Collin's Mill Build - V2.0 is long overdue

Crusarius · September 13, 2019, 10:28:10 AM

I am looking forward to seeing it to.

Hoopty5.0 · September 16, 2019, 08:13:23 AM

the blade guides are just about done. Missing a couple of threaded holes.

Next, I'll weld it to the carriage and start on the lifting mechanism.

Crusarius · September 16, 2019, 08:29:06 AM

Looking good. at least you didn't do what I did on mine. I built them with the rollers on the wrong side.

Didn't guide the blade very well at all. but looked kool

Hoopty5.0 · September 16, 2019, 09:01:27 AM

Quote from: Crusarius on September 16, 2019, 08:29:06 AM
Looking good. at least you didn't do what I did on mine. I built them with the rollers on the wrong side.

Didn't guide the blade very well at all. but looked kool

HA! whoops.
I have to brag on my little $100 TIG welder too. When I actually slow down and make an attempt at making pretty welds, the machine is more or less is capable! I know a lot of people have their opinions on Chinesium parts and tools, but if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be able to afford some of these tools and just wouldn't be able to work. I think the important distinction to make is that I don't make a living with these tools and they get used infrequently. If the use was more of a daily grind, I'd be singing a different tune, for sure!

There's a really cheap plasma cutter on amazon for like $200 that I've got my eye on next.

Crusarius · September 16, 2019, 09:07:20 AM

Gotta start somewhere. When I started doing metal fab I had a $100 stick welder, a grinder, and a sawzall.

I do not miss those days. The assortment of "easy" tools I have now sure does make my work quite a bit easier. Probably nicer to.

You will get there one day.

Hoopty5.0 · September 17, 2019, 08:10:46 AM

Well, with all learning experiences, you learn what you did wrong after you did it. Going to have to cut the saw head off the carriage because I did not account for the slop in the tubes that slide over the posts, so there's about 5° of declination on the saw head as it's hanging here. I also think that there is some torsion in the cross bar because there is no other bracing supporting the saw head, it's just hanging off the side of the 2x2.
The plan for tonight will be to cut it off, simulate the load with ratchet straps, then re-weld the saw head. Here's where I got last night.

Other than that, I'm happy with the progress made so far. It's moving along pretty quick now.

Crusarius · September 17, 2019, 08:18:04 AM

If I was you, I think I would try to make the head adjustable. I did not, and after I painted everything and reassembled it The blade would not go far enough down with my cam stops in place. I had to remove the stops to get the 3/4" final cut height I was after.

It would not be hard to add a triangle from the bottom of your sleeves up to the sawframe and make it adjustable that way.

Hoopty5.0 · September 17, 2019, 08:43:32 AM

It's hard to tell in the pics, but the blade will go down past the cross members on the base frame. Really, I need to figure out a way to put some stops in to prevent going too far.

Crusarius · September 17, 2019, 09:05:35 AM

I took some 2" bar stock cut it into 1/4" slugs then drilled an offset hole in it drilled and tapped the mast then bolted it on. Rotate it to where the slide would hit it and stop perfectly at my last board cut.

Worked great till my sawframe angle changed and adjusted the blade location.

Hoopty5.0 · September 17, 2019, 01:23:23 PM

I just ordered a motor and a clutch. Got a 16hp motor off amazon for $263,

. Dang clutch was just about as much.

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 08:25:25 AM

Well, it runs and cuts... kinda. Against my better judgement, I crudely clamped a small piece of walnut in place to make a test cut and it worked like a dream. I'm going to get material this week for some blade guards and start on a clamping system. I'll also be picking up more material to extend the bed out to 12' as well.

Old Greenhorn · September 23, 2019, 08:30:50 AM

Well, THAT has to feel good!? Congrats!

Crusarius · September 23, 2019, 08:37:43 AM

I did something very similar for my test cut. Except it was in the middle of winter in my garage with ghetto guards vice gripped in place just to redirect the dust. What a mistake that was. The mess is still in the shop a year later

That looks like your pushing your blade through the cut instead of pulling? You may want to reconsider that. On the smaller pieces it won't be an issue but you get into a big heavy or sticky log and you will have issues.

My Linn build has the engine on top of the sawframe running the other direction.

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 09:01:02 AM

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on September 23, 2019, 08:30:50 AM
Well, THAT has to feel good!? Congrats!

Yes, but I'll feel better once it's done!

Quote from: Crusarius on September 23, 2019, 08:37:43 AM
That looks like your pushing your blade through the cut instead of pulling? You may want to reconsider that. On the smaller pieces it won't be an issue but you get into a big heavy or sticky log and you will have issues.

My Linn build has the engine on top of the sawframe running the other direction.

I struggled with this, and ultimately, my whole carriage is a design flaw. Because the saw head is in front of the forward rollers and hangs off the front of the carriage, I wanted the engine to be behind the forward casters as a counter weight. I'd basically have to start all over again to fix it, which I may do eventually, but for now, I'll see how far I can get with it.

Like you mentioned, a version 2.0 would be very different, haha!

Crusarius · September 23, 2019, 09:34:26 AM

Yea. I was looking at it and the only way you could truly flip it around is to flip the entire carriage and then swap the guides. Of course this means drilling and tapping all new holes for the guides.

I still think you would be smart to do it now. There are many other ppl on the forum that did the same thing and then ended up fixing it. It is easier to fix it now than it is to fix it later.

Still looking good though. I still wish I had thought to change the direction from the Linn plans mostly because I hate flipping blades. Ahhh the infamous V2.0

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 09:56:25 AM

Quote from: Crusarius on September 23, 2019, 09:34:26 AM
Yea. I was looking at it and the only way you could truly flip it around is to flip the entire carriage and then swap the guides. Of course this means drilling and tapping all new holes for the guides.

I still think you would be smart to do it now. There are many other ppl on the forum that did the same thing and then ended up fixing it. It is easier to fix it now than it is to fix it later.

Still looking good though. I still wish I had thought to change the direction from the Linn plans mostly because I hate flipping blades. Ahhh the infamous V2.0

I'll have to rebuild the whole thing. I can't flip the motor around without moving the posts further back on the carriage in order to prevent it from flipping forward. Then I wouldn't be able to lower the cutting head lower than 6" off the top of the bed.
I'll need to think about this and draw a few scenarios and see what I can come up with. Bummer!

Crusarius · September 23, 2019, 10:15:58 AM

easiest way to fix it is to flip the sawframe end for end. then run a longer belt to get to the drive side. or shift the engine to the other side and use the same belt. You are correct, it is almost a full rebuild but I am 100% confident you will be happy you did it now and not later. Pushing the blade through the cut will create alot of issues. The worst one being wavy boards.

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 10:29:51 AM

Hey that's a great idea! I can work with that.

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 10:33:35 AM

...and thank you for the idea!

Crusarius · September 23, 2019, 10:40:12 AM

NP. Glad I could help.

Old Greenhorn · September 23, 2019, 12:08:09 PM

Perhaps another thought is to extend the front roller feet out in front of the blade. You might need to add some low gussets, but it should help stabilize things, should it not?

Hoopty5.0 · September 23, 2019, 12:30:00 PM

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on September 23, 2019, 12:08:09 PM
Perhaps another thought is to extend the front roller feet out in front of the blade. You might need to add some low gussets, but it should help stabilize things, should it not?

That's a possibility as well, and something I may do even after swapping the pulleys around. It's still too front heavy for my liking.

Crusarius · September 23, 2019, 12:44:41 PM

Keep the legs as short as possible. The longer they are the shorter your cut length. Mine are 39" long. I have a 24' bed and only allows me a 20'-4.5" max cut.

JoshNZ · September 23, 2019, 06:09:06 PM

Are the shafts the same diameter? You can't pull them from the blocks and swap the wheels entirely, then move the engine over a bit?

Hoopty5.0 · September 24, 2019, 08:24:24 AM

Quote from: JoshNZ on September 23, 2019, 06:09:06 PM
Are the shafts the same diameter? You can't pull them from the blocks and swap the wheels entirely, then move the engine over a bit?

They're the same, and that's what I plan on doing. Good idea!