iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Log turners

Started by bandmiller2, January 21, 2009, 07:13:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

bandmiller2

Out bumming around a circle mill the outher day I like to watch outher millers ,learn new tricks some good some bad.I was agast at the abuse to the carrage wrought by the chain type log turners,its no wonder the new carrages are built so heavy.I think I'll stick to manual turning with the flip up wedges.Are the bar type turners any less violent?Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

york

Hey Frank,

was wonder what ya would come up with next...

yep,turners are non forgiving ,ya need to have a anti derail er for the carriage....never had a turner on my mill,small logs would 1/4 turn to me and push back with knee-big log had to turn up,but i was young  and strong....

the mill,i now have  TH does have chain turner,but only likes logs of a certain size...

Bert
Albert

Ron Wenrich

I use a bar style turner.  It doesn't beat up the log or the carriage as bad as the chain type.  I also have downturns, which limits the amount of time needed in using the turner.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

bandmiller2

Ron, your turner sounds interesting.The way I cut is to take the slab cut and usally one board then 1/4 turn down,with the chain turners [I've seen] you need 3/4 turn to be flat on the knees,thats alot of rattling around.By bar do you mean a bar with teeth that pivots up and down and slides up and down in a channel?It must pull at an angle or it would tend to just pull the log/cant tight to the knees.Mellot makes a turner thats all bars and linkages reminds me of a scissor hoist,says its no more damaging than a man with a peavy,I'd like to see one of those work.Thanks Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

york

was looking at the "Pendu scragg mill" and how they turn logs-the turner it self moves the log from the deck,turns it,in position ready to be end dogged and then sawed...

Bert
Albert

bandmiller2

I watched that Bert,very interesting.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Banjo picker

Quote from: bandmiller2 on January 22, 2009, 06:22:45 AM
Ron, your turner sounds interesting.The way I cut is to take the slab cut and usally one board then 1/4 turn down,with the chain turners [I've seen] you need 3/4 turn to be flat on the knees,thats alot of rattling around..Thanks Frank C.

The chain on the Cooks runs either way.  I will admit it is pretty agressive.  Tim
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

york

ok Frank and others check out the link-i did realize that Mellott turners are made in pa

http://www.mellottmfg.com/logturners.shtml
Albert

Ron Wenrich

I saw pretty much the same way.  I'll slab, pull a few boards and turn down.  But, not every log can be turned down with my downturns.  Some are too big and some are too crooked.  Those I have to use the log turner.

Its pretty much as you have described.  It has a couple of teeth that fold back.  But, in order to turn effectively, you have to move your headblocks.  My mill is an automatic, so its not much of a problem.  You basically advance your log to where a tooth will catch the log and just turn it up, like you would with a cant hook.  But, with a bar turner, you have to hold the log to get another bite.  I just dog it and do the process again.  It only takes a few seconds to turn or position a log.  You still need something to hold your carriage on your tracks when turning.

I ran a chain turner one time in another mill.  I didn't like it at all.  It was hard to have the chain run and be able to apply pressure to the log.  I don't like to be that aggressive with my equipment.  Run it fast, but don't run it hard.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

bandmiller2

Thanks Ron,I have considered turners but for my diddly operation manual is more practical,You've done it, if everything is set up right its probibly as quick as a turner.Would be kinda hard to get out of the booth turn the log then run back in to cut.Talked to a couple of old sawyers they said they didn't like being "shacked up"wanted to be beside the saw.Like playing golf ,and watching it on TV.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

MaddiesDad

I like the Chain Bar Turners.  I've never liked the "ram" turners.  I do like Cant Kickers, etc.  A lot of people use those once the log is loaded.  Also some people leave the pressure up on the pump for the deck/stop and load.  Put a flow control under the valve and it'll help "float" the turner. 

backwoods sawyer

I like "V" log turners, I have worked with a couple of variations of them. Basically it is a long sharp chain that that comes up over the side of the V then down thru the center of the V far enough to go around the drive then back up thru the center of the v over the other side and down around an idler that is mounted below the drive and back up to the point of beginning. One lifts up under each end of the log and they can be operator together or separately. Raise one higher then the other and you can walk the log left or right. It handles the very small and the very large ugly logs. You never need to own a pee-vee with a set up like this. 
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

Ron Wenrich

Are these on the carriage?
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

backwoods sawyer

 


The rest position is under the log deck, under the next log to be milled. The log is raised up rotated and leveled into position. Carriage comes back, a charger either end dogged or under belly style clamps the log, the vees drop down under the deck, the charger moves the block forward to the carriage, it is clamped in the carriage and the charger returns for the next log that is already rotated and ready to go. Cutting small (6"-12") logs, 4-6 logs a min is doable, larger logs will be waiting on the carriage. The hand off time from the charger to the carriage is measured in tenth of a second.
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

Meadows Miller

Gday

Ive used haeps of different types of turners and never realy been a fan of  chain turners verry limited scope  ;) unless there like turbo turners fitted under the knees is where they work well but ive only had the pleasure of using them once on a slant band headrig i did a trial run on for a couple of days but didnt take the job as the mill was just about stuffed and a sawyer can only do so much to increase production   ;) :o ::) ::) ::) :)  ;) :D :D ;D

I like the 4A mellot Ive got  ;D watched them working Alot  but the only time i got to use hands on was when my uncle who stayed on at the mill after it was sold let me have a crack on the Auto Meadows when i was 16 and that was only for a sat morning  ;D  :'(  but it was as gentle as a cant hook ifn you didnt go to hard on the control valve  ;) :D ;D ;D ;D

Tim are you just taking the roundback of the back of the mill then dropping the squareing arms down alittle and using the turner to flick the unedged bords back onto the loading arms itll take a bit to get into the swing of it but  itll save you abit of time and labor Mate

Reguards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Sawyerfortyish

The first mill I sawed with I had a winch overhead with a hook off a cant hook that I wraped around the log to turn it that worked good. Now I have a differant mill thats faster and I have a #5 mellott chain turner. I have be careful turning pine cants to hook the edge and not dig into the side.

sawguyver

I use a 12 volt winch that is mounted over head. I just wrap a chain around the log a couple of times and hook that to the cable. the chain doesn't slip or cut into the cant like the cable does. Its very friendly to operate and the 1500 pound winch has rolled some big stuff and always under control. I set a temporary post under the winch so the roof doesn't come crashing down. This setup has also been used to put the carriage back on its track.

sawguyver

Another vintage photo of a log turner.





MaddiesDad

I should dig up some pictures of our older turners.  Even get some older carriage photos...

robnrob2

Well I have several different ways to turn the logs.
On my Mill which is a 4 post machine, I have a 2000lb HF winch bolted to it, with a good hook, that I can drop down and hook the corner of the log/cant and that flips it suprising well and fast, the controler is also mounted to the carriage for convienance.  But since the mill can cut up to 21'6" there are a total of 5 fences,{ 2 are close for short stuff } I have fabricated  3 sets of claw style turners, placed in between the fences, there actavated by a single 2000lb winch, all 3 come up at one time, works suprisingly well. The I do have a 8" I-Beam over head that is perpindiculay to the mill, which I use for loading logs on the mill { mill lives in polebarn } but I also can use that if needed.


sawguyver

Very nice setup.

how do you get the winch to move those claws? ???

robnrob2

The winch is  mounted far enough ahead to give me a good 24" or more pull, there is also a snatch block to increase its pull power,, all 3 cables are hooked to the snatch block, the cables are routed just inside the track frame, the sorta lay on top fo the log bunks next to the track, at each truner there is a pully where the needed cable is routed and turns, then one more pully turns the cable downward, to the main 2" square  lifting post, then the claw push post is mounted to that, and it turns logs just like those others.,,
I havent been able to get my photos link goin yet,, just gotta mess with it more,, I dunno, doin somethin wrong.


jeep534

This weekend I saw what I think was a "home Made" log turner on a circle mill. it was all on the carrige. something similar to a engine hoist but it had something like a kant hook and it was powered from batteries and had a control valve  I was not able to get pictures =-(

archie =) =) =) 

sawguyver

That sounds real interesting ???
Tell us more. like does it work from above the log or below.
I'm still looking for a good way to turn logs in my mill. A turner on the carriage would take care of alot of head ache for me. The old mill is pretty light and pushing up against the carraige with a turner would require all kinds of reinforcement and still be trouble waiting to happen :(
The overhead winch works real good on real big stuff and the small stuff is faster by hand, but the middle of the road is where most of the work is.
Something that is hidden within the carriage and comes up quickly would be ideal 8) Those woodmiser turners look like they could work for me :-\

Chico

I think you're prob talking about Brownsville turners They were designed for double cut mills using a set of uprights if needed in the hole to keep logs on carriage . The most eff type of turner I've ever seen or bkt for a horiz mill is a yoke turner pretty simple very fast and won't tear the frame to pcs
Chico
My Daughter My sailor MY HERO God Bless all the men and Women fighting for us today If you see one stop and thank them

Thank You Sponsors!