Another build thread... JoshNZ

[Crusarius]

yes. I do agree. and I do want to get rid of it to. That is why I was thinking mount them at an angle so when they are up they are flush along the side of the trailer but down they would angle out triangulating the frame. Would definitely make it much stronger with less wiggle.

[Ljohnsaw]

They're way too light anyway - it's a problem I saw coming. Am wondering about ideas for something way more sturdy and no slop. Feel free to weigh in.

What about using receiver hitch-like attachments.  Pull a single pin and remove the whole trailer jack?

[JRWoodchuck]

 

 I have 2" diameter pipe as outriggers at all four corners of the mill. Once I've leveled my mill I crank all my jacks up a half turn set the outriggers then drop the jacks back down the half turn. So the out riggers are stabilizing laterally but the jacks still hold the weight. 

[JoshNZ]

You would have to have vertical legs as well, if you were using angled legs. Dumping too much weight would bend them otherwise.

I went back to finish this job yesterday and cut rings out of a large branch to prop under the bed, since all the legs were buggered. What a difference it made to the whole saws behaviour. I'm really looking forward to getting something rigid installed.

If I do have anything pin and receiver like I'll also have a threaded handle to jam it against one side of its socket. Much like the log backstops

[bwstout]

I have mine the same as JR but I have 2 on each end and 2 in the middle with jacks on the sides to level and then just drop them down and have a bolt to jam it. However I do not do any mobile my just sets in one place for a while then I move it to clean and reset it up. And have knocked it around some with my tractor so for stay ridged. 

you can see one on this pick


 

[JRWoodchuck]

I have 6 jacks on the mill to support the weight. The outriggers just support the lateral movement. 

[Hilltop366]

Wondering if just angled legs could be used if the feet of the legs on one side were designed to slide horizontally on the leg then lock once you have the mill set up?

Legs could be double tube with a bit of threaded adjustment plus a drop section on the top.

Perhaps the sliding foot would not be needed it a short piece of plank was put on the ground first or the foot was designed with some up turn on the ends like a ski.

[Crusarius]

piece of long tube hinged from the inside rail of the mill bed drop down on the other side then held in place with either slip collar and jam bolt or jack. That gives you diagonal support and vertical support.

Take some figuring to get everything to work right without having to unbolt and remove for transport. But I have faith in you

[JoshNZ]

Might need to see a sketch crusarius lol

[Crusarius]

yea, I figured.

Hmm how to explain it a little better? 

Shoooot I dunno. Maybe I will work on a quick sketch. But its to late tonight

[ktm250rider]

I don't know if there is room, because I forgot to check on mine last night, but could you add a bolt to the pivoting jack stand?  I noticed all the play in mine is from the pivoting connection.  A bolt would allow you to tighten that down and still be removable to rotate the stand.

[JoshNZ]

The pivoting sleeves, inner and outer are too small on mine. What I should've done is solid trunions, and maybe threaded them for a bolt as you say. To get something that clears the road when they're up, clears the saw when they're down, and has no play, is actually no easy feat..

I think if I built a new mill I'd have no legs on it. I'd have some mechanism for removing the axle, and carry blocks with me.

Funnily enough on that note I took an experienced Sawyer with me on a job the other day for a bit of a lesson. After only a few minutes of looking around it was almost one of the first things he said "see you iron out all these bugs and the thing is you're not gonna have this mill very long, you'll sell it and build a better one" I said to him I don't know if I will it's not a profession im just playing around etc. He goes "bull sh** I can see it in your eyes you won't be able to help yourself!"  :D

[RAYAR]

Funnily enough on that note I took an experienced Sawyer with me on a job the other day for a bit of a lesson. After only a few minutes of looking around it was almost one of the first things he said "see you iron out all these bugs and the thing is you're not gonna have this mill very long, you'll sell it and build a better one" I said to him I don't know if I will it's not a profession im just playing around etc. He goes "bull sh** I can see it in your eyes you won't be able to help yourself!"  :D

So Josh, when you starting your next mill build ... :D :D :D

[Crusarius]

Thats funny Josh, my v1.0 is up for sale  I skipped over version 2.0 because 2.5 seemed better. As soon as v1.0 is sold v2.5 starts.

He is absolutely right. I love my mill and impressed with it everytime I use it, but now that I have learned and actually done some milling I want to make more changes.

[JoshNZ]

So do I but I have an entirely seperate business that does pretty well and I should stay focused on it. That's what a smart person would do anyway  :

[mike_belben]

I bang all my v1.0s together from absolute junk so its easy to let them fade into the shadow of future versions. 

[JoshNZ]

I just purchased 90ton of black walnut and Blackwood logs so 2.0 is gonna have to wait. And 1.0 is about to cop a thrashing haha. Not a hobby any more 

[mike_belben]

That escalated quickly.

[JoshNZ]

Ya, and I have been warned countless times that the slope was slippery...

[Hilltop366]

No slope there, you went right off the cliff! ;D

[mike_belben]

I was gonna say..  That wasnt a slope.you stepped in a walnut waterslide.

[JoshNZ]

I'll be smiling all the way until I hit the bottom anyway.

Getting back to the build thread...

I've decided for this I'm going to drive piles into the ground, remove the axle and mount the mill on the piles. That puts the legs problem off until later on.

I need to add an alternator to the setup, the coil under the flywheel is obviously rubbish and the battery is getting weak after 2 days of sawing. Does anybody know if I can just bolt an alternator on, wire it to battery and go, or do I need to disconnect the engines charging coil? Can they both run in parallel?
The engine itself has mounting points all over it so I think I'm going to build the bracket to mount directly to it. I'm pretty well out of space on the beam. Still have room on the output shaft.

[Ljohnsaw]

It was a simple unplug of one connector for my in-motor alternator and I added a 1-wire GM alternator to my 20hp B&S mill engine.  No problems and it sure keeps the battery up!  I didn't want to chance having the two alternators fighting each other.

[mike_belben]

I think If you run the little charge coil wire from your voltage regulator to a one wire alternator, its gonna run at 14.x volts and the alternator will conclude the batteries are full.  

If you had a sensing terminal or lug on the alternator youd want this run to the battery positive. then the alternator should produce the correct amount of magnetic flux for actual battery voltage level.  If it runs down the voltage regulator will turn up the field coil current and put out more amps.  

Just be sure you have a key or switch to interrupt the power to the alternator if you run the battery to the field terminal or the alt field will drain the battery.

[Ljohnsaw]

Just be sure you have a key or switch to interrupt the power

I also installed a battery cut off switch.