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Head raise system

Started by waynorthmountie, February 08, 2018, 06:02:48 PM

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waynorthmountie

I recently bought a peice of land which contains a woodlot with a 5 year plan of making it the location of our home. The short term plan is to build an off grid cabin for when we visit. Would like to build the cabin out of 8×8 from the trees on the property.

I am a person who likes to tinker and build thinks and plan on building my mill using an old bus frame for the base. My biggest dilemma comes when deciding on how to move the head up and down. I personally would prefer to use an acme screw for accuracy but see that most commercial models use a cable system and it also appears to be the moat popular style on home. Also i habe seen several spring assisted chain systems that seem amazing. Hydraulics is not an option as i would like to keep they system as simple as possible. 

From owners and builder's experience what system would they use on their dream mill for a muscle power option.


Thanks in advance for your assistance

Ga Mtn Man

I'd use a gearmotor with chain and sprockets.
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

SawyerTed

This sounds like an ambitious plan....wood lot, build a saw, build a cabin, build a house in 5 years.    Maybe I'm missing something or didn't understand the time line?
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

waynorthmountie

The cabin would be first. I would hire out the construction of the house as i have a full time job.

Yes i know its a pipe dream but if you dont think big you have nothing to push for. Cabin is gonna be dead simple. Just a box with a loft

Kwill

Quote from: Ga Mtn Man on February 08, 2018, 06:07:01 PM
I'd use a gearmotor with chain and sprockets.
that's the system I'd like to go with if I could figure out a good way to do it.
Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

Den-Den

For a fully manual system, the lift needs to be simple and efficient.  Cable with spring assist would be good.
You may think that you can or may think you can't; either way, you are right.

Wudman

I built mine with acme rod.  I used 1" by 5 threads per inch.  It is a four post type mill with a single acme rod on either side connected by #40 chain.  I have a steering wheel on one side pirated off a lawnmower for small adjustments.  I have a 3/4 inch bolt head on the other side that I power with a Milwaukee cordless drill for more movement.......works very well for me.  I built mine to build a house as well.....built the mill around 2000......moved into the house 2 years ago.  It was done by a contractor.  I could have done it myself, but I got married in the interim.  Wives don't have quite as much patience as I do.   



 

Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

kelLOGg

Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

Kwill

Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

waynorthmountie

Another question came to mind about head raise systems.

I have not seen a system that is counterweighted. A counterweight would limit the force required to lift the head and thereby make a gear/chain system more effective.

Or is there some reason this is not done.


Kbeitz

Quote from: waynorthmountie on February 08, 2018, 09:56:42 PM
Another question came to mind about head raise systems.

I have not seen a system that is counterweighted. A counterweight would limit the force required to lift the head and thereby make a gear/chain system more effective.

Or is there some reason this is not done.

I would think if the head was floating that it would enhance wavy cuts.
Best to let the gravity do its work and hold things down.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

waynorthmountie

Quote from: Kbeitz on February 08, 2018, 10:26:06 PM
Quote from: waynorthmountie on February 08, 2018, 09:56:42 PM
Another question came to mind about head raise systems.

I have not seen a system that is counterweighted. A counterweight would limit the force required to lift the head and thereby make a gear/chain system more effective.

Or is there some reason this is not done.


And now it becomes painfully obvious.

I would think if the head was floating that it would enhance wavy cuts.
Best to let the gravity do its work and hold things down.

ladylake



Nothing wrong with using a counter weight or garage door spring to relieve some of the weight , surely don't want it floating.  Also if using a worm gearbox make sure it a heavy duty one with a high ratio like 80 to 1 so it holds the head  when stopped.  A 20 to 1 or 30 to 1 might not..  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Kbeitz

Acme rod come in 1 cut 2 cut and 3 cut. One is slow and 3 is fast.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Ga Mtn Man

I did not know that.  So it's like course and fine thread pitch?
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

Kbeitz

Quote from: Ga Mtn Man on February 09, 2018, 08:08:24 AM
I did not know that.  So it's like course and fine thread pitch?

No... It will have 1-2 or more starting threads.

What does multiple start mean?  Lead screws can have more than one thread cut into the diameter. 
A 1 start has only a single thread cut.  A 2 start has 2 threads and
the motion per revolution is doubled from .1 inch per rev to .2 inch per rev.  Similarly the 5 start has
5 separate threads cut into the outside diameter of the rod.  This results in motion of .5 inch
per revolution of the screw.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

pineywoods

I added a couple of garage door springs to the head lift on my manual wm lt40. Just enough to help a head lift motor that's a bit on the small slow side. Pics in my gallery. I know of one local mill that uses a couple of big lead counterweights. He removed the gas engine and installed a 20 hp electric motor...too much weight for the lift mechanism..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

bedway

If you go to my photos you will see my process of adding a spring to my saw head. It has worked out great.

waynorthmountie

Bedway. Do you have a link to your complete build.

Also curious as to why you added the spring assist to the acme screw system.   

Crusarius

I was thinking of adding a spring assist as well. It will be less stress on the motor and maybe less wear on the bronze bushings. The spring assist should never cause the head to float just make it lighter. Right now my motor is working well without the spring assist so that may be a future mod.

Hilltop366

Spring assist or counter weight = same thing only different. Add a brake and there will be no worries.

Check out a SMG Champion mill and see how fast and easy the saw head moves up and down. You can glean all kinds of ideas from their mills they seem well thought out easy to use with centralized controls. With a manual mill you will spend more time handling the log than cutting so any time saved is helpful.

waynorthmountie

Ya I have looked at the SMG Champion, great idea's possibly the best looking factory made unit on the market.  To bad it is impossible to find any real details about it. Quebec company who is forced by language laws to do most of their website in French I think. Very limited English info.


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