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Learning Curve and Limited Real Estate: VB-Milling Small Suburban HM126

Started by VB-Milling, July 26, 2021, 04:01:54 PM

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btulloh

FWIW the factory feet work fine on a fixed base. I've handled quite a few max heavy logs and everything is well supported. Adjusting the feet to level the track works well even when a section needs to be pulled down.  Not sure how the factory placement of the feet will line up with the trailer frame.  Maybe add a couple pieces of square tube or c-chan?  Shimming will certainly work but more of a pain when you need to tweak.
HM126

VB-Milling

Quote from: btulloh on September 21, 2021, 10:25:51 AM
FWIW the factory feet work fine on a fixed base. I've handled quite a few max heavy logs and everything is well supported. Adjusting the feet to level the track works well even when a section needs to be pulled down.  Not sure how the factory placement of the feet will line up with the trailer frame.  Maybe add a couple pieces of square tube or c-chan?  Shimming will certainly work but more of a pain when you need to tweak.
Good to know you haven't had issues with putting big loads on the track supported this way.
To my surprise, 4 of the 6 pairs of holes line up with the trailer crossmembers.  The remaining 2 are pretty close, so I would just need to drill 4 more holes in the tracks.  Seriously, luck of the draw, I didn't plan it to line up as well as it did.
I think what I'll do is drill through the cross member, pass the bolt up from the bottom, weld the head of the bolt to the crossmember and then use the Woodland Mills method without the actual round feet.  It'll be a pain to take everything apart, but I need to take the track apart to paint the trailer anyways when all the welding is finished.
I do have to add some structure to the front of the trailer to support the track extension.  I really didn't think I would end up using it, but ordered it on your recommendation and the recommendation of others as its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  Of the first 10 logs I've cut, more than half of them have been over the 10'-5" stock capacity of the mill, so I'm really glad I have it and it will stay installed.
HM126

btulloh

Sounds like a plan. Getting rid if the feet sounds like a good thing in your case. 

How are you making the holes?  I really dislike drilling large holes in steel. Really tough on my arthritis. I got some annular cutters with pilot that help a lot. I see people doing a good job with a cutting torch, but my torch skills are not up to that level. 
HM126

VB-Milling

Quote from: btulloh on September 21, 2021, 11:27:52 AM
Sounds like a plan. Getting rid if the feet sounds like a good thing in your case.

How are you making the holes?  I really dislike drilling large holes in steel. Really tough on my arthritis. I got some annular cutters with pilot that help a lot. I see people doing a good job with a cutting torch, but my torch skills are not up to that level.
I also really dislike drilling large holes in steel.  Won't be with a cutting torch as I don't have one.  I'll probably lug each section of track into my shop and use a large machinist's vise on my drill press.  Pilot hole and then step bit.
I'm not familiar with annular cutters, but I find that I typically drill 3/4" holes in steel.  Is it worth getting just that size cutter from Jeff Bezos for $20?
HM126

btulloh

From my experience with those cutters I'd say ABSOLUTELY. I got a set and it made a vast improvement. I can drill a 5/8 hole using one hand and there's no grabbing. Getting one for 20 bucks would be a good way to try them. I would recommend getting the cutting lube that comes in a stick.  Cutting fluid is a must and it's a three handed job without the stick.  I've used regular cutting fluid in a squeeze bottle and gotten by though.

Here's the set I bought. Doesn't go to 3/4 though and the smaller sizes are useful but not as necessary. These are also limited to 1/4" material, or 1/2" if you work from both sides. I'd look around for something that would do 1/2" from one side if I was doing it again.

One thing I do like about this set is the 1/16 increments. Makes it easy when you want clearance.

Edit:  the cutter link: Hougen cutters
HM126

VB-Milling

Thanks for the link Bob, I ordered the same set and a lube stick.  It seems it does include 3/4".  I wanted to get the larger set with more cutters, but that's not in the budget yet.
HM126

VB-Milling

Continued with the winch post build yesterday.  Got the winch plate drilled and welded up.  The winch is mounted and I added some additional diagonal supports.  Also as @Southside mentioned, I added some angle to the pipe.  Want to add another and then finish weld, but it was far enough along last night to give it a try.  I made a set of cables a few weeks ago with Anderson connectors, so I just pulled the Jeep around, plugged it in, plugged in the winch controller and I was off to the races.

Wish I had it when I loaded those 15ft cherry and cedar logs in the driveway.  Worked real well with some small test logs.  Going to build a battery tray mount for the trailer so I can take the Jeep out of the equation for stationary milling.  I think ultimately, the winch is oversized and the post is too tall, but I'll iron that out down the road.  The real test will be those 30in, 6ft white oak monsters I've got to load eventually.  Those are the biggest logs I have on hand to test with....for now. :D


Waiting on my annular cutters before I tackle the track leveling system.  Then I'll be a few steps closer to painting the trailer and hiding my terrible welding.



 



 



 



 



 



 



 
HM126

Rybot

Looks great. Will be even better when it is painted. 

As for the "ugly welds"....Being a welding teacher I meet people all the time who are self conscious of their welds. They might say: "Don't look at the welds on this trailer my dad and I built 25 years ago. They're no good." To which I reply "have you had any welds fail over the last 25 years on the trailer?" "Well no, but...." "My point exactly."

Sometimes welds need to be made by a qualified welder using qualified procedures according to a welding code then inspected by a certified inspector. Sometimes the shake test is more than enough.

VB-Milling

Quote from: Rybot on September 25, 2021, 10:53:59 AM
Looks great. Will be even better when it is painted.

As for the "ugly welds"....Being a welding teacher I meet people all the time who are self conscious of their welds. They might say: "Don't look at the welds on this trailer my dad and I built 25 years ago. They're no good." To which I reply "have you had any welds fail over the last 25 years on the trailer?" "Well no, but...." "My point exactly."

Sometimes welds need to be made by a qualified welder using qualified procedures according to a welding code then inspected by a certified inspector. Sometimes the shake test is more than enough.
Well I sure appreciate that Rybot.  I'm very self conscious of my welding.  Its one of the few things I do where I'm 100% self taught and relied solely on the internet to "learn".
HM126

VB-Milling

Had a really busy weekend and got a lot done.  The milling side yard is almost unrecognizable.  Some of the logs I moved haven't been touched in almost 18 months, maybe 20.

Worked Fri through Sunday evening and didn't mill a single board.  It was all about getting organized, workflow planning, mill yard cleanliness, staging, and to misquote @doc henderson , sweep, spray, stack, sticker, secure.  I had a barrel of ripped stickers.  Cut hundreds to length, stacked everything I've previously sawn. Brushed off every board. Sprayed everything with Timbor at 15% concentrate. Stripped the bark I could off the logs I have left.



 



 



 



 

Got rid of a bunch of deadloss or stuff too short to mill to neighbor friends who wanted firewood.  Also some maple that I milled as practice which I figured would be useless because of bug damage.



 



Also, my buddy called and asked if I wanted a burn barrel.  Saves me from burning all the nasty bark and sawdust in my nice patio firepit.  I probably won't keep in long term, but its really helpful with all the junk I'm producing with my substantial inventory I'm working through.



 

Before the safety police jump all over me...the barrel looks a lot closer to the milling table than it actually was.  Also, there is a hose there, and I saturated the ground beforehand and didn't leave it unattended...am I'm a former firefighter and a fire protection engineer so everyone relax  :D

It was a long weekend, and a lot of work just moving things around all day, but it really needed to be done.  I've just been piling stuff up for almost 2 years with really no idea of how it was all going to work.  Now that I have the mill and the trailer back there, I have a plan and am executing it.  So far, I like where things are headed.  I can move around easily, things are tidy, look neat, logs are oriented in the correct direction...life is good.
HM126

taylorsmissbeehaven

Looking good VB-M!! I wish I was half that organized. My Dad always said "sometimes you gotta stop and sharpen your blades". A little behind the scenes work goes a long way. Brian
Opportunity is missed by most because it shows up wearing bib overalls and looks like work.

Rybot

Looking good :) 

It looks like most of the steel you are welding on is galvanized. First order of business before welding should be grind off the zinc where you will be welding. It will make welding much more pleasant and welding through zinc produces large amounts of fumes which like all welding fumes are rather toxic. Keeping fumes to a minimum is always a good idea.

If you share what welding process, electrodes and settings you are using I (along with many other accomplished welders on this site) would love to give you some pointers.

VB-Milling

Quote from: Rybot on September 27, 2021, 10:03:17 PM
Looking good :)

It looks like most of the steel you are welding on is galvanized. First order of business before welding should be grind off the zinc where you will be welding. It will make welding much more pleasant and welding through zinc produces large amounts of fumes which like all welding fumes are rather toxic. Keeping fumes to a minimum is always a good idea.

If you share what welding process, electrodes and settings you are using I (along with many other accomplished welders on this site) would love to give you some pointers.
You are correct.  The trailer is galv.  I'm pretty diligent about grinding off the coating and wear a respirator while grinding and welding on it.
All of my welding so far has been with a 90amp, 120v HF buzz box with an upgraded ground clamp, Hobart tips and Hobart 0.030 flux core wire.  Max setting with a wire speed of 6-7.  That's as fine adjustment as you can get on a $100 machine LOL  I usually push the puddle real slow to make sure I get good heat and move in a lower case 'e' type pattern.  The gas shield tip is removed so I can see what I'm doing.
I recently picked up a Lincoln AC-225 from the early 80s.  Need to finish wiring my plug for it and buy some rods to get started.
One day, I'll buy a real welder, but for now, I'm getting by with what I have.
HM126

Gere Flewelling

There has been a log of projects built with those old Lincoln AC-225 welders over the years.  I still have the one I bought in 1975 and use it often.  I have built things from truck bodies, wood splitters, home-made tractors, and sawmill modifications with my old unit.  I do also have a Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 that I use to tack things together as well as welding patches onto old vehicles.  I am sure I couldn't make a living with either of these units, but they are pretty reliable old units that have paid for themselves over and over.  I would like to find a larger DC mig welder someday to have in the garage, but still able to function with the old units.  Plasma cutter is also on my wish list. ::)
Old 🚒 Fireman and Snow Cat Repairman (retired)
Matthew 6:3-4

VB-Milling

HM126

VB-Milling

Got some actual milling done yesterday and added my "fancy" anti-turning system to the remaining 5 trailer jacks.  Also had to take apart the lubrication system, drain the tank, and clean everything as there was debris in the valving preventing it from flowing properly and preventing the auto-start/stop feature from working reliably.



 

Been sitting on this load of cedar since November 2020.  Pulled it down from the milling table where its been stored.  Feels good to have most of the milling table space back for future stacking/stickering.



 



 

Was able to get my fourth 6x6 post for the pergola build out of the largest log.  And found some 2x6s and 1x6s in some of the logs as well.



 




 

 

Got a few small cedar logs left that I'll mill up into lumber for the planter boxes that I've been building. 1x4s and 1x6s.
HM126

Rybot

That Lincoln will treat you well. As has already been said they are bulletproof and just don't quit. As far as the HF flux core.....(chicago electric brand I assume?) 90 amps just isn't enough horsepower for what you are asking it to do. I would recommend the titanium 200 from harbor freight. It can do stick, mig and tig and runs really well.

Nebraska

Hey be careful with that burn barrel, I had a pile of a few saw logs and firewood get ignited by embers blowing from my burn barrel by my mill. It was several days post burn and we had hot dry strong winds. It lit and my son found it before I had a huge mess. I had to call the fire department  out to soak it down. That damp sawdust burns a long time.  I now compost my saw dust out in the trees. Just saying because I don't want someone else to have a worse disaster  in a populated area . I'M guessing a home owner liability insurance policy would leave you high and dry in some instances.

VB-Milling

Quote from: Rybot on September 28, 2021, 10:01:34 AM
That Lincoln will treat you well. As has already been said they are bulletproof and just don't quit. As far as the HF flux core.....(chicago electric brand I assume?) 90 amps just isn't enough horsepower for what you are asking it to do. I would recommend the titanium 200 from harbor freight. It can do stick, mig and tig and runs really well.
For sure that Chicago Electric unit is far undersized.  With the amount I've pushed that little 90amp unit, I truly surprised it hasn't let the smoke out of the internals yet.  It keeps chugging along.  Now, I jinxed it.  I'm looking forward to trying my hand at stick welding.
I have looked at those Titanium 200 units; seems to be in my price range for an "upgrade".  What are your thoughts on the Weldpro 200 Amp units from Jeff Bezos?  Around that same $800ish price tag.  Keep in mind, I want something that will see hobbyist use, the consumables aren't proprietary and cost a fortune, and easy to setup up and use for a beginner.
HM126

VB-Milling

Quote from: Nebraska on September 28, 2021, 10:15:47 AM
Hey be careful with that burn barrel, I had a pile of a few saw logs and firewood get ignited by embers blowing from my burn barrel by my mill. It was several days post burn and we had hot dry strong winds. It lit and my son found it before I had a huge mess. I had to call the fire department  out to soak it down. That damp sawdust burns a long time.  I now compost my saw dust out in the trees. Just saying because I don't want someone else to have a worse disaster  in a populated area . I'M guessing a home owner liability insurance policy would leave you high and dry in some instances.
I got rid of what I had in the barrel, and now I'm getting rid of the barrel. As you say, too populated and not worth it.  I'll stick to the patio firepit on the other side of the property and utilize the municipality services like yard debris pickup and the landfill to get rid of stuff I don't want to burn in the firepit.
I'm not in a production environment, so if I can deal with the bark, sawdust and offcuts I have now, it will probably be the most I'll have to deal with because I've been collecting logs for almost 2 years.
HM126

Rybot

Quote from: VB-Milling on September 28, 2021, 10:57:47 AMWhat are your thoughts on the Weldpro 200 Amp units from Jeff Bezos?  Around that same $800ish price tag


I have never used one but it doesn't look any more chinese than the harbor freight model ;). Based on the reviews I would say go for it. The one advantage I see with any welder from HF is that if you live close to a store your consumables are only ever a few min. away vs. ordering them. Otherwise I think either one would treat you great.

Remember every machine is a smoke machine if you operate it wrong enough.;D


SawyerTed

If you have a tree service friend who has a chipper, you might be able to add your slabs and trimmings to a load of chips.  
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

VB-Milling

Quote from: SawyerTed on September 28, 2021, 04:06:48 PM
If you have a tree service friend who has a chipper, you might be able to add your slabs and trimmings to a load of chips.  
That's an idea.  I do have a few tree service's I try to maintain relationships with for yard trees.
HM126

VB-Milling

More mill yard organization/staging work with a little milling in between.  Now that the mill yard is at a place where I can actually walk around and have some space, I'm putting further milling on hold until I finish all the trailer mods/fab work.

On the to-do list is finish weld the winch post, fabricate a battery tray, mill head tiedowns, logrite storage clips, mill rail leveling/fine adjustment system, prep and paint.  Maybe a trailer light kit down the road just so I'm ready if I need to transport over the road.

I would also like to modify the dust exhaust port to be directional.  I have some scrap aluminum I can play with.











Been a long time since the mill table has been empty.













I've got some other simple workflow improvements I'd like to make to the mill, but I need to refine those a bit still.
HM126

ajsawyer

Quote from: VB-Milling on September 28, 2021, 07:31:59 AM
Quote from: Rybot on September 27, 2021, 10:03:17 PM
Looking good :)

It looks like most of the steel you are welding on is galvanized. First order of business before welding should be grind off the zinc where you will be welding. It will make welding much more pleasant and welding through zinc produces large amounts of fumes which like all welding fumes are rather toxic. Keeping fumes to a minimum is always a good idea.

If you share what welding process, electrodes and settings you are using I (along with many other accomplished welders on this site) would love to give you some pointers.
You are correct.  The trailer is galv.  I'm pretty diligent about grinding off the coating and wear a respirator while grinding and welding on it.
All of my welding so far has been with a 90amp, 120v HF buzz box with an upgraded ground clamp, Hobart tips and Hobart 0.030 flux core wire.  Max setting with a wire speed of 6-7.  That's as fine adjustment as you can get on a $100 machine LOL  I usually push the puddle real slow to make sure I get good heat and move in a lower case 'e' type pattern.  The gas shield tip is removed so I can see what I'm doing.
I recently picked up a Lincoln AC-225 from the early 80s.  Need to finish wiring my plug for it and buy some rods to get started.
One day, I'll buy a real welder, but for now, I'm getting by with what I have.
I bought this one from kickstarter, does plasma cutting too, for $600:

 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yeswelder/yeswelder-firstesstm-mp200-5-in-1-welder-and-cutter

I'm sure it will arrive as soon as I'm finished building my mill.

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