B-20 upgrades

[toolman18]

I've been a member on this forum for a couple of years and only jump in to check it out every once in a while, when I do I always find a lot of useful information.  I bought a new B-20 in 1999 to use for my own personal use as well as some sawing for friends and family.  About a year later I started an automation business and well, the mill set out in the weather not being used for about the next 6 years since I was working 16 hour days and 7 days a week.  Around 2005 I moved the milled inside my shop and started to undo the damage the weather had done to the mill which was quite extensive (never leave your mill outside uncovered DUH!!)  I had to replace all the carriage chains, seals in the up/down gearbox, teardown up/down motor clean it up & replace the bearings and all the solenoids in the junction box.  The blade guides were all locked up, the blade had rusted and pitted the steel wheels, at this point I decided to replace the blade guides (I didn't like the TK ones anyway) and change out the steel wheels with rubber banded wheels. I got my guides and rubber V bands from Suffolk Machine.  While I was at it the other thing I hated about the mill was the log dog adjustment, so while I was at it I went ahead and added a hydraulic cylinder for the up and down movement.  So far so good, the mill is now much more user friendly, I still want to automate the throat adjustment and remotely adjust the throttle.  Attached below is a link to some pictures (since I can't figure out how to insert them here) after the mods and a lot of touch up paint.  https://forestryforum.com/gallery/index.php?cat=17865

[redbeard]

Toolman welcome your upgrades are awesome. I see you still have your cord reel I went cordless and it has really paid off. I sure like your double plane log clamp I want to do that also. The orange neopreme belts are tough to get dialed in but once they are true they work real well I ran them for a few years. I went back to the goodyears automotives. Your mill looks really good curious to hear more about the guide wheels they look similar to cooks mega jaw.

[toolman18]

Redbeard, thanks, the guides come from Suffolk Machinery, http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/timber-wolf-guide-systems-wm-version/  I had to make custom brackets to hold them and they are so much better than standard TK guides, they are kind of pricey though, but I think worth it.  Curious on what you did to go cordless? 

[redbeard]

There is a cordless B-20 post that has all the info Geshwend is the brains to the modification Iam fortunate that we live in same town. He put all kinds of autmation on his Brand X swing mill. It works great. And it is so nice nt to deal with cord reel.

[toolman18]

Thanks Redbeard, I just found the post and it looks very good!

[redbeard]

 I hope you don't mind me barrowing your pics for my questions 1st dose the cylinder stay like that or dose it swing down like it did before your mods? or do you have something to stablize it while it travels horizontal. I see the drift pin in the dog and was wondering how you get it below the bunks.

[thecfarm]

toolman,the hard part with pictures is done.I like to start a reply.Go to your gallery,click onto an album,will be thumb nail size,click onto what ever picture you want to post,it will get bigger,Down below this picture will be more thumbnails pictures,a few inches below this,in green, it will read,Click here to copy this photo code......,click onto it,it will come up asking you are you sure,say OK and that is it. Preview to make sure it came up the way you want. I hit the enter key a few times to drop the picture away from the text in the post. Helps to hit enter when posting more than one picture with no text to give it some white space between the pictures.





Have fun sawing. ;D
By the way this may all change in the near future.

[toolman18]

Redbeard, yes it still operates the same is it did before but much better, since you now have the weight of the cylinder and the pressure (force) of the hoses pushing towards the front of the mill it always rotates up now. If you can see in the picture I did not mount the cylinder to the dog, it just rides on top of the cylinder rod, this way you can never get the cylinder in a bind.  The drift pin is the one that was already there, not really needed anymore but doesn't get in the way of anything so I just it.

[toolman18]

@thecfarm, thanks a lot for the info, now I'll be dangerous.
@redbeard, just FYI to keep it simple and the cost down, the valve (2 position) above the toeboard is used as a diverter valve.  So in normal operation all your control valves are the same as always, when I shift the diverter valve, the "Log Stop" control valve now becomes the "Log Dog" control valve, this way I diidn't have to add another control valve.

[redbeard]

Some thoughts on another way to make a 2 plane log dog on the B-20. Use a push pull wire cable heavy duty enough to raise and lower the spike you would need minimum 4" maximum 6" throw. Something like a PTO cable or boat linkage steering type.  So you could activate the spike heigth from the operator seat . Ideas and advise welcome thanks.

[toolman18]

@ Redbeard, I like the idea, but the only problem I see is the cable would be flexing back and forth as the log dog travels in and out.  These cables are generally for stationary use and I'm not sure they would hold up to the flexing.

[ladylake]

Some thoughts on another way to make a 2 plane log dog on the B-20. Use a push pull wire cable heavy duty enough to raise and lower the spike you would need minimum 4" maximum 6" throw. Something like a PTO cable or boat linkage steering type.  So you could activate the spike heigth from the operator seat . Ideas and advise welcome thanks.

  I was thinking the same, I have a heavy cable hanging in my garage. I ended up using a power window motor for up - down on the log dog.  About twice a year I get a broken wire as it does flex a lot but it's one thing that gets fixed right away.    Steve

[redbeard]

I would eliminate the swing down and weld some flat steel under the acme screw to keep dog vertical on retraction and make a new spike so it can come down flush with top plate then it will clear the bunks. That should eliminate some of the abuse the cable would get. Iam trying to find a cable with a swivel or ball joint that is affordable. There's some race car fab sites that make them but there custom exspensive.