making a track for a bandmill (dogs, toeboards, and other misc stuff)

[Dan_Shade]

I have a smaller hudson model (Oscar 28).  It seems to be suiting me pretty well, but the track for it stinks, takes forever to get it level, and the cost for another extension is absurd (as far as I'm concerned).

I'm planning on making a track up for the saw from 2x6 tubing, 20' long with cross braces every 2 feet or so from 2x6 tubing as well.  On top of this, I plan to weld a 1/4 x 1/2 flat for the wheels to roll along.

What kind of dogs or cams or other methods of securing the log into place are feasable for quick fabrication (has to work too!), I'm considering using the ones that came on the hudson track, they work, but I'm sure there's room for improvement.

I've seen a few toe board designs, Is there any use of these other than to lift a log up so you can cut level to the heart (or whatever else you desire)?

All of this is manual, i've got a winch and some cant hooks, and I'm not afraid to use them!

I'd just like to make something a bit longer, and a bit sturdier, without having too many "I wish I had done it this way" down the road.

[Minnesota_boy]

Today I had a 12' log that just wouldn't load where I wanted it, so I left it where it wanted to be dfor the first couple of cuts and then used the roller toeboards to pick the log up and pushed it by hand to where I had wanted it.  Used the rollers again when I had a stack of 6x6's to unload.  Just picked up the stack and rolled them all to the end of the mill for offbearing.

A couple of years ago a customer asked for a 12' 4x4, then wanted it to be tapered, stating about 4 feet up and ending with a 2x2 at the small end.  Used the toe boards for that too.  Made a nice tongue pole for a horse drawn sleigh.

[Dan_Shade]

so a "good" bed has several toe boards along the length of it?

[Plowboy]

Roller toe boards would be nice.  If you are going to use 2x6 tubing you should take a look at WM LT15.  The LT15 uses 2x6 tubing and stout cross pieces that make the bed.  I had no problem turning logs on mine, but roller toe boards would have there place. 

[Minnesota_boy]

My mill has only 2 roller toe boards, but that seems to be enough for most jobs.  If I will be sawing lots of long cants that are too heavy to pick up, I bolt another roller to the front end or one at the back to roll them off the mill and onto a pile.

[arj]

hi dan  I have a Hud-Son 36. I`m set up stationary so my tract is laged to
6X6 timbers. They are level so about once a year I loosen the lags and add
or subtract a shim where needed. Also have 6bys under every other bunk.
For toe boards I use a 2 ton hyd. scissors jack, it can be moved anywhere
along the track, no need of rollers. I have a mudsaw with long arms that is
hard to line up for all size logs, so I made log stops and dogs that slide on
1" black pipe, now I can position log anywhere on the width of the bed to
be in line with the mudsaw. The stops also have extensions so they will be
higher than the top of the log                   arj

[jpad_mi]

Dan, here's a picture of the one of manual clamps I made. It was the best way I could come up with to get a lot of adjustment and good clamp load. THIS DESIGN IS UNPROVEN since the mill is not in operation yet.



The clamping power is provided by the lever and it stays clamped when the lever goes over-center. The cable goes through a sheave at the far rail (not shown in the picture) and is joined to the short length of chain. The height of the clamp is set manually with the jam screw, the post is slid up to the log, chain pull tight and engaged in nearest link, and lock the lever down. I have multiple pin locations on the lever to change the length of pull to get the right amount of pressure if needed (doesn't show up in the pic due to washout from the sun).

I clamped a finished board to the mill and it worked fine. Only time will tell if it is adequate for hobby use. I believe it will work great, but I'm a little biased  :D

[music_boy]

Dan,
       I know exactly what you're dealing with. My first mill was an Oscar 18. Just sold it as a matter of fact. ;D I mounted mine on a boat trailer with ramps and a winch to load the logs. I ended up welding Hudsons clamp to a joiner nut with 3/4 std thread and a boat winch handle. Handle screws the clamp into the log and you can get a good tight grip on the log. I had two on mine. A bit slow and would think it impractical for the 28 unless you used something with less threads per inch.  The 2x6 tubing sounds good and stable. I was thinking of something similar but using angle iron for the tracks. Figured it would be easier to weld and a little more stable too. If you are going to re-do the log dogs.and beef them up, I'd look at the manual log clamp system on the Woodmizers. It's a lever with a cam that cam\pinches the logs, and can be raised up and down. (have to see it) Don't think it would be too hard to make a similar working device.
Anyway,,,, my thoughts ,, good luck
Rick

[D._Frederick]

Dan,

The tubing for the track is a good way to go, but you have to know what you are doing to weld it together. If you get it too hot, it will warp and you won't have a straight track.

[Dan_Shade]

yeah, I know the tubing can pull if it gets too hot, just gotta watch what's going on...

another thing I've been currently thinking is making a "ladder style" frame with the 2x6 tubing, and then bolting 2" angle to the tubing, that would allow me to shim it up if needed....

I like that dog setup, jpad, good idea.

Rick, the dogs are a bit different on a 28 than on an 18, they work, but they have a lot of room for improvement.

I might try to setup something with an acme threaded rod like I've seen on some pictures around here searching for clamps, i just don't want to buy a bunch of motors...

with manual toe boards, what contraptions are there to get it to stay at a particular spot?  or is it a 2 man operation, one guy lifts, and the other guy clamps?

[Dan_Shade]

I got the new track fabbed up with some major help from my dad, he's a much better welder than I am, I think the tubing might have looked like a pretzel had I welded it up...

took pretty much 3 days to make it, but that counted for a short day on saturday, and a late start on sunday.  the saw rolls along pretty well on it, I may have to attempt to round over the top of the angle a little bit, but I'm semi afraid of making it bumpy, so I'll probably leave it alone.

I didn't get a chance to make the toe boards, just plain ran out of time.  I gotta figure out an "easy" way to move it too.  I'll probably just end up putting an axle under it.  We made up another arch, I can lift it with the arch and roll it up my trailers ramps, but that's a major hassle, and begging to tear up something.

[Furby]

Looks like you guys did a great job!!!  8)

[Dan_Shade]

I'll say I was a very happy fellow when I got the saw up on it, and it rolled without wobbling like the factory ones!

[JP]

 ;) Hi Dan
I have made up a couple of toe lifters and some clamps see pictures 3-5 toe lifter and # 15 for clamp at  http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4231442&a=31390449&f=

[tawilson]

Great pics there JP.  I wished I'd seen them before I made my log clamps. My log squaring brackets are about the same except I used pipe(free) instead of square tubing.
Some of the pine logs look like they've been sitting around for a while. I a few dozen given to me that were cut last summer that looks about the same. I'm going to start sawing them up after the snow melts and I have to get out of the woods. I know they've got bugs, I see the piles of sawdust. I plan on seeing how they are, if in too rough a shape I'll turn them into campfire wood.
I've been thinking about putting a lazer on the mill too! I've got a couple of straigt lines and a rotating one sitting around. Hope you don't mind but I saved a bunch of your pics for further inspiration.