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Movable blade guides

Started by Cruiser_79, December 02, 2020, 03:59:16 AM

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Cruiser_79

On the newer mills I often see movable sawblade guides. They can (automatically?) be set as close to the log as possible. Are there people over here who built them theirselves? Are they moved hydraulic or electric? I have hydraulics on my sawbed for clamps and turning, not on the sawhead itself. 
Are movable guides worth the money/time and does it really help with preventing diving/climbing of the blade in tough woods? 
My mill doesn't have rollers but blade guides, pressing the blade about 1/8'' down. There aren't guides at the bottom of the blade. 

Crusarius

I have a movable guide on mine, I try to adjust it when I need to. Most of my logs are similar size so a lot of times it doesn't get moved. but I definitely see the advantage of having it close vs far away. Especially when cutting my nemesis, knotty pine!!!

With it closer to the log the blade does not rise as bad as with it further away.

Cruiser_79

Quote from: Crusarius on December 02, 2020, 06:53:43 AM
I have a movable guide on mine, I try to adjust it when I need to. Most of my logs are similar size so a lot of times it doesn't get moved. but I definitely see the advantage of having it close vs far away. Especially when cutting my nemesis, knotty pine!!!

With it closer to the log the blade does not rise as bad as with it further away.
I checked your build topic, looks good! Manual moving the guides is a good option as well. Cause I don't have toeboard lifting I try to sort the logs before getting it on the mill. I was thinking of using a hydraulic cilinder or maybe a electric actuator. 
My blade is not only rising, but also diving some times in that hard stuff. Why don't  all the mills have guides on top and at the bottom of the blade? 

Crusarius

Reason I only put guides on top is because I didn't want to fight to change blades trying to get them between the guides. Plus then that limits your bottom cut.

If you are having bad blade flex and wavy boards you can try more tension or you can go to thicker, heavier, or wider blade. 

For a adjustable toe board I went to ebay and bought an 1100 pound motorcycle scissor jack. one of these days I may weld something in I can set it on but for proof of concept I put some ratchet straps across the bunks then set the scissor jack on top of those. I was able to lift the log nicely. Nice thing about that was being able to move the jack from one end to the other. Also, when placing the log, it didn't matter where it was since I had plenty of adjustability.

esteadle

I have Timber Harvester which uses a hydraulic ram to move one of the saw guides in and out about 14". 

The blade guide is fixed to a steel guide bar which rides on 4 spaced rollers (2 on top and 2 on bottom) that are grooved to accept a matching protruding edge in the guide bar and keeps the bar ridged and fixed in position. The rollers are mounted to a plate welded on the sawhead frame to give it a good foundation and footing for when the blade pushes back into the rollers. I don't seem to have any pictures handy or I'd post one. 

The remote cylinder is controlled with a electrical servo and the hydraulic fluid is fed off a divide on the Advance-motor loop so that the guide can move in or out during sawing. It could probably be hooked into a stick-valve without that much work. 



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