electric feed question

[welderskelter]

My controller for my wheel chair motor feed on my mill just got here today. Was wondering after I get the feed speed set, then push the button to go forward is this thing going to jerk forward or would it be more of a soft start. Anybody know?

[ladylake]

 I think you should set it to go forward then turn the feed speed up.  Steve

[welderskelter]

Darn, I was hoping I wouldnt have to play with the speed for every board

[JoshNZ]

You never know your luck, with enough weight it might be smooth enough ramping up.

I bet you could add a little circuit between the speed knob and controller to ramp the signal. Seek out a friend who's into electronics/Arduino etc

[Gere Flewelling]

I have an electric feed on my mill controlled by a dial rheostat and a forward and reverse push button switch.  Like that tv commercial for the oven, "I just set it and forget it".  If you just get the carriage rolling a little ways back from the log you can feather it by pushing and releasing the forward button a couple of times and it can move smoothly into the cut.  Mine is not a wheel chair motor, but I suspect it is similar in operation.

[Patrick NC]

I think you will find yourself using the speed control all the time. I use mine on nearly every cut. Slow down on entry then speed up until the motor gets against the governor. Then slow again on the last couple of inches. Not to mention varying the speed as conditions dictate such as cutting through knots. Mine can be a little jerky when you start at full speed, and you certainly don't want to enter the log that fast. 

[Larry]

With my first mill I had electric variable speed.  I would start into a log slow and speed up a little.  As soon as the blade cleared the log I raised the carriage and giged back at full speed.  So, I was turning the speed dial all the time which caused the rheostat to wear out.  When I replaced the first rheostat I rewired the control to bypass the rheostat on the gig back.  That greatly reduced how much I had to turn the speed knob.

[Crossroads]

I can't imagine not playing with the speed on pretty much every cut while breaking down a long. Once I start taking boards off the cant the speed don't change much though. 

[kelLOGg]

You definitely need speed control if for nothing but sawhead return. Plus what Crossroads said.