Hud-son Hybrid ?

[DomR]

I got the oscar 30 home on Wed and realized that the frame was already bent.  One of the cross braces was up about 5/8".  I decided to make new bunks out of 4 x 4 x 1/2 so its alot stiffer.  We drilled holes at each crossbrace for lags into 6 x 6's that will be supported by their own cross braces / cribbing.  Didn't like the stops of dogs either.  One pin was so crooked that the stop wouldn't rotate without a big pipe.  I Made new stops and dogs using some of the Saw II B and woodmizer ideas.  When it was all loaded in my truck I remembered that there was some type of log levelling apparatus on the woodmizer but I don't have anything like it on the Hud-son.  What is that thing and do I need it.  I have a little more fab time since the bro-in-law wants it all powdercoated now.  Any thing else I'm forgetting?
DomR

[DomR]

O.K. everybody  I'm sorry I didn't post pics-yet.  I have no IDEA what I'm talking about with the lifter upper thing. Was I just imagining it?  If not how do you utilize it and would it be a good idea to have one of them on my mill?
Advise please
DomR

[Dan_Shade]

I sawed out some blocks of varying thickness that I used to block up the logs to saw parallel to the heart.

[Tom]

The Lifter thingy.  :D  We call them "toe boards".   

Yes, something of that nature is important when you are sawing a log that has taper.

two terms to remember "split taper" and "full taper".

Split taper is when you lift the small end of the log so that the pith is horizontal to the path of the blade.  The taper is taken out of the log in a wedge shaped slab.  This is used more frequently when cutting softwoods for construction material.

Full taper is when you lift the small end of the log high enough that you are cutting parallel to the bark.  That procedure is used more in grade sawing and the taper is taken out of the middle of the log when you are finished taking off the boards

You can rig up a hydraulic one by using a small hydraulic auto jack.  Not having one, you must lift the log with a lever and place dunnage beneath it to level it.

To make toe boards more functional, manufacturers have been putting rollers on top of them.  this lets you raise both toe boards and push the log or cant forward or backward.  It helps when you need to center a log or off-bear a heavy cant/timber.

[DomR]

Dan- If I read some of the old posts correctly, and I went back alongways on some of the threads, would it be fair to say that cutting parallel to the heart decreases the chances of wane, warp and whatever else.  What if the pith is at the top or bottom of the "center" cut? does the board warp or do you not have a problem?
Have you ever used plywood for stickers?  I'll be just starting so I don't have any dry stuff cut but I can get all kinds of 3/4" plywood like 14" x 8" to rip down until some of my own stickers are dry.
Tom-Thanks It's nice to know I'm not losing it. I was thinking about using a 2" threaded machine leveller if I needed to do something like that.  It would lift a corner of a 3000# machine easily so other than having to reach down under the log to turn it , it should work.  I'll put a slot in a 4" channel that I can set inside the frame rails  so it will be adjustable.  Should Work?
DomR

[Tom]

Whatever you do, make it so that you can operate it fast.  You might find that turning a nut, or screwing a bolt, will quickly become cumbersome.  You will be amazed at how quickly a lever and dunnage works if you have a place to pry from.  Cant hooks make a pretty good lever in a pinch. 

When you first start, you will think that you have all the time in the world.  The more experienced you get, you will become anxious about anything that slows you down.

[beenthere]

DomR
The straightest grain possible in a board would yield the least amount of warp. That I think would be sawing parallel to the bark, with taper in the center. Not the easiest way to saw a complete log, however.

[Ianab]

Have you ever used plywood for stickers?  I'll be just starting so I don't have any dry stuff cut but I can get all kinds of 3/4" plywood like 14" x 8" to rip down until some of my own stickers are dry.

Yes 3/4" plywood will work fine for stickers, just rip it into 1" strips and go for it 

Cheers

Ian

[arj]

I use a hyd. sissors jack form Northerntool,  2 ton I think
was only about $30.00 , you can also move it to either
end of the mill in case all the logs don`t point in the same
direction. I made my own log stops and dogs also , used
round pipe instead of square tubing, that way the stops
can be where they need to be no mater how crooked the
log, the stops and dogs work independently of each other

[coldnorth]

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but
Arj,
Could we see a closeup of the winch mods on that Hudson?
I have a Oscar 30 that is great for what I do, but I am not happy with the manual winch setup on it.  Or was that an option I was too cheap to pay for?
:(

[WkndCutter]

DomR,

Great Ideas.  I'll have to look at the sissor jacks for toe boards.  Right now I use blocks.  I will be upgradeing the log dogs and stops, I like the pipe idea.

I made a 17' long custom track out of 3" angle and only use the 12' of 2" Hudson track as an extension when I cut over 14'.  The total I can cut now is 26' but I have not had to cut that long yet. 

[arj]

coldnorth
  Power winch is standard on Oscar 36 don`t know about the 30,
I`ll take some pics tomorrow and post as soon as I can.
                arj

[jpgreen]

Good info.

Subscribe.

[PineNut]

If you are going to use scissor jacks for toe boards, make it so you can adjust the position of them. I have a Cook's saw with scissors jacks that are fixed in position and they are not very useful. If the load is not centered over the jacks, it will force the jack over to one side. For small logs, I use a bar and blocks and for the larger ones the FEL and blocks.

[arj]

Heres a pic of the winch I`ll put some more in my gallery over the
weekend



this is my toe board it sits on a 6x6 between the bunks
it can be moved to eather end of the log as needed