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Best Twin Blade or Swing Blade Tie mill layout?

Started by CaseyK, February 14, 2015, 04:59:08 AM

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CaseyK

If you have a Twin Blade or Swing Blade set up to cut ties can you post some pics of your bunk layout and what kind of production you are getting a day?
Home built automated twin blade

dgdrls

Hi CaseyK,

I have
no experience sawing cross ties but do have a swingmill.  I would not attack cross ties with a swing mill as a primary product
maybe a big twin blade....maybe.

Search the board for RR tie sawing,  there are some fellows that cut ties and have good systems developed
to load, saw, off-bear and stack ties for easy banding and loading with a forked machine.

Also, search YouTube a bit, you will see lots of cross tie set-ups and can start to develop a plan,

maybe you would share a little more insight into what your thinking?

Best
DGDrls







CaseyK

Hi DGdrls,
Im building a twin blade with a 35hp diesel with 50' of rails and 3 infeed decks / 3 bunks, roller deck for bunk 1 board return and a separate roller deck for bunks 2 & 3 to reach the unload stacking end of the mill where I could use an X lift to build a stack for banding.

Since a twin blade typically doesn't turn the log im wondering if anyone ever loads  2-3 (say 13") logs into one bunk position and processes all 3 logs before clearing the bark cuts and loading the bunk again.
Im not saying this would be the best way to do it, im just wondering what would it take to make this option work: live infeed deck, unloader from infeed deck, hyd log dogs on each end, pop up log turner chain on each end for moving the logs into position and also clearing the bark cuts into the trash conveyor.

Thanks
Casey
Home built automated twin blade

Seaman

CK , I don't know about a twin blade, but I run a Lucas swingblade and on the rare occasion I cut smaller logs I have loaded them up two or three at a time. Works well for me.
FRank
Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

CaseyK

Thanks Seaman,
Assuming there isn't too much taper, do you position them touching each other or space them out?

I will have a 5 ft wide cutting area & was wondering that even if you had big logs if you could roll 2 in at a time, clamp or position them touching and cut both at the same time starting at the top and going across.
Do you ever try this or is it better to just do one at a time?

P.S. How did you get the Seaman name? I live 6 months a year in the South Atlantic off the coast of Brasil.
Home built automated twin blade

Seaman

CK, you will need to keep the piths centered in the mill pretty much, so on tapered logs you may have to shim. I like them touching to keep movement to a minimum. Find Sidigis thread on Lucas mill questions, tons of good stuff.
Seaman is my Sirname, from the coast of England I am told. Caught absolute Hades at Paris Island during Boot Camp !

FRank
Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

logboy

If youre milling more than one at a time they need to be close in size and taper. Then its a simple matter of measuring off the pith to set your height, then you start cutting. I like my logs touching unless I'm using the Mobile Dimension dogs I have. Then it doesnt matter because theyre held rock solid.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

Seaman

Logboy, are the MD dogs you use the same as the "log holder" on their website. I have been looking for a dog system, just haven't done anything about it yet. I cut very little small stuff.
Thanks, Frank
Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

logboy

 

The setup has a fixed dog on the end, and an optional one in the middle for doing two logs.



The dog with spring and handle then go on the end and pinch everything together.  You cant put two logs in there if theyre overly large because they'll hit one another before the dogs grab them. But for a lot of logs that are similar in size and taper its great. Roll them in, dog them, and start cutting. They stay secure all the way to the bottom. There is still one board in the bottom though that you can only get out by throwing on top of the next log.

I set mine up so you cant cut into them with the mill because theyre too low. You could still cut into the handle though so you have to be very careful when cutting. Mine just bolt to the concrete. When I'm slabbing they get picked up and put out of the way.

I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

CaseyK

Thanks Logboy,
That's exactly what I was looking for.
Ive still got 2 more weeks before I get back home to finish setting up my mill, I got it cutting last hitch & this hitch hope to get it set in its permanent place, add infeed decks, bunks, and some hydraulics for automating at least the first bunk.

I 'll probably not ever make a dime of this adventure but atleast its entertained me offshore for 3 hitches and it will give me something to talk about when im an old man and my grandkids come see me.
Home built automated twin blade

logboy

CaseyK, heres a random question. Those of us with Lucas mills are looking for a way to raise our rails up without cranking the handle all day and wearing out our shoulders. Can you think of a way to do that using a 12v application from a battery, or would a 110v setup  be better? You seem like the man to ask. Start at the end of this thread and work backwards. 

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,60602.120.html 
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

Seaman

Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

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