TK-2000 log loader

[Larry]

When I load logs onto the mill with the loader 90% will need a little assist to start rolling onto the mill.  A few will require an assist with a canthook.  Of course round logs roll much better than square logs. :D

I'm going to modify my loader so most of my logs will roll onto the mill without my assistance.  First thought was to alter the geometry of the connector link with a new pivot point.  Of course that would be too easy...the connector interferes with the hydraulic cylinder shaft if I change the pivot point.  There are several other ways to skin this cat, but I thought I might ask on the forum first if anybody has made a modification.  It would be nice to follow somebody's lead on this one.

[Ga Mtn Man]

I spent quit a bit of time pondering that issue and never came up with an easy fix.  I'm interested in seeing what some of you more clever fellows have come up with. ???

There's a member that built a mill that in many ways is a copy of the TK2000 and, as I recall in his pics, his loader arms went further past horizontal.  I'll see if I can track down his forum name.

[sprucebunny]

How about adding a long tapered piece of wood or metal to the inside of the leg of the loader that is horizontal when the log is not rolling ?
It would move the weight point outward slightly but the mill should handle it. The wedge probably doesn't need to be fatter than an inch or two if you can taper it to almost nothing.

[Ga Mtn Man]

...or even better, you could lay a piece of bar stock on the side of the horizontal part of the loader arms (when in the UP position), put a pivot at the end nearest to the mill and a 4" stroke hydraulic cylinder at the other end.  You would be able to dump even the most stubborn logs onto the mill. 8)

[Nomad]

     Since I'm strictly mobile, when I set up I try to give myself a couple of degrees of horizontal lean toward the back side.  That seems to help a lot, and makes my debarker happy too.

[Sixacresand]

I experienced the same thing on the LT40.  I make it point now to level the mill side to side or slightly higher on the side with loading arms.  Still, sometimes logs will not roll off the loading arms and I have to help them along.

[Ga Mtn Man]

The loader arms on the TK2000 don't come up nearly as far past the horizontal as the LT40 does.  They do, however, get there about twice as fast (as the LT40HD standard). :-\

[TGS]

My guess is that they intentionally designed the loader arms this way to stop logs from crashing onto the bed and into the stops. I've thought about adding a fold down arm from the bottom of the loader arm and pinning it about half way up. This would give the log a little boost to start rolling on its own. Of course I'm sawing with a B-20 too, and I think your loader is a little different from mine.

One improvement I would like to make is to copy the swivel controls from the 2000 and add a drag back to my 20. I think the swivel part would be pretty simple, with some extensions on the hydraulic hoses.

[backwoods sawyer]

I add a wedge under the outside edge of the feet and that gives the loading arm a bit more lift, may look at modifying the foot to get the results your after,

[Larry]

This morning I tried various changes to increase the loading arm angle.  Made a couple of wood wedges as sprucebunny suggested without much improvement.  When I made the wedge bigger it worked, but the fat end took up too much room.

Decided I could drill a new hole in the arm connector that would give me the angle needed.  Made a paper template so both sides are the same.





You can see the result.  The stock arm is nearest the camera with an angle of 11 degrees above horizontal.  The modified arm is 34 degrees above horizontal.



Next step tomorrow is to cut the loading arm at the elbow.  Then I'll weld in a pie shaped piece with a 23 degree angle.  This should put the loading arm back to a similar configuration as stock.  This is one of those mods where I'm not quite sure it will work as intended...if you guys see something speak out before surgery time. :D

[Ga Mtn Man]

Wow, Larry, that is some hard-core mod-ing!  Did you loose any mechanical advantage in moving that hole?

[redbeard]

Do both arms come up evenly? My B-20 has a slower arm. I fiddled with it bleeding the lines ect. but it always came back, been living with it. Having it steeper like that a big oblong log could get  away from you and hit hard on the stops.

[Larry]

Wow, Larry, that is some hard-core mod-ing!  Did you loose any mechanical advantage in moving that hole?

Theoretically I may have gained a tiny mechanical advantage.  Not worth thinking about.

Do both arms come up evenly? My B-20 has a slower arm. I fiddled with it bleeding the lines ect. but it always came back, been living with it.

One arm lags the other on the 2000's also.  I've read that it could be fixed by plumbing the cylinders differently, but I don't have any personal experience.

Having it steeper like that a big oblong log could get  away from you and hit hard on the stops.

That is a very real concern that I've thought about for a long time.  I don't saw many of the big boys.  The log stops are really tough and quite stout.  I haven't had to adjust them since getting the mill and they are still square.  Most of all I'll have to be careful and think while loading.

[macpower]

...or even better, you could lay a piece of bar stock on the side of the horizontal part of the loader arms (when in the UP position), put a pivot at the end nearest to the mill and a 4" stroke hydraulic cylinder at the other end.  You would be able to dump even the most stubborn logs onto the mill. 8)

Sort of a 2 stage loader?

[Ga Mtn Man]

Yep, that's what I had in mind.  I'm disappointed that Larry didn't take the idea and run with it. :'(

[Ga Mtn Man]

Next step tomorrow is to cut the loading arm at the elbow.  Then I'll weld in a pie shaped piece with a 23 degree angle.  This should put the loading arm back to a similar configuration as stock.  This is one of those mods where I'm not quite sure it will work as intended...if you guys see something speak out before surgery time. :D

I'm trying to picture in my mind what that will look like in the lowered position and I just can't see how it will work.  If you open up the angle won't the tips hit the ground before the arm is fully down?

[Peter Drouin]

Next step tomorrow is to cut the loading arm at the elbow.  Then I'll weld in a pie shaped piece with a 23 degree angle.  This should put the loading arm back to a similar configuration as stock.  This is one of those mods where I'm not quite sure it will work as intended...if you guys see something speak out before surgery time. :D

I'm trying to picture in my mind what that will look like in the lowered position and I just can't see how it will work.  If you open up the angle won't the tips hit the ground before the arm is fully down?

[Rockn H]

I'm trying to picture in my mind what that will look like in the lowered position and I just can't see how it will work.  If you open up the angle won't the tips hit the ground before the arm is fully down?

I'm just guessing since I know nothing about the stroke on these mills.   Probably, since he moved the mounting point for the cylinder to push the arm further up it doesn't let the loader arm lower all the way to the ground. 

[Ga Mtn Man]

I'm pretty sure he moved the pivot point where the end of the loader arm is pinned to the bracket

[ronwood]

Larry,

To help both loading arms to come up at the same time would it help if you welded a horizontal piece between them like on the woodmizer.

Ron

[york]

Larry,i would talk to the people here,about controlling the flow to your lift arms....

http://baileynet.com/hydraulics/flow_dividers

[Rockn H]

Ga, I looked at the pics closer and see what you mean about where he changed the pivot point.    It still looks like it'll have the loader arm kicked up when the bracket cycles down,  if full down was level to begin with.

[Rockn H]

Larry, I see where you first tried changing where the cylinder mounted to bracket.   You said it hit.  Have you thought about maybe splitting the difference between your two mods so you wouldn't have to alter the loader arms as much to get them level with ground?

[Larry]

I'm past the point of no return now.  Mocked up how the arm will sit when finished.  One problem is I have pushed the center of gravity for the log 6 to 8" away from the mill.  Will see how it works before I think about addressing that.



The arm parts are prepped for welding now.  Sitting here waiting for the bandsaw to finish sawing out the pie filler pieces.  It would help if I put a sharp band on the saw.  Maybe I'll get this thing welded up tomorrow.

[Ga Mtn Man]

I should never have doubted you Larry. :D   If the change in center of gravity turns out to be a problem   you could add a horizontal extension to the outriggers like this:



 
picture provided courtesy of bruce29