Useful sawmill mods

[Paul_H]

You did good Bibbyman 8)
It even got a shiny coat of Yellowishred paint!

[ElectricAl]

Hey Bib,


Your the Man 8)



Really ;)



What else can I say ???


But,  WOW

[Bibbyman]

Just one more reason Pro-Sawyer Mary keeps me around.  ;)

[Gilman]

Bibby,
Thanks again for this thread, it's a great one.  I do have a request for you though, could you show me how to tie the back stops on a 24' extension to the two automatics on the main frame?  :D  I'm seriously looking into that one, if I do, I'll be sure and post it.

Here's a simple modification I came across by accident.  I got used to the hydraulic controls when it was summer time and either my hands were nice and warm inside gloves, or I wasn't wearing gloves.  Now that it is cold outside, I had trouble sometimes "feeling" the correct hydraulic lever.

The knobs are threaded really deep on the lever arms.  I backed the two toe board knobs off an inch.  After using them this way, I love it.  I haven't grabbed the wrong knob yet.



Here's two more modifications, the switch was added to run the second pair of loading arms on the mill extension.  The best modification is NO Tongue!! to scalp my shins.

[Bibbyman]

Good mod on the levers.   I'm often grabin' the wrong one even though I try to train myself to hold the left three in my left hand and right three in my right.  Mostly I mix up the two toe board levers.

On the power back supports for the extension. ..  While I've seen the extensions a number of times,  I've not studied them with the idea to link in the back supports with the ones on the main mill.

I kind of figured that the extension section was assembled about the same as a sawmill bed – just shorter.  Doesn't it look like you could replace the manual back supports with the powered type ones with levers on them and then link them together with a tie rod - just the same as on the mill?   Then couldn't you link the back supports from the mill to the back supports on the extension? Would there be some frame section in the path?

If you remove and reinstall the extension often,  I'd think the back support linkage between the mill and extension should use some kink of latch pin arrangement - like 3-point hitch pins.  That way you could remove the linkage without tools.

BTW.   The four power back support conversion I made on our mill has been working flawlessly.   No problems.  I thought we may run into some problems with rougher logs but so far,  they've been an asset.   Mary has thanked me a number of times. ;)

[Gilman]

Bibby,
The extension is a 24' extension.  Thus there is probably about 20' between the powered and unpowered backstop.  With that kind of span I'm a bit worried about buckling the tie rod.  If there is clearance I'd probably use a 2" sch 40 pipe.  If I add this feature I'll make sure I take some pictures.

[KENROD]

Nope, my Timber King is perfect, well OK it's close.
My problem is turning big logs. You know 30" X 18'.Well I think I've got the solution. My log turner is the chain type on a pivoting arm. The arm has plenty of power to lift mentioned log clear of the deck, it's the chai I have trouble with. The heavy logs force the chain down into the top of the arm making it drag. There just isn,t enough power to turn log and pull chain against metal. So I an going to add an idler sprocket (or two) in between the existing sprockets to hold the chain off the top of the arm.

[GareyD]

Kenrod

Ain't sure it would work, but, lookin at yer picture instead of idler sprockets, have ya thought about sum of that UHMW or other slickerey plastics like them white cuttin boards??

Had a feller give me a big sheet of that stuff a while back and been puttin it everywhere I want to reduce friction...

I works real good with plain ole woodworking tools  ;D  ;D  ;D

GareyD

[KENROD]

GareyD I hadn't thought of that, but I don't think it work very good. :-/ :P :-/ The way it is now, the chain pushs into the top of the tubing and has started to cut through the metal. So I think the UHMW would stand the presure very long. But it is something to consider.

[Hobby_Saw]

Might want to weld a solid square (1/2 by 1/2 ) on top of the tube. would do two things. 1- would lift the links off the tube    2- would give the rollers something to ride/roll on. Seems to work pretty well on large round hay balers

[Bibbyman]

Welcome to the Forum Hobby_Saw.

Preddy good thinkin'.   8)

[VA-Sawyer]

Welcome, Hobby_Saw.... That's just what we need around here... more farmers telling us how to fix stuff.     ;D   ;D  
Truth is that farm equipment has to work in a harsh enviroment, any fixes that work well there should hold up pretty well here too.
That is a pretty good idea, but I would chamfer the ends of that bar a little so the chain rollers kinda ramp onto it.
VA-Sawyer

[MULE_MAN]

If a Farmer can't fix it. It's not Broke  ;D
                   MERRY CHRISTMAS  MULE-MAN

[GF]

KENROD,
    I kinda have the same type turner you have on the sawmill I built.  I used a high torque (3392 Inch Pounds) low RPM (160RPM) ADM400 Prince Hydraulic motor.  So far it has not had any problems turning 36" X 18' Red Oak logs.  Curious as to what type motor and the torque rating your turner may have?

[Bibbyman]

Here is another mod I made recently.  I've delayed posting it because I need to do some finish work on it.  It needs a couple of rough edges ground off and paint applied.

But the deal is...  If you got a Wood-Mizer Super with the drag back feature and ramp,  AND USE IT,   you've probably had a board or two fall short and hit the front edge of the ramp.  We saw a lot of short stuff so this has happened more than a time or two.  

One Saturday morning about a month ago I was sawing and using the drag-back to feed Mary the 6/4 walnut coming off the mill.  The log was 8' long and normally this wouldn't cause a problem.  But it was a little far back on the blocks.  Well,  there was only one more cut to make and I was dragging-back the board I'd just sawn when it just fell off the side of the cant.   It fell just right to hit the front of the skid ramp.  BAM! The other end hit solid against the roller guide arm assembly.

The wreck pushed the guide arm assembly off the V rollers that supports it.   The only real damaged done was that it broke the .25-25 roller chain that drives the guide arm in and out.  It would be repairable but one side of one link was missing.  Used a magnet to go through the sawdust but could not find it.  For the want of a nail!

It was before noon so we called Wood-Mizer support and got another chain on the way.  Got it Monday afternoon and had it installed before I went to bed.



Anyway,  while we were waiting for the part,   I decided this had happened too many times.  So off and on Saturday afternoon and Sunday I worked on this plan.



As with most of my mods,  there is no welding or cutting on the mill.  I used a 1-1/2x1-1/2" angle to slip under the front lip of the ramp.  I just took the existing bolts out and drilled holes to match and re-installed the bolts.  This made and ledge for the deck to set on.

For the support up front,  I cut a piece of 1" square tubing (sorry I don't have the measurements but you can figure it out easy enough) just long enough to stick under the main tube about 1" and just reach to the outside of the frame tube brace.  I welded a small chunk of angle about 1" from the end so it would not slide under the main rail too far.  (If it did,  the sawhead would hit it as it passed by.)



The support is held up by a 4" U-bolt – I was just lucky to have around.  (Note that I placed the U-bolt far enough forward to miss the swing of the bunk.)  I wanted the deck to be removable and didn't want the support to stick out.   What you see past the frame is a smaller square tube 3/4"(?) that's about 16" long and slips inside the 1" tube.

The deck is 4/4 white oak.  Just what I found handy.  Turned out perfect as the angle chunk I cut off the middle board fit just right to make the last section.   I cleated the boards together using galvanized deck screws.  The wood here was some select stacking sticks.  The two across the narrow end are placed so they will straddle the front support.  This prevents it from working forwards.  

5/4 would have worked better as the 4/4 does not bring it up quite to the level of the ramp.  But we've used it quite a bit and no boards have hung on what lip that is almost exposed.  I thought I may tack a little strip of metal or something under that edge to bring it up higher.

So far the ramp extension has worked great and has not been in the way.  If there would be a need to remove it,  All I'd have to do is lift it off and pull out the telescoping square tube.

[Gilman]

Thanks again Bibby,
This is something I've been meaning to do too.  I think the original design is a real pinch point hazard.  Definitely enough force to loose a finger(s).

I have some stainless sheet metal, so I'll probably make mine out of that instead of lumber.  I'm in no rush right now since I don't even have the stainless steel cladded ramp installed.  It took me over a month to figure out that all it did was get in my way.  When sawing the long beams we don't use the board return.

[gmmills]

Bibbyman ,
    Thanks for this mod. It just got moved to the top of my long to do list. Like Gilman, when sawing 18' and longer logs i remove the table also.

   For those of you out there that have WM sharpeners that use flexible Loc-Line tubes to direct the coolant. Here is a newer style blade clamp that eliminates them. This clamp also allows you to easily adjust it for sharpening 1" ,11/4", and 11/2" blades.                

                                          

     This clamp can be easily bolted on to older vintage sharpeners

[Hammerhead]

Gmmills, I am trying to figure out how the coolant gets to the wheel looks from the picture it is piped into the side off the clamp? Is the clamp made by woodmiser and does it work much better then the original? Sorry for all the questions . Happy Holidays!

[gmmills]

Hammerhead,
     The coolant hose runs in front of the clamp to the black flow control valve and turns straight into the front of the clamp plate. The coolant exits the clamp through a hole in the top edge of the clamp which is aligned directly with the grinding wheel. It is a WM clamp. The clamp in the picture is on my 2000 model year sharpener. I also updated my 1991 model sharpener to this style clamp. I think this is still the latest clamp style that WM offers.  

[Bibbyman]

I asked Sparks and he gave me the following info on the clamp upgrade.

The part number for the blade sharpener clamp upgrade is
010654 and sells for $82.63.  

Thanks Sparks!

[wscott]

keeping my tape measure handy is very useful around the mill. here is a picture where i keep my tape. the tape has a magnet mounted to it and i just stick it on the command control center.

[Tom]

good show, Bill.   Did the tape come with the magnet or did you glue it on there yourself?

[W]

Definitely need a tape handy. I always carry at least two.  I clip them on the forward edge of the Hydraulic box cover.  Speaking of tapes, I've been meaning to apply a wide tape to the rail on the outside of the mill with '0' in the center and '1ft' thru '10ft' going left and right from there.  That way I can measure the length by adding the numbers at the two ends of the log.  Once I do it I'll post a photo.

[wscott]

Tom
got the magnet @ wally world just unscrewed the clip and scrrewed the magnet on. it works real good i never take it off even when i move the mill to a new site.have made 120 mile trip with it on the side never lost it.

[wscott]

Here are some pictures of the board guide i made for my WM LT40HD with commad control and Kubota eng. It will guide about 90% or better of all slabs and boards 12 ft or less in length. Does not work as good on boards longer, maybe 65%.
The only thing I have trouble with is when I edge on the mill. It is in the way. Have not figured out how to lift it up out of the way. Have tried a windshield wiper motor, was not strong enough.
 

The bar with all the holes I bought from Lowes. The fingers are made out of 1/4"X1-1/2" flat bar bought from local welding shop. Used 1/2" black pipe for spacers with a 7/16" cold roll bar in the center. The rod is supported by angle iron on each end, cut to fit and bolted on. The top half of the fingers are about 8" long and the bottom is about 10-1/2" long. Looking left to right, the first four spacers are about 6" apart. The last space is 4" apart. Have no reason why I spaced them that way.


Looking @ back of guide


Had to make an offset mount to miss the radiator. Set it out about 3-1/2". Used 1/2"X5" grade 8 bolts. The 1/8"x1"x2" tubing is laying in a 3" piece of 3" channel iron.


Have it hinged on the end of the tubing with a 3/8" bolt so it does not have to be removed when I travel with the mill.


This is how it rides when in the travel position.

Looking for any suggestions on how to lift this up using 12 volts only. Have looked into using a 12v winch but was trying to get by without having to use a reversing mechanism. Have thought about a gearmotor but do not know anything about the specs on them. Looking for something inexpensive.

Thanks for any help!