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Home built slabber

Started by flip, June 13, 2007, 10:44:05 AM

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flip

OK.  I've done the search stuff and not finding exactly what I was looking for.  I have been thinking about building a dedicated wide slabber since we have none in this area.  I am thinking maybe 5-6' wide but not sure how much power or what kind of rail system to use.  Hopefully someone that has done it or is in the process of doing one can give me some guidance.  I prefer to make it portable and to use a gas engine.  What I need is some pics. and how to gear it and where to get chains and bars. :P
Thanks,
Flip
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Fla._Deadheader

 Largest vertical shaft engine you can find. Possibly centrifugal clutch and attach the chain sprocket directly to the clutch. Double up 2 X 8's for the track. ¼" X 1" Aluminum or steel angle for rails. Decide on length before buying 2 X 8's. Side bow is NOT real critical, up-down bow IS critical.

Captain or Baileys for bars chains and sprockets.

  Frame is simple and a couple winch setups and yer in business.
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

DanG

The engine shouldn't be a big problem.  Thousands of lawn tractors give up their usefulness with plenty of life left in their engines.  I'm thinking that 16 hp should do the trick nicely.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

flip

Obvously we're talking about vertical shaft engines, right? 
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Fla._Deadheader


Uhhhhhhhhhh
QuoteLargest vertical shaft engine you can find.
;D :D :D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

flip

Excuse me while I pull the poo from my eyes ;D
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

flip

How dothe Lucas and peterson raise and lower the frame?  It appears there is just 1 crank on each side that I surmise that a cable runs the length of the frame to the other post?
Sheesh, I hate asking stoopid questions, but I hate passing up potentially big $$.

Flip
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

brdmkr

Flip

On the Lucas mill you raise each end at a time.  There is a roller chain and sprocket on each upright.  The sprockets are connected by a pipe.  When you crank one side up or down, the pipe twist the sprocket on the other side to keep things level.  I think the ATS works the same way, but the pipe runs end-to-end instead of side-to-side (i.e., you adust each side seperately on the ATS and each end seperately on the Lucas).

It is  a really simple design.  If you like, I'll try to post some pics in the next day or so.

Mike

Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

flip

Please do if it's not too much trouble.
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Brad_S.

I keep thinking someday I'd try and build one less like the Lucas/Peterson and more like this:
http://www.lmsaws.com/chainsawlog.htm
or this:
http://www.talaricohardwoods.com/logyard.htm
and if you want a heavier duty bar and chain than Bailey's has, L-M has some.
http://www.lmsaws.com/sawbars-chain.htm
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

brdmkr

Flip,

Here are some pics of the up-down adjustment on the mill.

This is the side with the crank.  There is another crank on the other end of the mill.



This pic shows the chain and sprocket attached to the crank.




This pic is of the other side directly accross from the crank.


This pic shows the cross bar that connects the crank to the 'slave sprocket' (for lack of a better term).



This pic shows the bottom of each upright.  The chain just wraps around and is secured at the top.


It is really pretty simple, but my pics and explanations may not be much use if not, give me a yell and I'll try to do better.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

flip

Thanks, that helps a lot!
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

flip

Brdmkr,

Nudder question.  How do the rails attach to the uprights and how much play is there?  It would seem to me if one guy was raising and lowering by himself one end would get "hung" if you do too much on one end.
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Part_Timer

Flip,  it would be a couple of hour drive but your more than welcome to come up here and look at my ATS if you'd like to. 
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

flip

Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

flip

Would something like this work or is this too whimpy?

ebay link
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

brdmkr

Quote from: flip on June 18, 2007, 09:01:08 AM
Brdmkr,

Nudder question.  How do the rails attach to the uprights and how much play is there?  It would seem to me if one guy was raising and lowering by himself one end would get "hung" if you do too much on one end.

The rails set in a tray with a cam lock on top.  I don't know how uneven you could have the ends before it would lock up, or even if it would. 
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

flip

Well the quest continues.  Like most here I am trying to do this on the cheap.  Here is what I have come across...Cannon bar 87"=$400 chains=$55.00/each.  I still don't have the motivator which I figure a good 20-25 vertical will run at leat $300.  Would still need the sprocket, roller for bar, jack shaft and bearings, track etc...  How many chains should I have on hand?  It would seem to be easier to throw a new one on when it dulls than to sharpen on site.  The bar is a new bar that was custom made and never picked up, they said it was a $1000 custom job.  A 72" bar would be the same price, $400.  I know this will add more capacity but also more width to the overall project, which means more $$ in track and carriage.  The other thing that I can't quite figure out is how the chain is tensioned, from the engine end or the roller end?  How is the tension applied?
More thoughts guys...

Flip
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Dan_Shade

how wide is the bar? a wider bar may hold the chain on it better over those long distances.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

flip

I didn't ask, he called it a "super slabber" and was custom made by Cannon Bars.  I couldn't find anything on their web site about that particular bar, but it was made for a home built slabber.
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

TexasTimbers

flip I have not read this thread word for word but you asked if the chain is tightened from the engine end or the roller end - are you putting a stinger or "cheater" bar on it? I am going to on mine even though it will be on a track. The cheater should be adjustable I would think but depending on how you mechanically fasten the bar to the frame or carriage, it too should be adjustable. The bar has elongated holes so it is automatically adjustable eh?

I was plannin to transfer power from the vertical shaft to the horizintal bar with the "belt trick".

I have been meaning to ask Reid if he has noticed excessive sag in his long bar when he cuts slabs on his horizontal slabber. Reid if you see this how much sag do you get on your 72" (?) bar?
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

flip

After triple re reading all the archives on slabbers, and talking to Bailey's I'm on board with the jack shaft idea.  My plan is to make something that resembles the Lucas dedicated slabber.  I think it would be easier to tension from the roller end of the bar since the jack shaft would have to move or have an adjuster mounted between it and the bar.  The slotted lock down is easy, just a few small wheel studs pushed into a piece of plate steel or aluminum.  Wish I could get some pics. of how lucas and peterson tension.  Bailey's seem to think for that bar combo that 20-25 hp minimum at 3500rpm would work great.

Kev, if you are interested PM me and I'll let you know what I found out from the guys at Bailey's.

Flip
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

Ron Wenrich

A setup I really like is the rail-o-matic out of the UK.  He comes on the forum from time to time.  Here's the link:  http://www.chainsawmills.co.uk/railomatic.htm

It seems that he has made a cantilever type slabber.  It doesn't have the same reach as the bigger slabbers do, but I wonder if that can't be engineered in.  His capacity is 30" because he is using a chain saw with a 36" blade.

His design is very simple and very portable.  The only thing I wonder is if you went to a larger bar, could you counter balance the weight to keep it cutting straight.  Perhaps a large bar with a vertical shaft motor would give the balance needed. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

TexasTimbers

Yes that gives some great ideas. He spent alot of time deigning and patenting and fabricating and chasing down parts suppliers for that thing. Pretty impressive really.
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

Part_Timer

Flip to tighten the chain on on the Peterson you move the center unit to the left and it pulls the chain tight around the drive sprocket.
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

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