Slabbing Bandmill ??'s and new member introduction

[scor440]

I don't know why the dust dumps on the operator side of WM?

[Dave Shepard]

Would you rather it dumped it on the loading arms and the next log? If you are walking by the head, I don't think it much matters where it's blowing.

[MSWT]

York - helpful stuff for sure, thank you!

I put in a call to suffolk machinery about some blades and wheel sizes as well.  I think I have saw-head engineered, will be using SCH80 pipe in 3" and 2.5" to make a telescoping assembly.  The axles on the ends will be 1.5" and set in 4-bolt flange bearings.  Tensioning via screw-jack and tire pressure. 

The guys with tire-mills:  how did you make sure they ran true to each other?  I can weld square (most of the time) but these are precise things..like, really precise. 

Head will be manual push and manual raise/lower.  Power transmission via belt and cam/lever with idler pulleys.  I'm going to start with my 25hp propane, but am looking into a 3-phase electric/genset option once I get it to GA and sawing.  I have some experience with electrical, and my last 3phase woodmizer, 10HP, would keep pace with a 25hp gas on the dimensional stuff.  Those electrics have torque for days...key will be sourcing a 3PH genset for the right price. 

I hope this thing works, I've got a lot of monster logs to saw.....

[Den-Den]

You need to build in some adjustment capability so that you can tweak the alignment.

[MSWT]

Does anyone have a picture or diagram as to how they did that?  Some close-up shots possibly?

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum MDWT.

[Swatson]

Like Denden said.  You have to leave some adjustments.  Pillow blocks if you use them have some adjustment, you can also drill some holes a little little larger than needed.  Say you are using half inch bolts, drill the plate to 5/8ths.  Shafts can slide in and out.  In my set up the idle side has tracking adjustments, and the drive side I can slide the shaft in and out and move the pillow blocks to get my vertical alignments to make the wheels plane up.  Then my head can be tilted in and out.  Biggest key is dont make wear and tear parts non replaceable.  Use bolts where needed.

[MSWT]

Swatson - very helpful stuff, thank you.  I'm going to have a fixed drive wheel, supported by 2 4-bolt flange bearings.  the idler wheel I'll make adjustable to fit the drive wheel I think. 

Did you just weld that hub to the driveshaft?  It's what i was thinking of doing unless i can make one from some 1/4" plate and weld on a keyed collar, I'd just have to get it trued on a lathe - I don't have one.   

Re: tensioning, has anyone used airbags?  I have a set of those AirSprings left over from another project, and they put out some force when they're loaded, and have about 5" of travel.  They also inflate with a bike pump in about 30 seconds.  They seem a little more forgiving then a screw-jack method, and are replaceable as all get-out. 

[Swatson]

The hub on the drive side is not welded to the shaft.  I used two weld on hubs (the kind you use for weld on pulleys) and put them in both sides of the hub.  I took the bearings out of the hub.  The weld on hubs had to be turned a smidge to fit.  Nothing fancy to turn them, I just mounted them on the shaft and hit them with an angle grinder while they were turning.  The weld on hubs have keyways cut into them. 

[Swatson]

Did you just weld that hub to the driveshaft?  It's what i was thinking of doing unless i can make one from some 1/4" plate and weld on a keyed collar, I'd just have to get it trued on a lathe - I don't have one.   

I would not use 1/4 inch plate here.  I would look at 1/2 inch.  There is a lot of stress from the band pulling on the tire. There is a big difference in strength between plate steel and cast iron.  The tire works kinda like a cheater bar on the hub and I would be afraid it would bend 1/4 plate.   And if I did use plate and a collar I would make triangular buttresses to weld to plate and collar.

[FarmingSawyer]

Would you rather it dumped it on the loading arms and the next log? If you are walking by the head, I don't think it much matters where it's blowing.

Just move the operator to the other side....keep sawdust where it is, and give him a plexigass screen on the dust side. And if he's got to ride a long, give him a seat! It's not like he's got to step out and help turn the log!!

[Dave Shepard]

So you want the operator to walk over the loading arms and the next log? It's all about compromise. Like I said, if the wind is right, then it doesn't matter which side the operator is on, you are going to eat sawdust. If you can't be in the dust, then you need a remote station. As the options increase, so does the price. If you want an inexpensive mill, then you are going to have to push the head, and be in the sawdust. If you've got $80k to spend, you can get a climate controlled sawbooth.

[FarmingSawyer]

If you've got $80k to spend, you can get a climate controlled sawbooth.

That was kinda my point...that WM1000 costs upwards of that. If I was going to spend that much, I would be thinking hard about those options. I do push my mill from the loading side.....away from the sawdust chute. Works great. Rarely take a sawdust bath. Being on the loading side of the mill helps me see the logs coming up and think about how I'm going to put them on the mill before they get there. I'm not sure I could get used to looking through, or over or around the headsaw rig to check the deck--be it a stack of logs on the ground or trailer or a dead rolls.

When I was offbarer on a circular mill my station was across from the live deck. I used to play a game of trying to think through what the sawyer was going to cut out of any given log. I got better as the years went on. It also helped me know which bin I was going to dump material in and whether I had time to edge AND stack the 1x before getting back to the headsaw to collect the 2x or beams.....

[mikeb1079]

at first i too was curious why the dust exits on the operators side on a mill such as a wm.  then i got one and realized that there's no choice.  you can't pile sawdust on the loading side and you can't operate from that side either.  the hydraulic loader arms-which most guys use to hold slabs that will soon be edged-are in the way.  even if the arms were down it would be too much of a trip hazard having to step over them every forward and rearward pass.  anyways, it's not that big of a deal.

back to the original thread: 

i know you've got to use what you've got but my suspicion is that you're gonna be waaay underpowered to slab 5' with 25hp.  50-60hp diesel would be much more appropriate to the task.  if i were in your shoes i would bite the bullet and purchase the large cook's wheels.  yes they're alot of money but if you're milling huge slabs the return should be quick.  also, i think the steel wheels would better handle the extreme tension you're gonna have to run.

[MSWT]

Ok gents, got some progress, and inevitably, more questions.  Saw head will be made of SCH80 steel pipe, and telescoping.  Tension will be via two airbag springs from a 350 truck kit.  Spoke to timberwolf blade rep, he was extremely helpful, will try and run a 1.5" wide 0.052 blade on this sucker.  Rumor has it they cup less in wide cuts... 

Re: power - I have found two options, one being a 4 cyl Isuzu diesel which I can buy cheap - I love the idea but it might be too heavy.  Option 2 would be a VW bug motor.  Option 3 would be a D series motor from a honda civic, have a good friend who is rice-car builder and can get me a solid 110hp standalone motor that weighs less than 300lbs....

Saw frame is thick-wall 2x6 square tube with 2x8 cross supports to deal with giant logs.  Will possibly put I-beams underneath after flex is measured. 

Going to use Pneumatic tires.  Can't justify cost of $2K+ for wheels right now. 

Questions:  Blade guides - I was looking at Cook's or Woodmizer's guides.  Any preferences out there?

Blade tracking - is there a primer course on how this is done?  i've got an 8-way adjustable coupling between idler wheel and frame, so adjusting that will be pretty easy, but I need to know how to make that SOB track straight.  I understand the crown of the tires will help a lot, but unsure after that. 

Thanks guys, have lots of parts on order, will get some pictures/website up once I get to welding and bolting!  This place is very helpful.