Building my mill...

[InterMechanico]

I would just get a 24 volt pump and be done with it.  Messing with DC/DC converters or speed controls or remembering to swap batteries is just more stuff to go wrong.

By regularly, I mean every 3 months. Not really that difficult to remember, and cost zero dollars.

[Kbeitz]

Need someone to double check my wireing...
Lower switch bypasses the speed board for fast return.
Upper switch reverses the carriage motor.




 

[Kbeitz]

I got some junkyard metal yesterday ...
Just what I need for my log lifter.
I sure would like to see the metal bender that did this job.



 

[Kbeitz]

I got my limit switches installed...



 

[Kbeitz]

Working on the electrical...



 

[Magicman]

Soon your electrical box will be full.


 
This is arnold113 showing PatD his control box.   ;D

[Ox]

Shore'nuff, that's impressive.  So over my head that I can't even comment on it!  Simply impressive. 

[Kbeitz]

Shore'nuff, that's impressive.  So over my head that I can't even comment on it!  Simply impressive.

Nothing is as hard as it looks... You need to break it down and look at it one part at a time...
You end up doing things twice sometimes or untill you get it right.
Also google will show you everything you ever wanted to know...

[Kbeitz]

 Today I got the metal I needed to redo my log dogs.
I needed to make the shaft square instead of round.
The dogs would rotate on the round shaft and fall out.
The square shaft can't rotate.
Works much better.




 

[Ox]

"Building square keeps it there" 

[CaseyK]

Hi Keibtz
I just came across your build & it looks great. I am in the process of building a mill also and noticed that you used the same type of DC speed controllers that I did to start with to control my 3 wheel chair motors. They were cheap and worked good for about an hour of testing movements of the 3 axis but one by one they failed, at first they would loose speed control then they would loose stop control and then would run upon applying power and wouldn't stop. To fix this I replaced them with (3) minarik 24v dc drives to control the speed of the (3) 24 volt wheelchair motors and they worked great, they have the ability to accel to a speed and decal to a stop and also have torque limiting. In addition I also added DC current shunt displays on the 3 motors so I could see what amperage they were producing. I also set up the preset speeds using resistors and relays to have a slow and fast speed settings at around 20% and 80%.
Good luck
Casey Kennedy

[Kbeitz]

Hi Keibtz
I just came across your build & it looks great. I am in the process of building a mill also and noticed that you used the same type of DC speed controllers that I did to start with to control my 3 wheel chair motors. They were cheap and worked good for about an hour of testing movements of the 3 axis but one by one they failed, at first they would loose speed control then they would loose stop control and then would run upon applying power and wouldn't stop. To fix this I replaced them with (3) minarik 24v dc drives to control the speed of the (3) 24 volt wheelchair motors and they worked great, they have the ability to accel to a speed and decal to a stop and also have torque limiting. In addition I also added DC current shunt displays on the 3 motors so I could see what amperage they were producing. I also set up the preset speeds using resistors and relays to have a slow and fast speed settings at around 20% and 80%.
Good luck
Casey Kennedy

I looked at minarik 24v dc drives on E-bay and seen different models.
Could you give me a part # ?
I though what I bought would work real good because they are rated for up to 50 amps.
But if they dont hold up I will give what you bought a shot...

Thanks.
Kevin

[Kbeitz]

I got a good start on my log roller today...



 

[gww]

Hope you post a vidio when you get this mill done so I can see how everything works.  You are defanatly going all out.
Good luck
gww

[CaseyK]

Kbeitz, the drives I used were MINARIK DC MOTOR SPEED CONTROL DRIVE MODEL XP32-12/24DC, when searching ebay you will want to buy one with a heat sink or purchase one seperatly. Also you may want to search for a XP60, it has the same function but is capable of 60 amps & I got one of those because I found one cheaper than the 30 amp units. Any of the dc shunt volt / current meters should work for displaying the v/c of the motor.

[Kbeitz]

There is a XP-32 on e-bay right now for about $80 with shipping.
Looks like it come with a heat sink or do you add more?
As of now there is no XP-60 listed



 

[CaseyK]

The picture is for the basic unit, the heat sink will be bigger and have cooling fins. Some of the other minark drives listed may show the heat sink. Or try to google the manual for the xp-32 and in there it list the part number for the heat sink. When I searched it on ebay by the part number back a couple of months ago there were atleast 3-4 sellers that had several.

[gww]

If worst comes to worst, the old telivision sets have real good heat sinks that can be retrofitted.  It is best if the slots the fins make are facing up and down so air flow is created. sorta like a register fins in a boiler heating system.  Probly lot of other electric stuff have good heat sinks also.  More and bigger in heat sink is better.  I have one from a tv on the back of an ssr that I use to preheat hot water.
Good luck.
gww

[Ianab]

With a "bare" option like that board you probably have the option of using the mounting as your heat sink. An aluminium box for example could hold the electronics, AND conduct the heat away. In a sawmill application that sort of thing probably matters because you want to keep the dust out of the electronics, which makes a cooling fan a problem. They don't work well in a sealed box, and air vents let in the dust. So you use the case as the heat sink.

Bolting some sections of U channel alloy on the back of the case behind where the unit is mounted would work, and use some silicon thermal paste in each joint to move the heat away better.  Running the fins vertical like gww mentions helps, because convection then helps the air flow easier. Or add a small external fan for extra air flow.

[kelLOGg]

K, I use 24 and 12 VDC from two batteries just as you do; 24 for wheelchair motor and 12 for winch for loading/turning. Been very pleased with it. If your DC speed controller doesn't have polarity protection rig up something simple and foolproof. Here's my experience:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,68613.msg1032103.html#msg1032103

Bob

[Kbeitz]

Uck.... Painting...

I hand brushed the whole thing to give it a good thick coat.

After it dries and I touch up I will spray paint the whole thing again.



 

[gww]

I always liked blue.
gww

[Ox]

Don't feel like the lone ranger, buddy.  I hate painting too!  All those nooks and crannies.  If you've never painted tractors or machinery before there's no way do describe it.

[kelLOGg]

When I bought my mill 13 years ago, Cook told me their most time consuming step in building one is painting. ugh! I hate it too.
Bob

[Ox]

Lord, I believe it, too.  And I don't have to make mine showroom pretty, either!

About 3/4 of the time is sand and mask and prep work.  Without proper prepping no paint job will last.

I've painted/restored two tractors.  an Allis Chalmers D19 and an International 1466. 

The Allis I took down to bare metal, split it for clutch, etc. and it came to over $6,000 at $20 per hour shop rate.  It was for a then "friend" and I took the bill down to $3500.  2 primer coats, 3 base coats and 2 clear coats.  She shined like a new penny and was better than brand new.  Of course, no pictures.  I don't have many pics at all of my adult life.

The 1466 was basically a repaint but came out real nice.  Clearcoat as well.  Even that quicker job came to around 100 hours.  Simply incredible, isn't it?  Really need 2 guns on a tractor that size.

Took 3 days to paint my new mill with 2 coats!

I hate painting.  Have I mentioned that?  :D