Mobile Dimension question.

[DanG]

That crank on the cross-feed isn't very hard to turn, but after a while it starts getting to my shoulder.  Has anybody tryed putting an electric motor on it?  It doesn't seem like it would be that hard to do.

[Frank_Pender]

DanG, I have a friend tht is working on such a device, afte the Holidays.  He is thinking of a small electric motor, as he is set up on permanent basis.  The thing I have thought of is to bring the track and carrage all the way back to the left side to being another pass, across the log.  Since I have hydraulic system for both mills, I have thought of using a hydraulic motor and valve.  The key plays into the issue of having the carrage stop at the correct point for thickness of the lumber to be sawed.

If you are mobil you might also think about using an electric motor adaptable to to your battery.

[DanG]

I'm thinking of a dc gearmotor, Frank.  I would just get rid of the guage wheel and use a ruler and pointer.  I would make the ruler movable and mark the kerf width on the front end of it.  Only problem is where to mount the ruler.  I'll have to come up with some sort of add on for that, I guess.  I thought about getting fancy and installing a micro-switch to stop it at a predetermined spot.  It would also be nice to have a lock-out of some sort to keep from accidentally moving it while in a cut.

[GareyD]

Dan. the MightyMite was a little stiff to turn until I coated the cross rail with slip plate...now I can move the head sideways with 2 fingers...it's almost too easy to move :D :D

[DanG]

I got mine coated with Slip Plate too, and it ain't hard to turn.  The problem is in the repetitive motion, and it gets into some awkward positions, since it travels up  and down with the saw.  I'm just looking to preserve my pore ol' bod for a few more years.

[rbarshaw]

DanG, I used a windshield wiper motor off a 70's dodge for my mill head raise/lower, it's a 12 vdc gearmotor. fairly light for the power and they are made to run forever. They are just about free for the taking off these old cars. The only difficulty is the negative side brush is fastened to the metal case by a wire lead, but it's easy to take off the end bell and lift the lead and run a wire out so it can then be wired to run forward and reverse.

[oakiemac]

rbarshaw- I am surprised that you have used a windshield motor to raise/lower the mill. I have bought 2 "high" torque gear motors and neither one had enough strength to raise the mill and they are both bigger then most windsheild motors that I have seen.
Did you couple it directly to the mill or use reducing grears of some sort?

[tnlogger]

oakiemac here'ssome pics from rbarshaws  gallery

[karl]

How 'bout weldin' a  3/8" hex stub on to the shaft and driving it with a 3/8" variable speed battery drill?

HO HO HO

[rbarshaw]

rbarshaw- I am surprised that you have used a windshield motor to raise/lower the mill. I have bought 2 "high" torque gear motors and neither one had enough strength to raise the mill and they are both bigger then most windsheild motors that I have seen.
Did you couple it directly to the mill or use reducing grears of some sort?

The wiper motor has a built in reduction gear, but I also reduced it about 5 to 1 using chain and sprockets from old bicyles. I can raise that to about 3 to 1 using the other smaller gears, but this is fine for me and it got rid of the sholder pain of the hand crank. I used an ampmeter and found that It draws a max of 7 amps.

[DanG]

Oakie, you ain't still usin' that hand crank to lift the mill, are you?   Mine has a 1/2 hp 24vdc motor with a BIG honkin' gearbox.  I was told that it isn't MD oem, but it really does the job.  I'll get some pics at next opportunity.

[Paul_H]

I would sure like to see the pics too DanG. The motor I have is a Honeywell and when I went to use the lift last Spring,it calved on me.I took the motor apart and saw that one of the 4 magnets had come loose so I attempted to glue it back with epoxy.

The magnet had other ideas and after some slammed fingers and some lip biting I solved the problem by shoving an empty plastic pop bottle friction fit to hold the magnet in place while the glue dried.
After it dried the motor was put back together and it worked fine for a couple of weeks and then one of the other 3 magnets came loose too so I figured it was time for another motor which I figured to be around $150.

It was just barely under $500 Cdn  I took the motor apart and reglued the magnet and ran a bead of epoxy around the other 2 magnets that hadn't come loose. I think the problem stemmed from leaving the motor exposed to the elements last Winter and a constant rain - freeze - thaw loosened it up

6 months and holding but you never know.

[pigman]

The motor I have is a Honeywell and when I went to use the lift last Spring,it calved on me.I

Paul, in my business of cattle raising the  word "calved" means a cow giving birth to a calf. I thought you had mistyped until I got out my old trusty dictionary and discovered that word has another meaning.  "of an ice mass:to separate or break so that a part becomes detached".   
I learn something new everyday on the Forestry Forum.  8)  Still can't use that word around here the way you did; people would think I was a little crazy. :-[ On second thought, that would be better than what they know about me now.

[DanG]

I'll hafta rake the sawdust off of it so I can get a pic.  I'm almost sure it's down in there somewhere. :

[oakiemac]

Yeah I'm still hand cranking. My body is starting to get old and I am looking for ways to automate the whole process. One of the first steps is to get a motor to raise/lower the mill. Like I said, I tried 2 gear motors with now luck. I didn't want to reduce the motor down any further because I figured it would then be too slow. So maybe the way to go is a regular motor then use bike gears to reduce it down. I might just buy the MD version but I have heard that it is expensive. Another option would be to use an AC motor since I'm not portable all that often.
The other automation idea that I'm working on is kiln carts. I started that project last summer and I still don't have the carts built. There ain't enough time in the day after working 40+ hours at one job then working 20-30 with the mill then the typical honey do list that we all have. But I'm having fun doing it all and that is the important thing.

[toxedo_2000]

How 'bout weldin' a  3/8" hex stub on to the shaft and driving it with a 3/8" variable speed battery drill?

HO HO HO

It is a very good idea ! And it works. I made a trailer many years ago to pull out my floatplane decks for the winter.


There was one 8 feet long screw at each corner.


They were working together, linked with sprockets on a chain at the top. On one of the sprokets, I had weld a big nut. And with my 1/2 electric drill, and a generator, I would raise the decks (3 of them) one over the other as you see in the first pic. Heach weighted about 400 or 500 pounds

The deck was installed back every spring, after the ice melted.


Tox

[Paul_H]

Bob,

I'm not sure where the term "calved" for a breakdown came from  :-\
Could be because the machines would buck and kick and then lie down like a calf or spread parts out on the ground and leave a mess like a cow thats calving does :P

Oakie
Here is the setup that my mill has on the lift & lower









I would like to find a backup/replacement motor that would cost far less than $500.I was wondering if a ford or chevy starter could be rigged up to fit. I am a good 1000' from AC power.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  V6 Outboard motor starter  ;) :D ;D

[oakiemac]

Paul- that is a permanent magnet DC motor. I'm sure you could take that to any motor repair shop and they could fix you up for far less then $500

I think I tried a battery drill once and it turned the mechanism very slowly. I might try a more powerful one.

[DanG]

I think an automobile starter motor would work nicely, but you'd probably want to insulate the housing from the mill.  The housing usually serves as the negative connection for them, and reversing the current might cause problems if it's grounded to the mill.

Paul, I agree that you oughta take your's to a motor shop and have it spruced up.  Probably the cheapest and easiest way out.

[Paul_H]

DanG
The motor has faired a bit better since the Spring and I've made a point to cover it and keep it from the weather.I've built a shack over the mill and have a bay for the resaw now too so things should stay nice and dry.

I don't know of any local electric motor repair shops but we're not too far from North Vancouver (2 hrs)
The pics below were taken just after the tin went on the roof.Things are a little neater now but still have a ways to go before everything is set properly.I would like to run 12V lights so I could work after supper some nights.I have the welder there but it seems an overkill for the sake of a few lights.

A couple weeks ago I had the Case skidsteer pointing it's lights on the side of the mill and had my pickup's headlights shining on the head end and could see good enough to saw up a couple Birch logs.I canted them up and ran them through the resaw.(1x5.5")

[DanG]

Lookin' good there Paul.  You could get yerself an old lawn mower engine and hook a car alternator to it.  That would run all the lights you need and keep your lift batteries charged up too.

[Paul_H]

Hey DanG,how do you keep your lift batteries charged? Do you run a wire from the mill alternator or have a solar panel?
I have a solar panel right now but it still needs a bit of help if the lift motor is used all day everyday.One time I wondered if the panel was working and I didn't have a tester handy so decided to touch the wires to my tongue (18V)  :P

I keep a tester handy now  :D

[DanG]

I got lecktrissity.  Just put the battery charger on'em.  Mine's 24v, so I got 2 batteries.  They'll usually last for several days with the amount of sawing I do.  The battery in the Hootiemobile went soft a couple of weeks ago, so I swapped it out with one of the lift batteries.  I have to charge a little more often now.

[karl]

I use the battery on the mill- just wired a two prong male cord end onto motor and a female onto battery.
Plug it in one way for up, opposite for down.