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Build Your Own Bandsaw MIll
Four years ago FARM SHOW first wrote about a do-it-yourself bandsaw mill built for less than $100 by Bill Reeks, Cromwell, Ky. Response by readers was tremendous, with thousands contacting Reeks for more information and hundreds building their own mills.
  Now Reeks is back with a new version of his sawmill which is lighter weight, easier to roll back and forth, and much simpler to operate.
  "I couldn't believe how much interest there is in do-it-yourself sawmills. We've had inquiries from all 50 states, all Canadian provinces, and from countries around the world," says Reeks.
  What makes the design of his new sawmill unique is that the bandsaw blade turns on a pair of auto tires. Reeks uses the 13-in. "donut" spares found in many cars. "You can buy a pair of them at most junkyards for $5 or less because they're really not good for anything," he notes.
  His new "Yellow-Jak-It" sawmill is powered by a 10-hp. motor and will handle logs up to 28 in. dia. You can use it to cut dimension lumber or big beams. It's so accurate it'll even cut 1/16-in. thick veneer.
  Reeks built his first sawmill after a storm knocked over a bunch of trees on his farm. He couldn't justify the cost of a commercial unit so he decided to build his own.
  The latest new sawmill weighs 340 lbs. and Reeks spent only about $530 to build it, including the cost of a new motor. You can get by cheaper with used parts, he notes.
  Reeks has put together a big packet of information that includes 72 color photos and detailed blueprints showing all measurements. He also includes a 12-page booklet listing suppliers of components, which include engines, band blades, centrifugal clutches, sprockets, chains, sheaves, pulleys, cable, winches, bearings, shafts, hubs, spindles, and track wheels. The information packets sell for $48.50 (add $2.00 extra to Canada), or you can send $2.00 and a self-addressed stamped envelope for literature on the do-it-yourself mill.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Reeks, Yellow-Jak-It, Rt. 231, Box 7104, Cromwell, Ky. 42333.


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1999 - Volume #23, Issue #3