# Treadle driven band saw ... insanity?



## AwesomeOpossum74 (Jan 27, 2017)

Thing 1: I'd like something that can resaw reasonably sized logs (8-10").
I've been watching CL for a while, and good band saws don't appear in my area. I can't afford to drop $1k for a machine. Kids and household suck me dry.

Thing 2: I thought it could be cool to build a treadle band saw. I've found info on treadle lathes, and treadle scroll saws. I don't find much in the way of band saws.

Would it be asking too much of a treadle saw to cut 8-10" logs? Work would be slower. There wouldn't be much power behind the blade, but I assume smoothness could be somewhat remedied by adding a flywheel.


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## AwesomeOpossum74 (Jan 27, 2017)

Concept ... something like this one.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Once you build a frame ......*

If you can build a stout enough frame for 8" to 10" logs, you may just as well add a motor or gas engine .... steam maybe? 

Old snow blowers are often repurposed to build other devices. They have 6 HP or 8 HP engines. My neighbor built a wire pulling capstan using snow blower's speed reduction system. A garden tractor would offer 4 or 6 speeds at the rear drive wheels.

As to a treadle drive, you would loose momentum almost immediately under the feed rate that would be practical. Even the largest flywheel wouldn't be able to keep up because the feeding is constant with no time to rebuild momentum. I don't think it's possible/practical, but I'd love to be proven wrong on this one. 

:vs_cool:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Here is a homemade one in use:


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

The Dutch navy was built using windmill driven saws. The UK used hand saws and pits.
johnep


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## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

johnep said:


> The Dutch navy was built using windmill driven saws. The UK used hand saws and pits.
> johnep



One word: Camperdown


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## AwesomeOpossum74 (Jan 27, 2017)

FrankC said:


> Here is a homemade one in use:
> ...


That's basically what I was thinking about. The fact that machine is built for two people (for bigger cutting operations), suggests maybe a one man saw for big jobs would not be feasible.


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

For a long time I've wanted to come up with a human powered garden mulcher for leaves and twigs and small branches. Maybe it's possible after all.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I would think a hand saw made to rip timbers would be much more efficient than any foot powered band saw.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Thanks for the reference to the British victory. Problem in the navy at the time is that officers were appointed on their position in society rather than merit. By the time of Trafalgar, reforms resulted in officers who knew what they wer doing and respected their men rather than regard them as disposable canon fodder. It was a pity that Lord Haig (Of whisky fame) still believed that policy of attrition would win the war.
Further research has shown me that windmill sawing by the Dutch nearly 200 years earlier. In the 1600s Van Tromp had a broom at his masthead to "sweep the British off the seas".
johnep


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*K, how about a metal lathe?*

Maybe even more challenging a metal lathe:


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm sure it's possible. I'd probably look into building an extremely heavy flywheel, and using that to drive the wheels. That would probably help keep the blade speed consistent, and up the odds of being able to complete a cut.


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