how many board feet/hours per band on your mill???

drobertson · September 23, 2012, 06:47:38 PM

Not an expert here but it can be done. the wiring is the issue, It might be a good time to upgrade, unless you like to tinker with things, Not to get complicated, but it almost sounds like a Compac, issure, where if you want to go faster, then go newer, sorry, just saying, engineers are good, but I belive they have not been in the field for very long.

Dave VH · September 23, 2012, 07:01:13 PM

I tend to break more bands when I up the feed rate also, (I have a manual mill and a patience problem)

Jim_Rogers · September 23, 2012, 08:36:04 PM

I have a story about retrofitting my mill without a kit from WM.

Right after they came out with the automatic lube shut off, for me that's a automatic water shut off, I asked for the retrofit kit for this.

They told me that they weren't going to put one out.

It seems that they have it set up so that the water comes on when you put it in forward motion with the carriage feed lever. And to do that with a retrofit kit you'd have to feed a new wire down through the wire harness into the control box. They told me they were concerned that doing this with a retrofit kit. They were concerned that wires in the harness may get damaged and cause the wiring there to "short out" and "burn up". And then the customer would sue them for damages caused installing the kit.

So they weren't going to sell a kit.

I took it upon myself to go to the auto parts store and get an electric valve and a push button switch.
I had an in line fuse and a toggle switch on hand.

I wired up my own system so that when I pull down on the clutch lever; the lever pushes in on a push button switch and turn on the valve so the water would flow.
Knowing that I would be traveling over the road with this, I wanted a regular "on/off" switch wired in; so that when I'm traveling with the clutch lever engaged, as they instructed me to do. The water system would be "off". And of course a in line fuse at the beginning of all this wiring so that if anything goes wrong the fuse would blow and stop all electrical juice from doing any damage to my mill.

I hooked it all up and it as worked for many, many years.

I used a right tank, left tank fuel system valve unit I got from the local Napa store. After many winters this valve either froze up or got damaged and stopped working.

I was complaining about this not working one day while talking to a tech on the phone about something else. And he said that they'd sell me the valve unit, no problem. It seemed funny to me that they'd sell me the valve unit but they didn't have a kit to put it all together.

My long story's point is, you maybe able to buy the parts, if you want to fabricate your own. But be aware of the reasons why they don't want you to do it.

And I have heard of that need for a "heavier strength chain" before.

Jim Rogers

Sawdust Lover · September 23, 2012, 08:59:11 PM

When I bought my mill last year Timberking told me not to bother with a debarker. Not sure why but I think I had a choice between a debarker or the sharpener. I like the sharpener but I feel like I use it an awful lot without having a debarker on the mill. I can only get about 300 bf out of a blade if I wash the logs first. I use Timberking blades but I feel like i'm not getting enough out of them between sharpens. Today I cut 2 hickory logs and changed the blade twice. I almost never saw softwood usually cherry or oak. I have a real problem sawing softwood because of the wave. Even with a new blade.

Okrafarmer · September 23, 2012, 09:25:45 PM

That's strange. Softwood should cut easier than hardwood. I have cut yellow pines, white pine, eastern red cedar, and baldcypress, all without any serious trouble of the blade dipping. It's the hardwoods that get me. Hickory is notorious, by the way. Depending which hickory it is, the debarker might not help much either. I would think it would help for shagbark, but maybe not so much for the several species with the really tight bark.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · September 23, 2012, 09:44:12 PM

Quote from: Sawdust Lover on September 23, 2012, 08:59:11 PM
I have a real problem sawing softwood because of the wave. Even with a new blade.

If your having a wave problem with a brand new blade sawing softwood,
It's got to be saw head speed or knotty logs or both.

Not having a debarker will shorten the life of a new blade QUICK. Even if you clean your logs. Then waves start showing up.

Magicman · September 23, 2012, 09:51:02 PM

Sawdust Lover, I guess without the debarker you will have more need for the sharpener. :-\

I would hate to think about sawing without a debarker.

Sawdust Lover · September 23, 2012, 10:06:22 PM

I guess the softwood that I cut is usually pretty ruff. Lots of knots, yard trees usually, I have never bought a nice load of forest timber. Mostly white pine is what I cut. Looks like a debarker is coming soon.

Okrafarmer · September 23, 2012, 10:09:06 PM

White pine really shouldn't give you too much trouble, unless the knots are really big.

drobertson · September 23, 2012, 10:36:01 PM

my opinion is this, wood denisty. very soft wood and very hard wood in the same cut. I have the same problem. the feed rate has to change accordingly. Most folks accept wave but not me. And regardless of the claims, the blades and alignment won't affect this. to the point where a blade cuts straight untill you hit knotts.
Knotts will deflect the blade and depending on where they come out of the knot and the deflection in progress it will take time for the blade travel to recover. My opinion. I am cutting old pine with some big knots now, wet wood, resign filled pine, very tough to manage. Speed really has no bearing at all. Just a brutal bear. Not the perfect cut to say the least. but acceptable. As with water and elecricity the blade will take the path of least resistance and giving its given path this will result in a wave. My opinion. Maybe this is why we love oak so much. david

Okrafarmer · September 23, 2012, 11:25:00 PM

Oak will do the same thing if it's full of knots. Maybe this is where power feed fails to shine-- I learned with the Turner mill (manual push feed) to feel my way through knots, and eventually I developed a feel for it (aided by visually noticing the knots and varying my speed accordingly). With power feed, it may be harder to do that. I'll know soon, when we get the LT-40 up and going, hopefully this week.

Kansas · September 24, 2012, 12:16:44 AM

Remember there is a difference in mills on how they cut. A woodmizer cuts into the "dirty" side of a log. I think a timberking cuts into the clean side. We have one mill that cuts into the clean side, and the two woodmizers cut into the dirty side. We do not have a debarker on the one cutting into the clean side. Well, we do, but it just hangs there. It never worked right and we gave up on it. I will say that cutting into the clean side does make a fair amount of difference, especially depending on how deep your first cuts are, size of the logs, etc.

ladylake · September 24, 2012, 07:04:57 AM

Quote from: Sawdust Lover on September 23, 2012, 08:59:11 PM
When I bought my mill last year Timberking told me not to bother with a debarker. Not sure why but I think I had a choice between a debarker or the sharpener. I like the sharpener but I feel like I use it an awful lot without having a debarker on the mill. I can only get about 300 bf out of a blade if I wash the logs first. I use Timberking blades but I feel like i'm not getting enough out of them between sharpens. Today I cut 2 hickory logs and changed the blade twice. I almost never saw softwood usually cherry or oak. I have a real problem sawing softwood because of the wave. Even with a new blade.

You should have no trouble cutting pine with that mill, make sure you have enough set, 1/4" down pressure on the blade, 1/8 is not enough. Also try some 4 or 7* blades , they cut straighter . Sawing spruce is tough, lots of set and 4* and real sharp and try not to make wide cuts, spilt a wide cant and saw each half separete. Steve

petefrom bearswamp · September 24, 2012, 06:28:42 PM

I added the debarker to Chuck White's mill.
The upgrade included a heavier chain to handle the added weight.
Chuck has worked the mill all together harder than I ever did.

Sawdust Lover · September 24, 2012, 09:22:25 PM

Ladylake, 1/4" down pressure? Does that mean to push the blade down with the guide rollers? I called Timberking today to have them send me a debarker and again they talked me out of it. I have not been setting my teeth when I sharpen them and they told me that was most of my problem. Also they told me to take the blade off the mill every couple hrs sharp or not sharp. I know alot of you really count on your debarkers and you may think they are wrong at Timberking but I do appreciate them not trying to sell me something they personally dont think I need. I think it is operator error not the mill.

Okrafarmer · September 24, 2012, 09:23:40 PM

The set in your teeth is important, to be sure.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · September 24, 2012, 09:32:54 PM

Having a sharp blade with everything being set right is top priority. The perfect blade will saw you perfect lumber.
Having a debarker is an add on tool that will add life to that perfect blade.
I would not trade mine for the world.

Only you know what you need in your sawing market.
But if I wanted a Debarker, and I had a TK.......they'd send me one.

Chuck White · September 25, 2012, 05:34:39 AM

Quote from: Sawdust Lover on September 24, 2012, 09:22:25 PM
Ladylake, 1/4" down pressure? Does that mean to push the blade down with the guide rollers? I called Timberking today to have them send me a debarker and again they talked me out of it. I have not been setting my teeth when I sharpen them and they told me that was most of my problem. Also they told me to take the blade off the mill every couple hrs sharp or not sharp. I know alot of you really count on your debarkers and you may think they are wrong at Timberking but I do appreciate them not trying to sell me something they personally dont think I need. I think it is operator error not the mill.

I'm not trying to step on toes or anything here!

I read and hear the term "down pressure" a lot, which is not exactly what it sounds like.

All it means is that the blade roller guides are set ¼" lower than the blade wheels.

ladylake · September 25, 2012, 07:43:44 AM

Yes the guide wheels have to push the blade down (down pressure) with it tensioned up and it's important. Tension the blade,loosen the guide rollers and have them above the blade, measure from the blade to the log bunks, then have the guide wheels push the blade down 1/4" and tighten them. Keep the guide wheels far apart when setting the down pressure. Tk is right, blades need to be set and some pine needs even more than most factory blades come with. I run my blades right around 2 hours (500 to 800bf without a debarker) most times and change even if they're cutting good. I've cut well over 2 million bf without a debarker, have one sitting in the garage but found it more trouble to use than to sharpen a extra blade once in a while. If a log has dirt on one side just take it off with the first slab, about twice a year I wish I had it on when I get those real dirty logs. Steve

Jim_Rogers · September 25, 2012, 07:54:36 AM

Dirty logs = wire brush, real dirty logs = wire brush wheel on a power drill, axe or ice chopper to debark first. (Ice chopper is like a hoe only blade is straight for chopping ice off your back steps, and such.)

1/4" "deflection" of the blade with guide roller, important.

Set when needed very important. I've found that when I do a light grind on some blades the set doesn't change very much. But after several times of doing this the blade needs to be reset.

Jim Rogers

Sawdust Lover · September 25, 2012, 09:43:37 PM

Live and learn. Thats what I haven't been doing is down pressure. My guides dont even hit the blades until I get into the log. I got my setter figured out today and set my first blade. I put 1/4" down pressure on the blade and went to the log pile and found the worst pine log I had and it cut like a dream. Do I use the down pressure for hardwood as well? Thanks guys! Maybe now they won't call me the wave. 8)

Migal · September 25, 2012, 10:15:17 PM

with out picture's it's still a myth :P

ladylake · September 26, 2012, 05:13:29 AM

Quote from: Sawdust Lover on September 25, 2012, 09:43:37 PM
Live and learn. Thats what I haven't been doing is down pressure. My guides dont even hit the blades until I get into the log. I got my setter figured out today and set my first blade. I put 1/4" down pressure on the blade and went to the log pile and found the worst pine log I had and it cut like a dream. Do I use the down pressure for hardwood as well? Thanks guys! Maybe now they won't call me the wave. 8)

Yes leave it set at 1/4" for everything. Steve