WM outriggers, questions

Chuck White · April 01, 2012, 03:07:00 PM

If you're handy with a mig welder, why not just cut some light metal and make permanent covers for the outriggers?

Cut them to just fit inside the tubing.

Magicman · April 01, 2012, 06:35:48 PM

Digging the outriggers in so that the top is at least a couple of inches below the saw bed prolongs the cap life.

T Welsh · April 03, 2012, 06:40:13 AM

I had the same problem for years until I got sick of it and welded caps on all the tops. problem solved ;D. Tim

Magicman · April 03, 2012, 09:25:31 AM

Or replace them with FAO's. ;D

No cap, just an adjusting nut on top.

T Welsh · April 03, 2012, 06:21:27 PM

Magic,I could use those right now,have the mill set up for three weeks now on a new dug out area, The mill keeps sinking into the ground and I run out of tolerance once it sinks in. gave me fits until I figured it out. I am going to put them on my wish list. Tim

Magicman · April 03, 2012, 10:12:44 PM

I am completely sold on the FAO's. I knew last Summer that I would have at least two before this year. My plan was to replace the ones in front of and behind the axle on the rail side. After replacing them, I decided to replace the front (hitch) FAO. I personally see no need to replace the two on the loader side or the tail end.

On the "332 Miles for This?" job I moved the sawmill and set it up 16 or 17 times, many of which were on a gravel road where I would have had to dig in a couple of outriggers to get them below the saw deck. They have been a life (back) saver for me.

Jim_Rogers · April 04, 2012, 08:06:24 PM

Well, as a quick fix I tried the duct tape method:

This one doesn't look like it's going to stick:

Oh, well I tried...

Jim Rogers

T Welsh · April 04, 2012, 08:49:34 PM

Jim, Duct tapes saves time and from what I see it did its job 8). Tim

terrifictimbersllc · April 04, 2012, 09:09:17 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 03, 2012, 10:12:44 PM
I am completely sold on the FAO's. I knew last Summer that I would have at least two before this year. My plan was to replace the ones in front of and behind the axle on the rail side. After replacing them, I decided to replace the front (hitch) FAO. I personally see no need to replace the two on the loader side or the tail end.

On the "332 Miles for This?" job I moved the sawmill and set it up 16 or 17 times, many of which were on a gravel road where I would have had to dig in a couple of outriggers to get them below the saw deck. They have been a life (back) saver for me.

MM why is having FAO jacks on the loader side less important?

Dan_Shade · April 04, 2012, 10:07:41 PM

i'm guessing he levels to those stands

Magicman · April 04, 2012, 11:05:48 PM

Less important to me. Others my have a different opinion.

There are 4 outriggers on the rail side and 2 on the loader side, and the two loader side outriggers are very easily accessed. The rail side not so, especially the ones in front of and behind the axle. The weight of the logs, sawhead, and engine are constantly trying to sink the rail side outriggers into the ground, so they need re-adjusting much more often than the loader side does. Matter of fact, it is a very rare instance when I have had to re-adjust the loader side.

pnyberg · April 06, 2012, 07:59:05 PM

In my case, it's what Dan said. My 'demo' mill came with FAO's along the rail, and standard outriggers by the loading arms. In general, I set the loader side outriggers, and then 'tune' the setup using the FAO's.

--Peter

DR Buck · April 08, 2012, 09:56:43 AM

What is the adjustment range of the FAOs? I mean the screw adjustment only, not the entire outrigger. Is it just a couple inches?

pnyberg · April 08, 2012, 06:31:39 PM

The FAO nearest the hitch on my mill has about 7" of adjustment in the screw. That's the only one I could measure easily at the moment. I suspect they're all about the same. I rarely use more than a few inches of adjustment in the center outriggers.

--Peter

terrifictimbersllc · June 20, 2012, 08:14:39 AM

On the FAO's, does one have additional adjustment beyond the screw travel of 7"? I mean are there holes within that the pin goes through on the bottom of the outrigger, that one can use to re-set the post to different heights? Can one get the front hitch end as low to the ground with an FAO as with a regular outrigger, when ground slopes down from front to back?

Magicman · June 20, 2012, 10:45:42 AM

Yes, there are holes drilled for multiple stops. There have been instances where I have wished for a few more holes in the front FAO. I do still need and use a couple of blocks for either the front or the back. (My back is not a FAO.)

Blocks added beneath the FAO.

pnyberg · June 22, 2012, 10:33:27 PM

Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on June 20, 2012, 08:14:39 AM
On the FAO's, does one have additional adjustment beyond the screw travel of 7"? I mean are there holes within that the pin goes through on the bottom of the outrigger, that one can use to re-set the post to different heights? Can one get the front hitch end as low to the ground with an FAO as with a regular outrigger, when ground slopes down from front to back?

I have 4 FAO's along the rail. I've never had standard outriggers in these positions, so I can't compare. The hitch end FAO and the two middle FAO's all have three sets of 'pin holes' about 1-1/2" apart. The rear FAO has about 6 'pin holes', so there's a lot more flexibility at that end.

Having FAO's doesn't mean that you don't sometimes need blocking, especially at the front or rear. But, once blocking is in place, getting the mill's weight properly distributed is pretty easy.

--Peter

Magicman · June 22, 2012, 10:45:04 PM

You will not be digging the FAO's in so that the tops will clear the bed rails. I have seen the need to have a couple more holes on the front FAO, but then it hasn't prevented a setup yet. I just raised the foot to the next higher hole and used a couple of blocks. Still no digging in.

I am 100% sold on the FAO's for portable use. The ease of setup is unbelievable.

Peter Drouin · June 23, 2012, 06:34:24 PM

Quote from: Magicman on June 22, 2012, 10:45:04 PM
You will not be digging the FAO's in so that the tops will clear the bed rails. I have seen the need to have a couple more holes on the front FAO, but then it hasn't prevented a setup yet. I just raised the foot to the next higher hole and used a couple of blocks. Still no digging in.

I am 100% sold on the FAO's for portable use. The ease of setup is unbelievable.

thats why I have six of them , MM

Magicman · June 24, 2012, 04:06:04 PM

Quote from: Peter Drouin on June 23, 2012, 06:34:24 PMthats why I have six of them , MM

Because of the unlevel terrain, I could have used 6 at my last saw site.

There is no question that the FAO's are a worthwhile sawmill option for a portable operation. I thought so, but after a got mine, I knew it.

drobertson · July 30, 2012, 12:06:01 PM

Just cleaned mine, I used a piece of broken blade on each side of the lock pin, then set a block held the lock pin and finished the job, the duct tape is quick and cheap, tacking a cover sounds good too,

ToddP · November 22, 2017, 09:46:43 AM

This thread is great. I run a tree removal business in Atlanta, and I've always kicked around the idea of setting up a portable mill so that on a job site, we can quickly mill the really thick trees into live edge slabs to be used in furniture building. Figured that would be a great way to add another revenue stream to my business. It's always felt like a pretty daunting task for me to get set up, but after reading through these posts, it puts me at ease, knowing that it can be done. Thanks guys.