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Belsaw build

Started by glendaler, May 30, 2018, 03:24:52 PM

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glendaler

I don't have a problem with the holding power of the dogs, it's more so the lack of position adjustment. I don't recall a single log so far where the dog position was perfect. I know you might say nothing is ever perfect, but in every case a dog with slide in and out adjustment would have let me make it perfect. I'm not just being picky either, it causes some practical problems when my only position choices makes the log want to roll as it's being cut. It's just another thing I get to modify and figure out. If I get to the point where everything is perfect it wont be any fun anymore.
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

Don P

On the initial cut especially you do need to be able to move the dog in or out to secure it. By the third side I usually have them slid back in. When someone is backhanding me I really have to watch their dogging till they get the hang of it.

bandmiller2

Its very important on a Belsaw mill to have a smooth level track, otherwise the log or cant will tend to shift and pull away from the dogs. Heavy duty stiff carriages will tend to average out minor imperfections in the track, light Belsaw carriages will react to each. Proper lead is important as too much will pull the cant away from the last dog as the carriage rattles down the track. Many sawyers have the habit of setting the dogs into the log whacking them with a cant hook, it works but adds extra steps. Really the only time you should need to heavily dog a log is when its in the round and not stable on the carriage. Stability can be aided by chalking the log with wedges or pieces of sticking. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

glendaler

Early on in my research I found an old Belsaw manual with a basic getting started making lumber guide. It talked about how you can tell a poor sawyer by how hard he dogs his wood, talking about how if everything is operating properly you should hardly even need dogs until the end, sometimes just one lightly holding for the initial cut, that stuck with me. I know my setup isn't good enough to follow this advice exactly but it's getting there.
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

jimparamedic

I see now what you are saying about the dogs. I went back and looked at your pictures and I seen you only have 2 positions either in or out that would be a pain.  

Don P

And then there are drop dog mills, the dogs just drop into the log and there is no "clamp". There isn't much force when the mill is sawing right. I measured out to my stick the other day, it is 30" out from the track.

bandmiller2

When I set up my current mill I used two screw dogs but seldom use both. Most dogging problems arise when the log is in the round. Once you have flats agents the knees and head blocks very little dogging is needed. Heavy dogging makes it harder to set the cant over. Theirs nothing more pleasing than a well adjusted mill with a sharp saw and good logs. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

moodnacreek

Frank, getting off the subject but did you know [ha ha] that lane made a Dixie special sawmill that had every ready dogs [ like American etc.] because south of here they would not accept our beloved screw dogs. This mill also had to have belt feed. I think that at the time they had better logs than us in the north because after 1900 everything was cut off in the N.E.  Oh yeah, do you have a sawyers favorite on your Chase?

jimparamedic

If you can't find the dogs you want you could build a set Trapper John Has some great pictures of the dogs on his mill and Ill try and get some pictures of the ones some one made for mine.     

glendaler

Trapper johns are the type I want to make. The infinite in out adjustment of them is what I'm looking for. 

DonP, by far the most popular mill in this province is the locally produced Oxford mill, and every one I've seen has the drop dogs. Are you saying your feed lever is 30" away from the front face of the bed?

Yes Frank all my gripes are from the round log stage, the current dogs are decent after that, until the last cuts because they stick out so far. I know a board can be put behind but again, room for improvement.
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

Don P

QuoteAre you saying your feed lever is 30" away from the front face of the bed?
Yes, I saw a couple of posts back you were talking about moving yours out, I was sawing the other day and stuck the tape on it. That seems to put me in a good place, one step back, grab the crowd and pull, but I can easily lean in and sight or reach in and adjust if I need to.  It is mounted just outside of the blade guard.

bandmiller2

Creeker, I had a sawyers favorite but it was a sorry critter worn out, welded, brazed and patched. I much prefer the rugged simplicity of the Lane screw dogs. Different parts of the country sawyers want different things. Some areas you can't find right hand mills. Up here in the northeast right hand mills predominate as well as head blocks on a set beam (not to be confused with Jim Beam) Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

moodnacreek

Bandmiller, Do you still have the worn out sawyers favorite?              I load my log deck with a log picker off the old log truck and consequently the small ends are to the saw. So with the s.f. I dog and taper [and under hook] right there. The big disadvantage is that I have to undog to turn the log where as with the screw dogs it can be automatic when using a log turner.

jimparamedic

There are all kinds of dogs I just seen a video of a hammer dog on an auto mill it was air powered it just swung into the log to hold it. So I would have to say what ever works best for your set up.

glendaler

Quote from: Don P on May 30, 2019, 05:59:04 AM
QuoteAre you saying your feed lever is 30" away from the front face of the bed?
Yes, I saw a couple of posts back you were talking about moving yours out, I was sawing the other day and stuck the tape on it. That seems to put me in a good place, one step back, grab the crowd and pull, but I can easily lean in and sight or reach in and adjust if I need to.  It is mounted just outside of the blade guard.
wow, mine is practically flush with the bed, the only reason it sticks out the 2-3" it does is because the handle is bent out. I have a few ideas to get it out at least 6" or more. 
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

bandmiller2

Creeker that sawyers favorite departed 15 years ago on a load of scrap iron, sorry mate. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

moodnacreek

Darn, I herd your place was nice and neat unlike here. Thanks for the reply, Doug

jimparamedic

every time I take a load of scrap I end up needing something I got read of

jimparamedic

Here's the the homemade dogs looks like they would be easy to make.



glendaler

Thats very similar to what I hope to build. Looks fairly simple.
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

J R Bradshaw

I just got ahold of a Belsaw M-14 in fare shape just need new carriage wheels to rusty to even measure. Can anyone give me measurements on m-14 carriage wheels.  

Don P

Don't have them off the bat but will be pulling a couple of mine on the blade side for bearing replacement as soon as I have time. I'll measure them unless someone posts first. The bearings in my wheels are these I believe;
https://www.amazon.com/Koyo-B-912-Bearing-Complement-Rotational/dp/B007EDXD5U

I'm down to one pair of the "bushings" that go in the wheels on each side of the bearings, sort of a lipped washer that locates the bearing and takes the side slop out of the wheel to carriage mount.  With 10 wheels I'll need 20 of them for a full set of replacements. I imagine this is a machine shop job, I'm wondering if there is a need out there, should we gang up on a run?

jimparamedic

I have 2 different sets of guide wheel one is about 5/8" and are bushed and the other is about 1 3/8" with bearings I need to replace the smaller 5/8" ones. Been trying to find what options are out there. Worst case I can make them.

glendaler

Mine just have the bushings, I just looked through my spare washer drawer until I found the right combos for minimal side play.
Belsaw A10 circle mill,

jimparamedic

My wheels are what are warn. The guide wheels so need to replace them

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