Norwood Frontier OS 23, 27, 31

[adirondacker]

To all you experienced saw millers....problem that I cannot resolve....on Norwood sawmills with T-handle saw blade torqueing.....as I saw boards T-handle slowly backs off and saw blade will eventually come off band wheels...if I hold handle..... no problem. 
Has anyone had similar problem.
Thanks

[Dana Stanley]

How long have you had the mill. Sounds like a weak tension spring, or missing a washer on the spring. I have woodland mills and you actually use a torque wrench 25 ft lbs. maybe you need to tighten it more 

[APope]

I am cutting on an OS31. I have not seen that problem.

[adirondacker]

To the gentleman who replied to my post on OS 23......on your mill (OS31) do you have a yellow bar that goes to your adjustable roller guide and then sticks out on T-handle side of cover? Mine, the little bolt came loose...bar slipped out of the notch and ruined a saw blade.....I welded everything solid, re-drilled small hole...hope that remedies.....some of these designers?????

[Dana Stanley]

Have you contacted the manufacturer about it? I would be interested to know why too.

[APope]

The OS31 has ceramic guides instead of rollers. The one on the operator's side does have a yellow bar like you describe. Mine has vibrated the plastic covered bolt partially out but the bar did not meander into the blade. The slot is meant to allow for a quicker open and shut of the operator's side cover when you need to clean out the sawdust or change blades. I am going to weld a short piece of rod onto a bolt head so that I have a spare that will hand tighten. I know that I will loose the plastic covered one or else break it.
I did find fasteners that were factory assembled that were not properly tightened while assembling the remainder of the sawmill. I double checked every fastener before my first run. I have had a M8 set screw loose out that holds the ceramic guide assembly in the correct position. That was one that I tightened.

[adirondacker]

To all the owners of OS 23, 27, and 31 Frontier mills. Yes I have contacted the "appropriate" people...but you all know the world we live in today...its all about the money.. and design is done for convenience.
I guess we are on our own. I'm a bit like Jim Lovell...sometimes you just need to jump. I have modified my Frontier to suit my needs and to make for smoother operation...and to save for not having headaches. Like designing my own automatic water lube.
Keep on sawing....

[APope]

To all the owners of OS 23, 27, and 31 Frontier mills. Yes I have contacted the "appropriate" people...but you all know the world we live in today...its all about the money.. and design is done for convenience.
I guess we are on our own. I'm a bit like Jim Lovell...sometimes you just need to jump. I have modified my Frontier to suit my needs and to make for smoother operation...and to save for not having headaches. Like designing my own automatic water lube.
Keep on sawing....

I understand loud and clear. I have experienced some that you have too. I have posted to assist those that follow in our paths. My hope is that we'll learn from one another.

[DavidLovesUSA]

Just purchased a Frontier OS31 and got it all put together.  Overall the it seems to be a well built machine with thick metal and good design.  But then there is the little things that you don't see right away.  When I put the first blade on and set the tension for the first time the T handle flew off and hit me in the chest.  Looking at the weld it looks corroded and very poor.  Second, the bracket for one of the jack stands has a failed weld that looks similarly corroded and bad. 
 
Has anyone else seen these types of issues?  

Dave at Norwood has been very helpful and has offered to send replacement parts that will arrive in just a few short weeks.  Really all he can do, but I am just having the parts welded locally.  



 

 

[APope]

Welcome to the forum DavidLovesUSA. I have an OS31 without the trailer. Those are some non-penetrating welds ya got there. I have not any like that but I have not had my tensioning handle come off. I would not care to wait for replacement parts either.

[Delta66]

I have an OS27 with the trailer.  I did not experience any problems with the welds.  My trouble came in the form of missing parts and owner's manuals that were thin on instruction.  The customer service staff has been trying to help as best they can.  I have been really impressed with how the mill cuts once it's together.  From walnut to pine, it has been working really well.

A few things to check:
1.My drive pulley was about 1/4" out of alignment with the band wheel and caused me to ruin a belt.  Once I shimmed that properly, all has been fine.  

2.The log supports that thread in to the crossbunks have been stripping out for many people in the Frontier Facebook groups.  I will be putting nuts on the back of all of the bolts to hopefully avoid the issue.  

3. The anti-tip bracket on the carriage likes to move around.  I haven't solved this issue yet but some were welding them in place.  

[RAYAR]

Just purchased a Frontier OS31 and got it all put together.  Overall the it seems to be a well built machine with thick metal and good design.  But then there is the little things that you don't see right away.... the bracket for one of the jack stands has a failed weld that looks similarly corroded and bad.

That bracket for the jack stand appears to only have been welded across the top from what I can see in that pic. It should also be welded down each side to avoid it bending at the top weld. Check the other brackets also for missing welds.

The quality control appears to be missing from some of these mills.

[DavidLovesUSA]

Thanks for the advice.  I am currently up and running.  I still need to get some of the welds redone.  They seem to all be in place but they just did not go deep enough to form a good bond.  I was missing the sleeve that goes inside the tension spring so I was putting to much tension on the blade and it kept coming off.  Brian from Norwood fast shipped me a new one and all is well now.  I just snug up until I feel the sleeve and I know I am at the right tension.  Cuts great!  

Thanks for all your help!

I like the idea of putting nuts on the back of the log support brackets.  They seem to move when they get bumped by the log and with nuts on the back you can snug them up a bit tighter.  

A couple other things/improvements I have made. 
1. The cover hinges have bolts that thread into the shroud on the top right above the band wheels.  In having so much trouble with my blade and having to take it on and off so many times, I got really tired of working the blade around these bolts.  I also felt like they kept hitting the teeth on the blade and dulling them.  Solution was to grind them off.  Now the blade goes on so much nicer.  

 


2. The cover was in the way of adjusting the set screw for the top ceramic guide on the drive side.  So much so that it was almost impossible.  I ground out a little more room there so I can get to the screw a lot easier.