hello new circular mill saw question

[James P.]

hi Bruce all the detroits I have owned have governors . I have never adjusted it but it has one. It basically keeps it from overspeeding . I believe. I will look in my repair manual. thanks for the suggestion it may help me make sure I maintain my RPM.
James

[inspectorwoody]

Welcome to the FF 

I went through some e-mails I had and the saw doc said mine was an Atkins.

Can't wait to see your pictures! 

[James P.]

Woody thanks, i don't run that blade but it seems to be in good physical , no cracks condition. I like how it has those wholes. Do you like yours , has it been a good blade. Mine is an 8 gauge B style. thanks again for finding that info.
James

[inspectorwoody]

Knowing what I know now, the saw did not run properly while the mill was still sawing.

I can't say if the saw is a bad saw or a good saw as I believe it did not recieve the proper attention. Hammering etc.

My uncle ran the mill and I didn't know anything about sawmilling than. When he passed, I got it and now it is resting in a barn.

If I had a place to put it up, I would in a New York minute!  ;D :D ;D

[bandmiller2]

James,their are basically two types of governors in the Detroits, limiting speed [what you have] and variable speed.Variable speed is the best for mills it will hold whatever speed you set it at.Limiting speed just protects the engine from overspeed,and will droop under load.I have never tried this but believe it to be valid get a book and adjust the limiting speed gov. down to say 1850 or 1900rpm then hold the throttle wide open it should hold that speed.Drooping rpm's are a big problem on a mill.If you can drive the sawdust blower from its own engine or motor you can save alot of HP for your headsaw.Frank C.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

James ive got a variable on the Chaberlain loader with a 80hp 6306 perkins in it  i have and it works a treat when im runing the mill with it I just got offerd a 125hp 6354 perkins in Great cond for the meadows the other day for $ 2k from a mate  ;D 8) 8) Im looking forward to seeing the pics of the Knight this W/end Mate  ;) ;D 8)

Heres some pics of another Knight you might like  ;D I know i did Mate  ;) ;D

http://www.oldengine.org/members/jdunmyer/sawmill/index.htm

And I gotta say I Love the sound of a Screaming Jimmy at fulltilt when i was a kid i was around too many  ;D 8) we had one 69 mod coe Kenworth log truck a subby use to drive with an 871 inline and a strait out 6" stack  You could hear him coming from about 5 miles away on a good day  ;)  ;D :D 8)

Regards Chris

[Meadows Miller]

Ohh and i forgot to say that the fixed ones are there to set an upper limit on revs but the fixed ones are fine on a mill as long as you have alittle more Hp than you need to swing the saw when you load it up  ;) the 471 should have Plenty either way Mate  ;)

[James P.]

Well I did a web search of detroit diesel 4 71 governor control adjustment , crazy but one of the first hits came back to a Bandmiller2 forestry forum. Frank C,You know all good things in all good time. I think thats a pretty good Idea about lowering my high rpm on the governor that way I could easily keep her there. I read there is a 10lb pull on the throttle from the governor. She wants to go back to idle. have to lock it there.
Chris , I don't believe mine is a knight if thats what they looked like. My headblocks ride on  little 6h x 3w Ibeams . I haven't seen any like that .Most look like the fricks with the block riding between the casting. I wish I had my camera working. Use to just plug into usb from Camera. then got a HP computer used with little slots for cards. So I started taking out the memory card from camera. Lost it. may turn up . I will have pics saturday. I think I have them on a old hardrive too, but I tend to screw things up when tinkering with computers internally.
There was a book out there on sawmills I think I saw one time , Had alot of different old handset mills with there pulley setup for carriage drive off the saw mandrel. well I will keep you posted and pics asap. thanks ,James

[bandmiller2]

Jeez James if I'am an authority on anything that scary.If I recall the idle and high speed adjust are under that two bolt cap on the side of the governor.The big nut is high speed and the allen head screw with the lock nut is the idle.Be carefull with the buffer screw on the side of the gov.that to prevent hunting but is very touchy,best to read the manual.Their are two kinds of heavy truck mechanics,regular ones and those that will work on Detroits.Frank C.

[James P.]

Frank , headed out to look at the governor now. I know I need to adjust the booster spring . throttle wants to pull back to idle a bit much. I have a bendix tru flo on it. I am going to use it for a couple small air cylinder. I thought I might mount one under my hindged off bearer board. Got the hinged Idea off the forum. You suggested it in a post and someone who has a mill up on a large flatbed trailer has it setup with a hinge as well. Quick stomp on a foot pedal and anything hung up will be able to fall. the mill I ran was about 10 ft off the ground and everything fell down into a trough and was shakin down to the chipper. The off bearer belt was able to tilt and send all the slab wood down to the trough. although you had to keep an eye on the chipper , could take an hour to clean up the backlog when something jammed and blocked the flow.I heard your never done working on your sawmill. Always upgrading.

[Frickman]

James P.,

Lot's of good advice above. $125 to hammer a saw is about right. That $400 I mentioned would be to hammer it and install new shanks and bits. I take my saw to a guy about four or five counties away so I always add $100 and a day's trip to the cost of getting my saws hammered.

There's nothing wrong with keeping an old saw running. Once upon a time a sawmill supply company had a route salesman who would stop at the mill once or twice a month. He watched us saw one day with an early 1970's vintage saw and offered to trade me that saw for a brand new one in his truck, even up. If he wanted it that bad I figured it was a good one and I'd keep it.

A few weeks later I met an old fellow who spent a career making steel, including saw steel. He told me that in his early days at the mill saw steel contained about 10% nickel. Toward the end of his career it had dropped to 5% nickel. He said that the higher nickel content helped make a better saw. That might be why that salesman wanted my saw so bad.

When I attend sawmill auctions old headsaws get sold for several hundred dollars fairly easily. Even big mills who can afford new saws by them. They don't talk about it, but they are all looking for a diamond in the rough. If the saw is no good they just resell it as sign material.

[inspectorwoody]

Any pictures yet James?  :D ;D

We want see it!  ;)

[Meadows Miller]

Gday Woody I was thinkn of posting the same question afew hours ago Mate  ;) :D ;D

All good things come to those who wait  ;) :D ;D 8)

Chris

[James P.]

I put pictures up Saturday. If you can't find them I may need help. I can see them. I am looking forward to someone maybe Identifying my mill. Atleast the headblocks. Wheel castings starts with letter U. 5 axles .Rides on small gauge RR track.I know the dog setup is made by Knight, Canton Ohio. I also have one taper attachment but will have to frabricate a mount. Is a taper used to get a good straight cut in crooked logs. thanks for all the support. have been working on my mill everyday. Wish it wasn't a holiday. My other shanks are coming.
JamesP.

[inspectorwoody]

I checked your photo gallery and I don't see anything... ;)

If you do a search for posting photos there is a how to thread.

[beenthere]

James
Don't see pics either.

Logs grow with taper (smaller at the top). If you are after lumber in a good face, you will/can set the small end of the log out so the first and second saw cut stays in that good face. That also depends on the straightness of the log, and what is on the other three faces.  As you saw, you will see those occasions when you want to set the taper out, and not hold the log or a sawn face next to the knees on both ends.

Using the taper set will end up with thinner slabs and higher quality lumber, generally. 

[James P.]

Beenthere, that makes sense. I only have one. I have 3 headblocks .Guess i should attach it to the last headblock that I use when cutting anything longer than  8 foot or should it go in the middle where it could be used with either pair or all 3 . thanks

[beenthere]

I'd be thinking the last headblock (if that will include most of the logs you saw).

A thick wedge or two used in pairs can also be used to set out taper if needed. Anything to push against when advancing the knees for the next cut.

Good on the pics. 

[James P.]

Gotcha. I will put it on the last one. I would rather cut longer logs but I am in firewood mode. I haven't sawn alot on my mill but I am getting much more comfortable with it. Works you though. I am going to set up some board kickers and I have 8 greenchain sprockets. Just need to get some chain and I think I will build the deck out of wood. save me from never getting it done if I have to by steel. I priced some 6 in square steel tubing 1/4" thick the other day. 10 a foot. I told the lady now I know why I didn't buy it the last time I was there. she laughed. thank you all for being so willing to share. I have joined a few forums and atleast here you don't get as a first response go buy the manual. JamesP

[Ron Wenrich]

Here's one of your pictures:





Here's another:



You got them into your album, you just have to click onto the picture.  That will bring up a larger pic, and there is a photo insertion code.  Click the code or copy and paste to the reply.

You need the tapers to help center the heart in a log.  Some guys full taper saw, some don't.  It depends on the log.  Butt flare poses a whole other problem where tapers come in handy.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

As we say Downhere Top Job Mate   ;) ;D 8)  I like It  ;D ;D 8) 8)

Regards Chris