Whatcha Sawin' 2025 ??

[beenthere]

rheostat or variable resistor, may be a close fit

[WV Sawmiller]

Lynn,

   Sounds like the part I ordered. They called it a speed controller.

    Thanks for the confirmation.

[caveman]

WV, just something to try if you still have your mill out and set up, try to saw while gently pulling out on the potentiometer's knob.  I've read that removing the knob and placing an 0ring behind it to keep tension on it may improve its function.  We ordered a new one for our mill several months ago due to similar performance.  So far, ours has been working right lately and we have deduced ours may be related to moisture or poor electrical connections somewhere.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Thanks for the tip. When I bought the feed motor a couple weeks ago  they first had me tap the knob and yesterday Chris had me adjust the speed to see if the jerky performance. It just jerked faster. Did not seem to do it in reverse.

    I'm sort of feeling like the Johnny Cash One Part at a Time song only mine aren't free like his were. I don't feel too bad on the motor as it had high hours and I don't think these other problems would have caused the breaker to trip like it was doing. The drum switch sure looked like it was ready to be replaced.

[Magicman]

The drum switch sure looked like it was ready to be replaced.

Mine "look" like they need replacing.  Several of the contacts are completely worn off and the spring fingers are making the contact.  They have been fairly well regularly greased but heck, they are 27 years old with probably 20-25K run hours.

[Ben Cut-wright]

When I got the new one on the jerky feed was still there. I called Chris at WM Electrical and he was pretty sure of the part required so I ordered it and another spare drum switch. All the wires inside the box looked good so not something as simple as a loose or broken wire.

    Before I say what the part is I will see what the consensus of you guys is as to what the part causing the problems.

  If you've have and fixed similar problems what was the part/repairs required

The pot *can certainly cause 'jerky' control of the variable speed motor.  Going out on a limb, I would say it is not normal that jerky speed will be exhibited at all positions of the pot. It could happen, just not how the pot usually fails.  The pot can be tested fairly easily and accurately with an *analog type MM. 

Last few pots from WoodMizer have been less than satisfactory.  Little or no *ramp and too much free movement, not enough friction to HOLD the setting.  I bought a spare and one to replace the original faulty pot.  Both new ones required ICB pot trim adjustments and artificial friction for the pot shaft.  The new pots had enough play in the shafts to create stutter in motor control by simply pressing the knob sideways. 

Some time back I discovered a cold solder joint on the motor ICB control board.  Struggled along for quite some time with the saw-head going forward full bore occasionally.  Bad outcomes when that happens during sawing.  Any intermittent in the wiring connections of control devices of the variable speed can create jerky or stutter motor performance.

[WV Sawmiller]

Ben,

   I am fluent in southern English, conversant in British and Australian English, can read and understand a little Arabic and French but I can't decipher what you said above but thanks anyway for trying .

[SawyerTed]

Does anyone know the resistance value on the potentiometer/speed control?  

[doc henderson]

I do not but assume it is variable all the from 0 to max (off) ohms.

[Magicman]

Did not seem to do it in reverse.

There is no "control" in reverse because in reverse the motor is fully powered through the drum switch. 

Does anyone know the resistance value on the potentiometer/speed control?

Ted, I measured but I have forgotten.  I actually ordered and received a couple of "wire wound" pots to trial as replacements but like everything else....aroundtoit.  Maybe I will remember to remeasure tomorrow, but I am knee deep in a Club Car engine, so sorta distracted right now.

Ben's reply above was spot on.  The sweet spot (speed) that we most often use will wear away first causing the jerkiness/erratic head movement.

[Magicman]

I looked at 8 logs this evening, but only 3 (green paint) of them will saw.  Hickory.  I don't remember ever sawing fresh felled Hickory.  He wants 1" lumber.

I would suspect that it will be twisty and similar to Pecan which is the  devil wood so I kinda have my doubts whether this guy will get any usable lumber, but we shall see.

I plan to saw those 3 logs but I'll wait until we finish before I say anything about the sawing charge.  It will probably be $50 bucks which will cover my fuel and blade.  I am curious and want to saw it just for the heck of it.

Hopefully the weather will hold and I can saw it next week.

[SawyerTed]

I do not but assume it is variable all the from 0 to max (off) ohms.

Doc, the 0 to max ohm range matters due to the sensitivity of the adjustment.  

If 500 ohms is required to drop the control voltage to zero, a 500 ohm potentiometer will give better speed control than a 1000 ohm potentiometer (using only half the rotation). 

The replacement parts appear to be common linear potentiometers.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   Well, I learned a lesson today. When ordering parts from WM if you have one part that is critical and just need others for resupply or back-up be sure to tell the WM rep. I ordered the speed controller 3 days ago and a spare drum switch. I kept watching my e-mails and no Shipped notice so today I called and found they had been holding up the order waiting for the drum switch. The speed controller has me shut down but the drum switch is just for a spare. 

   I told them ship the controller now and the drum switch whenever it gets in.

   Lesson Learned - if you absolutely need a particular part and are ordering others also be sure to tell the WM rep not to wait on the nice to have parts. This mistake has cost me from 3-6 days because if it doesn't get here tomorrow I won't see it before Monday.

   I can't fault the WM rep. I am sure they were just saving me shipping costs. I should have been crystal clear when I placed the order.

[beenthere]

True that.  We live and learn. 

[SawyerTed]

11, eleven hours and 3,600 plus board feet of white oak and hickory 5/4 random widths. 

The bulk was nice white oak 8' to 10' long 16" to 38" diameter.   For 8 hours we plowed through the white oak, three logs were quarter sawn. 

Then the hickory was three hours of sawing pain in the a€€.  Most were shorts and some would have been excellent for BBQ. We persevered and ended with the final log making two mantles. 

I was d.o.n.e.  It was one of those jobs that just when you think you are finished here comes the customer with more logs on the CTL forks.

The positives were 1. The customer rented a CTL for the job.  2. The tail gunner was nearly the hardest working woman (customer's wife) I've seen. She was smart, knew how to lift and carry.  I was impressed.

[Magicman]

Ted, what were the issues with the Hickory?  If everything comes together I will be sawing my first ever fresh felled Hickory Wednesday. 

I looked at it and already culled the 5 that had limbs/knotty that I know from sawing Pecan will do bad things.  I only approved the 3 for sawing that were clear and straight.

[SawyerTed]

Lynn, the hickory wasn't necessarily the problem, the "logs" were too short to fit between the hydraulic back stops.  Some of the longer ones were better suited to BBQ wood.  The customer wanted them cut so I cut them.  

The sawing itself wast too bad, I had a box of 4 degree double hard blades for this job.  I used 4.  

[WV Sawmiller]

Ted,

   I had a customer bring me a bunch of big 4' long RO logs and of course they were too short to fit on/between my 5' wide loading arms so I took 2- 6' long 1/4" chains with hooks on each end and laid fastened the chains across the gap on the loading arms to make a cradle. I'd roll the logs on top of the chains and lift and it worked fine. These were big enough not to fall in the gap between the arms and the mill when lifted. 

Lynn,

   I have not sawed pecan but think you'll find it the same. I find hickory to be sappy wood so use plenty of lube. What I have sawed was also bad to split to don't be surprised if you find that is a problem. Good luck with it.

[SawyerTed]

Howard, yes loading those shorts can be aggravating.  We just cut a couple of cull boards to lay across the arms before loading the log on the arms.   A couple I chained, a few were just loaded with the CTL. 

Loading wasn't as much the issue as the constant adjusting the manual back stops and rotating the short cants.  As you know those manual stops sometimes fold down as a cant is rotated.

My tail gunner was quick to catch on to the manual stops so she reduced the number of times I had to walk back and forth.  

[Stephen1]

I have the manual back stops hooked to the hydraulics, it is a nice option!. I have always used boards for the short logs but will try the chains next time. 

[Magicman]

OK, since I have already culled what I deemed as unsatisfactory,and will only saw three of these logs, I'll be OK.  (There were limbs and hollow spots/centers in the others.)

There are no expectations for this lumber and it will be virtually a Goodwill job anyway, so I am looking forward to it.

As a side note; I added the hydraulic kit to my manual side supports a couple of years ago and wonder why I did not do it sooner.  That kit was/is well worth the $500, not just for shorts but also for crooked and otherwise misshapen logs. 

[SawyerTed]

I don't think the option is available for powering the manual stops with hydraulic vertical stops. 

It's rare that I do short logs. I try to dissuade customers from cutting them short in the first place and try to discourage sawing them into lumber. 

Most times someone wants this chunk of grandma's walnut tree cut saved from the tree service when uncle clement had it cut down. That is like most short log jobs.  

Every once in a while the manual stops get used on live edge because the pieces roll off the rollers on the hydraulic stops. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   When I bought my mill I added the extra back stops as an option. I think these are the same as what you are calling your manual back stops. Mine are all hooked together and raise and lower by the hydraulics. They should not be an option - they should be standard as they are critical for short stuff.

   I have used the short sacrificial board or waste slab as Ted describes for a one off short log but if you have a bunch the chains/cradles works great.

[Resonator]

I saw plenty of short logs. Just have to plan to have it supported with a board underneath, possibly a board against the back stops, and clamped securely. It's more "hands-on" kind of work, so I'd recommend billing by the hour for those.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I have hydraulic vertical backstops on my 70 super and manual ones for short logs. Usually pays to pull out one of the 8' 4x4s i carry and put that on the bed, as a fence, behind the hydraulic stops, rather than using the manual stops. After 3 turns, usually with out having to walk down, lift the 4x4 off  off swing round and toss it alongside the sawdust pile.