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New/Replacement Scale??

Started by quadracutter222, October 08, 2018, 11:39:05 PM

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quadracutter222

Good Evening and happy Thanksgiving (fellow Canadians...)

We have recently purchased a used and much love bandsaw mill from a local sawer, and I am in the process of doing a complete blowdown of it and front to back inspection, with a growing list of fixes and tweaks.

One of them is the scale.  The current one is the original that is sun faded and weak from diesel blade lube.  Can a reputable replacement scale be purchased and installed accurately?

Thanks!

Chuck White

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, quadracutter222!

What is the brand of bandsaw mill?
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

quadracutter222

Thanks Chuck!  It's a WoodCraft 30-20A

kelLOGg

I'm not familiar with that mill but I would think it would be easy to make your own scale. That's what I did. I also made a magnetic scale that allows easy repositioning so I can cut down to a pre-selected point. I can take pics if you like.
Bob
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

quadracutter222

Thanks!  Pictures would be wonderful.  This is what is there currently.  They were locally made in Delta BC.

Looks like it should be easy enough, as longs at the new scale is indeed to scale and indexed properly.


thecfarm

You will like sawing!!
What's the plan for the lumber?
Sponsor on the left,Logrite,has some nice tools to turn those logs. A cantdog or a peavy. The peavey is the one with the point on the end.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

quadracutter222

Thanks!  I think I'll like it more than I know :)

The plan is to run a mobile "your logs, my place or yours" part time operation.

I'm interested in this magnetic option as the current scale is backed on a flat metal bar.

kelLOGg



Here you can see the blue background magnetic scale stuck on the permanent scale. (Both scales, but not the one with yellow background, I made with calipers, magic marker and straightedge, and allowed for kerf thickness.) The band blade is at 24.25 inches and with the magnetic scale appropriately placed I can saw down in increments of selected thicknesses (usually 1") until I reach 24.25". This allows me to saw down to 24.25 creating desireable thicknesses from a slab I would otherwise saw off.
Bob
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

Greyman

I just researched this last weekend and came across some old posts about using a digital scale (DRO).  It's the poor-mans SetWorks.  I ordered this one, which others on here (several years ago anyway) have used successfully.  The readout is on a 52" cord so the readout stays attached to the carriage, but that gives you a lot of mounting options.  I ordered the 35" scale.  Apparently you can just cut the scale to length if you need it shorter.  You zero it out just before each cut so that for the next cut you just adjust it to your finished size plus the kerf.  It displays in decimal or fractions, inches or mm.  Runs off a couple AA or AAA batteries which apparently last for years.
I can envision a lot of applications for these things.

Digimag Digital Remote Readout

$70 plus $10 shipping if you aren't in a hurry.

kelLOGg

Greyman,
I hope you have better experience with your DRO than I did. I bought the same brand and it failed miserably in cold weather. I hope they now offer an all-weather version. When I took it inside, it worked and returned it outside and it failed. I ended up giving it to a friend with a heated shop.
Bob
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

KirkD

Quote from: kelLOGg on October 12, 2018, 06:46:07 AM
Greyman,
I hope you have better experience with your DRO than I did. I bought the same brand and it failed miserably in cold weather. I hope they now offer an all-weather version. When I took it inside, it worked and returned it outside and it failed. I ended up giving it to a friend with a heated shop.
Bob
Bob, How cold are you calling cold?
Wood-mizer LT40HD-G24 Year 1989

kelLOGg

Kirk,

Not very - 40s or so. Others on the FF have noticed this, too (if I recall correctly). I just assumed the DRO unit is made for heated shops.
Bob

Try this thread:   

DRO revisited in Sawmills and Milling

Bob
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

Greyman

That's good to know, thanks.  It just came in the mail today.  I might try putting it in the fridge for a while and try it out.  Unfortunately I won't see my mill until spring.

Banjo picker

Cooks saw, a sponsor on the left sells several different scales that are a maganet strip that you can put on your mill.  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

quadracutter222

What do folks like best?  Cooks, Woodland or is there a Woodmizer option?

quadracutter222

Quote from: kelLOGg on October 10, 2018, 05:35:45 PM


Here you can see the blue background magnetic scale stuck on the permanent scale. (Both scales, but not the one with yellow background, I made with calipers, magic marker and straightedge, and allowed for kerf thickness.) The band blade is at 24.25 inches and with the magnetic scale appropriately placed I can saw down in increments of selected thicknesses (usually 1") until I reach 24.25". This allows me to saw down to 24.25 creating desireable thicknesses from a slab I would otherwise saw off.
Bob
How did you make your measure indicator? The one on my mill is plastic and starting to fail....

kelLOGg

Quad,
I used a coil of magnetic tape, cut it to length, painted it a light color and marked it into columns for the thicknesses in inches I wanted to saw (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.125, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0). (I made a 2nd magnetic scale for thicker lumber). I then used a caliper set to the desired thickness PLUS the kerf, 0.090" in my case. (At the time my bands were 0.042" thick and a set of 0.020". Actually, that comes to 0.082 but I used 0.090 because sometimes I use 0.025 set and 0.090 seemed like a good compromise.) With the caliper set, I made marks with a fine MagicMarker down the entire length of the mag strip. Repeated for each thickness. It has worked well for years but the marks are beginning to fade. It is easily removeable; I "stick" it on the steel idler wheel cover when not needed. Hope this helps.
Bob
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

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