Diesel powered MD????

[karl]

Just came across an ad for a 62 hp perkins turbo diesel- dimensions are ok, has outboard bearing, weighs in @430#, have'nt found out rpm's, rotation or whether or not it has a gov'ner.

Anybody know how heavy the V- dub engine is? I'm guessing 350#

What kind of problems do you all see in such a swap? We're talking about a belt drive here not them new fangled hydrostatic jobs.

Know of any more appropriate diesel engines?

Think it would really be more effiecient over the long haul?- we COULD start a Chinese restaurant in conjunction with the mill and burn free fryer fuel... :D

Better off to go electric and genset so I can have a refrigerator at the mill?( for the drugs I obviously need for even considering the change) :

Just trade for a Mity Mite diesel?

Whadayathink?

[GlennG]

I think the weight of the diesel will over stress the MD frame. A dry VW engine by itself is closer to 100lbs. The diesel is probably a lot more than 430. My 3 cylinder Duetz aircooled diesel weighs 500 and it is only 45 hp. If I just had to have a diesel MD I would have the diesel engine run a hydro pump and put a hydraulic motor on the MD saw carriage. You will need good fabrication and engineering skills for this project. The outcome would probably be worthwhile. Good Luck

Glenn

[DanG]

Karl, get a grip, man! That VolksVagen motor don't weigh much over 200, if that, and the powers that be wax apoplectic if we put a 5 gallon fuel tank on it because of the weight.  My buddy, Lindsay(he know about these things), is a fan of that little 90hp Suzuki 3 cylinder gas engine.  It is lighter than the VW, even though it is water cooled.

If you're stationary, the genset/electric/beergerator setup might be your best option. ;)

[sawmill_john]

Karl, the time and frustration needed to convert a belt feedworks mill, I really don't think it's worth it.  You start changing one thing then 5 other things have to be changed to make every thing else work, and so on.  Plus the fact that your mill is at least 20 years old, the tracks start to fatigue and the added weight may cause saging, or track failure.  I hate to pour water on your fire but really think about it, before you start cutting and welding.

john

[karl]

Ever have one of those days when you just blurt out incoherent thoughts without even the slightest flicker of braincell action? (Please God- make SOMEONE say yes!) :-[   

Sooo, guess we go back to the rebuild scenario....Any advise on how to improve fuel consumption since it is getting time to invest in this motors future?

Dang, thanks, I needed that (we need a "getting a grip" smiley) ;)

John- fire went out before your water......just reverted to younger days- 327 in a Austin Healy- it didn't work either. :

[pigman]

Ever have one of those days when you just blurt out incoherent thoughts without even the slightest flicker of braincell action? (Please God- make SOMEONE say yes!) :-[   

I will say yes if you let me change the statement to many of those days.
:

[DanG]

YES!!

Now, that being said, I will cautiously admit to having PRIVATE thoughts about a major modification.  I am just absolutely in love with the twin edger blades, but I really need to cut deeper that 4" horizontal.  I been thankin' that a feller with enough engineerin' and fabricatin' and cogitatin' skills could build a four-poster setup around the MD twin edger design.  By gettin' rid of that track beam, there would be no weight limitation, thus no power limitation.  You would be able to take advantage of most of the advantages that the current MD has, plus those that the D&L enjoys.  To make the twin big edgers work, all you need to do is lengthen the platform so the geometry works out and add more power.  The 4-poster arrangement would allow this.

[sawmill_john]

Dan thats true but! the first obsticle is the lager edger blade is not as stable being that it is screwed to a collar and not held between parallel collars, on the smaller blades it's not an issue, but the lager you go the closer to that edge you get, and I think you know what happens when you go over that edge.  The blade is allowed to flex and any movement during the cutting process = friction, which causes heat!  Bad Bad Bad.  The cure, thicker blade, nobody wants to hear that, do they.  Ron and I we working on a bigger model, but who knows if he is still going ahead with it, I don't.  It was only going to cut 7" x 12" with 2 edgers, I tried to push for 8" but he was apprehensive to go that big.  See the blades were 21" in dia. the support collar was going to be larger as well, along with larger bearings, and shaft cross section.

[DanG]

John, is there a stability problem with the large single edger that  is currently offered?  How deep does it cut? I was thinking it would go 8", but I've never actually seen one. ???  Is it an 8ga blade like the main?

[karl]

Dang, now ya got me 'cited agin! I don't like limitations either :

My single edger blade is 19 1/2"- it will cut 8 1/4", uses 5/16 bits -that makes think it is 8 ga.. I can see where adding another to the same shaft would be a whole new game.... had a bit of a time keeping mine tight for a spell- new bolts and jam nuts solved that. sounds like a four poster would be the only way to handle two of those beasts as extending the carriage out so that the top edger would clear would have the beam rocking and a rolling somethin' awful.....(we need a "totally terrified" smiley here)

Wouldn't be any lenght limitation either with a four post.., and it would be easier to offload on either end or side of mill....hmmmmm.

Dang you ARE clever, I don't care what Jeff says 'bout cha ;D

I don't need to cut bigger-we don't grow big wood here no more- just more economically, and faster, and well, maybe a LITTLE bit  bigger..... but definately faster- I like to see Jon run... ;)

[DanG]

Karl, the reason I'm interested in this is, I'm in two-by country.  Folks around here just love 2x6 and 2x8 lumber.  When cutting a customer's logs, and they want these, I hate that I have to give them so many 2x4s that they don't want.  I'm about ready to give up the twins to gain the xtra horizontal depth.

I wouldn't even think of putting any more weight on that track beam, but a four-poster would support whatever you had to put on it.

[karl]

Dang,
NOW I get it!

2x6/8 off log either vertical OR horizontal Had big beams stuck in my thinker.
Yes, that would be handy- improve grade at times too. 8)

[DanG]

Yep, it would definitely improve the MD's grade sawing capabilities.  That, IMO is the 12x4 MD's weakest point.  12x8 would be a huge improvement.  I just like the twin edgers for the additional speed, especially on smallish logs. For instance, I can make a 4x4 from a 7" log in just over a minute. If I had to adjust up and down with a single edger, you could triple that time.

The four-poster idea isn't mine.  D&L has been using that design for years.  My thought is more of adding the 2nd edger from the MD to that design. ;)  Might be something for Lindsay to cogitate about when he ain't got nuthin else to do. : :D