iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Dating a lane mill

Started by Osterman.r, March 30, 2021, 09:27:10 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Osterman.r

Hi guys, I recently bought a lane mill. I'm curious as to how old or new it is. It is all steel including the husk. Handset carriage that at some point was upgraded to hydraulic dogs. Is the century feed more modern than a heacock style feed? I don't see many if any century feed Mills on the internet. Previous owner was running it with a 60hp electric motor. 

aigheadish

I can't help you, sorry, but I can say I couldn't read your topic without thinking "Who is Elaine Mill?" buh-dum-psh!
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

Osterman.r

I saw that coming the second I posted. Well played

mike_belben

cue the 'rules for dating my sawmill' teeshirts.. 
Praise The Lord

moodnacreek

Quote from: Osterman.r on March 30, 2021, 09:27:10 PM
Hi guys, I recently bought a lane mill. I'm curious as to how old or new it is. It is all steel including the husk. Handset carriage that at some point was upgraded to hydraulic dogs. Is the century feed more modern than a heacock style feed? I don't see many if any century feed Mills on the internet. Previous owner was running it with a 60hp electric motor.
Wanna sell it? The century feed is the last word before hydraulic. It is actually a Glover feed fabricated from steel and made by Lane or those who followed. At one time there was a tradition of dating the mandrels by stamping the [pulley] end. I have 2 here that are not stamped and the one that was on my mill got left in a machine shop that made a new one before I knew this. The mandrel I am running now Lanetec made in '96. The lane friction feeds where much different than the Heacock like American used.  Your dogs could be a Hawkinson conversion.

Osterman.r

Yes the hydraulic dogs are a Hawkinson upgrade from right here in nh. Thank you for the info on the feed. I had heard it called a "Glover feed" before, wasn't sure if Glover was a brand name, or a style? (Kleenex/tissue) I checked the end of my mandrel, no date unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

Cedarman

Yup, me too.  I was wondering how good looking this Elaine Mill was.  Had another laugh when I saw others think like me.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

moodnacreek

Oster, Is that a 'sawyers favorite ' dog next to the mandrel? I see your feed is cast. Later they where steel framed. The mill is all steel I see but I don't know when that started. I think Lane in Montpelier burned around 1977 and that would have been the end of the 
no. 1 and 2 cast iron husk. Is yours a No.1 or 030?





Osterman.r

Moodnacreek, can you tell me the major differences between a no1 no2 and 030? I do not have a sawyers favorite, although, I did go look at another lane mill that is in very rough shape (all of the wood is rotted and crumbling) yesterday that does have a sawyers favorite. I am probably going to buy the mill. The only reason I want it is for the catpillar power plant. But the guy won't seaparate the power plant from the mill. Which is understandable. I may try to pedal the rest of the mill.

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: Cedarman on April 01, 2021, 06:51:46 AM
Yup, me too.  I was wondering how good looking this Elaine Mill was.  Had another laugh when I saw others think like me.
Sad isnt it.
Question asking for dating advice here.
That being said either first find out how she feels about sawmills or get one you want first. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

moodnacreek

Quote from: Osterman.r on April 01, 2021, 09:03:53 AM
Moodnacreek, can you tell me the major differences between a no1 no2 and 030? I do not have a sawyers favorite, although, I did go look at another lane mill that is in very rough shape (all of the wood is rotted and crumbling) yesterday that does have a sawyers favorite. I am probably going to buy the mill. The only reason I want it is for the catpillar power plant. But the guy won't seaparate the power plant from the mill. Which is understandable. I may try to pedal the rest of the mill.
I was trying to be funny because I saw that German shepherd.  The 030 [or tractor mill or O if really old] has a 30" log opening and em casting numbers on some parts as opposed to 1sm that has a 36" opening. Some of the no. 1 parts also fit 030 and then there are half breeds. I would love to have that carriage especially if it is a 30". Please keep me in mind. What power unit did you Get?

Osterman.r

Ha, I missed the "dog"
Joke. I have a three phase motor right now. But I'm going to pick up a 4cyl cat diesel power plant this weekend. Should work out great on the mill. I finished the telephone pole foundation for my ways yesterday. The mill should be coming together fairly quick now. 

moodnacreek

So you are setting up this mill. I got excited and thought you where splitting it up. If the axels are 1 3/16" dia. and the set shaft 1 7/16" it would be an 030 style. The No. 1 has all bigger shafts , 2 15/16" mandrel for instance. [ the 030 2 7/16"]    There are more of these mills in your neck of the woods than down here. It's the hydraulic dogs I badly want for my manual lane sawmill. People will see your mill and mention where others are sitting. Keep me in mind if you can, Doug

Osterman.r

Where are you located? And where did you find all the good specs on the different lane Mills? Or have you just acquired those specs by looking and measuring different Mills over the years?

moodnacreek

I brought home 3 old sawmills; 2 Lane tractor and 1 very old Chase No. 1 back in the early nineties. With all the parts I put a lane together and have been improving it since as time allows. I went to sawmill auctions in the N. E. for years, visited Lanetec annually and A.S.Clark in Battleboro VT.. All these places are gone. Also Chase mill supply, Orange Mass.                  Anyhow I operate a one man sawmill in Cornwall [Orange Co.] N.Y. The carriage is still manual.   Where in N.H. are you?              Doug

mart

The play on words is fun but I actually briefly dated a girl named Alane Mills many long years ago. Unusual spelling I know but that was how she spelled her name.
I was young and dumb once. I got over being young a long time ago.

LT15 w/19 hp - 24' bed
Branson 3725
Stihl MS362
Husqvarna 450

Osterman.r

Here are a few photos of the mill that came with the power plant. It's old, but it's all there.
 

 

 

moodnacreek

Osterman, I think those 2 mills are  the tractor or 030 size. You would have 30" log opening and some em casting numbers. Most of the No. 1 mills had heavy cast iron husk. The smaller tractor mills where considered light and easer to move. They where considered portable when I started; 3 15" way sections and a 15' carriage and wood husk, so easy to move! I guess men where men back then. So you will be sawin by the notches when you get it set up.  I would like to here about it. And by the way, what is that old truck back there?

Osterman.r

My mill has (3) 16'8" way sections, and the carriage is is just under 20' long. That's a 1936 dodge 2 ton truck. Flatbed dump. I use it for hauling logs and fire wood. 

moodnacreek

Well that's what the customer ordered. You can cut 24' without any bounce and longer if you have to, especially timbers. Those old dodge's where tough.

Osterman.r

Here are some progress photos of the lane. I sawed one log last week with rusty pitted and chipped bits. It cut, but very inconsistent, which I expected. I just wanted to see sawdust. I put in all new bits this weekend but did not fire the mill in this rainy cold weather. Can anyone tell me what the cast iron bracket with the nub sticking up in the last photo is? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walnut Beast


moodnacreek

That bracket is a hinge pin for a receder bar. The old ones like mine have 2 hardwood bars split in the middle and pulled in with a foot treadle to contact a n iron wheel that turns because the carriage is moving. It lifts the setworks pawl and sends the bunks back for another log. Sometimes you can turn a cant with it and even come forward towards the saw. Most old mills had this feature. They went to steel bars and rubber tired wheels. You mill must have been converted to hyd. Do you see any EM casting marks?              I see you have the old time spreader wheel also. Be careful with that. If a piece, big of small falls between that and the saw, duck fast because it will fly in your face. A knife style splitter is safer but the same thing can still happen. Looks like a style 3 saw, wish you where closer as I should have bits for that. The only way to date it is if they stamped the date in the pully end of the mandrel.

Osterman.r

Thank you moodnacreek. Wish you were closer too. Not many of these circular Mills running around here that I know of. A friend of mine stumbled upon a saw shop that has been closed for 20years. I took all of the no.3 bits and shanks. There are a ton of B shanks and bits. also a ton of no2 1/2 bits and shanks. I will look for a plate that will receive either of those bits and shanks. What is a more common saw? No.3, No2 1/2, or B?

Roxie

We're all doomed! I came here to see if you were going steady yet and I was thinking the same thing about the dog. 

Shout out to moodnacreek for restoring our reputation and dignity and come to think of that, I don't remember a question being asked here about a sawmill that went unanswered. 

Best members on the planet and bless em for their sense of humor. 

Say when

Thank You Sponsors!