Frick Carriage rebuild

[lmizzell]

Setting up a Frick 00 mill and I'm having to rebuild the carriage and husk. I have everything for the Husk rebuild but am looking for ideas for what timber/ metal to use for the carriage.

[Ron Wenrich]

Metal is more durable than wood, but I've seen wood carriages last a long time.   I've seen channel and tube used for carriages.  You need the size that will have your headblocks clear the collar after you add the trucks to the frame. 

What does the track have - metal or wood?

[bandmiller2]

The problem with wood is its not as stable as steel and really has to be under cover. Most older mills used southern hard pine, up north we don't have a real good replacement for it. If your after a working mill and not A restoration I would go with steel as Ron said ether tube or channel. It would be easiest to match the wood size, use ball and roller bearings where ever possible. My mill has a cast iron husk steel channel carriage but the mine cart rail rests on Douglas fir timbers. I remilled high line cross arms, put creosote on the joints and water seal all over their as stable as wood can be. Frank C.

[woodworker9]

A friend of mine has a wood husk on his circle mill that he had to rebuild, just like you.  After 3 years, he hates it, and is currently welding a new one together out of tube steel.  Certainly more money, but he's experienced too many alignment issues with the wood husk moving around too much.

What good is a sawmill if you can't cut straight wood, or worse, cause a safety problem from a log alignment issue with the blade?

[dgdrls]

Greetings Imizzell,

As others have indicated I would look for or build a metal carriage,
perhaps the Sawmill exchange has the parts or pieces to help?
you could always graft-in another manufactures carriage.

Best
D

[Ron Wenrich]

I sawed on many a wood husk.  If its moving around, it probably isn't the wood.  More likely the foundation.

[bandmiller2]

Probably half the old houses and barns in this country were built with lumber from wooden mills. The right wood seasoned and painted and kept under a roof will cut as good as a steel mill. Its just seems easier, for me at least, to keep things aligned with steel. I have seen wood carriages worn almost through by the abrasion of sawdust. Ether one works if kept aligned and supported. Frank C.