timberking computer setworks.

[downeastmark]

Hey everyone, i'm a newcomer to the forum and new to sawing as well.  a friend of mine and i decided to go in together on a timberking TK 2000 bandsaw mill.  It is a nice looking unit and I have used it some to saw a few boards but not much because i have gotten discouraged.  i'm having trouble figuring out the "computer set works".  and manual adjustments are hard to get exact.  Im under the impression that you can program it to drop the head height to a set measurement at the push of a button.  I was hoping some other people on the forum have some experience with timberking and the computer setworks and could help me out with this. also any tips on sawing are welcome.  thanks again.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

Larry should chime in on this one, he has a 2000.  Feel free to call TK ,their customer service would be helpful.  What kind of wood are you sawing? That would help in giving you some pointers. Welcome to the forum you'll get a ton of help here.

[Larry]

Welcome downeastmark.  Glad to see another 2000 owner on board.

I made a video that might help clear some of the haze.  It does take a bit of learning to get the hang of it.  I still have a couple of questions.

I grabbed Kathy's camera to make the video as it has a big memory card, but she had the image quality turned down.  As least that's my story for the fuzzy video...sorry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHBwLBSod2w

A bit of clarification on the video.  The first drop from the return position can be any distance less than the preset.  The computer figures out how far to drop every time so the bottom board is also the correct thickness.  Waste or shim comes off the top.

Hope I helped part the fog at least a little.  TK can walk ya through it, or send me a PM with your phone number and I can talk ya through it.

[downeastmark]

Thanks guys, that sounds like a pretty straight forward way to program it.  I'll give it a try as soon as i get a chance.  With that description i think i should be able to get it, i think the problem was with zeroing the cutting head, i get it now just make the first cut zero it and program your thickness in and then hold the button to drop the height to the programed increment. 

Another question i have is about blades.  So far i've been sawing mostly good size pine for studs, i usually try to keep the logs clean and free of dirt/mud and i know that if your blade starts waving your boards its time to change it.  But are there any tips on telling when its time to change a blade before you ruin a board?  a guy i work with has a B-20 timber king mill (which i understand is same as the 2000 just the 2000 is an updated version) and he says he buys woodmizer blades for it becasue they are better and last longer but i dont know what he is basing that on.  I'd be interested to know what you gusy prefer for blades on your mills. thanks again.

-Mark

[ladylake]

 

  Mark, looks like you have 2000 not a B20 which is what I gave directions for yesterday(deleted). The B20 and 2000 setworks are totally different so go by Larrys vid above.   Steve

[Larry]

After you get more experience sawing you need to get bands from all the makers and compare.  They all make pretty good quality bands but what you saw makes a big difference.  WM has a selection of different hook angles along with different gullet shapes too fine tune your preference.

[downeastmark]

Thanks larry,

I'm away from home for work right now but I'll be putting your advice to good use when i get back. 

[Jim_Rogers]

downeastmark:
Learning to tell when your blade is dull was one of the toughest things for me to do when I first started out.
You have to get some experience to learn.
But you need to know a few things along the way to understand what you are seeing.

As you mentioned a wavy board is a "tell tale" sign of a dull blade. But there are others as well.

One is to watch the blade as it exits the log. If you walk along with the mill. If you don't then there are other ways to tell.

If you walk along, watch the blade as it exits. If it drops down when it exits it was "riding up" as it cut. This is a sign of a dull blade.

If you don't walk along, as I'm unfamiliar with brand and model of mill, then stop the head right after it exits. Go down there and slide the mill head back to see if the blade will slide over the top of the log. If it can't and it hits the end of the log then it was "riding up". And riding up is the sign of a dull blade.

Next, if it jumps up as it exits the log. If the blade is dull on the other side the blade will cut down into the log too much. And when it exits it will jump up, in-line with where it was suppose to be. This is a diving blade and it is dull. Again, stop the mill head and slide it back to the end of the log. If there is a gap there between the bottom of the blade and the top of the log, then the blade was diving and the blade is dull.

Sawdust size. Look at your sawdust when you start sawing with a sharp blade. See how big the flakes are. Look at the sawdust when you have a dull blade. It may look like powder. Smaller powdery sawdust is a sign of a dull blade. (At least I think so, and if someone else disagrees please educate me.)

Then there is amount of time. I keep track of how long I've been sawing with a blade. And of course that depends on the size and length of the logs you are sawing. And as you have mentioned how clean the logs are. But I have found pretty much that you should get at least a couple of hours or three hours out of each blade. And that is sawing time, not moving logs or other none sawing tasks.

Sometimes you'll find a blade that just doesn't seem to ever get dull. And then you'll have one or two that seem like they didn't last long at all.

With more experience you'll get better with understanding when your blade is dull.

Good luck,
Jim Rogers

[Magicman]

Welcome downeastmark, to the Forestry Forum.  I'm not familiar with your mill, but Jim just gave a wonderful tutorial on blade sharpness/dullness.   

[downeastmark]

thanks again guys, larry thanks for the video on the setworks, and jim for the blade tutorial.  i got a little discouraged with my mill for lack of knowledge about it and no one around who knew much about it tow show me anything, and I sort of lost interest for a period of time. but now i'm pumped to get home and fire it up.