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How much horsepower to run edger

Started by riverswamp sawyer, December 16, 2010, 03:30:35 PM

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riverswamp sawyer

I just got an old,old, Turner edger....I am 46 yrs old and this thing is at least twice as old as me.
It was part of a circle saw mill rig and ran off of the same engine that ran the mill. 
(big ol diesel engine)

Would like to get the thing working again because it is  special to me....I ran this edger from the time I was 13 till I was 19. This was before child labor laws....well thinking back my dad was the law and when the law said work at the saw mill I did what he said.

My question is how much horsepower does an edger require? I have an 18 hp. Briggs engine that I will probably try.....

riverswamp sawyer

I have had many requests for photos of my "Red-neck" saw mill.... All I can say is I am trying....... seems that my old computer is having issues with loading pics to the FF forum.

Seems like a pattern here dont it?    Red-neck saw mill AND old wore out Red-neck computer.....

I have already discussed this problem with Mrs. Claus. So maybe for Christmas..........

WH_Conley

I think the rule is 5 HP per inch per blade. Example would edging 2 inch stuff with 2 blades would take 20 HP. I tried a 24hp Onan on an old American edger, wouldn't pull it. I think it fed too fast though.
Bill

Peter Drouin

I have a 26h cat on my WM edger if that helps. 8) 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Dave Shepard

It all depends on the feed speed. Running 21 fpm, I could edge both sides of a 10/4 elm flitch with a 10 hp electric. Our WM runs 80 fpm on the high speed, and has the 26 HP Perkapiller.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

customsawyer

The edger that you were standing beside on Sat. has a 27 hp. kohler on it and the other edger I have has a 34 hp perkins on it that being said I think 18 hp will do fine if your not in a hurry. Make sure you can slow the feed speed down on the  thicker stuff and you will do fine.
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

barbender

Too many irons in the fire

Brucer

My twin-blade edger has a 22 HP Kubota diesel. Running 1" D-Fir through it, the motor doesn't even hesitate when the wood hits the blade. Pushing 2" through makes the engine get down to work, but it still doesn't slow down.

An 18 HP gas engine might bog down a little with 2" material.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Meadows Miller

Gday

I would not go under 25 in petrol and maby 20 in a diesel motor but that would dedend more on your feed setup gear drive has no give in it but if the feed speeds low you could get away with it belt drive id an easy setup to change as far as ratios are concerned like the Meadows deluxe edger I have here is belt drive with a slack adjuster system which has a leaver and a catch so if you where only edging lite material upto 2 with all 6 saws you could lock it in going flat out at 130 feet a min with a saw rpm of 2000 then if they where edging heavy 26x4"cants off the carriage using all 6 saws at full depth you could un clip it and get some slippage but it did struggle with cuttin 6 x 4x4"s  at a time sometimes even with a  75hp  electric motor but like dad says they use to ask alot of the old girl alot of the time but it still got it done  ;) :D :D :D ;D 8)

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Bandmill Bandit

the perkins diesels were a great and reliable engine that had a reliably annoying habit, especially if you like to keep your equipment clean. They leaked just enough to keep the very dirty. no matter waht you did you could never put enough "GUM" on em to stop those annoying little leaks.

Then Cat bought em, took em back to the machine shop and the engineers and low and be hold you have an engine in the the lower HP category with the Cat name on it that out performs the old Cats in that category AND burns a fraction of the fuel. I love those little perkapiler engines. Torque out the wasu.     
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Dave Shepard

I've gotten to like our 51 on the mill. Starts better in the cold than it used to, but still isn't too happy about it. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Peter Drouin

Dave Shepard  ; does your 51 cat use anti-freeze up?
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Dave Shepard

It doesn't seem to. I've noticed that it will sometimes drip out the over flow when it's really hot out. I learned on an old dozer that you don't want to fill them right up to the neck if they don't have an expansion tank. They will just overflow until they reach a certain level.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Peter Drouin

I don;t know I have 1200 hr on it. I checked and it took all most a gal to fill I read the book and it said the water pump use ant-afreeze to lube it;s self ??
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Dave Shepard

Yes, but it shouldn't be consuming any AF. If it is weeping out the bottom of the water pump, then the pump is worn out/self-destructing. If there are no visible leaks, it has to be either leaking into the combustion chamber, or the oil. This means bad head or head gasket.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Peter Drouin

Thanks Ill call wm or the cat man. 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Bandmill Bandit

I am going to guess head gasket. either that or the head may have had a casting flaw. 1200 hours is nothing for hours on that engine. yes the water pump does lube with coolant but the seals are designed specifically with that in mind and should not weep really at all. on some there may be what looks like slight condensation but un les you are actually looking for it and look when the engine is under loadd and warm you wont even see it.

If it is burning it, its some thing related to the head, head gasket or possibly a top o ring or hair line crack along the top of the sleeve at the ledge line if it has wet sleeves. That was a perky problem for a few years. if it is a crack it will likely be in the second hole. and will be on the back side of the sleeve and run about 1/3 of the way around in a clockwise direction. Problem is the ledge on the block was cut at a slight down ward angle and the sleeve is resting only on the very edge of the lip and is sitting about 10 to 15 thou to high as a result. the head forces the sleeve down and the lip cracks.

dont know if that will be your problem but it sure sounds familiar.   
   
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

pa_of_6

I have a detroit 3-71 running my edger.

3 inch slabs with sharp teeth , no problem to zip thru a 16 footer in 5 seconds.
Dull teeth and you can hear that detroit work!

I think the detroit is rated at about 100 hp, Overkill you say...reserve power I say!

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