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As ol' Jed Clampett would say...

Started by DanG, January 24, 2002, 07:55:18 PM

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DanG

WHEEEEEEEE DOGGIES!  8) 8) 8) 8)

I brought the mill home today. Other than replacing the alternator on my truck in the seller's yard, things went smoothly.  I still have to go back and get the sawdust chain & chute, which will be a major chore. We had to remove the motor and gearbox that drives the lift. It was welded on, and sticking out to the side too far to be safe on the road. I'm thinking of ways to re-install it that will be easily removeable. Frank, and TB, how is your's attached?
I have lots of tune-up and cleaning type chores to do, and lots of reading, as well. The wood bunks that the dogs are mounted on are pretty much rotted out, but still good enough to allow me to saw some new ones. That'll be it's first job.
This is very exciting! I just can't wait to see that first board coming back to me. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

ps:  TB and Frank, y'all get ready for a barrage of questions. I'm gonna read the book, first, then I'm gonna lean on you guys, real heavy. ;D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

psychotic1

Hoo-ray!! 8)
A new mill in the family.  Congrats Dan, have fun :P
Patience, hell.  I'm gonna kill something

Frank_Pender

Dan,

     I will be honored to be of assistance to you.  Just don't send up such a high cloud of sawdust that it makes for a later rise of the Sun for those of us in the West. :D :D  Secondly I do not have a sawdust shoot under my mill.   I have never heard of such an add on.  I will look into it tomorrow. If I remember.    If I was to reattatch something like I would do so in such a manner that it is easily removed or adjusted whenever and wherever necessary.  If you could get a picture to me, it might make for an easier understanding  on my end.    I know how you feel at this point.  You want to make sawdust.   Be patient.   All good things happen in the fullness of time.   For  your bunks, you might consider in the very near furture of anchoring the bunks to a piece of 4 x 6 and that in turn is attatched to an  H bean with 3/4" top and bottom with a 1/2" webb.  this makes for a very stabel bunk-bed.   Make sure that where the cooling fins are located that you always keep the build up of dust removed.  This is the number one issue that most mill owners fail the maintain adequately.  The second is sharp teeth.
Frank Pender

Frank_Pender

  
   I had somewhat of a sleepless night thinking of what I had said about the I Beam use for you log bunks.  I went back this morning to the picitures you had sent to the forum.   It looks as though the bunks are located on a 4 x 10 or 12, which in turn is set on the trailer frame.   With my suggestion I would lay the I Beam on its side with one channel upward and place the suggested 4 x 6 inside and bolted at each end and once in the middle.  I suggest that the I beam be at least a 6" x 8" or 10".  On the side resting on the trailer, notch it so that is lays with the webbing flat against the trailer frame.  In this way you are able to adjust your bunks if need be.  I have done this with the mill I have set up on a stationary basis. inside of my mill building.  There is virtually no movement of the bunks, what-so-ever.    If you are worried about movement you could always place a small c-clamp on either side of the beam to keep it in place.  With this method You can adjust the bunks for log lengths down to as small as 2', as I have done on special occasions.  You are also capable of adjusting the bunks, in need bein an up or down manner to make sure your bottom edger blade is always parrallel to the bunks.  I do hope that this was not tooooo confusing of an idea. ::)  Please let us know when the first bord comes back to you.  I still have mine hanging in the mill building.  I guess the only one that ever cares about theat is myself, other just giggle when I explain why it is hanging there alongside my collection of antique logging tools, of saws, cork boots of friends long passed on, tin hats, climbing spurs, whiskey bottles holding diesel or solvent to hook into the bark of an old growth, branding irons, oxen hoof clippers, and even a pair of bull nose hold clamps to hold the oxen to attention when putting on their shoes.  Yes, Dan I am a sentimental critter, but it is fun anyhow.  The best of luck in your venture.
Frank Pender

timberbeast

Congrats,  Dan!!!  I can't help you with the trailer part,  since mine has never been on one,  it sits on,  I believe,  10x10 runners,  and the raiser motor and gearing is bolted to the head end of the left side runner,  on 1/4" steel plate,  which can be rotated up,  to change the roller chains or disconnect them if one wants to use the hand crank.  You might want to fugure out some kind of quick installation system if you're going to be trailering it around,  because hand cranking is very tedious and tiring.  Anyway,  glad you got it,  and I hope that first board is a beauty!!!!  Mine is on the living room wall of the house I sold 10 years ago :'(,  part of the t&g paneling!
(Hope they didn't paint it!!)  
One thing that I don't recall mentioning,  my manual calls for leaded gasoline for the engine,  I don't know how much difference it makes,  but I use lead additive,  which is cheap at any gas station.  I'd be interested in how the sawdust collector works out,  mine consists of a shovel and a sore back!
Where the heck is my axe???

DanG

Well, I just couldn't help myself. I cut down a lil' ol' 12" pine that had been in my way for a while, and throwed a chunk of it on the mill. My parents, as well as a couple of buddies were coming over to check out this mechanical marvel I had been telling them about, so I had something to do a little demo on.  It went well enough, though I haven't gotten the hang of getting good dimensions from the little dials that are provided. I'm gonna put a yardstick with a pointer on the frame to guage the horizontal movement with. I think that will be a help to my weak old eyes. ::)

My 82.8 year old Dad is fascinated with the thing. He's now giving me all kinds of business advice.  I'll be keeping the salt shaker handy, as he dishes out all these gems of wisdom from all of his past ventures. ;)

The sawdust chain is actually part of an old grain elevator operation. It was set into a pit beneath the former location of the mill. It has it's own 220v power system, and does not attach to the mill.  Judging from the amount of shavings from that one little log, it will be worth it's weight in GOLD. I will dig a shallow pit for the "by product" to flow into, and just empty the pit with a frontend loader, when necessary.

I'm going to get some 2" tubing, and some 1.5" tubing, and make a bracket similar to a reciever type trailer hitch, to attach the elevator motor. The motor, and it's separate gearbox are currently mounted on a slab of plate steel, and the rig weighs about 200 lbs. I may try to divide it into individual units, to cut down on the weight. I seriously doubt if a motor that does what I can do by hand, needs a chunk of 1/2" plate steel to hold it together.

I'm also going to replace the factory leveling stands with a gaggle of screw jacks, like you would mount on a trailer tongue. The current set-up is a nightmare to level, and the frame isn't rigid enough to saw without support.

As you can see, I'm coming up with some ideas to tailor this thing to my needs. If anybody has any more ideas, I'll be glad to listen.

Frank, I notice that the manuals I have are, somewhat, less than user friendly. I still can't figure out how to manipulate the tooth puller, for instance. Are the manuals for the later models any better? Do you think I would be better served to order a new set? The mill is a model 128.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Ron Wenrich

I've made dust drags very similar to the one you have described.  I've made one for a circle mill, and run it the length of the mill.  At the end, I run it up a pole, which puts it on a pretty big pile.  If you want to get real fancy, I've seen sawdust put into bins with drags.  When full, just drive a dump truck underneath and open the chutes.

I've used old corn picker chain.  You might be able to rob them if you have a dealer in used farm equipment.  You can also buy them new.  For paddles, I've seen metal, wood and plastic used.  

For power, I used a hydraulic motor.  You really don't need much power to move the dust, if you are moving it all the time.  

Right now, the farmers keep us pretty well cleaned out of sawdust.  With the slowdown, there isn't as much production, so sawdust is a little harder to get.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Frank_Pender

  
  Dan, I do not think that a new manuel would be of much additional assistance.  The one you hve was/is for the year a model you have acquire.  there may well be a few updated pages available, you might ask for them.  As to the tooth change handle, I simply pulled up a block of wood and sat there playing with removing and replacing some teeth.  One thing I do, rather than pulling or pounding with my hand, is use a rubber hammer to remove and replace the teeth.  this is only after they are well started onto the shank.  I found that is is easier on the knuckles. :D  Make sureyou use the l shaped piece of 3/8s steel rod to hold the blades in place while you are changing them.  It is a great safety device to stop the blades and engine from turning over while change the teeth.    I am no mechanich, myself, Dan, so the reading of any manuel is a challenge.   It became one one of just continued rading and having a friend help walk me through some of the things from time to time.  I will be more than happy to help any time I can.  You may wish to just e-mail me direct rather than let the guy make fun of us on the open forum, though. :D
Frank Pender

timberbeast

Cool Beans,  Dan!!  It's a good idea as well,  when you change teeth,  to back off the motor tightening bolt and loosen the belts,  that way you won't turn the engine.
I believe that your problem with thicknesses is this:
Every time you cut a board,  before you crank over for the next cut,  reset it to zero.  Pull the wheel with the dial,  towards you,  and turn it to zero,  then crank to your desired thickness.  Otherwise,  if you just keep going,  you're not taking kerf into account,  and it will get worse with each cut,  by 5/16.  I'm almost positive that that is the case!  And,  yes,  the manual is pretty crummy,  but with repeated readings,  you'll find stuff that isn't where you think it should be!  Bend them pages over for quick reference,  cuz you may need them later,  without searching.  Glad you made some dust!!  Sounds like you're mechanically inclined enough to figger out your own "adaptations",  let us know about new ones,  I may pick up some pointers from you!!  The tooth remover works on the principle of a fulcrum,  if that helps any.  Kinda like a spanner wrench.
Where the heck is my axe???

timberbeast

Oh,  I forgot,  Dan,  on vertical blade adjustments,  your best bet is to forget the little dial,  and set it using the numbers on the toothed bar that pokes up further towards the tail end,  the dial has a tendency to slip and give incorrect readings,  at least mine does.  The rod is part of the works that moves the blade,  and is much more accurate.  Keep the clutch locked when the engine is running!!!
Where the heck is my axe???

DanG

Thanks for the tips, guys.  TB, I didn't know the dial on the horizontal crank was resettable.  That'll be a big help. Also, I didn't know there were numbers on the other thingy. Are you talking about the rack for the rack & pinion edger adjustment? I'm going to do some major cleaning on it today, as it has a lot of crud all over it. There's no telling what I'll discover under all that. :o
When I was cutting that little "demo" log, the other day, things suddenly went out of kilter. The log was suddenly no longer parallel with the path of the blade. After considerable contemplation, and checking to make sure the frame was straight, I discovered that the tail-end was not level. One side was 3/4 inch higher on the endstand, than the other. Turns out that the cable was hung on the little tab where it attaches to the roller. Apparently, the other side had been hung up the same way, and it slipped down to where it should have been to start with.  This thing is really taking me to school! :P
BTW, the honor of "1st Board" has been bestowed, by my wife, upon the 1/4x2" strip of cedar that I cut when we were testing the mill at the seller's place. She has made a long, skinny nic-nack shelf above the living room window, from it. :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Frank_Pender

  The gage that TB is speaking of is not the one you mentioned for the racke and pinion system.  He wasspeakingof the one that rises and falls with the moving of the top edger blade.  It is located near the fuel container.  As to the cables that wind up the track and carrage, always make sure they are slid to the side where the nubben is thread through the ear on the roller.  You can adjust the taughtness of the cables with an eyebolt attatched to the other end.  This is how you make sure that all four cables are pulling at the same time.  Bye the way I am not cutting today as I awoke to 10 plus not inches in new snow.  It is coming down the size of dollars right now.  If you need some more help do not hesitate.  Tell the wife that she had a great idea for the use of the first board.   8) 8)
Frank Pender

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