Hydraulics Anywhere

[SawyerTed]

Would one of you knowledgeable Forumites direct me to the hydraulics anywhere modification instructions?  I've spent the last hour and a half using the search function and reading the Useful Mods thread to no avail.

I found the stuff on the second battery and lots of other stuff but not what I need. 

[Southside]

The easiest set up is to wire an Anderson connector to the hydraulic pump, and dangle the wires out of the hydraulic box, hook the other side of the connector to a spare battery, plug them together and voila Hydraulics Everywhere.

[YellowHammer]

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=7789.msg242177#msg242177

Here's what I did, following this example.  It works very well, and took about a day of easy labor to implement.  

[SawyerTed]

Thank you to you both!   

Now I need to make a decision between the two methods.  

The second battery only charge while the head is on the contact strip.  Is this correct?  

Using the cables is a one time solution but is likely more expensive.  

[caveman]

We took some welding cable and wired from the hydraulic box to a battery that stays under the tongue of the mill.  Hydraulics should work when the lever is moved.  

[Southside]

Correct it will only charge when the head is on the contact strip. 

[caveman]

We occasionally run a charger on the auxiliary battery.  We bought several battery maintainers last year but have not put one on the mill.  Every month or so we clean the terminals and check the water.  I've never understood why WM did not make hydraulics available regardless of where the saw head is.  As I complete a cut, John can release the clamp, raise the backstops and toe rollers and I can drag back the boards.

[customsawyer]

Caveman I now have a question. How do you drag the last boards back if John has raised the side supports/back stops? In my mind they would knock your blade off.
With my remote mill I ran the welding cable. I didn't want to be bothered with the extra battery. It might be a little bit more costly to start with but where you plan to do mobile sawing you won't have to load and unload a battery every job.

[caveman]

I actually roll the bottom couple of boards towards the tongue end of the mill with my hands as the toe rollers and the back stops are raised.  As soon as the blade clears the last board, I hit auto up to 16" to get ready for the next log.  I think you (Jake) use the reference button to do the same after you drag the bottom boards back with the mill.

If we had command control and the cat track, we would have added a cable.  We considered adding more copper strips along the side of the mill, but the battery was easy.

[SawyerTed]

After looking at it and sleeping on it,  command control makes the Bibbyman/welding cable solution better long term than second battery.  Walk along/ride along could be different. 

The price difference between the 2 methods of hydraulics anywhere isn't much and appears to favor the Bibbyman method. 

It looks like welding cable and connector lugs will cost $225 ish.   That eliminates the need for a second battery and cabling which will cost $190-200 ish.  Operating portable would necessitate a battery box and fabrication of a mount which will cost at least $25 and maybe $50. Close to even and the second battery method might be more.  I've not figure the cost of a charger.  

When cost and mobility are compared, the Bibbyman welding cable solution seems to offer the the simplest long term solution.  It eliminates second battery maintenance/charging issues.  It also eliminates the possibility of having a second battery go dead on a job.  

The main advantage I see to having hydraulics anywhere is log/cant handling with the head at the far end of the mill (visibility) and unclamping for drag back which eliminates a trip down and back. 

[47sawdust]

Southside ,
What size Anderson connector are you using?
I have an older LT30 ,1997.
Any reason not to use this with my mill?

Found them.

[YellowHammer]

The hydraulics anywhere is one reason I bought the Super 70 hydraulic, because it has that feature, and after I had it on my LT40 for so many years, I would not consider a mill without it, whether you go with the cables or extra batteries.  It's THAT useful.  

Putting HA on your mill will significantly increase it productivity.
It's a one and done mod, once installed it never needs fiddling and just becomes "part of the mill."
It eliminates the issues with the contact strip, i.e. intermittent grounding, sparking arcing and the odd electrical issues associated with each.
I allows getting out of "opps" moments, such as lowering backstops that are too high just as the blade is about to hit, and doing "jogs" with the 2 plane clamp, sliding the log inboard and making adjustments with the toebaords while the head is jammed halfway down the carriage into a too big or crooked log.  

Allows adjustment of clamps and backstops during the cut when edging, if necessary.

It lets me preposition a log on the loader arms while I'm cutting, simultaneously while sawing.

That's actually the biggest advantage, many movements you are used to doing sequentially can now new done simultaneously while sawing.

It also helps with the other items you mentioned. 
   

[Sixacresand]

When I need hydraulics away from the strip, I use jumper cables.  In an tight, I have tied a hydraulic lever in the down position and manually pulled down back stops, clamps or loading arms.  Sometimes I can get away with it.  

[Southside]

Every piece of equipment I own has a 200 amp Anderson pigtail hanging on it. Even the roll around battery charger. This way I can roll anything up to anything and get power to it if necessary.

[barbender]

One upgrade I want to do on my pickup is an Anderson plug ran to the back, do I can ug my dump trailers in. Otherwise it seems like they are always dead at an inopportune time.

[Magicman]

I recently did this mod on my sawmill:  LINK

But this is nowhere near the subject of this Topic and what Ted needs and is gonna do.

[SawyerTed]

Lynn, that's a slick solution and could be an easy way to connect an auxiliary battery for hydraulics anywhere on a ride along/walk along mill.  And hey, if it helps someone else with a solution, it adds to the conversation!  The beauty of the Forum!  

[barbender]

I like when new people come on the Forum, and try to dictate what is discussed on a post. "Ok, I'd like to keep this on topic and not discuss other stuff  this post." Sorry buddy, that's not how it works here😊

[Percy]

After looking at it and sleeping on it,  command control makes the Bibbyman/welding cable solution better long term than second battery.  Walk along/ride along could be different.

The price difference between the 2 methods of hydraulics anywhere isn't much and appears to favor the Bibbyman method.

It looks like welding cable and connector lugs will cost $225 ish.   That eliminates the need for a second battery and cabling which will cost $190-200 ish.  Operating portable would necessitate a battery box and fabrication of a mount which will cost at least $25 and maybe $50. Close to even and the second battery method might be more.  I've not figure the cost of a charger.  

When cost and mobility are compared, the Bibbyman welding cable solution seems to offer the the simplest long term solution.  It eliminates second battery maintenance/charging issues.  It also eliminates the possibility of having a second battery go dead on a job.  

The main advantage I see to having hydraulics anywhere is log/cant handling with the head at the far end of the mill (visibility) and unclamping for drag back which eliminates a trip down and back.

I did the welding cable thing to my remote LT70 17 years ago. Still kicking 😊

[SawyerTed]

@barbender that's absolutely right!

Threads here can be like a conversation among a group of friends, it starts one place and goes somewhere else.  

Sometimes Often the resulting twists and turns lead to valuable knowledge. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Search on "solder" and username pnyberg

[barbender]

Yep, even if we start on hydraulics and end up on a pulled pork recipe, aren't we all the richer for it?😊 I view it the same as you Ted, a conversation among friends- which it absolutely is!👍

[47sawdust]

Kinda like being at a party where everyone has that attention disorder.

[Southside]

Maybe train a chicken to run the hydraulics when you are at the far end?  :D

[Percy]

Maybe train a chicken to run the hydraulics when you are at the far end?  :D

Then eat the chicken 🤣