I feel like I'm going in circles.
A Lovely saw indeed! Your lift sure comes in handy ! Best be careful that the Missus doesn’t hang you up by your belt loops if you misbehave. I’ll have to bring some logs there to be sawn. I can hardly wait to see it in action! Thanks much my 44 Friend and as always, my best to Missus! DaveyJO
Hot doggies DaveyJO...you're right about that....I gotta walk the straight and narrow all the time. She's a tough one for sure. LOL. If you bring them we will slab 'em, but first I gotta get out to ol' Stan's house and cut some stuff he's wanting cleared out. I was there last week to work on his kitchen range. His stove quit working and he was tired of eating stuff outta the microwave for a whole week before he called me. LOL.. Hopefully Nurse Alice is keeping you in line my friend. Tossin' back a little JO right now.
@@tractorman4461 Be sure to give Stan my Best and to you and the Missus most certainly! I’m very interested to see how that fancy new saw works. And Alice is certainly keeping me in line. I started rehab Wednesday and two times a week next week. It’s been six weeks since surgery already! I want to get the old cook stove going soon, gettin chilly in the house. A FINE weekend to all at 44 and kiss those tractors for me too,,,,,,,,and Missus of course! DaveyJO
I can't believe you didn't show me this when I was over there Sat.
Hahahahah...that's funny. Out of sight- out of mind. It's back in the woods and I didn't even think of it. Besides, we were in 'flu-flashing' mode anyway. LOL.
I appreciate your detailed instructions. My OS27 is being delivered today!
Good luck with the assembly. I really like mine, but I'm wishing I went with the OS 31. Not everyone has the perfect straight pine or fir and the 27'' capacity is a bit misleading. If the log is bowed much it won't begin to take 27''. You'll end up shaving a bit here and there with a chainsaw to make the first pass. Four more inches would make a BIG difference !! I hope you have an easy way to assemble like I did on the concrete. Makes a big difference. Level is the key no matter what though. Thanks Scott for watching this one.
@@tractorman4461 I understand, it'is not just about log diameter.
That is funny seeing you assembling something new. I usually proceed to assemble a machine my own way, then go back to the instructions to see how bad they made them... Lol! There are things not worth building our self. But the trailer will be worth building yourself! Thanks!
Me too! But I usually go back to see if I got it right 😄
Yeah Joe, I do the same thing most times....but this thing comes delivered with specific quantities of sized nuts, bolts and washers all marked with packet numbers in more than a dozen bags !! I needed the Missus to keep me on the right path. The factory trailer, as I remember, just is not rated for more than a two section mill, 14', and I bought the additional 7' section that would have to be assembled and supported every time the mill would be moved. So I'm building a light duty but substantial trailer for transport the full 21'.
WHEN IS YOU NEXT VIDEO MON AMI 🤔👌👍😉🍻
@@RCAFpolarexpress well Dave, its on the chopping block this very minute !! Lots of rusty stuff to sift through getting some material for the trailer frame.
@@tractorman4461 Outstanding Sir !!!
Looks Great. Cant wait to see it in action.
Great!! But first, the trailer build. I gotta get it OUT of the shop !! LOL
Most new items I have assembled in recent years seem to have a bolt, nut and washer or two extra. I guess as long as all the bolt holes are filled you're golden!! 😊😊😊
I don't have a lot of experience with new stuff, so I'll have to take you at your word...LOL.
Beautiful tool. Great video. Can’t wait to see you cutting with it. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Chuck. First the trailer. I want it mobile and easy level and support.
Looks like a very good sawmill I must say...... the lack of instruction is something that happens often when you buy something tHat needs assembly these days.....nothing that cannot be overcome.....looks good and solid .....CHEERS
Oh, the instructions were there, its just that they were a little hard to decipher in a few spots. They lacked some key information that would have made the assembly a LOT easier. But like I said, if a fella can twist a wrench to any degree at all, the assembly is not too bad at all.
WELL, it is about time! Looks GREAT my friend.
Oh man, it is nice Dave. But now I gotta cut twice as much wood. Heating wood and sawmill wood. And I thought this was going to be a labor saving device !!
@@tractorman4461 There is NOTHING labor saving about running a sawmill. YOU KNOW THAT !!!!
@@davescorneroftheworld1147 Hahahahaha....you are correct sir. Sure is fun though. As long as I don't have to make a living at it, that is. LOL
Congratulations 44, you have a very solid Sawmill there, will be interesting to see you the automatic feed system, thanks for sharing with us
These style mills are literally pushed through the log by manpower unlike the circular mills where the log is typically pulled through the blade by the mechanics of the mill. So yes, I will be the automatic feed system. LOL.
@@tractorman4461 thanks for explaining my friend, can't wait to see it in action
@@jankotze1959 First though I have to build a trailer for it because I did not want to spend the money for the factory one. It didn't appear to be sufficient for my use. But even before the build, there's a material scrounging expedition to my Much Older
Brothers salvage material pile. Between his and mine, not much has to be bought for the project.
Bonsoir mon ami !!! Ho boy so you had a fight to the red wasp,,, ( I READ ALL YOU COMMENTS MON AMI !!! ). Yes I also agree with you ( they should get people from the street and ask them to assemble their product to see if their instruction are working and very well made !!! ). I can wait to see if you are going to like compare to the former antique buzz saw sawmill that have you and your son on video !!! Great team work your lovely wife and you Sir !!! A Bad Mistake stay a Bad mistake if you did not learn from it and If you learn from it, it became a positive life experience mon ami !!! Can't wait to see your next video Sir and have a great safe week and keep warm Cheers !!!
I don't see a comparison in the near future because if I'm lucky someone will want to buy the old Belsaw circular mill. LOL.
We didn't make too bad of a mistake. The main one was installing those yellow side bars upside down. And that really didn't take much to correct. Lucky me !!
@@tractorman4461 LOL !!! That great !!! Cheers !!! lol
Super excited for you T! Congrats on the new mill. Good call getting the electric start - thanks for the honest discussion around the install and instructions - hopefully Frontier will make some amendments. The trailer build will be a nice series - and you will be mobile! looking forward to seeing the first log going through. Nice to see the Missus supervising and lending a helping hand. :))
Thank you GP, and I really needed her to decipher the directions because I am the best at looking at pictures !! If I'd have taken the time to familiarize myself with the WHOLE manual beforehand, the mistakes made would have been drastically reduced. And have not fear, the typical 'rust factor' will return in the trailer build.
Been looking for one myself
The factory told me there was a 12 to 16 week lag in delivery. So they are either covered up or lacking material from their suppliers.
Now THAT is the way to saw lumber....
Well, I HOPE it is anyway. It's somewhat limited, but then again they all are no matter what the size. First is the trailer build....well, scrounging the materials FOR the trailer build is first. But guys like me and you are good at that ain't we....?? LOL
@@tractorman4461 Yep!
hi there looks like i real nice toy . can't wait to see a stick go threw it . john
I was figuring to use this one for sawing what I need to get the big 60'' mill with the 3-71 Detroit put back together and covered. I hope so anyway.
@@tractorman4461 hi again it takes a sawmill to make a sawmill don't i know about that john
@@fricknjeep Hahahahaha...crack me up John !! I gotta get back your way to look at the BIG mill. I saw it was ready to go the other day.
That mill looks extremely similar to my woodland mills in setup. I wished they offered an electric start. Mine has the 16 hp Kohler. It is "fun" to pull start. I do have to say the woodland mills had a few sections of the assembly instruction that left some explanation to be desired as well. All in all looks like a great mill can't wait to see it in action!
Yes, I noticed the similarities as well while watching you with yours. I wouldn't want to pull start a 16 hp at any time, much less as both it and I get older. LOL But I think there is a general pattern most of the manufacturers use as a base for their design. I'll do a little sawing soon as the trailer gets finished and under it.
Those red wasps hone in on you pretty quick, not the first time you’ve been stung. Nasty boogers! Something brand spankin’ new, wow! Gonna feel lonesome out there with all the rust colored equipment you have. Be interesting to see the hunt and gathering episode!
Yes, it does look quite out of place all shiny and new !! But that will change with a little work though. If I can just use it enough to keep the wasps from building nests in it !! Arrrrghhhh !! I HATE wasps.
Nice video; I have the same mill. I would have enjoyed seeing you install the extension.
I was in the Marines with a Sgt Mike Love in Base Maintenance at Parris Island SC in 1974 !! Well Mike here is a playlist that shows building the trailer all the way to full assembly of the mill onto the trailer. You may have to FF through some of the more boring stuff though. But the titles of the videos might be enough for you to find what you want:ua-cam.com/play/PLk72G9DTzZ1ue1qK_JUYgFoJ2ENbV7VVs.html Good luck with your mill !! I LOVE mine.
THATS looks like a fun piece, Wendell! There’s a part of me that really would like a mill. I just don’t know if I’d use it enough.
Oh it IS Ed. I won't get to use it as much as I want to, but I will use it as often as I can. The problem is always the time to dedicate to the things you WANT to do vs the thing you HAVE to do.
Now this is a departure for 'Tractorman44' to have equipment that is brand new, as Joe ( From Steel to Wood ) said below :)
However this is going to be a very interesting series of videos and I want to see this all the way through.
Great stuff , so far Wendell, I can hardly wait for more!
Hahahaha....well, there IS a lot of rust in the upcoming videos on building the trailer. LOTS of rust, a little welding, and a lot of (heaven forbid) thinking !! LOL. I ain't too good at that most times.
@@tractorman4461 Hahaha!
Hi Wendell! That’s an impressive looking Sawmill! Looking forward to seeing you put it through it’s paces! Thanks for sharing!
Now I'm gonna be wasting good firewood just to make lumber !! But I do have a bit of a back LOG of logs.....pardon the pun, if you will. LOL
Looks good! Looking forward to you milling square lumber (instead of my trapezoidal lumber!)
Yeah, I never really got my Belsaw dialed in nearly as good as yours. I dearly love circle mills...but for the limited time I've used this little guy, its growing on me. I am totally surprised at the consistency of the sawing on the bandsaw. I ran a short piece of oak the other day and there sure IS a difference sawing hardwoods over softwoods.
looks like Santa came early my friend,I'll see if I can FedEx a log to you👍
Hahahahaha....that's funny !! Fed Ex DOES run 53' box trailers.....so a pretty good sized log would fit in one. LOL Thanks Jeffrey for the chuckle this morning !!
Thanks for the info. Good job
Good Morning Joseph. Thanks for watching and commenting.
nice looking mill my stepson has his dad's mill we have milled a fair amount for him and me on it we tryed to buy it from him he never uses it and we would sooner own it and if you break it that's our problem but he says just use it like you own it I have about 60 acres of wood land behind the house we could make some lumber it's a woodmizzer with 22 horse Honda twin on it I think it has a axle under it on haul it around I learned one thing very quick had it on the tractor and pulled the mill to the back and fastest it down and when I unhooked it off tractor it came up and hit me I thought it broke some ribs but it didn't not the sharpest knife in the drawer lol good video bud have a great night take care
Now I'm laughing at the rig raring up not because its funny, (it kinda is), but because I know exactly what you mean. LOL Woodmizer makes a much better mill than this little guy. I'd love to have the 22 hp Honda over this 13 1/2 hp Briggs. I am going to pick a spot just a little in front of the axle to pin it in place on the bedframe for transport. It's a shame he won't sell it to you guys, but it IS nice to know you have access to it just about anytime you want it. I think the main failures seem to be guide bearing failures because of the environment they work in. Good story Tom. LOL ...broken ribs....LOL
Hi. SIR..HAVE JUST IN THE LAST HOUR PAID FOR THE SAME SO MAY BE WATCHING YOURE VIDEO A FEW TIMES YET.. THANKS FOR IT..IM NOT AS YOUNG AS ID LIKE TO BE ... SO GOOD LUCK WITH IT...DAVID..N.S.W. AUSTRALIA....
Good day mate !! I have several videos on putting this together. There might be a thing or two in one of the other videos that's kinda important. But this is the main one for bringing up points that gave me a bit of a tussle. Good luck with your mill and feel free to ask me questions if you like, and if I can be of help I will gladly give it. Now David, are you sitting it on the ground? On the factory trailer? Or possibly a home made custom trailer...?
very nice video. I am now assembling the OS27, and I made the same mistake on the guard rails, installing them upside down. I agree with all of your comments regarding the documentation - it could be improved - but I also agree with your overall assessment on fit and quality of the unit. I am now in the final stages of blade alignment, engine throttle and water feed tweaking, and hope to be making sawdust by next weekend.
One thing I was really impressed by the Norwood/Frontier unit was the availability. I looked at all the manufacturers of comparable units, and they were quoting 6 month to 15 months before delivery. I ordered my mill on October 1st, 2021, received it on Oct. 18th, 2021.
Well Frank, I'm glad but not glad that you also made that simple mistake on the rails. I'm glad yours came in so quickly, they said 12 to 16 weeks when I ordered mine the week before the price increases were coming. It took roughly 12 weeks to get it. It could be that I placed my order right at their busiest time of the year or maybe their materials were slowed down by the nationwide lack of OTR drivers. You got real lucky !!
I had a little trouble adjusting the sawhead to the saw bunks because one side of the winch cable would spread out the windings instead of rolling up smoothly right in line. The side that wound wide would lift higher than the tighly wound side. I never got it to wind perfectly correctly, but the adjustment on that side had to go to the hilt to get me at 1/32'' difference across the bunk. I'm used to a circle mill, so that's not been a real issue so far.
You are gonna absolutely love the way the saw performs ! I am so glad I sprung for the electric start 13.5 for obvious reasons, but the increase in HP makes it not even grunt. Of course I've not stuck it into some good hard oak yet. So we will see how it handles that soon. I'd keep a leaf blower handy to open the doors and blow the dust clear of the drive and also to clean up the rig after each use so it doesn't get all wet and nasty around the rails and bunks.
@@tractorman4461 I went for the electric start option also, but could not find the keys until I installed the battery, lo and behold, they were in the battery box. Another call to Norwood forestalled.
@@FrankWilliams-zs6vh hahahaha…. I couldn’t find them either and I was concerned about one of the Manila envelops broken thinking the obvious. Then I thought about the logic of the security of the sealed battery box. And there they were !! LOL. I got lucky and haven’t had to call them yet.
Wendell; I didn't know you employed Beauty Queens to assist you in your work.
I only caught a glimpse of the Lady assisting you but I'm quite sure that she was a former contestant for MISS AMERICA.
AREN'T YOU THE LUCKY ONE.
I'm afraid Tom, that you made the Missus blush just a little....you sly old devil you. LOL And Yes I am very lucky at that to catch her before she could get away. That was 46 years ago too !!
@@tractorman4461 well i know what you mean I also have a gal from Missouri.
I fact a gal who was raised on a farm. Buy wonderful parents who taught her values and the art of home cooking.
In that respect I'm surely blessed.
Without good woman, Most Men would be Drunk and Broke.
Great video...
Thank you. Are there many small sawmills in Turkey ?
@@tractorman4461 Evet var.
@@TALHA0632 Bu iyi. Tipik bir Amerikalı olarak ülkeniz hakkında çok az şey biliyorum. Videolarımı izlediğiniz için teşekkür ederim.
Nice looking mill Wendell. Are you going to saw for just yourself or others also.
Oh I'm sure there will be a little sawing for a few others, but I am not advertising for work. I've got a good backlog already....of logs AND other jobs as well. Thanks Mike for the comment.
How's she goin'? This is a nice looking mill. My son just got a mill and he spent sometime getting the saw set up, especially the bed. It's worth taking the time to do it right eh. It was interesting to see the blade actually runs on the drive belt. Take care!!!
There's several manufacturers that build similar style mills. I think with proper maintenance and being a bit careful with them, they should saw quite well for many years Mike. Good luck to your son with his.
Old boy,... and a new toy! Gotta love how things work out!
Now you will need to move your lift🤣😂🤣😂 to be able to change the oil in all your cars!
Hahahahaha....good one. LOL But the lift really worked out for me in this capacity. Didn't need others to help lift the heavy components. I cheated.
@@tractorman4461 it is a lift, and nobody ever stated to only lift vehicles!
Next video will be you digging under the shop to slide a trailer under the sawmill!🤣😂🤣😂😞😞😞👊
“If there is a hard way to do something, my mother said that my father and I would find it”!
Only joking the lift was the best way to do this job, and I’m sure the assembly manual said “team lift” or something like that! Great job Wendell🤣😂🤣😂
I agree with you on the trailer quality. I would rather make something substantial. Rectangular box frame.
Yes Rob, if you look at the flimsy thing they call a trailer and read where it says it cannot be transported with an extension installed....there's no reason to not build your own. I like the bar joists, because there seems to be no 'give' at all in the middle with the four 5,000 lb jacks on the corners.
@@tractorman4461 ok please post when you do it so we can see
Use a string on the tracking. Takes the guess work out of it. You will see once your blade keeps falling off and you get frustrated.
I'm sure there will be a bit of a learning curve to the nuances in adjustment on the machine. As a commercial hvac mechanic I've had the good fortune of changing thousands of belts and aligning literally hundreds of sheaves and pulleys over the last 40+ years on motors a hundred horse on down. I've used string, lasers and straightedges many times in alignment. Thanks Michael for the cool comment.
Made the same mistake with my rails on a OS 23. I would rate the illustrations and instructions at a 3.5 out of 5.
That's a good rating....I'd put it about the same. There were just some details that were hard to pull out for a first time assembler. Thanks for the input on your build, now I don't feel like too much of a dummy. LOL.
@@tractorman4461 yes 👍 and a few other things like one mislabeled bag of bolts but fortunately I had read reviews and bought extra bolts, nuts and washers just in case I came up short. Which I did but not really. The bolts were there just in the wrong bag so I now have spares and if that’s the only problem I have then I’m good with it. Overall it’s a relatively simple build if a person takes their time and familiarizes themselves with the instructions and the parts. I’m about one good half day from being up and functional. Good sawmilling! I hope to have a lot of fun running my mill.
@@toothandnailsawmill102 Yeah, I can see that happening. I do have a few odds and ends left over....washers, a few nuts and bolts. You'll have a blast ! Just make sure you get the sawhead level to the bunks. I had a bit of a problem with mounting the emergency shut down switch too. It was different than the one pictured and had to be taken apart to install. Then getting the rotary function back together correctly took a time or two.
And I also adapted the two cable connections to the throttle lever on the push handle. I thought both connecting to one put undue strain on both and possibly a wear point. So I drilled a second hole and installed them separately and now pulling straight into the lever.
Where is the vertical guide shim located
I'm trying to remember a part that would fit that discription, but am coming up blank. The standard guide system for the OS27 has three basic components. A lower and upper guide that's adjusted by loosening a hex headed nut and tapping the flat 'rub block' style guide up or down to the specification for clearance above and below the blade. The third guide is a 'roller' guide that is directly behind the blade and is to be adjusted a specific measurement off the rear surface of the blade. And there are two of these assemblies, one nonadjustable and the other adjustable for the width of the log or cant. I doubt this answered your question, but add a bit more information and I'll see if I can yet help you solve the problem.
I am getting ready to receive and put together my OS 27 and putting together a platform to install it on. What would be the dimensions of the footprint where the posts on the mill go.
I don't remember exactly, but I can measure it for you tomorrow. The assembly manual will give the exact dimensions of the footprint though. I do remember I built the trailer 21'4'' long and maybe 37'' wide. But I'd have to measure it to be sure.
@@tractorman4461 thanks, your said in the video the rack is 36" wide. I ordered the mill without extensions and very interested in the locations of the feet on the rack
@@nsternberg1 I'll make a note to take some measurements tomorrow and add to this thread tomorrow night.
@@tractorman4461 thanks
@@nsternberg1 I measured the locations....the centerline of the first bedframe pedestal is 1 1/2'' on center from the end of the track then continues at 42'' increments to the far end no matter how many sections of bedframe you add to it. Now those dimensions are nominal to a slight degree because the holes have a little 'play' in them. The width is nominally 36 1/4 overall, but the side to side centerline measurements of the pedestals are 31 1/8''. I hope that helps you in what you are doing.