New (to me) PH260

[Brad_S.]

I originally planned on going to Sawlex to look at a Logosol PH260, but then the opportunity arose to pick up a slightly used unit and chip extractor for a great price. Thanks to discussions here and special thanks to Eric (FeltzE) for answering my past PM's, I felt I knew the capabilities and limitations of the machine and bought it sight unseen.
It arrived today, 8) but it will be some time before I have time to install it. :(
Thanks again to all of you for sharing information

[DanG]

Oooo yeah!  That 260 is a nice machine! 8) 8) 

I hope that don't mean you ain't coming to Sawlex.

[Brad_S.]

Thanks, DanG.
I'm still coming to Sawlex Friday A.M., passing through on the way to visit sis in Cinci. Looking forward to meeting some of you characters! :D Still need an A.S.S. from Logrite and want to check them out.

[FeltzE]

Brad,

Logosol is advertising free training, I think it's in mississippi though, not close to you.

Have fun!

Eric

[Brad_S.]

Thanks Eric.
I figured that was a course for owners who bought the machine new. At any rate, it doesn't appear to be rocket science, but I've yet to set it up and see exactly how difficult the learning curve is. Also, my communications and interactions with Logosol to date have been ................ what's the right word .............. strange?:-\ Odd? Confusing?smiley_dizzy Not negative, just ....................... different smiley_confused . So I'm going to try and go it as independently as I can.

[Norwiscutter]

  ;D ;D ;D ;D know exactly ehat you mean about strange ;D ;D ;D

[FeltzE]

I havn't called logosol for anything, worked with baileys for blades but thats about it,

Note to logosol users, I like to run my T&G upside down so if there is a feed jam or the drive wheels spin momentarily on the wood it dosn't make a burn or mark on the finish side...

Also running upside down especially with band sawn 15/16" pine I plane 1mm off the bottom cutter (finished side of the T&G) and leave the top cutter to plane the excess off, this allows for the finish face (down in the machine) to have the least amount of planner skips and the back side of the board to have the defects (planer skip) on thin boards.   I found I get good results cutting with the Woodmizer on the inch mark not 4/4 kd to under 10% re rip the 12" and 6" boards to 5" planner blanks (Baker edger at work there) and running 3/4 T&G V groove solid knots ok, watch for those loose ones... whoa dude   8) 8)


Eric

[Norwiscutter]

Them knots are something when they come screaming. I took Eric's advice and started running my T&G upside down with good results.  I cn get a more consistant side profile by doing so and always have a clean face on the bottom.  Still have some dust collection issues on the bigger stuff or wet wood, but can run 1x6 pine through almost wide open.  Got the longest crown moulding knives they offer last week but have yet to give them a try.

[mur]

I use the last head (top) as my finish head.  I pre-size my blanks through a Woodmaster first and use that side as my bottom of the board as I feed into the 260.  I don't jam or spin many boards - maybe one every 10,000 board feet - and that is usually from a bad spike knot or other ugly hanging up somewhere.   I am chopping those out ahead of planing now and having a lot less problems with feeding the machine.  I also pre-size the widths of my blanks a lot more carefully now.  Again, less problems especially with side tear-out.  Early on, I had a machinist drill out and over-size the shear pins in the feed rollers.  Not a problem with them since that was done.  The 260 is not for everybody but once I got onto some of its problems and figured them out, it's an OK machine for what I do.  Mainly S4S and T&G wall panel.  Some log cabin siding too. 

[FeltzE]

We've been running a lot of T&G V Groove starting with 5 inch blanks cut at 4/4 making 3/4 finished product. Switched up to some T&G oak flooring last weekend and fought with the machine wanting to have minor feed jams, 3 3/4inch starting 4/4 finsiing to 3 1/4 x 3/4. Jams for no apparent reason. Found one guide roller isn't rolling so took that back to act as a rub guide but still having some jam problems

Can't run wide open witout overloading my motors on the PH 261 though 3 hp 1 ph motors, I may be interested in upgrading to the 260 in the future if I can find someone to buy the 261.

Eric

[Brad_S.]

They have a new and improved (so they say) PH260 machine that's supposed to work even better. In fact, that's why I got my machine at a cut rate price. Mine is the old demo machine that traveled the show circuit but was replaced by the newer model.  Still have yet to have time to try mine out other than a board or two but the wiring is done, dust hoses are connected, all I have to do is level the feed tables. I have a bunch of 2x4's to s4s to start with. Easy, basic, can't do much to screw them up type stuff to get a feel for the unit.
Thanks all for posting tips. Keep 'em comin'.

[mur]

I have found that if I S4S my blanks first or pre-plane the top of the board, the feed rollers have trouble keeping the feed rate steady.  Jerking and stalling.  Generally very frustrating - ruins the finish.  So as in my previous post, I pre-plane my bad face which becomes my bottom of the finish board and the feed rollers have an unplaned, rough surface to grab.  I can't figure out the logic to it all but a friend used my machine and he had the same thing happen to him.   I pre-planed 2,000 bf of 1x4 pine one time and never again - total nightmare with trying to keep the machine feeding. 

[FeltzE]

I had set my top cutter out a little bit further than the set guide requires, probably abour 3/16 inch using a dial indicator. Then had a miserable time with the feed. Reset the cutters back to the factory set block and improved, I never thought of the issue of not having the material pushed up tight enough to the feed.

I think they could put a little lip on the spacer plates to help keep from picking up splinters off the lumber at the feed enterance too.

I like the machine though

Eric

[Brad_S.]

Well, I ran my first lumber through the Logosol today, s4s'ing spruce 2x4's. Took me just two boards to make my first modification to the machine, I cut out the metal strip in the middle of the exhaust port on the moving side cutter.
Would love to do the same on the stationary cutter but I see the chain passes through tube. The port plugs 1/3 of the way into a board with that sticky spruce. Maybe that's one of the improvements on the new model :
I'll now get first hand experience in cleaning the machine. Pitch everywhere! smiley_dozy_bored

[FeltzE]

My suction guards are gone also, running poplar they plugged the machine up, so out they came.

Eric

[Norwiscutter]

Maybe Ill give that a try before I upgrade dust collectors... mine already is a 10 HP model so I don't see much use in going larger anyhow.  I have yet to take out the metal bars in the side dust collection tubes, but I have had more clogging in the first (bottom) head than anything else. Most of the time this is with wide or wet boards so I am not to concerned.  I do have problems with the side collectors when I due thicker widths, such as 2x or 1 1/2 t&G.