My new to me Sawmill, the EZ Boardwalk JR., is cutting very off...
We had our first band slip off; brother in law came over, helped push mill - one thing led to another... and the blade comes off and starts flipping around. I replaced with one of the other blades that came used with the deal and tensioned to the point where the mill had been before.
And 3 days and 2 more blades later... this is how my mill is cutting still - I need help.
Okay, height set at 3" on the head...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5834.jpg)
Set...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5836.JPG)
WHAT THE!!! :o :o
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5841.jpg)
Other end...
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I've spoken with EZ on the phone and he sent me the manual, which doesn't give any specific instructions or diagrams of the actual unit.
If anybody knows where all the measurements for the guides, and the best way to set them would be great. Also would like to know how to properly level the entire head unit; ensure cables are in the right spots, bolts are tightened/loosened as they should, and so forth.
I just want JR. running the way he should be - and was... Here's a couple of pic's from before I started tinkering with things and messed it all up...
Eastern Red Cedar
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5790.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5804.jpg)
-Ozarkian
Hi Ozarkian,
You might try the following:
1) Get a 4' level and level the bed where the log rests both directions. Repeat at each end of both rails, in the middle both long ways down the rails and accross. Get it good and level.
2) Place the blade directly over one of the bed cross members that the log rests on. Measure down from each end of the blade opening from the blade to the cross member. Measurements should be the same. Repeat at each bed cross member.
Let us know what you get. That is a start to checking it out.
What all have you been tinkering with? Something to consider- Do you think that there might be a slight chance that your frame is now warped from the welding you had done?
Blade tracking could be off if blade is walking off , spin it forward and backward by hand a dozen revolutions each direction with blade at full tension, if it moves in or out your tracking could be off. You want the blade to not move at all and flush to back side of wheels or manuals recomendation.
I really doubt if you messed anything up, except the band. You said you put another band on the mill? It was a used band? Here is a rule of thumb,If you begin having those kind of troubles , put on a new band and see if it still does it.
I would say that your bands are dull. My mill wants to cut up and fall off the far end of the log when it exits when the band gets dull. Yes sometimes up to 1/4''. Put a sharp band on and she cuts fine. Pushing a band too fast will cause the same results.
Those bands break. They will come off when you bump the back while thay are running. It is all part of the learning curve. PC
You said you had BIL over to help with the pushing. He might be pushing to fast or to slow. I know if my BIL was around my mill I would blame him for all that went wrong.
Look close at your picture #2.
Your cutting deeper on the left side of your cant, adjustable arm on blade guide look like it is lower then feed side. Did you bend it or is the adjustment just off. Might be your issue.
Ed
I agree with making sure the frame is 100% level first and supported under each jack. I had a similar problem with our home made mill and after some review we discovered it was because the frame wasn't level. Once you have the frame level you can measure up from it to the bottom of the bandwheels and see if the distance is the same for each wheel. Repeat along the length of the frame.
1.) Will re-level it, and ensure that each jack is supported.
2.) EastBC... In the past three days, I have tinkered with nearly everything out of desperation. It'd be easier to tell you what I have NOT tinkered with... :-[
3.) Tree Winder, I have re-adjusted the Adjustable, and even the Fixed Rollers... I really wish I knew where and how they are supposed to be lined up the right way in case I had messed it up...
4.) I ordered some trial blades from Wood-Mizer and Timber Wolf, hopefully some arrive today - but I am going to take a couple of the bands and try out the EZ Sharpener and see if that makes a difference. I assumed the used blades I received were already sharpened... They may not be? And that could be the whole problem to begin with... I'd feel pretty silly if it was!
--
Here are a couple of photo's I took yesterday, maybe one of you can see something that catches your eye and could be the problem? I can and will take pics or even video of any specific parts.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4906.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4907.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4931.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4932.jpg)
And to top it all off... After a couple hours of making adjustments - I go to start the motor and...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4934.jpg)
The rope to pull start broke, I had to hook out the frayed rope from inside and re-attach the handle... >:( Still starts, but... I don't think it will last long. I foresee electric start in the future!
Oz; If you have adjusted or otherwise change as many things as you have indicated, I think your only recourse would be to get the manual out and do a complete alignment of the entire mill.
When doing this, do it one step at a time, starting at the very beginning.
I have a small manual mill. Had the same style of issue when we first bought the mill. Pulled my hair out as well. After totally adjusting everything on the mill, adding cook roller's, re-adjusting everything again. Found out the majority of the issue's where the band's that came with the used mill. They had been sharpened, perfectly clean, packaged safely, but when a fresh band was put on, bang, half the problem went away. Then the mill was easy to set back up to cut very well.
I don't use the little manual very often but the band's threw me a mega curve ball to start with Ozarkian.
Hi Chuck, that is precisely what I would like to do... I have the Maintenance and Operating Instructions faxed to me by Edward Zimmerman... Attached is a copy in case anybody else needs this for future reference, and to show that it does not give Step-by-Step instructions, or even show a diagram with measurements.
Okay, taking daughter to baby sitter's then coming back and leveling, measuring, and taking pictures...
EZ Boardwalk Mill Maintenance and Operating Instructions, 2 pages:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/EZJR_Saw_Maint_and_Operating_Inst1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/EZJR_Saw_Maint_and_Operating_Inst2.jpg)
-Ozarkian
Your education has commenced. Most of us have gone through the same thing. Hard lesson #1 Don't go tweakin on the mill until you are absolutely certain the problem isn't the blade. Usually is. When you change something and it makes no difference, put it back like it was before you tweak something else...Adjustments will interact..Dull blades do things other than just not cutting...
Thank Silver, gives me a little bit of hope... God is certainly testing my patience with this one! Three days, and all I have to show is this...
Originally was gonna be a 4x4 post, and with all the test cuts... at 3" on the measuring scale - this is the very ugly, akward looking result. >:(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4915.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_4914.jpg)
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Ozarkian;
It was so bad that I thought the mill was junk. I actually let it set there for about 4 month's and didn't touch it. My adjustment's did more harm than good but where fairly easy to fix once a good band was put on the mill. Don't give up like I did to start on the mill. It was my band's, not the mill.
The mill is definitely not junk, I accept my ADHD and "need" to tinker are responsible for this. It cut great until band came off. :)
Since we're both new maybe this will help. I found when I clamped down real low on the cant it would tip ever so slightly, which inturn let the cant vibrate. I have a couple cants that look just like that.
Oh no, I wasn't suggesting that it was. I was trying to say that I tinkered with everything but what I should have been tinkering with, the band lol. I thought the band's where in good shape, they looked to be but if I would have just got a new properly ground band for the little manual out of the gate I would have saved myself alot of heart ache, time and frustration.
Just trying to point out my mistakes was all.
Boy..... They don't give you much to go on as far as a manual.
Maintenance and Operating Instructions! :-\ ::)
Probably not your problem, but what you're experiencing can also happen when sawing wood that has tension in it. If you see the board or slab jump up when the blade comes out of the cut you need too compensate for the tension that is being released in the log or cant. What I do if I see this happening after I've worked the log into a cant is measure each end and then take a thin cut or two and try an square things up. If this works it is usually tension in the wood being sawed and not one of the other causes that are mentioned.
Okay, the deck area where the logs sit is level all the way through. I started at the foot end worked my way forward to the other end and leveled side to side, then across.
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5850.JPG)
Laid flat across three beams:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5857.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5858.jpg)
Bed area is leveled.
Blade lowered all the way down above high point - not level.
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5872.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5874.jpg)
View from adjustable guide arm - I have "adjusted" it several times... probably off...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5876.jpg)
Stop bolts also have been "adjusted"... Now I don't know where proper height is supposed to be. :P ???
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5877.jpg)
Loosened tension before removing blade - view from back of wheel on tension side:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5881.jpg)
Wheel condition:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5883.jpg)
Blade Removed before sharpening...
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(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5886.jpg)
It does appear very "used" :D Probably has been the only thing wrong with the Mill...
-Ozarkian
The picture of the level on the blade says it all in my opinion. A mill can't produce square lumber when it's not cutting parallel to the surface below it. Adjust one or the other of your guide roller bearings until the blade sits parallel and then try another series of cuts.
Hey OZ, I am by no means an authority but have a few comments and observations. Start with your blade, a sharp blade will scratch into your finger nail quite easily. Rust doesn't matter, as long as it's not broke, set right, and sharp, it will work.
Since you've already 'played' (learned), you need to get the adjustments where they need to be. Adjust your fixed guide with 1/4" (or under) deflection, then adjust your moveable guide roller to parallel your blade to the bunks, should also be around 1/4" +/-. I see you tweaked your head lift cable, probably want to bring that back to where it was?
When cutting posts, it's best to box the heart. On your 4x4 you have the pith way down in one corner- might be causing some weird tensions in your cant when cutting.
Be gentle on those pull ropes with those 'log loader' arms of yours- don't take it out on that poor Honda ;)
P.S.- what happened to your other photos? I was skimming through your other thread and noticed they were gone.
Oh, and best of luck and keep your chin up- you'll get Jr. straightened out.
I forgot to mention the clamping too tight issue will cause the cant to raise up off the bed some on my ez boardwalk. It just has to be clamped tight enough to hold it. If it isnt tight enough you will know and if it is too tight you get an off square cant.
My suggestion is if you can, put all the things you adjusted back where htey were and try a new band.
I will pm you. pc
Quote from: paul case on February 16, 2012, 02:35:42 PM
I forgot to mention the clamping too tight issue will cause the cant to raise up off the bed some on my ez boardwalk. It just has to be clamped tight enough to hold it. If it isnt tight enough you will know and if it is too tight you get an off square cant.
My suggestion is if you can, put all the things you adjusted back where htey were and try a new band.
I will pm you. pc
My woodmizer does the same thing.
So does mine and the wm is harder to get it just tight enough. PC
Also check to see that your lift cable is setting in the grooves correctley on there pulleys. If the carriage jumps up across something, they can get slack and jump over on top of themselves.
In your second pic, it looks like your tire is
off the ground. My money (figuratively speaking) says the tire should be in firm contact with the ground to aid in stability!
Quote from: Fil-Dill on February 16, 2012, 02:44:26 PM
Also check to see that your lift cable is setting in the grooves correctley on there pulleys. If the carriage jumps up across something, they can get slack and jump over on top of themselves.
I was going to mention that too Fil-Dill!
I read OZ's whole manual.
Page 1, item 5
"Never turn lift crank backwards when head is down on stops as cable may overlap.
Cable needs to wrap side by side so blade stays level."
that pic with your hand holding the blade; blade looks VERY dull. after adjusting things to get the blade parallel to the bed & a new blade on, i'm guessing you will be ok. also, with the bed leveled both ways, it would be a good time to check the band wheels. each wheel should be plumb & in-line with each other (use a straight edge across both wheels).
Adjust your operator side guide to level the Band with the bed. Set the band with the tooth set downward at 2" above the bed. Adjust your scale (ruler) to 2". Thats the only thing I've ever done to mine.
So I decided to go ahead and test out the EZ Sharpener this afternoon... I mean - why not? I've tried everything else I could possibly do...
Well, low and behold - it's cutting even better than it was prior to the band slipping off! So, for the past three days the only thing I have accomplished was getting very familiar with all the bolts and nuts on JR... many times. :-[
Before:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5908.JPG)
Clean up...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5905.JPG)
A little something I love to use, was very useful in Auto Detailing - "Wizards", looks like pink cotton candy and smells like it too... Kind of like a 0000 Still wool, with a polish compound??
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5900.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5901.JPG)
Sharpen time!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5904.JPG)
Finished! I had some WD-40 and Carb n' Choke cleaner, figured why not?? :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/28604/IMG_5905.JPG)
All in all, I am happy with the outcome. I just wish I had sharpened all the blades to begin with... Not embarrassing at all!!! :-[ :-[ :-[ :D
My advice to anybody else buying used mill or blades... Make sure the blades are sharp before putting them on!!!! :D Otherwise... you'll feel like an idiot after spending three days trying to fix something that wasn't broke to begin with!
And theres still more to learn :D
I can't wait! 8) :P 8) :P 8) cut_tree
Most of us have been there. You will learn many more things the hard way. ;D
In post 20 your blade was really dull, when you can see light off the tips it's time to sharpen. Steve
Gday
What Jake said ;):) Dont worry about it OZ ;) Is Your sharpener is a hand held one like a modded bench mounted chain grinder Mate ??? ??? what style and breed of bands are you running as it may pay to touch them up with that once then send the to resharp but I reckon if you get your eye in on it you could get buy with just it but you have to remember that the tip hight has to be consistant and true :) I use to set my bands with an old hand held saw setter it was pretty easy to get a good consistant set on them too ;) ;D 8)
Regards Chris
Meadows, it's the Chainsaw/Bandsaw Sharpener from EZ Boardwalk. Came with the Mill along with the other tools.
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I have been looking for proper ways to "dress" the grinder, anybody care to share their method? I am also interested in possibly making a dual tooth setter if anybody has some instructions on how you built your own?
I believe the Blades are the Timber Wolf. They all appear to be the same, but I don't see any type of labeling on them.
EastBC, sorry I didn't reply to your earlier comment - I must have overlooked it. I removed all my photo's that were in my Gallery before because I had uploaded too many. I had intentions to re-upload the photo's after re-sizing them, but realized it would be too much work. I am thinking of starting a blog of some sort that I can load unlimited photo's and just uploading "important" photo's to Forestry Forum. Figured then I will link the blog to my profile here? I am a big visual person, and have a hard time differentiating whats "important" and what is "overkill".
OZ I get my dressing stones through arsaw.com for about $3 a stick the last time i brought a box was for my uncles a couple of years ago for their saw shop as I dont use them much these days as I run TCT Circs I use to just give it a tickle up when it looked like it needed it to you dont need to be heavy handed with them ;) they will just post you out what you need Mate ;) ;D ;D 8)
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,50749.msg732898.html#msg732898 pineywoods setter
You are doing what most people do when you cant idenify the real problem. A bandmill is pretty simple, at the same time everything about being level, square and bands being sharp are most critical to proper milling. It takes experience, time and a little luck to keep your mill cutting well for you. You have now experienced what a dull band will do and now you will know what to check first next time. But next time a band may not be the problem for uneven cuts. You will go through that problem again with the same results. Trial and error. You are probably helping someone else at this very time with problems such as yours on there mill.Your doing just fine for a first time sawyer so dont let those little things get you down. Good luck and keep on posting photos. bg
Maybe Trapezoid wood is the next enterprise! 8)
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Nice little 3 cylinder diesel, how many HP and is it going on a mill. Steve
Yes Steve it will be the power plant for my sawmill. It is a 34 Hp Cat.