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By-Passing the contact strip

Started by Chuck White, January 23, 2011, 11:59:26 AM

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Chuck White

Didn't want to steal the thread Bandmilling in extreme cold!  ;)

I have been thinking about by-passing the hydraulic contact strip.

Wouldn't you only need a single wire (positive) to run from the original contact strip cable to the spring loaded contact cable ?  :-\

You would have the ground (negative) spring-loaded onto the bottom rail!  :-\

Also, do you have some means of keeping the cable from being damaged?

Thanks
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Bibbyman

The only reasonabe way to convert from contact bar to cable is to have a cable track like on the remote station mill.











Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

AvT

I havnt looked at it closely but i think to have a good circuit you would have to run a negative as well because the battery moves with the head.  there are the copper strips (positive) and the steel bar (bottom rail) is the negative contact strip
Wannabe sawyer, Cord King M1820 firewood processor Palax KS35 Ergo firewood Processor, 5403 John Deere, Bunch of other farm equipment,   LT70 Remote Woodmizer.  All good things but the best things in life are free.. If you don't believe me.. hold your breath for 2 minutes

pa_of_6

Both AVT and Bibby are  correct.

First, the cable track/cat track is the best place to run the welding cables.
Other options are
1- springloaded cable retractor....Kinda like what you have for some airhoses
       you would have to find one strong enough to handle the welding cable and
       keep the sawdust out of it.
2- You could have a "tightwire" set up that would then hang the welding cables on rings
       that would slip on the tightwire....I dont like that idea much, but it is there.

Now on the idea of only one cable, the positive.
The ground wire connector/contact on the bottom of the of the underside rod just doesnt make a good enough ground. The extra cost of running 2 cables is minimum and ensures a good contact at all times.

Also, connect those cables directly to the pump where the strip connects and the negative directly to the negative of the battery to make dam sure you have a good contact.
The more fluff you can elimate the less of a chance you have for things not working.

I completely removed both copper strips and the positive brass contact on the mill.

It works great.  I can use my hydraulics no matter where the cutting head is.

I can raise the next log 70% while still sawing the log that is on the bed.

I can unclamp the cant when I have the extension on and am cutting overlength stuff instead of lifting the head up...returning the head to the strip, unclamping, then moving the head forward to catch the drag back dogs....

I can lower the side supports once I realize I will not make it past...(that one alone paid for the cables just by not cutting the side supports)

I can lower the loader once I set the mill to cutting the log that was loaded....

It just opens up a whole world of freedom instead of restricting yourself to the copper strips.

But, this is just my experiences...and it worked UNBELIVABLY well for me.

And IMO, I think it would be cheaper for WM to install on all the cable track machines instead of 2 copper strips and all associated rigging required for what they have now.


Just as a side note, when I had the copper strips, I would be moving the head back with the lever pushed so when the contact hit the copper strip, the hydraulics would be working.
This would cause an arch..actually anytime you use the hydraulics while the mill is moving along the copper stip creates arches that wear the brass contact pretty quick.









Chuck White

Quote from: pa_of_6 on January 23, 2011, 06:53:58 PM
Just as a side note, when I had the copper strips, I would be moving the head back with the lever pushed so when the contact hit the copper strip, the hydraulics would be working.
This would cause an arch..actually anytime you use the hydraulics while the mill is moving along the copper stip creates arches that wear the brass contact pretty quick.

I've noticed that too.

I guess it's just a natural thing, we just want to speed things up.

Usually while I'm sawing, I'm already thinking about 3 steps ahead of where I am.

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

pa_of_6

Chuck, you are so right in thinking 3 steps ahead.

When you are sawmilling you have all sorts of time to think....about milling....that is why I love it so much! Has me forgettin about everything else.


Chuck White

Quote from: pa_of_6 on January 24, 2011, 08:58:05 AM
Chuck, you are so right in thinking 3 steps ahead.

When you are sawmilling you have all sorts of time to think....about milling....that is why I love it so much! Has me forgettin about everything else.

Yup!

Just don't forget to keep the iron down.  We don't need to be hearing "zziinngg".

Forgot to say, thanks to all for your responses!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Bibbyman

Two other options would be to power the pumps with another battery.  That would work ok if you are where you can keep them charged with a charger connected to 110ac or the likes.





Another way is to convert to a hydraulic power pack.  That's what I did. But I'm sawing stationary and have 3ph available.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Chuck White

Quote from: Bibbyman on January 24, 2011, 09:24:58 AM
Two other options would be to power the pumps with another battery.  That would work ok if you are where you can keep them charged with a charger connected to 110ac or the likes.


I'd forgotten about the 2nd battery option.  Should be room in the hyd. box.

Thanks Bibby.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

pa_of_6


But with that 2nd battery in the battery box, unless you have an AC charger, it will only charge when the mill head is contacting the copper strip.

Usually the mill is only idling when it is thereor working the hydraulics, hence not alot of charging going to happen via the altenator.


Chuck White

Hmmm!  :-\

Maybe I'll just have to learn "not to be in such a hurry"!  ;D
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

bandmiller2

If you have a stationary mill and high overhead you can drop a cable from the celing,my bandmill is electric and run that way.Also the tight wire, loops of cable on small pulleys (called festooning)as suggested works fine.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Chuck White

Thanks for the pointers fellas!

100% mobile, so I probably better stay with the way she's set now!

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Bibbyman

There are two other things that can be done to help with the strip. 

One,  add another strip at the other end of the mill so when you saw out,  you can flip and clamp etc, before returning.  It's good also to be able to unclamp and removed the last board before returning the head. 

Two,  add an extra length of strip to the existing one - thus, you won't have to bring the head back so far when you saw short logs.

Tips ..  Keep extra contact buttons on hand.  Keep something around to clean the strip.  And try not to run the hydraulics with the head in motion.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Chuck White

Quote from: Bibbyman on January 25, 2011, 09:52:20 AM
There are two other things that can be done to help with the strip. 

One,  add another strip at the other end of the mill so when you saw out,  you can flip and clamp etc, before returning.  It's good also to be able to unclamp and removed the last board before returning the head. 

Two,  add an extra length of strip to the existing one - thus, you won't have to bring the head back so far when you saw short logs.

Tips ..  Keep extra contact buttons on hand.  Keep something around to clean the strip.  And try not to run the hydraulics with the head in motion.

Other than the blade still in the wood, I've gotten to where I'm already ahead of the mill.
When I went from operating my FIL's LT40G18 manual mill to my hydraulic, I couldn't believe the increase in speed.  :o
Now, I just figure I'll try and keep on track with what I have.  ;)
Stop, then activate the hydraulics!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Brucer

Quote from: pa_of_6 on January 23, 2011, 06:53:58 PM
Just as a side note, when I had the copper strips, I would be moving the head back with the lever pushed so when the contact hit the copper strip, the hydraulics would be working.
This would cause an arch..actually anytime you use the hydraulics while the mill is moving along the copper stip creates arches that wear the brass contact pretty quick.

If the contract strip is arcing, the ground contact is probably making intermittent contact as well. That causes the current to go through the track bearings. You won't see the arcing taking place inside the bearings, but it's there.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

pineywoods

Quote from: Brucer on January 26, 2011, 12:18:06 AM


If the contract strip is arcing, the ground contact is probably making intermittent contact as well. That causes the current to go through the track bearings. You won't see the arcing taking place inside the bearings, but it's there.

Just think what arcing will do to the insides of a ball bearing. If your mill goes through a lot of head support bearings, that's most likely why. MY mill is a fixed installation similiar to bibby's, over 7000 hours and still has the original bearings.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

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