Fast Forward

Magicman · August 25, 2011, 04:18:46 PM

While traveling to the Pig Roast, my mind was sawmilling. Or rather thinking about a sawmill operator problem that I needed to remedy. When I was at WM Headquarters in Indy, I asked a technical support guy about my idea, and he said OK. I ride in an operator's seat while sawing, so this may or may not be of interest to "walkers" or "Command Control" sawyers.

I often will deadhead the mill head down to the end to check/verify a log's height. Of course, I crank the speed control potentiometer all of the way around to get there faster. The problem is that sometimes (often) I forget to uncrank. Then when I'm back and ready to saw the power feed is wide open. That has caused me to hit the log end numerous times.

Hence the Fast Forward button. It simple places a shunt across the potentiometer leads and away I go. When I release the spring loaded button everything is back to normal.

I used the Lazer hole on the control panel which is very convenient. Pineywoods donated a switch to the cause, but alas, it was a "normal closed" instead of a "normal open" switch. I found out when I moved the Forward lever to the forward position. I was in a permanent Fast Forward mode.

LadyMM has been trying to get me in that mode for many years.

Anyway, the modification worked very well.

NOTE: See reply#22 below.

Leads soldered to the switch.

I'll use the hole in the lower right.

I bridged the switch across the red and violet potentiometer leads.

I now have a Fast Forward power feed button.

NOTE: See reply#22 below.

Bibbyman · August 25, 2011, 05:17:25 PM

That would be handy for us guys with Command Control too. Sometimes we need to run the head down to the other end so we can off-bear or maybe too check the height at the off-end of the log. You're not the only one that has slammed the blade into the log on the next cut becuse the speed was turned WAY up... :-\

Chuck White · August 25, 2011, 05:41:04 PM

Quote from: Bibbyman on August 25, 2011, 05:17:25 PM
You're not the only one that has slammed the blade into the log on the next cut becuse the speed was turned WAY up... :-\

Yup...... Done it a couple of times myself! :

I can see where this mod could be very handy!

Sometimes I move the sawhead forward to get the height of a "low spot" in a log!

Magicman · August 25, 2011, 05:53:25 PM

I'm thinking that I will use it on virtually every log that I saw. Like you said Chuck, I'm generally going to measure the low point or something.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · August 25, 2011, 05:53:33 PM

This is why you are called MAGICman! Great idea! smiley_clapping

GAmillworker · August 25, 2011, 06:12:43 PM

Now your fastforward switch need to have a lite on it so you know your in fastforward.

Chris Burchfield · August 25, 2011, 06:42:29 PM

MM I have Command Control and like Bibby says, us guy could utilize it. On the other hand, the faster I go, the behinder I get. :D :D :D Arky taught me how to run out to measure the low spot during my Arky 101. When I've had a wreck and totaled a blade, I'm using the fast forward dial to the far end to replace a blade. It's happened more than once I'm shamed to say.

paul case · August 25, 2011, 07:08:36 PM

i have never had this problem. pc

Bibbyman · August 25, 2011, 07:18:58 PM

Quote from: paul case on August 25, 2011, 07:08:36 PM
i have never had this problem. pc

Maybe you just need stronger coffee to get your head moving faster? :D

paul case · August 25, 2011, 07:23:37 PM

i have however had a whole host of other problems that make up for it. pc

petefrom bearswamp · August 25, 2011, 07:36:44 PM

Paul,
regarding your never had this problem
Liar Liar Pants on fire
any of us that hasn't destroyed a blade or hit some serious metal on the saw hasn't ever daydreamed or tried to go too fast.
Oops I failed to read your last post
Pete

red oaks lumber · August 25, 2011, 08:15:17 PM

sorry guys, if youre running any thing powered your full concentration needs to be there. get a routine and stick to it :( most accidents are caused not by accident

pineywoods · August 25, 2011, 08:21:45 PM

DanG it MM, I had both types of switches in my tool box, neither one of us thought to check the no/nc bit. I even had a meter right there. :-[

Magicman · August 25, 2011, 08:36:41 PM

:D :D We were concentrating on a slipping problem at the time. Anyway, I know someone that has a nc switch.

I really believe that it is going to be a very useful modification and so simple.

Larry · August 25, 2011, 09:06:00 PM

I made the same modification on my old Kasco but it was called fast reverse. Never even thought of fast forward...with a dpdt switch you could have both.

Magicman · August 25, 2011, 09:16:30 PM

Reverse is already fast, plus there is nothing to accidentally leave on.

WH_Conley · August 25, 2011, 09:53:33 PM

Paul, now that you said, wonder how before you do it? :D :D

paul case · August 25, 2011, 10:03:52 PM

since my mill is all manual i would i probably wont do it. however 2 days ago i did saw a deer stand step that any blind idiot should have seen. i was cutting pretty fast since it was a thin slab cut and couldnt stop quick enough. it sure made my saw teeth look just like little nubs. pc

Brucer · August 26, 2011, 12:36:01 AM

It's a neat modification but I have one tiny little worry. I don't have any information on how the speed control board is wired, so it may not matter.

Anyway ... in many cases a potentiometer is connected between the positive and negative supply lines. If that's the case here, then if you push the button when the speed is set to zero, you will create a direct short across your power supply. Worse yet, if the speed is set almost to zero, you may burn out a portion of the potentiometer.

There's a way around this by using a pushbutton with both NO and NC contacts.

thecfarm · August 26, 2011, 06:49:19 AM

You and Bibbyman should get together on the useful sawmills mods

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,7789.660.html

Anything to make it easier.

Magicman · August 26, 2011, 07:19:32 AM

Brucer, your concerns are why I visited with the technical support technician at WM. He told me the proper leads to splice into (violet and red) and assured me that nothing bad would happen.

Brucer · August 27, 2011, 12:01:08 AM

There's many ways to wire a potentiometer into a speed control circuit, which is why I mentioned it. Sounds like WM uses one of the bullet-proof methods.

Magicman · November 09, 2011, 02:51:37 PM

UPDATE

As Brucer pointed out there was a problem with the original wiring. A single pole double throw (SPDT) switch was required to remove the shunt that the potentiometer was adding to the circuit.

The red center potentiometer lead was cut and connected to the common terminal on the Fast Forward switch. The normally closed (NC) switch lead was then connected to the center potentiometer terminal. The normally open (NO) switch lead was then bridged to the violet/purple potentiometer lead.

Now, the Fast Forward switch works perfectly.

Brucer · November 10, 2011, 01:51:41 AM

Yeah, that's what I was thinking you'd want

. It's pretty much bullet proof wired that way.

Magicman · November 11, 2011, 10:11:00 PM

The Fast Forward worked better than I could have ever expected or imagined.

I found that it was better to stop with the forward/reverse lever because it places a shunt across the power feed motor terminals and stops you immediately.

Radio Shack has the momentary SPDT switch for less than $4.00.