The laser sight option??

[Bibbyman]

Is there anyone out there using a laser sight on their band sawmill? 

How well does it work? 

Is the option worth it?

The reason I ask... 

The last couple of days I've been sawing low-grade walnut logs and on say 5% of them I've made at least one poor opening face cut.  This is,  I've got a slab that's thicker than it should have been on one end – thus loosing at least one board out of the log.

Now I could solve this problem by going down the log and taking measurements and making sure the log is leveled out right but that takes too much time on these small, low-grade logs.  I just judge the log level by the tops of the back supports and open'er up.

Another problem that takes up time and causes unnecessary blade use is an opening face that's too small – thus requiring a second (and sometimes third) cut to get desired opening face.  This is extra bad on walnut as you're sawing through thick, rough bark that is often filled with dirt, grit and sometimes stones.

Sawing rough walnut logs with the bark still on them is the most difficult for me to judge.  A small crook, dip, or depression in the log are hard to judge how deep to cut.  It seems like the bark is thicker in these depressed areas.

[moosehunter]

Maybe you should just let Mary do the sawing  ;D :D :D :D :D
mh

[Percy]

I got one Bibby, its the ticket for smaller logs. Too much walkin/measuring or wasting wood.  After tweekin, it is soooooooo helpful. Doesnt like bright sunlight tho.

[Ron Wenrich]

Would you mount that directly on your saw head?  We have one stationary mount for our headsaw and 2 movables for the edger. 

they don't like light or dirt.  On a bright, sunny day they will wash out.  We have some open areas that the indirect light will effect it.  We put tarp up in some areas to lower the amount of light coming in.

If you can get one working on your mill, you'll wonder how you ever worked without one, but you'll still miss some cuts.   ;) 

[Bibbyman]

My first choice and thought was the Wood-Mizer laser sight.  It looks like it mounts right on the sawhead.  I suspect it'd be in a prime are for collecting sawdust and such. 

Here is a link to the Wood-Mizer web page that shows pictures and verbage about the option.

Wood-Mizer Laser sight option

We saw under a shead but have most of all four sides open.  It'd be a problem in the mornings as the mill sets north and south with the east side being the side the laser would hit on.

[Chris Burchfield]

The morning light would wash it out. When I was placing the order for my mill, I considered the laser. Mr. Shearer, my salesman also asked about light. As I plan on doing a good bit of custom sawing I anticipated I would not be under cover, so skipped the laser. Of course I don't know if I could have seen it anyway, I have a Red/Green difficiency in my sight. Not totaly color blind. If I were under cover and could control the light it would probably be great. For now I just use one to play with the cats to chase in the house.

[woodmills1]

man dont the cats go nuts for those things. :D

[james]

friends son discovered feds can be made real nervous by kids with laser pointers - friend is a cop son had sore but :'( :'( :'( :'(
james

[Ron Wenrich]

How far away will you be from the light?  I sit about 20' or better.  Its real good on overcast days.  On real bright days, I can see the light, but I know what I'm looking for.  Other people can't see it, since its more of a light pink.

Of course, you could start sawing at night, then sunlight wouldn't be much of a problem.   :D

[Bibbyman]

How far away will you be from the light? 

I'd say it'd be about 6' from the near end and 6' plus log length (say 16') from the other end.   Also, the workstation is at the end of the mill looking down the length of the log.  I don't know how much difference the angle of prospective may make.

[smwwoody]

Bibby,

That looks like the same one that we have on the 300.  It works well.  They do wash out in the bright sun light even if you are under roof.  If you look back at this old post   https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12410.0   you can see how closed in we are.  From the pics of your mill building that I have seen I would say you will have about the same light.  The tarps hanging in the log deck opening are to block the sun.  0n the 300 I sit at the far end of the log and can see the laser at the other end ok.  Just like ron said on the bright days you will learn to pick out the little dots of pink light when no one else can see them.  Remember to wipe the lense off when it gets real hard to see it is a real big help.

Woody

[ElectricAl]

Bibbyman,

We have the add on Lazer from WM.  Big time and lumber saver 8)

If you buy a WM lazer you'll get a nifty mounting bracket. The real draw back which I found out after we bought ours is, it's a lower powerd unit then what can be purchesed from the actual manufacture. If bought from the manufacture, a lazer with twice the power is offered, but no nifty mounting bracket :


I forget who really makes the lazer, but they were at the show in St. Charles 4 years ago.  Check the shows web site for the list of past venders.

I have nothing against the WM lazer, but if given the chance to have a brighter light I'd spend the money.  

[BBTom]

Gary,

I am lost without mine!  I have gotten so used to using it, that when I get out in the sunlight on a field job, I slow way down.  I vote yes it is worth it.  I also vote that  for about the samw price you could get a 30mw laser from cemar electro. others may be less.  Cemar Electro is what WM uses, but they use a 15 mw version,  the 30mw version is much better for those days when the light is bright.  The mounting bracket that WM makes is very stable, it could be easier to adjust, but if you work at it the first time, you may never need to adjust it again.  I have had two repairs,  one under warrenty from WM the other by Cemar (about $300)  might have been due to flying debris, but not sure. 

I imagine that it is like the Accuset,  it takes a while to catch on to it, but once you do, you don't know how you worked without it. 

find them at http://www.cemarelectro.ca/en/products/800/

Tom

[Ron Wenrich]

Cemar are the ones that we are using on our mill.  When we put on remote lasers to move with the vertical edger blades, we had to help them out with the engineering and had to redo some of the machine work.  The quality of the laser is as good as it gets.  Ceramo keeps on getting things better, not resting on their past products.

I'm still waiting for a laser to replace my saw blade.