Modat's sawmill

[Modat22]

 :D makes me wish i made mine smaller, i don't know how it got so big.

[highpockets]

Well if you built a thousand, there'll be something you will wish you'd done differently.  That is why I said bolt everything you can.  Things like loaders, clamps and turners can be a pain.  I worked with the idea that I wanted to have everything close to the back of the saw so I could see it well.  I can work  an 8' log ok but when I start loading a 20' log, it almost balances on the front loader arm.  I'd have also put my clamp and turner a little farther ( 2') forward. 

Oh well, you will enjoy it.  Kind of fun to experiment. 

   

[Modat22]

Guides are finished and look like they'll work alright, I also mounted the guide support arms on the saw. I used 1.25" solid square bar. Also had to weld 1.5 inch x 3/16 inch thick angle together for the telescopic tube for the support arms. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the guide adjusters made and installed then I can do a test cut.


main movable guide support arm. I can stand on it without it diflection.


front view of left support arm


right side support arm. Its slightly adjustable by 2 feet.


Rear view of right support arm.

Perhaps I can upload a running mpg or avi tomorrow if all goes well.

I still have to mount dogs, clamps, raise the bunks, make a battery box, and other misc. engine related components.

Hiya Highpockets, most things going on the mill are now bolt on. I finally got a decent set of spiral carbide taps and a set of carbide drill bits. I highly recommend the carbide drill bits to everyone, they cut great, and remain sharp thru a lot of abuse.

[Modat22]

Picked up a 8.9 RPM 1/4HP, 140VDC gear motor yester from a good friend. Coupled with the proper shafting, sprokets and the motor controller it will make one really nice lift to replace my hand crank. Also picked up a 3/4HP 180vdc motor to switch my lathe over to variable speed control.

[Modat22]

Log dog idea, I have a couple hydraulic cylinders from a merc cruiser boat and the small dc pump and was kicking around the idea of self raising and lowering dogs. By putting a micro switch in the saw head and a reference point that remains at the same height as the top of the dogs. As you lower the saw head the switch hits the reference point, the pump lowers the dogs until the switch no longer touches and voila. Auto dogs.

I'll try to draw it up and see if its feasible. I can't work on my mill till next week anyhow, I'm out of money.

Peace

[Furby]

Then you would have to unclamp your log in order to change your blade height right?

[Modat22]

Not sure, I was hoping that the hydraulics would be strong enough to overcome the friction between the log side and the clamp on the other. Having the dog lower itself might mark the lumber though.

Truth is I really don't know, I haven't seen a bandmill up close and in person yet.

[Furby]

On a cant I can see it being possible.
On a log, well the log is going to shift and mess things up.
Not saying don't try it, I think it would work up until the blade hits the height of the dogs (that's the plan right), but I'm wondering if trying to redog the log after it releases it's self will be more trouble then it's worth.
Try it and let us know!

[Modat22]

I'll make the dogs the way I'd do it for hydraulics and try a manual lower with a log clamped. Might not be able to do this until the log has been squared up first, I'm not too sure.

[Furby]

My dogs are straight and slide up and down.
With a cant or boards clamped, I can slide the dogs down either by hand or with the tap of a block of wood.
There are lock bolts I need to loosen first though, but I don't need to loosen the clamp.
I really can't do it very much on a log though.

[Modat22]

finalized bandsaw head lift. Thanks to a really good friend of mine I work with as often as I can.

This unit should lift 726 pounds max, and provides encoder output to a programmable counter that can give exact cutting thicknesses (as long as you remember the blade thickness)

[Modat22]

Saturday August 12th I fabricated an alternator mount, wired the charging system and made allowances for accessory wiring.

The wiring was a bit more envolved that I wanted it to be do mainly to the fact that I didn't have a one wire alternator on hand and used one out of an old chevy cavalier.

Inside the starter control box I'm using 3 relays:
1. to provide 30A of accessory power to a fuse terminal block.
2. to provide power to the field coils in the alternator when the key is in the run position.
3. to cut power from number 2 relay when the starter is energized (to lighten the load on my engine starter).

The maximum charging current I can get out of the alternator seems to be 40 amps which I hole will be big enough.

A friend of mine is in the process of bench testing a precision shaft encoder that I plan to use for cutting depth. I still plan on using traditional measuring sticks on the mill, but having the encoder already installed means it will be easier to control the mill by CNC at a later date.

I found a supply of (6) 6x8x1/4" wide flange 8 feet long and traded a rebuilt sears radial arm saw for them. My plan is to use these to make adjustable bunks on my mill per Tom's advice.

I didn't take any photo's but will as I begin work on the lift system.

Peace everyone.
Sam

[Quartlow]

Woo hoo. Got some parts in today!

Modat, where did you get your "V" rollers and how much were they?

I got them from www.northerntool.com v casters 4" 20.99 each.

They're not bad though the supports they are on are only but welded on one side. IMO a person might want to put a bead weld on the unwelded side before using them. But they are enameled and greasable. Over all a pretty nice caster.

should have looked here
v grrove wheels

OR here

[Modat22]

I started installing my electric lift Saturday and tested it Sunday. I had a failure but I'll explain that in a sec.

Basically I have a main axle across the top of my mill and a loop of chain on each column. At the bottom I have a free wheeling idler sprocket that also acts as a tensioner.


Idler/tensioner. There will be a spring loaded bolt on both of these when finished.


Side view of idler.


Picture of main beam.

Now for the failure, When I tested this the right side sprocket weld (welded on sprocket) broke, I didn't have a final weld on the beast. Then the the whole thing was in a bind and the gear motor continued pulling the axle toward it, bending the axle like a recurve bow.

Next modification will be to change out the axle and support the axle next to the large sprocket and also bearings at the very ends outside the lift sprockets (bearings on both sides of the sprocket. This way the axle can't bend. I was a bit peeved but if it hadn't happened now it would have happened at some point or other.

[jpgreen]

I spent a few hours deciding where to place, then installing a shock mount control to my debarker, only to find it was smack dab in the way of the engage-disenage drive arm when I was done.. :

Don't do that to often.. ;D

Ah such is the ways of the do-it yourselfer.  Looks good...   8)

[highpockets]

Modat, been there, done that.  I finally went to an acme screw driven by a hydraulic motor.  I used one in the center and used a equalizer arm kind of like a three point hitch on a tractor.  I like it as it is slow enough to give precise movement and holds the load exactly. 

This was my third design.  I'm kind of slow.

[Modat22]

made a few mods, I beefed up the chain lift (A bunch!)


Bearings bearings everywhere.


and more bearings.


better motor mount.



Adjustable I-beam bunks
 

Bunk saddle.

I know its all rusty, but pain will help it when the time comes.

Ohh well enough updates for now. I have to make the adjustable linkage to connect the saw head to the lift chains tomorrow.

[Modat22]

Well its getting warm out and I'm going to be adding some mods very soon.

The to do list this spring is

1. add extra drive belt and pulley
2. Auto thickness set
3. Auto cut feed (with feed back based on engine load. Slower feed etc)
4. New blade guides (cooks)
5. electric blade lube pump
6. new dogs and clamp.
7. if money allows a hydraulic log loader and bed extension.

Should I start another thread for this or keep it in this one?

[Furby]

Keep it in this one!

[olyman]

keep it in this one--just reading---

[fat olde elf]

Keep on keeping on..........Reads like a great adventure....

[Modat22]

I retrofited my saw with cooks blade guides yesterday. I need to add a verticle reinforcement on the moveable guide to stabilize the guide. It shakes up and down a little under load.




Not sure if its my shaking guide or if I just don't have the guides adjusted properly or even if I have a messed up blade, but the wood is slightly wavy

[olyman]

I went in to get a rear u joint for a '78 granada.  There were two choices so I took both and could bring one back.  I got the shaft out and looked in box #1, wrong one.  I look in box #2,  a well used cross, no bearings.  Luckily it was at a store that I go to often and they know me by name.  They said they should check boxes on returns.

Will

i have now gotten in the same habit will--some people like to return stuff--with the bad part in the box---sure would like to catch someone at it---cause a slipup--with 3 dol gas--could be a bit annoying---

[olyman]

modat--me thinks your toooo far away from a anchor point--can attach it to the tube that crosses between the two wheels????--i/e--come from the top--intead of from the side??

[Modat22]

modat--me thinks your toooo far away from a anchor point--can attach it to the tube that crosses between the two wheels????--i/e--come from the top--intead of from the side??

I'm leaning that way as well. I plan on adding a brace to the main tube to dampen the vibration.