Thought you Guys would like to see my Volkswagon diesel hydraulic driven band saw mill work for a few minutes. Quite Crude buy it works great.
Below are a couple of you-tube links, if they work. I'm new at this so they may not work.
As you can see, If they work! I"m not a videographer either.
Links
https://youtu.be/i6l4g_HNcG8 (https://youtu.be/i6l4g_HNcG8) 1
https://youtu.be/kHaZZR1Q2qI (https://youtu.be/kHaZZR1Q2qI) 2
Nice work and set up
Really nice and quiet where you were working. What are you using to control acceleration? I notice you go to your right breast pocket before the engine accelerated.
I could not view the 2nd video.
Samanothers,
I can disengage the mill and throttle the engine up with a two function remote key fob on my shirt pocket. It wasn't working good that video because I forgot to extend the antenna.
Very neat! Looked handy.
Nice set up. Was going to do something similar, but have the engine mounted to the saw head and the motor hooked up directly to the drive wheel shaft. kinda changed my direction, mostly i couldn't find a pump and motor that would work with my engine. not saying there isn't something out there, but I couldn't find it. I am very technologically challenged. So decided to go old school and run clutch, pulley and belts. Now finding a clutch that will handle the tq and HP of my engine, well, i might have to sell a kidney and maybe half a lung to pay for that. ;D not really, but a lot more expensive than i thought, $1400-$1800 and only 2 companies out there, and 1 could, if he doesn't already, drive a man to drinking, just trying to find a dealer that WILL sell the clutch. But, i figure by the time i buy hoses, fittings, material to build a reservoir tank, the pump, motor, valving, manifold, i would have more in that, than the clutch, and still have to buy pulls and belts.
Your set up looks good though. Do you have a spring return on your carriage, or is it sitting slightly downhill, for the carriage to return on its own?
The frame is sloping back a small bit so the head will coast back on its own.
Quote from: Wintergreen Mountain on October 12, 2018, 08:03:23 PM
The frame is sloping back a small bit so the head will coast back on its own.
I noticed that. Time saver. Did the same thing on my old LT40...Called it "The Ukrainian Gig-Back" :D ;D
Nice setup, log loading ramps are simple but very effective. Minimal log wrestling....
Quote from: Wintergreen Mountain on October 12, 2018, 08:03:23 PM
The frame is sloping back a small bit so the head will coast back on its own.
I do like that. may try that with mine, if my carriage isn't to heavy. its going to weigh just a bit over 2000#.
I don't know how many HP that VW diesel is, maybe around 80 and its making it work in a fairly narrow cut. A lot of lost HP driving it through hydraulics. Steve
Quote from: ladylake on October 13, 2018, 08:07:05 AM
I don't know how many HP that VW diesel is, maybe around 80 and its making it work in a fairly narrow cut. A lot of lost HP driving it through hydraulics. Steve
That's the isue.
It works obviously, and if you had a diesel engine, a big hydraulic pump, and a trailer sitting around, then why not. It's not defying any laws of physics. Diesel being reliable and good on fuel, it likely runs with acceptable economy too.
But a 20hp Diesel with a direct belt drive would likely do the same as a 40 hp remote hydraulic unit?
Not knocking your setup as it obviously works fine. But if you were starting again from nothing, is that the way you would set things up?
The engine is 49hp.
Yes the hydraulics do have parasitic loss of power (aprox 12%) witch is about 6 to 7 hp. pump hydraulic lines and motor calculated in. From a 6" cut to a 26" cut the engine draws down about the same amount. 26" and above it draws the engine down a little more but it lugs through and holds the bade speed up enough to still cut good.
It will run about 7 hrs. on 3 gal of fuel witch is almost double the efficiency I originally calculated.
I posted pictures of my latest tools. Purchased last month.
Sharpener works great. Haven't used the setter yet.
Also a picture of my Last wa
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/1012181413a~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539439187)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/1012181413b~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539439210)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/1012181152~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1539439199)
ck of logs to saw for the year.
All is I know is a 49hp diesel (or even a 40 hp) with a belt drive wouldn't even think of working down making those same cuts as in the vid. I think there is more loss than 12%. Steve
Maybe so but "7 hrs. on 3 gal of fuel" ain't bad plus I doubt that that (Tom) engine would ever sit on top of that sawmill. To me, it looks like Wintergreen Mountain repurposed the engine and made it meet his needs quite well. I say... smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
The efficiency and the low noise level at the mill head makes up for any loss of power.
The noise the camera recorded was superimposed for some reason. At the mill head all I hear is a muffled wherrr. Most of that noise was from the air intake witch was pointed right at the camera.
If people understood hydraulics a little better they would know that the RPMs drop the 12% but the torque is maintained as the governor pulls the power back. kinda like a car torque converter.
Leon
Welcome to the forum
I'm your neighbor in NH
Like I said earlier I like your set up👍
I enjoyed your vid, tough crowd here, there are many ways to drive a mill. A friend of mine built a mill, hydraulic drive, seat and self propelled. He has a pressure gauge and can tell when a band starts to get dull. You have the hydraulics it would be a simple matter to build a cable feed and a two plane clamp/turner. You will enjoy you cats claw and setter there will be some detractors here as its not the latest and greatest (and orange). Requires some skill to use but is very adaptable for different brands and styles of bands, I've owned the cat for 15 years, no plans to change. My band mill is set up in a building with three phase power. If I had to move I would do the same as you only with three phase generator instead of hyd. pump. You better get a mill building, mate, winter is creeping up on us. Frank C.
Thanks for posting the video, Great use of an old vw diesel, seem to be working well!
Wondering if you have the original over speed governor on the engine or if you added a continuous speed governor to it as well?
I like it! There is definitely a benefit to getting a noisy engine farther away from the work area. Noise makes a body tired.
Ianab;
I would change a few things. The engineering part of it would be the same. I would spend more time and do a better job of fabricating.
I like the performance just the way it is.
Hilltop;
I have installed a Hoof belt drive mechanical Governor On this VW diesel. It maintains the speed very well. Ill try to post a few pictures of the unit later. If I remember to!
LEON.
Darrel;
With the noise and heat from the engine absent right in front of me, the mill is a pleasure to operate. When something is not right on the head it is heard at once.
LEON
Welcome to the forum. I like your setup a LOT, and may steal your ideas for my mill...
Hilltop366,
I remembered to get some pictures today.
Here are some pictures of my VW diesel with a Hoof belt drive governor and Vickers piston pump.
LEON
Hilltop366,
The pictures didn't post for some reason on My last reply.
hope they post this time.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/Mill_engine1~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1540600574)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/Mill_engine2~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1540600560)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/Mill_engine3~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1540600623)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21618/Mill_engine4~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1540600647)
LEON
Thank you!
As Leon says its nice to get feedback from your mill when you can hear it and not the clatter of an engine. My band mill is electric and gives the same feedback. Frank C.
I for one think it's very ingenious .What less than a half gallon of fuel an hour ,pshaw try that with a Wisconsin 4 banger .Better still a 300 Ford .My 23 HP lawn mower slurps more than that .
It's kind of hard to beat the efficiency of a diesel engine except with an electric motor .--good job--- :)