A little trouble today

Magicman · April 19, 2010, 09:38:19 PM

First log, first cut. When I hit the reverse, the powerfeed made a "bad" noise that I had never heard before. Next cut, same noise. I finished the log, took the guards off of the powerfeed sprockets and watched. Yup, slipped...or rather skipped a few links.

Pulled the powerfeed assembly, and sure enough.....worn drive sprocket.

That's when WM service comes into play. Called, all needed parts are in stock, and will be here Wednesday.

I ordered both sprockets and the necessary bearings and keepers.

woodmills1 · April 19, 2010, 09:41:56 PM

I love woodmizer parts

wish I didn't have to buy them

but, in stock, on time, back to cutting

ForestMan · April 19, 2010, 09:57:52 PM

Wow, you can really see the wear on those.

pigman · April 19, 2010, 09:59:24 PM

Also, check the chain. Usually the sprockets wear because the chain stretches and rides up on the sprocket teeth.

Magicman · April 19, 2010, 10:19:57 PM

Good point, but it's 40 miles away on that job. I'll run the sprockets on the chain before I install them. I'll actually measure the chain when I bring the mill back next week. I'm sure that the chain is original and I've put over 4K hours on it. The original owner replaced the hour meter, so it has well over 6K hours.

I've got 21 good SYP logs to saw first. All 24"+.....

captain_crunch · April 19, 2010, 11:47:16 PM

M_M
Keep a real close eye on your new sprokets with worn chain sometimes they will eat a new sproket fast

backwoods sawyer · April 20, 2010, 01:20:57 AM

It is better to bite the bullet and put new chain on as soon as you can. See what you get for putting all those hours on that mill, "new part". ;D

stonebroke · April 20, 2010, 06:46:51 AM

always replace the chain when replacing sprockets. A saying to live by

Stonebroke

ljmathias · April 20, 2010, 06:55:57 AM

Guess that'll learn you not to use your mill so much! You're plum wearing it out...

Oh, well, as they say around here- the only equipment that doesn't break...

Lj

Meadows Miller · April 20, 2010, 07:45:11 AM

Gday

Whata doin wearn equipment out like that Mate ;) :D Magic one of me old boses would think i was being a real pita sayn that needed fixn just tighten up the chain more he'd say ;)

??? :

Ive seen plenty worse than that ran an old laimet that had only about 1/8th of the drive tooth left on the sprocket you hat to be realy touchy with the feed and reverse mate :

:

:( >:( Quit ;) :D :D :D

Regards Chris

Wintergreen Mountain · April 20, 2010, 05:03:50 PM

Magicman'
Captain-Crunch is right on. If you use the old chain at all run it loose and watch it closely. The wear i see in your picture definetly shows a lot of chain pitch wear. If the old chain wears the new sprockets, the wear on the new sprockets will shorten the life of a new chain.
I would change the chain now, with the new sprokets.

LEON

Magicman · April 20, 2010, 05:18:12 PM

Quote from: pigman on April 19, 2010, 09:59:24 PM
Also, check the chain. Usually the sprockets wear because the chain stretches and rides up on the sprocket teeth.

Point well taken, A new chain was ordered and will be here Thursday. When I put it back together, all parts will be new. Thanks guys for the reminder and advice.....

Chuck White · April 20, 2010, 05:21:56 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 20, 2010, 05:18:12 PM
Quote from: pigman on April 19, 2010, 09:59:24 PM
Also, check the chain. Usually the sprockets wear because the chain stretches and rides up on the sprocket teeth.

Point well taken, A new chain was ordered and will be here Thursday. When I put it back together, all parts will be new. Thanks guys for the reminder and advice.....

Right on MM.
When I had a motorcycle, the sprockets got badly worn and when I went to pick up new ones,
the salesman told me that sprockets and chains should be sold in sets.
So I picked up the set.

Magicman · April 21, 2010, 03:38:30 PM

New sprockets, bearings, keepers, etc. came today. I had to drill and retap the main drive pulley, but no problem. The idler sprocket bearing had slipped on it's shaft, so I had to center punch the shaft a bit and also applied fingernail polish. Not really needed, but now the shaft matches the wife's toes.....

The new chain will be in tomorrow, but rain in the forecast means no sawing until next week.

The shaft bearings had been slipping on the shaft for a while, cutting the shaft down.

I center punched the idler shaft and added nail polish. It won't slip now.

Two happy power feed sprockets.

Larry · April 21, 2010, 05:15:09 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 21, 2010, 03:38:30 PM
The idler sprocket bearing had slipped on it's shaft, so I had to center punch the shaft a bit and also applied fingernail polish.

Learn something new everyday...I would have used LocTite. Will the parts still come apart easy? May have to add a bottle of that fingernail polish to my repair arsenal.

Magicman · April 21, 2010, 07:30:35 PM

Actually the center punch "dinging" was enough to tighten it up. They make "Green" bearing race sealant, but at $22.50 per bottle. Nail polish is actually lacquer, and will hold very well. If/when it needs removing, the normal "persuasion" will remove it.

etkoehn · April 21, 2010, 08:56:06 PM

Your ever consider getting your bearings, sprockets, chains from a tractor supply type of store. Up were I live we have a lot of tractor dealers and parts stores and they usually keep stuff like that on hand. And usually(not always) cheaper. Plus you wouldn't have to wait a couple days for parts.
What was suppose to keep the idler from slipping? key, set screw, locking collar?
Good idea on the nail polish. One back thing about about center punching, or at least what I have experienced. Is it will still probably do it again. But then I never tried nail polish

maybe that's the trick

Magicman · April 21, 2010, 09:47:51 PM

Sure, many items are available locally, especially hoses, etc. In this case, since the sprockets were specialty items, and #40 chain was available only in 10' lengths, there was no decision to make.

I called WM from the job site Monday noon. The parts were in my hands Wednesday AM. If I had ordered the chain then, I would have gotten it today also.

Since I never schedule over 2 days of sawing per week, I just got other stuff done. I'll saw that job next week....or the week after. No I'll be in Florida that week. Hmmm, maybe the week after that.... ;D :D

etkoehn · April 21, 2010, 09:51:52 PM

Florida eh? Well drink some good orange juice so you feel good enough to come back to some hard work :D

Papa1stuff · April 21, 2010, 10:06:26 PM

Magicman,your welcome to stop by my place and give me some pointers ;D ;D

Magicman · April 21, 2010, 10:39:37 PM

We won't be down in the Orlando area.....maybe next time....But I don't know which of us will be giving and which will be receiving the "pointers"....... :D

captain_crunch · April 22, 2010, 02:44:04 AM

M_M
Glad it is all new at once Thanks for the fingerpolish tip new one on me :

:

But guess it would be good idea if it did match your wifes or would be interested in hearing the explanition

Brian

Meadows Miller · April 22, 2010, 09:31:15 AM

Gday

Magic thats anice trick i havent heard of before Mate ;) 8) 8) 8) 8) i usually either spray paint to seal it or just put a god dab of grease on it when im putting it back together Mate

CC id like to see that expanition too Mate

??? :

;) :D :D :D :D :D :D

Regards Chris

Magicman · April 23, 2010, 03:18:21 PM

I put every thing back on the mill yesterday. New sprockets, bearings, keepers, shaft, chain, and belt. We ran today until the rain stopped us.

Sometimes, bad things happen to the drive chain like a heavy slab slipping and falling and catching on the chain. I suspect that is what stretches the chain. Some slabs can be quite heavy.

Anyway, I guess that it's good for another 12 years....

ljmathias · April 23, 2010, 09:48:51 PM

or 12 days- you just never know, which is part of what makes it so interesting and frustrating at the same time- seems like I just get one thing fixed and something else breaks or goes wrong- noticed today that apparently when we installed the permanent legs on my stationary mill, we didn't spacer up the last two sets. Been cutting pretty heavy logs last few days and look down the log as it the saw was cutting and there was a pronounced downhill slope toward the far end- never noticed it on the lighter wood but the fresh SYP I just loaded on was full of water and heave! First few cuts at the top were fine, but as I got toward the middle of the log (I was aware of the problem by now and watching to see if happened again), sure enough the far end started sagging. My guess is that as the boards on top were freed from the log, their weight was now free to push down on the far end. With the log intact, the weight was spread out pretty evenly. Last couple of boards ended up real thin on the far end- messed up the bottom three boards. DanG it all!

So tomorrow I'll have a shot at leveling up the legs and bed so it cuts straight and smooth on the bigger logs, too. Then wait to see what breaks after that...

At least I got the mill area cleaned up finally- all the backlog cut, waste cleared out and burned, and the random pieces of slabs I was "saving" for something standing around the ends of the mill cleaned and stacked- nice to have everything clean for a change. That'll change quick also.

Lj