Useful sawmill mods

[jimdad07]

I am brand new to a bandmill but found on my Hudson HFE30 that on a windy day it rolls easily enough to take my mill head down all 28' of track and almost take it over the carriage stops.  At first I wedged a piece of wood under the rollers and it worked fine but I didn't trust it.  Made a trip to my work van and grabbed two beam clamps that go on I beams to hang pipe and duct work with threaded rod from the clamps.  Put them on the angle iron track and now she's secure.  As soon as the barn is built I'm turning all 28' into a mobile mill complete with hydraulics for lifting logs and turning them.  Been watching too many threads of hydraulic mills on here.

[4x4American]

Bandit those GMC jacks'll never stand the test of time, needa use Ford jacks, Ford knows their customer will use the jacks alot so they spend extra money on an extra heavy duty design jack.  loo

[Bandmill Bandit]

I hear you 4X4 but the Ford jacks are too big to fit inside the mill jacks and at 5 bucks a jack at the wreaker I got about 8 spares right now the last 4 I found are out of 1 ton dually trucks and are 30 ton rated. Got another idea that I am going to try too. Just working on one now and will post when i see how it works out.

[larrydown60]

I made a notch to lock the compressed outrigger pin spring while I raise and lower the leg.  I might add another pin like Dangerous Dan and this would allow me to lock both or just one pin.



 

I just saw your pic of locking pin and my fisher snow plow has similar pins and I saw some replacement pins at auto store that have the spring included might be worth a look.

[larrydown60]

I found a pic of the locking pin

 

[flatrock58]

larrydown60  Do you have a web site where you found the pins?

[larrydown60]

Yes they are on fisher plow.com or Ebay under fisher plow parts and locking pins

[Seaman]

I started the extra battery mod for the HD pump. I have been cutting a good bit of short stuff and do not like to move the engine back so often.
I plan to go to the flat seven pin plug in, and plan to use the hot wire to charge the deep cell batt while towing.
Will the alternative charge both batteries while on the power strip at idle, or do I need to idle it up?



  



 

Batt in pic is a temp, I plan to get a deep cell from Cat, I think it will be a good investment.
A friend gave me a bent alum diamond plate toolbox to close in the box. I might make new fenders out of diamond plate also. A little BLING might help if I have to go into da hood and saw !

[WV Sawmiller]

Seaman,

   Does this give you the hydraulics anywhere functionality? When you park the head does the alternator recharge your extra battery too?

   If so please take plenty of good pictures and measurements and bring them with you next week as I need to talk with you. I need to do something with my hydraulics as keep having to move too much to find a spot that works. I've sanded dead spots where I arced and coated everything in dielectic grease and it is still a pain and too time consuming finding a sweet spot that works.

   Thanks. see you Friday.

[LeeB]

WV,
Check the contactor on the bottom rail. The rail may need a good sanding too or the contactor may need adjusting.

[Magicman]

Will the alternative charge both batteries while on the power strip at idle, or do I need to idle it up?

Put a voltmeter across the battery and watch the voltage as you increase the idle speed.  My engine has to idle at 1500 in order for the alternator to put out max volts. 

[WV Sawmiller]

Lee,

   Thx. I may try sanding the rail. I already adjusted the shoe to fit a little tighter. Looks to me like it should be tight enough. The shoe looks to be about 3" long so I can't understand why a small burnt spot would prevent contact but something surely is.

[Seaman]

WM, PM sent
MM, Thanks sent!

[Bandmill Bandit]

Will the alternative charge both batteries while on the power strip at idle, or do I need to idle it up?

Put a voltmeter across the battery and watch the voltage as you increase the idle speed.  My engine has to idle at 1500 in order for the alternator to put out max volts.

I went to a 3/8ths inch smaller pully on the alternator and a high HP alternator belt to turn the alternator. I get max out put at 8-900 engine RPM. Also installed a Kohler Tiny Tac so i know actual RPM.

It is all on the forum some where.

FYI
Top view of my genset so you can all see the lay out. Right now it is on a piece of 3'X18" glue lam beam about 2 feet long. The steel frame base is under construction but I need to pick a few rubber mounts be for I continue. The inverter will mount above the alternator in the steal frame and will be made to remove with an over centre lock leaver and a 100amp forklift type quick disconnect.

The grey weather proof box with the amp meter, light and on/off switch in it will be expanded to contain ALL connections, gauges switches and various other plug ins. It will be raised to the top of the protective frame/cover and be mounted on a slight upward facing angle to allow for easy read of the gauges. The finished steel frame will be 2 inches wider just to give a bit more space for wiring to be run inside of conduit AND still fit inside my little red wagon. I know its over kill but over kill has never come back to bite me so far. Well not until I have to do a repair anyway.  

Larger fuel tank mod is rolling around in my head but at this point it seems unnecessary.        

[Seaman]

Thanks BB, that is quite a settup!

[Bandmill Bandit]

Thanks BB, that is quite a settup!

Meh! what can I say but;
I am German. some days that is a blessing and some days it is a curse.

Thanks for the compliment.

[DGK]

BB, what size of engine are you using? I have a GX160 4.9 hp driving a 60 amp alternator. I doubt that I could have driven a larger alternator with 4.9 hp based on the load that the engine is experiencing when using the hydraulics. Max torque on the GX160 occurs at 2500 rpm. I have my alternator spinning at 4166 which is near the top of the alternator power output curve.

[Bandmill Bandit]

GX160 5.5HP pulling a 108 amp alternator. Not having any issues with power. Think I am running a 4.5 inch to a 2.25 inch on alternator. have a to check for sure though.

[Peter Drouin]

Had time today to fix the mill.
Pulled out the pin, undo the auto clutch, unbolt the mount from the cat and leave it hanging. :D :D :D


  

  

 

All new bushing,


  

 

All in, will have to spend some time on alignment . With the new bushing I want to be sure the drive pulley and the engine pulley align.
The auto clutch, and brake band.


 


You can see how bad it was  :D :D
But even with that The super cuts like a champ.  ;D


  

  

 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Feels good to get a job like this done before the REAL cold sets in. Way to go Peter. 

[YellowHammer]

Good job on the fix.  Seems like there should be a way to get a grease fitting to that wear surface somehow.  Every time I look at mine I get the feeling it's not being lubricted adequately. 

[Peter Drouin]

Good job on the fix.  Seems like there should be a way to get a grease fitting to that wear surface somehow.  Every time I look at mine I get the feeling it's not being lubricted adequately. 

I did put ATF on it over the years.

[SawyerBrown]

Speaking of grease fittings, I sure have had trouble with the ones in my claw turner.  Not sure whether they got whacked at some point, but both have popped out when I had to use just moderate pressure to get some grease in.   

  

  

 
I don't really like the press-in type.  In the process of tapping the holes and replacing with "good" ones.

[4x4American]

Been fabric making a roller dragback table unit for my mill.  Idea came from Peter Drouin of New Hampshire


Here it is upside down:






Right side up:

Here's the idea:

[Peter Drouin]

Coming along. 8)