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Saw buts much better with blade level, thanks Cooks Saw!

Started by mmartone, March 07, 2013, 10:34:56 PM

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mmartone

I got some sharpened blades back from Cooks along with a Cooks blade alignment tool. After work and limbing a small ERC and loading it in the truck we came home to the saw. My friend Jack Daniels (real name) and I threw the new alignment tool on the blade and moved it to both rollers and adjusted them, wow were they off! I never even checked the blade out and we started sawing 1x6's, I could really turn up the feed speed. Dang I would never have guessed it was as far out as it was and that it would make such a huge difference in cutting speed! After we cut the ERC and Jack felt the blade, dull as could be, cant wait to load a fresh sharp blade on and cut some wook tomorrow evening! Thanks for all your help as always, great forum.
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

kensfarm

What does it look like?  I been looking at buying a digital level.. but have just been using a torpedo level on the blades.  Glad it's cutting better for you. 

customsawyer

Kensfarm your blade needs to be level to the bed rails on the mill. I almost always set up the mill with the tongue end lower than the tail as this helps the boards being drug off.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

xlogger

I think I've seen the tool you are talking about. Does it look like a straight edge thats snaps on the blade? I also just use a torpedo level. Do you guys think that is fine or do most of you use the tool he talking about? Ricky
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

mmartone

Heres the tool off Cooks site. Jack had an 8' piece of unistrut in his truck and we laid it across the bed and measured off it.

http://www.cooksaw.com/sawmill-parts/misc.-parts/blade-alignment-tool.html

I had noticed the blade popped down as it came out of the end of the cut, I knew it was out of alignment, just didnt know how much or how much it affected speed!
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

Brad_S.

I don't see how either a bubble or digital level would help at all! You need to be parallel to the bed across the width and length of the blade. If the mill is not PERFECTLY level on both axis, then the level technique would compound the issue.

I use a metal ruler, one of the heavy, stiff ones taken from an adjustable square. Open the throat as wide as it will go. You position the head so the front of the blade is over one of the bunks and measure the distance to either the bottom or the top of the blade inside a gullet. You then move the head forward the width of the blade and measure the back of the blade. If not the same, then you have to tilt the guide roller.

Do the same for the other side. If the numbers on the far roller are not the same as the first, either raise/lower the roller.

Close the throat and remeasure...numbers should still be the same on the guide arm roller. If not, then the guide arm needs adjusting too.

I haven't seen the Cook's device before but it looks like it is just adding width so that the tilt is exaggerated and the measuring is easier.



"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Ga Mtn Man

For accurate blade setup you need to use an alignment tool.  I made one like the Cook's out of an "old" ;) aluminum real estate sign.
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

mmartone

I was going to make one too, the Cooks was only $20.. Not really woth my time and trouble. Just drug a 17' log to the mill, going to put on a new blade this evening and saw!
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

kensfarm

Brad..  yes.. have to make sure the deck is level.. side-side & front-back.. before checking blade w level.  I use large carpenter level on the deck.. w/ torpedo level on blade.  I was looking at the mini digital levels to increase the accuracy..  I def. can see having a tool that aligns both would be better.. more accurate.  I will try it this weekend.  Thankyou...  Ken   

Brad_S.

You are a more patient man than me to set your mill up so well!
I can see where the Cook's jig and a flat bar across the bed would make the adjustment easier by multiplying the movements. I think I will get one of those.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

opticsguy

 Quote;

"I had noticed the blade popped down as it came out of the end of the cut, I knew it was out of alignment, just didnt know how much or how much it affected speed! "

My blade also drops down at the end of a cut, about 3/16"  This is caused by blade alignment?
Will the blade be cutting "up" or "down"??



TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

kensfarm

Quote from: Brad_S. on March 08, 2013, 01:55:27 PM
You are a more patient man than me to set your mill up so well!

I try..  I go through a series of checks. before sawing.. so at least I know everything was set correctly when I started.  If my cuts start to act up.. it's usually because I'm pushing a dull blade.  This weekend is suppose to be nice.. I have a good size hickory tree I've been working on to bring to the mill.. 4 trees went down together on a hillside w/ all the branches hangin off a creek bank.  It'll be interesting to see how the blade alignment shows against tool method.  Thanks again!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!  ;D

Fla._Deadheader


Everyone here probably understands the blade alignment details.

From what I learned, building our mill, anything with ANY weight, can cause the blade to twist a tiny bit. A level could VERY easily cause the blade to twist. I finally took a piece of 1/16 thick aluminum strip and marked a line and carefully cut on that line half of the length of that strip, with a NEW hacksaw blade. Then, slip it on the blade. A very tiny bit of misalignment can cause hair loss.  ;D

YES, it's probably overkill, but, we sawed sand impregnated logs and hit mussel shells, snail shells, etc., sawing sinker logs. Nearly never had a blade problem, once we went to Munks blades.

This is another reason we built the 1 rail WoodMizer style mill. NO twist in setting up.
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)

HaroldSiefke

I put a 4' level across the deck of my mill and then put my blade alignment tool that I made on the blade. Then adjust blade with your roller blade guide adjustments parallel with the level. I tried the torpedo level and then checked it with the blade alignment tool and it was way out of adjustment.

  

 
Harold

learner

Proper blade alignment is one of the key things for straight cuts.  But Don't forget about proper blade tension.  Any flutter in the blade or waves during cutting are signs the blade is either out of alignment, not properly tensioned or set wrong.
I had this problem thursday.  Good alignment, sharp blade and proper tension.  But I kept getting wavy cuts.  It was a re-sharp from Woodmizer but evidently the blade had been over-strained at some time and was dipping below and riding over the hard spots in the log.  God love em but every once in awhile a bad blade just slips by.
WoodMizer LT40 Super Hydraulic, MF-300 FEL, Nissan Enduro 60 forklift, 2 Monkey Wards Power Kraft Radial arm saws, Rockwell series 22-200 planer, Prentiss 210 loader

mmartone

We cut a pretty big log tonight and after a fresh blade and that alignment a few days ago, I can really crank up the feed speed. After cutting a cant to 6 x 14 we knocked the 2x6's off it with the feed belt in the center grooves and I could run it as fast as it would go. There no way I could have done that with the blade out of alignment. Its worth the $20 and few minutes it takes to set it up. If you dont have one I'd say its very important. 
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

xlogger

 :) You talked me into it I order one yesterday. I have been just using a torpedo level.
Timberking 2000, Turbo slabber Mill, 584 Case, Bobcat 773, solar kiln, Nyle L-53 DH kiln

GAB

Learner:
Could your wavy cuts be caused by having a build up of sawdust in one spot under one of the wheel belt causing the blade to vibrate?  My experience is that it does not need to be a lot of sawdust to cause trouble.
Also, I believe that a blade that is not parallel to the bed can magnify the waviness of the cut in frozen logs.  Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Jim_Rogers

Quote from: opticsguy on March 08, 2013, 10:20:40 PM
Quote;

"I had noticed the blade popped down as it came out of the end of the cut, I knew it was out of alignment, just didnt know how much or how much it affected speed! "

My blade also drops down at the end of a cut, about 3/16"  This is caused by blade alignment?
Will the blade be cutting "up" or "down"??

Your blade or his blade should not drop down when exiting the log, or raise up either. If it does either one that means the blade is dull and not cutting straight.

Of course if it's out of alignment then that's not good either.

Jim Rogers

Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

b bradley boo1


bandmiller2

I have always spent the time to level my band mill. What seem to be heavy ways on the mills bed can and do twist if not supported equally. If your saw head is moving and you see one of the four post wheels stop turning that's a sure sign theirs a little twist. Solid even support is especially important when your milling large heavy logs. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

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