So I have always wanted to have a bandsawmill not only for the reason that you can make custom cuts but its always one more step towards self sustainability. It has been a real trial and error project and I would probably do a lot of the project differently but I am almost to the point of trying it out. originally I was going to use a side drive diesel two cylinder engine I have but decided to take the risk on something that has not been done. I found an old manual transmission lawn mower at the dump and got the 12hp engine running. Then took the rear diff apart, cut the right axle out and welded the differential solid. Then did a pulley swap for a small 5 inch pulley that changed the gear ratio. It was a lot of custom cutting and moving but I do like the idea of a underdrive pulley system as the belts are not fling around by your face. The main takeaway from this is that I should have just used the side drive and went with more heavy duty steel. I would have liked to use the rear diff to make a racing mower and now am on the hunt again for a used mower.
