Useful sawmill mods

[treedog]

Looks good Woodwalker! ;) I also operate a manual mill and want to do the same thing. What and where did you purchase the add-ons (motor h.p. ect). My mill is set up near elec. but have been thinking to stay dc if operating on back 40. maybe using a atv winch or something; but don't have a problem with ac.  Any ideers?

[Woodwalker]

Treedog, I'm setting this one up to run on AC and this is all "Cowboy engineering".  The gear-motor is a Dayton, Grainger model #4Z383. It is 90V DC (120V AC source), 1/8 HP, 58:1 ratio, 31 RPM. Raise/lower travel on the head is about 1" per 4 seconds. The variable speed control is made by Dart, #253G-200E. Found both the control and motor on Ebay. Counting the chain, sprockets, bolts and nuts I have about $180.00 invested.
This motor could be powered off a inverter/portable generator for out in the woods. The factory uses DC gear-motors  on the new mills.
This head uses 2- sets of double roller chain for raise/lower. It is a heavy sucker. I don't see anyway to use a winch to move it. Some other mills I've seen use a hand crank boat winch that could be replaced with a electric winch. I don't know anything about the speed or durability of the ATV winches.

[Bibbyman]

After 13 years of knocking my knuckles against the end of the blade guide motor when I worked the blade tensioner,  I decided to do something about it. 



I noted that the motor that runs the debarker is the same as used on the blade guide.  But for some reason, Wood-Mizer put a rubber cup over the debarker motor.  Sinse we're under roof and I didn't see a need for it on the debarker motor,  I just took it off an put it over the end of the blade guide motor.

[logwalker]

Bibbyman, I bet that helps protect those light gage wires feeding the brushes on the end of that motor. Mine was missing when I bought my mill and those wires were nearly broken. I am going to put on my order parts list. Thanks, LW

[Bibbyman]

I've never seen a WM mill with one on the guide motor and never seen on without one on the debarker swing motor. 

I asked why in one place and not the other.  The answer I got was that they thought the guide motor may over heat.  Maybe Sparks can reserch this and give us a better answer.

BTW,  I had the wires chewed off the blade guide motor by cows one time.

[ElectricAl]

After hitting or nearly hitting several of our off-bearers over the last 12 years, we added a 2" convex Mirror.

[DansSawmill]

on the subject of more horsepower......
I saw a amish mans rig in ohio once that had a hyd motor mounted for the reg motor then hyd lines on swing arms to a LARGE motor skid mounted on the floor with a radiator... he was sawing at a circle saw site , they woould debark the really good logs and bring them to him to saw....
just a thought
dan

[Woodwalker]

I got the parts in and installed for forward and reverse travel. It consists of a gearbox driven by a reversible variable speed three-phase motor. VFD drive for the three-phase and DC drive for the raise/lower motor are mounted in a removable control box. 



I need to clean up the wireing a bit. Maybe add some indicator lights? Over all, the rigging works better than I thought it would.

[Bibbyman]

How about some covers over those chains and sprockets?  They look like they could eat fingers by the dozens.

[Woodwalker]

Chain guards are on  the list, along with a little paint to cover up my welding.

[Gilman]

Those aerosol gussets will make it stronger too.   ;D

[karl]

Here's a few modifications to my ole MD


This balanced guide crank doesn't viborate to the down position and back away or crowd the main saw like the original

This ice tea bottle keeps my palm from gettin' stabbed by cable wires or all grease when I grab the post to get on/off the mill. It's first,er second use was as a funnel to add oil, but it became a hand hold after I added a gas filler and cap from a pickup to the top of the oil filler with a rubber sleeve so the oil fill is tall enough to fill without a funnel.


This is the plug hanging down from the battery on the mill and the cord to the 12v motor to raise/lower the carriage.
This solves the juggling of 2 batteries to start the mill and raise/lower


a window cut in the back of the mainsaw guard allows me to sight the blade along the log when setting up for first vertical slab off

Learning all the time......

karl

[Frank_Pender]

Thanks for sharing, Karl.  You have some good ideas.  Could you show a photo of how you changed the oil intake site?

[just_sawing]

Bibbyman
I use a 3" channel iron bolted down. It is better to burr or make teeth on the top but I can catch small cedars this way and not throw them as I have in the past.

[Bibbyman]

Bibbyman
I use a 3" channel iron bolted down. It is better to burr or make teeth on the top but I can catch small cedars this way and not throw them as I have in the past.

I'm getting old.  What was my question you answered?

[GregS]

Question for Stump_Jumper
I was going back in this tread looking for ideas and came across this picture by Stump Jumper...

Is this a special quick-disconnect for a fuel line or just a common compressed air quick-disconnect?  If so has it held up ok?

[Stump Jumper]

Greg s
to be sure you would have to ask wood mizer because it is factory .it is not like any air line coupling i have ever seen . it probably has seals in it to handle off road diesel fuel .

[Minnesota_boy]

I put those kind of disconnects on my fuel tank after the second time I broke the original style.  I found them in the sporting goods section of Walmart.  They are labeled as fuel connections for a Honda outboard.  They have seals on both parts of the quick coupler so fuel doesn't leak from either end.

[GregS]

Thanks for the help Stump_Jumper.

I put those kind of disconnects on my fuel tank after the second time I broke the original style.  I found them in the sporting goods section of Walmart.  They are labeled as fuel connections for a Honda outboard.  They have seals on both parts of the quick coupler so fuel doesn't leak from either end.

Minnesota_boy that is great information thanks a bunch!  I put a removable gas tank on my Timber Harvester but it does little good without the quick-disconnect.  I will take a look next time I am at Walmart.

Greg S.

[Minnesota_boy]

You might be able to find them at an outboard motor dealer too.  Sometimes there is a slight price differential though.  :

[wiam]

I have an air quick connect on my homemade mill.  It has not leaked yet after about 3 years.

Will

[gmmills]

   On my old LT 40 I used small hyd quick disconnect fittings. The type used on pickup snow plow lines. Found them at my local NAPA.   

[GregS]

Excellent ideas guys thanks.  I knew I shouldn't have given up on this so quickly  .

[karl]

Thanks for the kind words Frank-here's the oil fill extension-

a 1 1/2"x 2" No-Hub plumbing connector and a gas tank filler and cap from a '72 Ford Pickup. 2" side fits over oil fill tube on engine and clamps- ditto for extension.


Here's a better pic of the dust chute. That plastic jug behind it replaces the 1.5 gal gas can that was original- we made a plywood base that sits in the original bracket and supports Teat dip jugs(available for free at your local dairy farm) This way I can saw for 3 times as long before refueling, I can see when it is getting low, by having a bunch of jugs I can fill them all with gas and only switch the caps to put them directly on the mill- no spills, no funnels and they can even be changed without shutting down the mill as enough gas remains in the line to keep the engine running while I swap- that was real handy for the couple of months I was starting the ole girl with a rope start!

karl

[DanG]

Great mods, Karl! 8) 8) :P  The oil fill and dust chute are 2 things that have been bugging me, but I just hadn't addressed them.  I think I'll try it your way.