The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 03:17:08 PM

Title: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 03:17:08 PM
I need to make some log stops for the log yo rest against. I'm wondering what size metal I should use for the slide and stop. 1/4  inch 1 1/2 maybe?
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: ladylake on March 05, 2018, 03:33:17 PM

 I'd use 1  1/2 by 2 ", might be overkill but they take a lot of abuse.  Steve
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: jason.weir on March 05, 2018, 03:56:11 PM
how about some aluminum - might save a blade here or there...
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 03:58:15 PM
My stops are 1/2 x 4" solid...
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 04:09:15 PM
Kbeitz 4 inch square. Wow 
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 04:14:53 PM
Quote from: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 04:09:15 PM
Kbeitz 4 inch square. Wow
Naa... 1/2 x 4" flat....

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/3_dogs.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1520284552)
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 04:21:07 PM
Ok yeah those look good
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 04:24:30 PM
Do they need to have side to side adjustment. I was going to make them fixed
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 04:28:19 PM
I made them so they swing. Then I put a bumper on the mill to push them down if they get to close to my spinning band blade.
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: starmac on March 05, 2018, 04:49:35 PM
What do you mean by fixed?

It would probably be easier to make them swing with no power, but I think I would prefer the verticle ones like on the LT50 and some others mills if powered.
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 05:22:30 PM
By fixed I mean stay in one spot and just have up and down movement 
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: jwh f-100 on March 05, 2018, 05:56:19 PM
Quote from: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 04:14:53 PM
Quote from: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 04:09:15 PM
Kbeitz 4 inch square. Wow
Naa... 1/2 x 4" flat....

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/3_dogs.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1520284552)
kB, as your log/cant gets smaller do you just swing your stops down? I like the idea of not needing to go to the other side of the mill to adjust.. I also like that they won't hit the ground like a  vertical sliding stop..
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 06:26:31 PM
My log dogs have clutches built into them so they wont swing unless I push them, I adjust them depending on the size of the log for making my first three cuts then i don't use them any more to finish the log. They are easy to reach form the front of the mill. I don't need to walk behind the mill.They are one part on my build that I would not change if I had to do it again.

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/Log_dogs_and_stopper~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1520292607)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/Log_dog_in_the_log.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1520292732)
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: starmac on March 05, 2018, 06:41:33 PM
Ok I am going to learn something here, what holds your log solid after the first three cuts?
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kbeitz on March 05, 2018, 06:56:17 PM
My mill will not cut anything lower than 1-1/2" high. So I have 1" back stops at every cross member. After my log is squared off it just sits against the backstops for the first couple stops. When the log looses enough weight I then use my clamps to push the cant against the 1" backstops.
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Resonator on March 05, 2018, 07:10:31 PM
My first mill, (Woodland Mills HM126), had removable 2"x 2" steel tubes for backstops. These sat in a stake pocket with a T shaped threaded rod to adjust the height. This was good system as I could substitute 2x2 wood for the backstops, if I wanted to try and saw them off. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Magicman on March 05, 2018, 07:17:47 PM
Kwill, they need some adjustment capability so that they will be 90° to your sawmill bed.  That way you can saw square lumber instead of trapezoidal.   :o
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 07:38:32 PM
Quote from: Resonator on March 05, 2018, 07:10:31 PM
My first mill, (Woodland Mills HM126), had removable 2"x 2" steel tubes for backstops. These sat in a stake pocket with a T shaped threaded rod to adjust the height. This was good system as I could substitute 2x2 wood for the backstops, if I wanted to try and saw them off. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)
This is kinda the idea I had.
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Ljohnsaw on March 05, 2018, 07:50:54 PM
Here is my back stops.  You can see the T handle to lock them in place.  They are 2x2x¼" tube sliding in a 2½x2½x¼" upright on the log bunk.  I have 4 moveable log bunks with backstop/clamping ability and 2 more moveable log bunks that are just bunks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/First_Cedar_2_20150930.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1443673741)

Here is the old (crummy) log clamps and the new ones I copied from another member here.  They work great!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171213_a.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513201217) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171213_b.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513201621) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30640/20171219_d.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513744594)
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: starmac on March 05, 2018, 07:54:56 PM
MM beat me to it, what ever you use will have to be adjusted.

The woodmizers like mine has solid 1/2 (at least) X 2 in flat backstops, and they take a beating, no way around it, maybe not as much so on a manual mill. It would be tough to use square tubing where it would not have some give to it and make it hard to make a square board. A 1/16 amount of slack or give can make a big difference in lumber quality.
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: pineywoods on March 05, 2018, 08:13:00 PM
Use something relatively soft. If you don't see why, sooner or later you will. ;D
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: Kwill on March 05, 2018, 08:13:33 PM
So the flat would be better than using square tubing because of the slack? 
Title: Re: What metal to use for log stops?
Post by: starmac on March 05, 2018, 11:28:44 PM
In my opinion, maybe better isn't right, but easier to home build flat ones that rolled instead of sliding up and down, either will need an adjustment built in.