Hydraulic Band Headrig

[Tim]

Has anyone taken a stab at running a band headrig hydraulically?

I've run slashers in the bush. The saw is run with a direct drive hydraulic motor. They are rather sizable and when they get on in age they tend to seep and stall. As the power required to run a band headrig would not be as much as a slasher saw, I'm wondering if it would work. Electricity is too expensive, gas is expensive and another engine to maintain.

[Ron Wenrich]

We have run edgers, blowers, chain drags and debarkers with hydraulic motors.  It can be done, but you would have to run some sort of pantagraph system to carry the hydraulics to the motor and you would need the proper size of motor to run it. 

I think a hydraulics system would be useful, but it would require a pretty large tank, or some sort of cooling system.  That may make it too bulky for portability.

[Tom]

I think that is what Logmaster is doing, isn't it?

[iain]

I've posted this address before so there maybe comments in another thread

http://www.scrubtec.co.uk/

these are good saw's, seen them work and would like one (a lot)

look around the site at their other stuff

i've got the tech specs here some place


iain

[mike_van]

Tim, if electric & gas are too expensive [I know, believe me] What would you power the hydraulic head with?  I don't see why it wouldn't work with the right system, but I see it as another place to lose power, your're adding a componet to the mill, this has to take some energy.  If a 25 hp engine will run the mill head, or a 10 - 15 hp electric, why run a hydraulic pump first, then the saw?

[Ron Wenrich]

I can see it useful if you are using multiple motors.  I have jeard of some mills running a gas motor on saws and another for hydraulics.  You could run one bigger motor to drive hydraulics and have a hydraulic motor on the head and a lot hotter hydraulics on your unit. 

I don't think you'll see any improvement in the economics, but maybe in the performance. 

[slowzuki]

Yup adding a layer of hydraulic in the mill drive just for fun will increase energy consumption another 25% so hopefully you have another reason to do it.

[tcsmpsi]

Yep, Tom.  On their LM5 and LM6, the 30" bandwheels are hydraulic driven.

Far from being able to afford one at the present, I would sure love to go see one operate. 

They haven't had one on hand the couple times I've been there, thusfar.  Maybe I can schedule a trip when they do. 

[Tim]

I run a circular mill, portability isn't an issue. I am already running one gas fueled plant with hydraulics on it already, powering the carriage drve and the bunks. I am thinking of adding a small band resaw. I have run with multiple power plants previously, and don't really like it much (exta maintenance and all).

It is time to put some money into the sawmill, the shingles are paying the way for it. A resaw is one of the things to be added. I'm looking at removing the gas fueled plant and installing an International DT466 (roughly 220 hp.) When I put in the diesel, it will be set to power both mills, though only one mill will run at a time unless I can find a way to clone myself.

The resaw is intended to reduce reliance on the carriage and head rig for primary breakdown.

I was  curious to see if it had been done.

Thanks

Tim