Hey Mate - chances are you won't see this but I thought I'd leave it anyway. I'm currently bed bound under Hospice care here in NZ in full palliative care with a caner called Glioblastoma Multiforme which is likely to take my life in the next couple months. Watching your videos gives me the escapism from my current life that I desire so much! Thank you for putting the time and effort into making them. For people like me, it means more than you'd imagine.
Here's a few free tips from someone who used to work in a sawmill: Washing-up liquid in the water. Start from the thin end and prop it up before you clamp it so you can get it level and get more usable boards. Get it flat on one side, flip it and clamp the flat side against the backstops, then cut another flat side and flip it, so you have a good flat reference where it sits on the frame and against the backstop. It'll be more secure and you'll get more consistent cuts. For the cheapest bandsaw, that's not bad though.
Good advice, I guess, is always welcome. But you know, good part of buildings you see Marty's videos, are made with wood from his own forest, and are cut by self-engineered and fabricated saw mil.
Another UA-camr I watch does a quick pressure wash of the log, before cutting, to get a majority of the dirt cleaned off. He said the blade lasts longer doing that. One other thing is hanging a bucket from the sawdust shut helps contain the dust a bit.
there's always something calming about your videos. probably a mixture of your voice, calm disposition, lack of music, and steady pace. thanks for doing the hard work of making great content. cheers Marty!
Blade tension plays a big part in bandmills. Tighter than you would think! That timber has some great colour. If its anything like our tea tree it will do some silly things when drying ie. Warping, cupping, shrinking and any other blooming ing you can think off. Love the videos Marty. You showcase a spectacular part of the planet, G'DAY from Tasmania
I was going to mention this point. Marty, It looks like your blade was a bit loose which may be why the cuts seem to have a bit of a chatter to them. My mill, which looks to be about the same size as yours wants 27-34NM at the tensioner. I have a nut to get a torque wrench onto, and who knows if the thread pitch is the same, but I can tell you the blade is really snug. Thanks for the great videos!
Would love to see bit of a tour of your beautiful hideaway, and always love watching these kind of timber milling videos, its just so satisfying to watch. You create some fantastic content Marty, keep up the awesome work
NZ is like an alien landscape to me ! Everything is unusual, the trees, the sounds and I bet the aromas are incredible, I wish I'd been there in my lifetime !
Where is this property? when I started watching your videos, you had property on a mountain with a bunch of old tractors, excavators and some RAMs. Then you bought a house in the city. What is this property ?
For future reference, if you want to paint the insides of pipes, plug one end with aluminium tape and a (thick) plastic bag, and all the holes as well, then pour paint inside, about a cup or more depending on how big it is, and then cap the other end in the same way and start rolling the pipe back and forth spreading the paint on all the walls. I have steel posts painted in this fashion that are nearly 18 years in the ground now, just stuck in there, no concrete with no rust on them at all. The paint is just too thick to fail. The whole process should be calibrated per pipe, you start small until you have the right about of paint to pipe ratio. For a piece of round pipe, that's 3 meters long and with an aprox ID of 5cm, i used about 5 cups of paint (with hardener).
Excellent idea - thank you for sharing! I was wondering how one could get paint easily on the inside of pipe or square or rectangular stock, maybe fogging with spray but that would not be sure to get every square inch or centimeter - your solution is a good one!
I like that. I was thinking something close to that but with less paint and a foam roller on a stick (like roasting a hot dog) just to smear it around.... but if you add enough paint I can see where it would work just as well without a brush.
Offshore factories' lack of quality control would never stop you, Marty. I knew you'd sort it somehow. Excellent drone footage at the end. You live in a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for letting us see some of it as you do your stuff.
One of the things Marty considers is the "historic" value of restoring mechanical things. As with the new tractor mounted chipper...a lot of second hand band saws are trashed by the original owners...and have no intrinsic historical value.... unlike say the twin circular blade porotype mill Marty restored to good working condition. So in this case he bought what most viewers would buy... but showed how to extend it's life and how to properly set it up... which would be of interest/advantage to the viewers.
Nice work as always Marty. I figure if you've gone to this much trouble to set up a mill there are plans afoot! I also can't help thinking there will be some "Marty Mods" to that bit of kit to automate any operations you can. There could be years of UA-cam material on the Island. You might consider getting at cant hook to save your back when turning the logs. Thank you for sharing. Cheers from across the ditch 👍
Marty, if you haven’t watched it, Out of The Woods is a really good sawmill channel on UA-cam. His mill and home are in Tennessee here in the states. You might pick up some pointers on maximizing yield from you logs. Always enjoy watching your episodes and listening to your comments.😊
Beautiful end result, hardly surprising since Marty put it together. I was looking forward to watching the water transport, partly because it sounds difficult and therefore interesting, but mainly for the stunning drone shots of the NZ landscape over water. I enjoyed the glimpse we got in the final few frames!
Is this morning on a Saturday and I was watching something else and I saw that you came up on my phone and I enjoy watching your videos it's nice to hear from you all the time I enjoy your family and you are interacting together also I enjoyed watching you work on heavy equipment and stuff I learn a little bit every time I watch God bless you and your family hope to see more thank you
Nice job on the mill Marty!! Looks like it's working pretty good. That wood is beautiful. Make some really nice table tops or furniture of any kind! Those last shots with the drone.... absolutely beautiful country!!!!
Very interesting, thanks for showing us Marty. Apparently if you pressure wash the logs it gets out the surface sand and grit and the bade lasts much longer.
13:10 this is why you read the instructions completely before you start 🙃 Surgeon: "Bugger! It says here it's the left leg I was supposed to amputate. I wish it said that earlier."
Hi Marty! Early Saturday morning Alabama USA wake up after sleeping in (needed for sure) make my coffee and sit down at the PC. Pulled up YT and low and behold one of my two favorites from down under has a new video! I was absolutely delighted to see you pop up, but not only that the content and your pleasing manner are still top shelf. I think you truly epitomize the spirit of a pioneer but very savvy, smart and channeling that curiosity and drive to achieve great things. You are great with your family, skilled in mechanical and electronics plus that indomitable motivation to achieve and improve frankly would do well anywhere. You simply shine down under because you rough it gently using tools, equipment and tech that gives you capabilities otherwise a hatchet and an axe would be woefully short in providing. I guess you figured out I am a gigantic fan and at 72 years old I see attributes you display that make me that gigantic fan. Rest assured any video of yours gets priority play in my office. Only problem is I wish I had more of your great content! AAAA+ Have a blessed day and be safe. Thanks for keeping the pioneer spirit alive down under. Greetings and best health and prosperity to you and your lovely family!! Just sign me Grandpa John in Alabama USA.
That is impressive for out of the box. Seems like a little modification here and there it would be a good base for a super mill. perhaps a drive train of some sort, or easier way to roll the logs on and off.
For a thorough discussion of the use of different types of band saw blades, Matt Cremona recently discussed his experience with about 5 different blades, including the value of carbide tooth blades.
Marty, just wanted to say that I enjoy your videos and marvel at your engineering abilities. I loved the "Angry Ram" series. And i miss him too. Thanks for your videos... Dan
G'day again Marty! I've actaully got the exact same mill, I've been using it quite often for the last 2 years so I've got to learn all the kinks with it etc. First and foremost, If I had to buy another mill, I wouldn't even consider buying that one again hahah. Anyways, I noticed in the video the motor was only running around half revs, thats because the accelerator cable has a horrible tensioning system. I find the best way is to just physically hold the accelerator lever full boar when cutting, that way you wont get all those chatter marks on the timber. Next thing is the blades themselves, soon as you've worn out the blades you got with the machine (it wont take long haha), ditch them and hit up Wood Miser for blades at the same length. The Wood Miser blades last soooo much longer and make a much better cut overall. Now the most important thing I've found with this mill, I did the exact same thing as you when it comes to just putting the footings on pavers, trust me, you'll be getting horrible wavy cuts in no time as soon as one of those pavers sink into the ground. I didn't use concrete footings in the end, but rather dug out the ground, bit of sand and then some much bigger pavers to spread the weight. Haven't had a problem since. Depending on how much you use the mill, you're going to find the rails and whole frame is going to start bending. The steel is incredibly soft. The top of the rails where the rollers ride on actaully mushroomed so bad that the rollers started binding on the sides hahah. I honestly think the only quality part of this mill is the motor lol. You'll slowly figure out all the silly problems as you go along. But I thought I'd just mention these main ones so you don't have the pain that I had haha.
Took one for the team... thanks Pal. & what amazing lumber! You know we were all wondering but weren't brave enough to put those words together: test cheapest sawmill 😂
I'm guessing Marty buys makes a thumb for that mini . Also , make some big timbers and put the mill on a frame a bit higher up , and , timber rails to the mill from the track , so he can just roll the logs rather than trying to fumble them onto the mill with the mini . Used to work at a sawmill , several lifetimes ago . An ancient circular blade mill and an edger for planks . I was maybe 150 pounds soaking wet , which I usually was , as it was outside in August . They put me on the end of the line handling railroad ties that weighed as much or more than I did . Brutal work but it kept me in shape . Love the colors and patterns in that wood Marty is milling .
Ok, I have read most of the comments. I have some suggestions for you. 1. Do a little more clearing around the mill. 2. Raise the whole thing about 10 inches. 3. If you want to load the logs from the trail side, you should have the log stops where you had them in the first place. It would be easy to lift the whole cutting frame with the mini ex, then turn it 180°. 4. Get a couple of 2" x 4" steel box that are longer than the total length of rails that you have. Weld them in to a frame that the frame of the mill will sit on. Then, to get it to the island, strap some empty 55 gallon barrels to it, then tow it behind your boat. 5. Build some loading ramps up to the mill. 6. Build a log arch to pull behind the quad. It's simple to make. 7. Debark your logs. I don't think you will have the same type of problems that crop up in the trees that are common here in the States. It's common to find old bullets, fence staples, nails or even railroad spikes inside the logs. Before we mill logs, we go over them with a metal detector. 8. Build/make a shelter or cover for the mill. 9. Think about getting better steel for the head to ride on. 10. Watch videos about other mill brands and try to incorporate some of the ideas from the better mills into that mill. I know that you do need to have a better base on to have the mill on. The setup that mill has is intended to be on a slab of concrete. Best wishes on you and your family, and for your future work on improving your mill setup.
Awesome video about your assembly of this internet purchase Sir. Another teaching lesson from Mr.T showing us how to fix our mistakes in assembly even with lousy instructions. That tree/wood you are milling is just plain beautiful, may I ask what is it Sir. If only you had simular planer then you'd show the real inner beauty of that wood to us here in Internetland. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Sir for letting me/us know what that beautiful wood is. Mr.Marty may have said it but I didnt understand if he did. Gorgeous wood.@@JohnSmith-pl2bk
I read somewhere on an old video that Marty had worked in the Timber industry for many years. Then the Mill was put together without any fuss or doing things in the wrong order. I would have had to check the instructions a 1000 times at least. Nice work and good looking timber.
Very disappointed Marty didn’t expect to see a brand new piece of kit, I’m sure you could have made one out of a couple of old washing machines and a Meccano set. 😂
Marty, one of the main reasons I like your channel is your attention to details, this video did not disappoint me, as usual. Thank you for the video, appreciate it, enjoyed watching.
Your wood mill came out awesome! That wood you cut was beautiful! It would sell for big money in the states. Thanks for sharing all your amazing projects. Hope to find a similar homestead someday far away from the craziness. 😁👍🏻
Given the extremely lackluster quality control and such, I’m quite impressed with the results. No noticeable disruption in the cut where the rail pieces connect, something I’d expect if someone less knowledgeable bought the same kit and didn’t notice the massive difference in bend angles.
Well its quality for the price, hard to argue against, used stuff would warp anyway and need repairs. Sometimes it pays off doing a bit of research what to expect.
Always know your machine.. I like the upgrade from factory paint work.. the disassemble reassemble makes for quick understanding of the machines parameters.. excellent video.. fair dinkum mate...
New Title: ‘TRAINING FILM FOR Apocalypse! Man Dismantles Band Saw To bivouac To Island’ Love your planning and training! We will need this now and in the future!
Tails from a shipwright a few years ago had a video on sharpening his own band saw blades. You might need to build a framework using two bicycle or motorcycle wheels to hold the blade while you roll the blade one tooth at a time thru a custom angled block to guide his file to keep his band saw actually ship saw teeth sharp.
"I used me Eye-ometer". Pretty sure that's similar to the "Eye-crometer" that Paul uses on Fab Rats! Similarly, "meesure" and "maysure" are equivalent. 2 countries separated by a common language. 😄
Read some comments first Marty, it doesn't matter how cheap the mill was, you have the necessary tools & skills to make that thing work. Eyeometer, Monocular, and a number 17 lug nut wrench. No problems that i could see getting the timber you wanted, even Jeanine seems to agree that the timber is magic. It all takes time, and it will all come together in due course. Can't wait to see you milling more of that windfall, and building something with the dried finished product. Take care, stay safe.
Great idea to purchase a mill. My mill is nearly exactly the same. I discovered one flaw which I corrected right away. I buckled one of the bunks while flipping a large log. So to prevent future damage, I filled each bunk with pre mix cement. I have not had any damage since.
Hello from Canada Marty and family .My wife and i love watching your adventures! Your a very intelligent man .And its a joy watching you making something from nothing! Cheers our friend.✋✋✋✋✋
Nice work Marty. Not a bad rig at all. I would probably grease the threads on the T bolts for locking the height, I can see them binding up quickly with lots of use. 👍
I'd be greasing all the fasteners and to hold back the rust, but I agree those threads really do need it as they are constantly being used so any plating will quickly wear off.
I have one of those sawmills (very similar at least), and it's very prone to breaking down, and is not designed well. Actually, it's a ripoff of other sawmills, with fewer options, and could be best described as de-designed. I really should have spent more and got a better sawmill.
@@ferrumignis The first thing that failed was the throttle adjustment lever. It failed before I had 8 hours on the mill. The clamps that held the sawmill to a certain height failed next - though those are different on the sawmill in the video. The valve that controls the water (lube) flow failed next. Then the water tank got brittle and broke. The air filter cover broke. The crank that raises and lowers the mill broke (the threads stripped) though that is different on the sawmill in the video. The list of *other* poor designs are at least as long... The wheels on the sawdust exit side get filled with sawdust, lifting that side and making the cuts not parallel with the bunks. The bearings that the blade runs against get grooves in them and seize-up sooner than they should. The log clamp is slow and clunky. The oil change port is right next to the baseplate, and it makes a big mess when changing the oil. The air filter is just a sheet of foam. The "latch" that opens the doors to access the blade is prone to jamming or coming open by itself, and takes too long to open and close. The paint began failing in less than a year. I can't always get the blade tight enough, and so the cuts get wavy. And I'm sure that there are others that I have forgotten. It can make good lumber, but I don't like how long I have to spend on fixing or adjusting the sawmill.
It looks like a less engineered/cheaper material/price point version of the woodland mills bandsaw. That might be a good place to look for upgrade ideas. The RPM control is a handle that pulls a cable that also engages the water making that automatic. The roller wheels have bits of stranded cable to keep the grooves clean. The uprights are bushed with hdpe top and bottom so you don't have to lock them to keep the assembly from rocking back and forth. The whole frame has eye hooks so you can use your trackhoe to pick it up. This is handy for storage or service. There is a little vibration triggered meter to track how long the engine has been running for service intervals. I use a scrap once I get into the wood I am keeping when I clamp. This keeps me from having a hole in wood I plan to use. over time the bunks (log supports) will settle a bit and you will have to adjust them. If you put them on pads or a bigger frame underneath you won't have as much of an issue.
Nice rig. Cart out THE SAWDUST and use it in your garden. Make flooring, siding, frame timber...cool. Marty....watching from Calgary, Canada. Love how you do it all yourself.
Hi Marty. If you can buy fish oil in spray cans I would spray all the meatal with it after you have finished and covering it for storage. Love timber will make great kitchen cupboards.
Beautiful wood. Maybe think of something ornamental you can make out of it quickly and looks good and internet sell. Maybe a good income. You might take the look of the wood for granted, but it's exotic looking to us in different countries where different species is the norm. Thanks for vid. Always great.
Amazing machine, I keep thinking it would be pretty handy mounted on a crawler chassis so you could drive it back in the woods. As many old crawlers as you seem to run across it seems like something that you could do if you it was somehow useful to do so.
Marty, the rear bearings on the blade guide are not supposed to touch the blade when its running without load. With the engine running, the clutch engaged the blade should be a couple of millimeters off those bearings. It will make your blade last a lot longer and you will have to take it off for sharpening instead of it snapping . Another thing is the blade cooling / lubrication. I found that just a light dribble is enough and on fresh logs I don't turn it on at all. Its less messy that way.
Hey Mate - chances are you won't see this but I thought I'd leave it anyway. I'm currently bed bound under Hospice care here in NZ in full palliative care with a caner called Glioblastoma Multiforme which is likely to take my life in the next couple months. Watching your videos gives me the escapism from my current life that I desire so much! Thank you for putting the time and effort into making them. For people like me, it means more than you'd imagine.
Very sorry to hear that mate, I'm glad my vids are bringing you some comfort.
Cheers mate! if you're ever in Napier, I'm sure (due to our dear Cyclone friend) there's some farm equipment that'll likely be going for cheap :)
The birds singing are the soundtrack of home, for a Kiwi living abroad. Thank you.
You're in my prayers
God bless you sir
Here's a few free tips from someone who used to work in a sawmill:
Washing-up liquid in the water.
Start from the thin end and prop it up before you clamp it so you can get it level and get more usable boards.
Get it flat on one side, flip it and clamp the flat side against the backstops, then cut another flat side and flip it, so you have a good flat reference where it sits on the frame and against the backstop. It'll be more secure and you'll get more consistent cuts.
For the cheapest bandsaw, that's not bad though.
Good advice, I guess, is always welcome. But you know, good part of buildings you see Marty's videos, are made with wood from his own forest, and are cut by self-engineered and fabricated saw mil.
Debark your logs will help the saw blade from becoming dull... sooner. As well any dirt, ect. Very nicely done!👍🏼 Beautiful grain 🪵 wood 👀 ‼️‼️‼️
Another UA-camr I watch does a quick pressure wash of the log, before cutting, to get a majority of the dirt cleaned off. He said the blade lasts longer doing that. One other thing is hanging a bucket from the sawdust shut helps contain the dust a bit.
What brand is it ? Where did you find it ? Thanks
@@tedhart4468Looks like its the Forestwest 32" Portable Wood Sawmill. $6k AUD. Google should show you where you can get it.
there's always something calming about your videos. probably a mixture of your voice, calm disposition, lack of music, and steady pace. thanks for doing the hard work of making great content. cheers Marty!
Great Video Marty, a huge efort to take the mill out to the island, what beautiful timber came from the first log! thanks for sharing
Love the drone footage at the end with the forest sound track. You have an idyllic location.
Watching this channel is an eyelight of my day.
Blade tension plays a big part in bandmills. Tighter than you would think! That timber has some great colour. If its anything like our tea tree it will do some silly things when drying ie. Warping, cupping, shrinking and any other blooming ing you can think off. Love the videos Marty. You showcase a spectacular part of the planet, G'DAY from Tasmania
I was going to mention this point. Marty, It looks like your blade was a bit loose which may be why the cuts seem to have a bit of a chatter to them. My mill, which looks to be about the same size as yours wants 27-34NM at the tensioner. I have a nut to get a torque wrench onto, and who knows if the thread pitch is the same, but I can tell you the blade is really snug.
Thanks for the great videos!
Tea Tree is the Australian version of what we in New Zealand call Manuka. This wood is Kanuka, which is a very close relation.
Australian Tea Tree - Leptospermum laevigatum
New Zealand tea tree Manuka - Leptospermum scoparium,
so obviously related. ,
Would love to see bit of a tour of your beautiful hideaway, and always love watching these kind of timber milling videos, its just so satisfying to watch. You create some fantastic content Marty, keep up the awesome work
NZ is like an alien landscape to me ! Everything is unusual, the trees, the sounds and I bet the aromas are incredible, I wish I'd been there in my lifetime !
My mum and dad were talking about emigrating 55 years back, I wish they had
Fiordland is the land that time forgot.
Where is this property? when I started watching your videos, you had property on a mountain with a bunch of old tractors, excavators and some RAMs. Then you bought a house in the city. What is this property ?
New Zealand is an amazing country and you are right the aromas in the bush are lovely sweet smelling honeydew 😂
And the accent. I have no clue what some of the words mean..
Wish these little sawmills had been commonly available 40 years ago when I bought my farm. The place would look an awful lot different now...
For future reference, if you want to paint the insides of pipes, plug one end with aluminium tape and a (thick) plastic bag, and all the holes as well, then pour paint inside, about a cup or more depending on how big it is, and then cap the other end in the same way and start rolling the pipe back and forth spreading the paint on all the walls. I have steel posts painted in this fashion that are nearly 18 years in the ground now, just stuck in there, no concrete with no rust on them at all. The paint is just too thick to fail. The whole process should be calibrated per pipe, you start small until you have the right about of paint to pipe ratio. For a piece of round pipe, that's 3 meters long and with an aprox ID of 5cm, i used about 5 cups of paint (with hardener).
Great idea. Stored for future reference! 👍
Inputted.
Excellent idea - thank you for sharing! I was wondering how one could get paint easily on the inside of pipe or square or rectangular stock, maybe fogging with spray but that would not be sure to get every square inch or centimeter - your solution is a good one!
I like that. I was thinking something close to that but with less paint and a foam roller on a stick (like roasting a hot dog) just to smear it around.... but if you add enough paint I can see where it would work just as well without a brush.
That wood is beautiful. And the saw is accurate across the length because you supported it and assembled it properly.
Offshore factories' lack of quality control would never stop you, Marty. I knew you'd sort it somehow.
Excellent drone footage at the end. You live in a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for letting us see some of it as you do your stuff.
Marty and brand spanking new equipment, never thought I'd live to see the day! 😂
One of the things Marty considers is the "historic" value of restoring mechanical things.
As with the new tractor mounted chipper...a lot of second hand band saws are trashed by the original owners...and have no intrinsic historical value....
unlike say the twin circular blade porotype mill Marty restored to good working condition.
So in this case he bought what most viewers would buy...
but showed how to extend it's life and how to properly set it up...
which would be of interest/advantage to the viewers.
Nice work as always Marty. I figure if you've gone to this much trouble to set up a mill there are plans afoot! I also can't help thinking there will be some "Marty Mods" to that bit of kit to automate any operations you can. There could be years of UA-cam material on the Island. You might consider getting at cant hook to save your back when turning the logs. Thank you for sharing. Cheers from across the ditch 👍
Marty, if you haven’t watched it, Out of The Woods is a really good sawmill channel on UA-cam. His mill and home are in Tennessee here in the states. You might pick up some pointers on maximizing yield from you logs. Always enjoy watching your episodes and listening to your comments.😊
"have you measured it..?" ..."well I can see... I used my eye-ometer..." hahahaha
That is some really nice wood. The mill actually did pretty good
That Kanuka is really beautiful when its dryed, the orange comes out real nice. Hard to saw when its dry though.
Nice sawmill for one box load.
Thanks I wondered what the wood was.
It's quite amazing how much one person can do by themselves. Well done to Marty. 👍
Beautiful end result, hardly surprising since Marty put it together. I was looking forward to watching the water transport, partly because it sounds difficult and therefore interesting, but mainly for the stunning drone shots of the NZ landscape over water. I enjoyed the glimpse we got in the final few frames!
28:17 🤣🤣👍 Love your channel.
Always lovely to visit the island in videos and see the seasons changing and the family growing. Good stuff 🥰
13:00 Marty obviously graduated the advanced course "Dealing with Disappointments" with great result...
Is this morning on a Saturday and I was watching something else and I saw that you came up on my phone and I enjoy watching your videos it's nice to hear from you all the time I enjoy your family and you are interacting together also I enjoyed watching you work on heavy equipment and stuff I learn a little bit every time I watch God bless you and your family hope to see more thank you
Always brings me so much joy seeing you have released a video. Then I watch it and am just so in awe. Thank you
Nice job on the mill Marty!! Looks like it's working pretty good. That wood is beautiful. Make some really nice table tops or furniture of any kind! Those last shots with the drone.... absolutely beautiful country!!!!
It's nice to see you put some of the fallen timber to use. Look forward to seeing what you do with it.
28:25 Marty it's an eyecrometer 😛
Very interesting, thanks for showing us Marty.
Apparently if you pressure wash the logs it gets out the surface sand and grit and the bade lasts much longer.
13:10 this is why you read the instructions completely before you start 🙃
Surgeon: "Bugger! It says here it's the left leg I was supposed to amputate. I wish it said that earlier."
Some very beautiful wood!
Loved the birdsong at the end... peace returning to the forest after the noise of the saw mill... great video and enjoy your new toy!
Gotta love the eye- cromitor, just had mine serviced with a new lense, seeing like a kid again! 😉
Hi Marty! Early Saturday morning Alabama USA wake up after sleeping in (needed for sure) make my coffee and sit down at the PC. Pulled up YT and low and behold one of my two favorites from down under has a new video! I was absolutely delighted to see you pop up, but not only that the content and your pleasing manner are still top shelf.
I think you truly epitomize the spirit of a pioneer but very savvy, smart and channeling that curiosity and drive to achieve great things. You are great with your family, skilled in mechanical and electronics plus that indomitable motivation to achieve and improve frankly would do well anywhere. You simply shine down under because you rough it gently using tools, equipment and tech that gives you capabilities otherwise a hatchet and an axe would be woefully short in providing.
I guess you figured out I am a gigantic fan and at 72 years old I see attributes you display that make me that gigantic fan.
Rest assured any video of yours gets priority play in my office.
Only problem is I wish I had more of your great content! AAAA+
Have a blessed day and be safe. Thanks for keeping the pioneer spirit alive down under.
Greetings and best health and prosperity to you and your lovely family!!
Just sign me Grandpa John in Alabama USA.
Awesome content as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along
Works a treat on native Marty. A spot on mill for a spot on bloke. Also Happy Wife, happy life.
You have some really impressive wood Marty. A sentence I did not think I'd say when I woke up this morning.
I love the sounds of your forest there on the island.
That is impressive for out of the box. Seems like a little modification here and there it would be a good base for a super mill. perhaps a drive train of some sort, or easier way to roll the logs on and off.
For a thorough discussion of the use of different types of band saw blades, Matt Cremona recently discussed his experience with about 5 different blades, including the value of carbide tooth blades.
Cant wait to see what you build with the lumber. It will look amazing all sanded and oiled.
Nice tree ferns at the end there
Never doubt the eyeometer.
Eye-crometer !
Eyeometer is gonna be my new go-to term.
Love your videos and what a beautiful view 👍
Marty, just wanted to say that I enjoy your videos and marvel at your engineering abilities. I loved the "Angry Ram" series. And i miss him too. Thanks for your videos... Dan
Enjoy your videos, when you have been away from home for awhile it’s so nice to hear the call of the Tui miss things like that
Got one in my garden, I get under the tree he is on and look at him and he looks at me and keeps on singing.
G'day again Marty! I've actaully got the exact same mill, I've been using it quite often for the last 2 years so I've got to learn all the kinks with it etc. First and foremost, If I had to buy another mill, I wouldn't even consider buying that one again hahah.
Anyways, I noticed in the video the motor was only running around half revs, thats because the accelerator cable has a horrible tensioning system. I find the best way is to just physically hold the accelerator lever full boar when cutting, that way you wont get all those chatter marks on the timber.
Next thing is the blades themselves, soon as you've worn out the blades you got with the machine (it wont take long haha), ditch them and hit up Wood Miser for blades at the same length. The Wood Miser blades last soooo much longer and make a much better cut overall.
Now the most important thing I've found with this mill, I did the exact same thing as you when it comes to just putting the footings on pavers, trust me, you'll be getting horrible wavy cuts in no time as soon as one of those pavers sink into the ground. I didn't use concrete footings in the end, but rather dug out the ground, bit of sand and then some much bigger pavers to spread the weight. Haven't had a problem since.
Depending on how much you use the mill, you're going to find the rails and whole frame is going to start bending. The steel is incredibly soft. The top of the rails where the rollers ride on actaully mushroomed so bad that the rollers started binding on the sides hahah.
I honestly think the only quality part of this mill is the motor lol. You'll slowly figure out all the silly problems as you go along. But I thought I'd just mention these main ones so you don't have the pain that I had haha.
Could watch this all day, you never cease to amaze. All the best from Ireland!
Took one for the team... thanks Pal. & what amazing lumber! You know we were all wondering but weren't brave enough to put those words together: test cheapest sawmill 😂
I'm guessing Marty buys makes a thumb for that mini .
Also , make some big timbers and put the mill on a frame a bit higher up , and , timber rails to the mill from the track , so he can just roll the logs rather than trying to fumble them onto the mill with the mini .
Used to work at a sawmill , several lifetimes ago .
An ancient circular blade mill and an edger for planks .
I was maybe 150 pounds soaking wet , which I usually was , as it was outside in August .
They put me on the end of the line handling railroad ties that weighed as much or more than I did .
Brutal work but it kept me in shape .
Love the colors and patterns in that wood Marty is milling .
Ok, I have read most of the comments. I have some suggestions for you.
1. Do a little more clearing around the mill.
2. Raise the whole thing about 10 inches.
3. If you want to load the logs from the trail side, you should have the log stops where you had them in the first place. It would be easy to lift the whole cutting frame with the mini ex, then turn it 180°.
4. Get a couple of 2" x 4" steel box that are longer than the total length of rails that you have. Weld them in to a frame that the frame of the mill will sit on. Then, to get it to the island, strap some empty 55 gallon barrels to it, then tow it behind your boat.
5. Build some loading ramps up to the mill.
6. Build a log arch to pull behind the quad. It's simple to make.
7. Debark your logs. I don't think you will have the same type of problems that crop up in the trees that are common here in the States. It's common to find old bullets, fence staples, nails or even railroad spikes inside the logs. Before we mill logs, we go over them with a metal detector.
8. Build/make a shelter or cover for the mill.
9. Think about getting better steel for the head to ride on.
10. Watch videos about other mill brands and try to incorporate some of the ideas from the better mills into that mill.
I know that you do need to have a better base on to have the mill on. The setup that mill has is intended to be on a slab of concrete.
Best wishes on you and your family, and for your future work on improving your mill setup.
“I can use my eyeometer” 😂
that is some beautiful coloring in that tree
Some wicked kanuka there bro the grain and character is beautiful cant wait to see what you make with such a gift
Awesome video about your assembly of this internet purchase Sir. Another teaching lesson from Mr.T showing us how to fix our mistakes in assembly even with lousy instructions. That tree/wood you are milling is just plain beautiful, may I ask what is it Sir. If only you had simular planer then you'd show the real inner beauty of that wood to us here in Internetland. Thanks for sharing.
It is kanuka...a New Zealand native timber..
Thank you Sir for letting me/us know what that beautiful wood is. Mr.Marty may have said it but I didnt understand if he did. Gorgeous wood.@@JohnSmith-pl2bk
I read somewhere on an old video that Marty had worked in the Timber industry for many years. Then the Mill was put together without any fuss or doing things in the wrong order. I would have had to check the instructions a 1000 times at least. Nice work and good looking timber.
Some gorgeous patterns in that timber, I've never seen anything quite like it!
Very disappointed Marty didn’t expect to see a brand new piece of kit, I’m sure you could have made one out of a couple of old washing machines and a Meccano set. 😂
Or finding one that somebody left out in the bush.
Marty, one of the main reasons I like your channel is your attention to details, this video did not disappoint me, as usual. Thank you for the video, appreciate it, enjoyed watching.
Another great video.
Very nice.
Learned about a new tool today, ty.."Iometer"
(eye-ometer).
Lol.
Your wood mill came out awesome! That wood you cut was beautiful! It would sell for big money in the states. Thanks for sharing all your amazing projects. Hope to find a similar homestead someday far away from the craziness. 😁👍🏻
Swish. That wood looks lovely.
Nice work Marty. Wood is beautiful.
very smart trick with that belt drive and traction for the blade !!
Given the extremely lackluster quality control and such, I’m quite impressed with the results. No noticeable disruption in the cut where the rail pieces connect, something I’d expect if someone less knowledgeable bought the same kit and didn’t notice the massive difference in bend angles.
Well its quality for the price, hard to argue against, used stuff would warp anyway and need repairs. Sometimes it pays off doing a bit of research what to expect.
Always know your machine.. I like the upgrade from factory paint work.. the disassemble reassemble makes for quick understanding of the machines parameters.. excellent video.. fair dinkum mate...
New Title: ‘TRAINING FILM FOR Apocalypse! Man Dismantles Band Saw To bivouac To Island’
Love your planning and training! We will need this now and in the future!
Tails from a shipwright a few years ago had a video on sharpening his own band saw blades. You might need to build a framework using two bicycle or motorcycle wheels to hold the blade while you roll the blade one tooth at a time thru a custom angled block to guide his file to keep his band saw actually ship saw teeth sharp.
"I used me Eye-ometer". Pretty sure that's similar to the "Eye-crometer" that Paul uses on Fab Rats!
Similarly, "meesure" and "maysure" are equivalent. 2 countries separated by a common language. 😄
Read some comments first Marty, it doesn't matter how cheap the mill was, you have the necessary tools & skills to make that thing work. Eyeometer, Monocular, and a number 17 lug nut wrench. No problems that i could see getting the timber you wanted, even Jeanine seems to agree that the timber is magic. It all takes time, and it will all come together in due course. Can't wait to see you milling more of that windfall, and building something with the dried finished product. Take care, stay safe.
Thanks for transporting me to a calm world with your videos.
Been a'while Marty, good to see the family. Happy Belated New *Year* and best in '24.
Great idea to purchase a mill. My mill is nearly exactly the same. I discovered one flaw which I corrected right away. I buckled one of the bunks while flipping a large log. So to prevent future damage, I filled each bunk with pre mix cement. I have not had any damage since.
So fun to play with and the results are great cant wait to see what the future holds. I'm into this content!
😮 That is some gorgeous lumber!
The ending was exceptional. Nice to see and hear your wife on this one. So mellow!❤
Great video, and another nice spot,
Hello from Canada Marty and family .My wife and i love watching your adventures! Your a very intelligent man .And its a joy watching you making something from nothing! Cheers our friend.✋✋✋✋✋
Nice work Marty. Not a bad rig at all.
I would probably grease the threads on the T bolts for locking the height, I can see them binding up quickly with lots of use.
👍
I'd be greasing all the fasteners and to hold back the rust, but I agree those threads really do need it as they are constantly being used so any plating will quickly wear off.
I have one of those sawmills (very similar at least), and it's very prone to breaking down, and is not designed well. Actually, it's a ripoff of other sawmills, with fewer options, and could be best described as de-designed. I really should have spent more and got a better sawmill.
@@FLPhotoCatcher What are the common failure points?
@@ferrumignis The first thing that failed was the throttle adjustment lever. It failed before I had 8 hours on the mill. The clamps that held the sawmill to a certain height failed next - though those are different on the sawmill in the video. The valve that controls the water (lube) flow failed next. Then the water tank got brittle and broke. The air filter cover broke. The crank that raises and lowers the mill broke (the threads stripped) though that is different on the sawmill in the video.
The list of *other* poor designs are at least as long... The wheels on the sawdust exit side get filled with sawdust, lifting that side and making the cuts not parallel with the bunks. The bearings that the blade runs against get grooves in them and seize-up sooner than they should. The log clamp is slow and clunky. The oil change port is right next to the baseplate, and it makes a big mess when changing the oil. The air filter is just a sheet of foam. The "latch" that opens the doors to access the blade is prone to jamming or coming open by itself, and takes too long to open and close. The paint began failing in less than a year. I can't always get the blade tight enough, and so the cuts get wavy. And I'm sure that there are others that I have forgotten.
It can make good lumber, but I don't like how long I have to spend on fixing or adjusting the sawmill.
Fantastic video bro
Beautiful wood…. Can’t wait to see what you make out of it.
Wow!
It looks like a less engineered/cheaper material/price point version of the woodland mills bandsaw. That might be a good place to look for upgrade ideas. The RPM control is a handle that pulls a cable that also engages the water making that automatic. The roller wheels have bits of stranded cable to keep the grooves clean. The uprights are bushed with hdpe top and bottom so you don't have to lock them to keep the assembly from rocking back and forth. The whole frame has eye hooks so you can use your trackhoe to pick it up. This is handy for storage or service. There is a little vibration triggered meter to track how long the engine has been running for service intervals. I use a scrap once I get into the wood I am keeping when I clamp. This keeps me from having a hole in wood I plan to use. over time the bunks (log supports) will settle a bit and you will have to adjust them. If you put them on pads or a bigger frame underneath you won't have as much of an issue.
"Did you measure it?" "No, I can see. I use my eye-ometer" LOL
Very neat little mill setup
Pretty cool! Can't say I'll be able to be rich like you ever, but that looks fun
Tks Marty ! Your video are always interesting ! Bye from Italy 🇮🇪
Nice rig. Cart out THE SAWDUST and use it in your garden. Make flooring, siding, frame timber...cool. Marty....watching from Calgary, Canada. Love how you do it all yourself.
Great job. The timber looks really nice, and it got the tick of approval from Mrs T.
Very nice, thanks for sharing. Ron Ptl USA
Handy piece of kit Marty, the planks look really impressive. Thanks for the video.👍👍
Hi Marty. If you can buy fish oil in spray cans I would spray all the meatal with it after you have finished and covering it for storage. Love timber will make great kitchen cupboards.
That wood looks seriously good. It is crying out to be furniture, like a table, cabinet and perhaps some draws or jewellery box.
What a lovely colour!! My first thought was Gun Stocks!!!
Beautiful wood.
Maybe think of something ornamental you can make out of it quickly and looks good and internet sell. Maybe a good income.
You might take the look of the wood for granted, but it's exotic looking to us in different countries where different species is the norm.
Thanks for vid. Always great.
Amazing machine, I keep thinking it would be pretty handy mounted on a crawler chassis so you could drive it back in the woods. As many old crawlers as you seem to run across it seems like something that you could do if you it was somehow useful to do so.
That would be very cool
eye-ometer, I can holding onto that little nugget. Well done Marty!
Marty, the rear bearings on the blade guide are not supposed to touch the blade when its running without load. With the engine running, the clutch engaged the blade should be a couple of millimeters off those bearings. It will make your blade last a lot longer and you will have to take it off for sharpening instead of it snapping .
Another thing is the blade cooling / lubrication. I found that just a light dribble is enough and on fresh logs I don't turn it on at all. Its less messy that way.
Ill try that thanks