Top saw update

[moodnacreek]

The top saw is in use now, used it on and off all day. Yesterday, for a test I sawed a 30" ash and got some wide 2" live edge 26 to 29" wide.       But nothing is perfect and like Ron W. says; you might get stepped lumber. I should have known this would happen as when the head saw is buried it will lay over into the log. All mine have done this especially in spruce, some worse than others and more in the middle of the cut that the entry or exit [from the cut in the log]. So I have had to compensate by moving the top saw in [out of line with the head saw] to get as little step as possible.   There does not seem to be any vibration at all in the structure we built. This project was more work that I had time for but I have needed it for years.  Thanks for reading, Doug

[Osterman.r]

Great to hear! Is it driven off the headsaw mandrel?

[Peter Drouin]

 smiley_clapping smiley_clapping 8) 8) 8) 8)
Good for you, I knew you could do it.

[moodnacreek]

Great to hear! Is it driven off the headsaw mandrel?

No, the whole mill is electric these days running off a generator . So it is push button.

[longtime lurker]

You're definitely winning the installation race, mostly cuz you've been installing while I'm relaxing goofing off surfing investigating business opportunities (gotta get it right for the tax man) in Hawaii

I envy you, I really do. I'll send ya a postcard to commemorate your victory. :D

[moodnacreek]

You're definitely winning the installation race, mostly cuz you've been installing while I'm relaxing goofing off surfing investigating business opportunities (gotta get it right for the tax man) in Hawaii

I envy you, I really do. I'll send ya a postcard to commemorate your victory. :D

I was starting to worry L.L., you are late weighing in. It's been a long hard road but we sawin now!   Nothing got sawed for 2 seasons and I am paying the price .  Also still learning how to run this thing and get a good last board. I need to get faster like you .                                  Thanks Doug

[dgdrls]

outstanding! 8)

Well done Moodna

[customsawyer]

I have zero knowledge about a circle saw, but I applaud your work. Getting anything up and running from scratch is never easy. Good Job.

[moodnacreek]

Thanks members for the compliments. I bought this Lane simi automatic sawmill almost a year ago. A member here put me on to it. I had intended to only install the carriage on my track but there where too many differences from my old mill to do that. One was the rub rail set up that protects the plastic wheels.                                                                                   I saw by myself most of the time and need to get a video done to show off how i do this. The top saw was the last hurdle of this project. There is a you tube video of this sawmill running in the hands of the former owner. It is called 'sawing red oak' if I remember correctly

[Osterman.r]

I'm trying to figure out the good last board as well. You've got the Hawkins hydraulic add on head blocks correct? Are you pushing your head blocks in and out hydraulically? Or are you using the original ratchet style setworks? My carriage I can use either or. But it seems my scale doesn't correspond with setworks. ie: if I put my pin in the 1.25 hole in the set works and take one pull, I get a 1.25" board, but now I'm off on my scale and I end with an oddball board.

[Osterman.r]

Moodna, thanks for mentioning that YouTube video. I found it. Looks like that guy controls the headblocks hydraulically to make a can't. Then uses the manual pull and the scale to come up with his perfect last board. Rather than pull to the pin. I'm going to play with it some more this weekend.

[moodnacreek]

Osterman, that video is no longer, I just checked, it was Copeland Lumber.   I don't think i could set push button and stop in the right spot. Not sure how to say this to you but here goes; do you understand the Lane notched setworks? Everything is multiples of 5. The fifth click is 5,10, 15, 20. The 3rd click is 3, 8, 13, 18. Sorry for saying if you already know.  Anyhow if you put the pawl in the notch and start pulling [11,6, 1] That is as close as you get to the saw [1"]  The head blocks have chains so you don't saw the dogs. If the tapers aren't all the way back you can't get to 1". When you put a mill together the headblock base nose is 1/2" from the saw tooth and at 1" [the notch, last pull] 1/2 " of board is on and 1/2" in the air between the nose and saw teeth and the headblock stop chains tight and the dogs missing the saw by 1/4".   I just went through all this and it took awhile.  If the stop chains aren't right and the dogs too close to the saw and if the wood chips out the dog will hit the saw on the last board. Guess how I figured that out, brand new chrome bits.

[Ventryjr]

Mood, Glad to hear your up and running. I'd like to see a video of your setup.   One of these days I'll have to get you a plane ticket so you can come explain these lane artwork notches to me in person haha.  I've had a few people explain it to me over the internet and it makes sense when I read it. But there's a disconnect between what I read and what I'm doing at the saw.  Thanks for the update! Hope to see more pictures or a video soon. 

[moodnacreek]

First the set works must be in register. The last board will be 1" with the pawl in the notch [1/4" pawl down]    Here we are sawing 1" boards but also need a 4" cant from the same log. Set to cut off slab, always pull up tight to the pin stop. saw off slab, push reach rod back to back stop and pull to pin and saw off 1" board, maybe another, turn 180 and put pawl in 4 clicks back from notch, pull up tight every time as many times needed to take slab, saw off 1" boards until it comes to 4". You add or subtract clicks to change what you will get. Each click is 1/4". After you learn this you will saw fast and accurate without the scale board. Learn it. P.M. me. Sawing good logs is fun.

[Crusarius]

you guys are confusing

Of course the closest I have come to a working circular sawmill was at the steam pageant.

[moodnacreek]

you guys are confusing

Of course the closest I have come to a working circular sawmill was at the steam pageant.

They can be bought cheap and will be a lot of work to set up where there is frost and need a roof. They will saw more than a small band in spite of the large kerf but there are trade offs. No one machine does it all but a circle mill comes close. A more modern circle mill today may have a vertical edger on it and a small band run around down stream to saw cants into boards. An operation larger than that would be a wide band that for the most part requires a filing shop in house. The beauty of the circle is the inserted tooth.

[Crusarius]

yea, no! I am good with my band saw  It is much less scary also!!!!

[Osterman.r]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S_0feFxcc1U&t=40s

When I typed in "sawing red oak" this was the first vid that popped up. This isn't exactly the carriage I have, but very similar. In the second half of the vid you can see the sawyer using the lane setworks. 

[moodnacreek]

Osterman, How did you get that? I have watched it before a year ago or so but you tube says it is nla. Any how I am glad you found it. On the 2nd log watching from the board side you see him [Dean Copeland] make a pull and another careful pull. What he is doing is a full 1" pull and counting the 4 clicks going back pulling to the stop pin as you always do. This is how you saw a 2" plank: 5 clicks and 4 more that is 9 quarters 1 for the kerf. Thanks for posting video, that is the mill I have , thanks to you.

[Osterman.r]

Okay okay that makes sense now. What I thought he was doing was a big quick pull, then looking at the scale and pulling slow to get to whatever mark he was looking at in the scale.
The way you just explained it will be a great help. 
The only difference from your carriage and mine, is my hydraulic controls are on the carriage itself along with an electric motor and hydraulic pump. And I don't have that large hydraulic ram in the center of the carriage. I'm assuming that is what kicks a can't off the carriage?

[moodnacreek]

Osterman, that hyd. ram was a cant turner Copeland made as he sawed pine timbers and didn't like to turn a sawn side with that log turner. I had to remove it because it would not clear the top saw nut. I want to use that station and the push button for a 'hammer' dog to hold ugly logs on the first slab.   I keep saying things about the Lane set works hoping if I say it in different ways it will start to make some sense. Every thing I try to describe is for 1/4" back clicks and on this Copeland mill that is all it has. On my Lane tractor mill it has 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 pawls and pin holes. At one time Lane offered metric and also oversize racks and pinons. You racks should be cast 'standard' as almost all are.                               When I have to saw 3/4" apple bin boards I go back against the stop, lift the pawl and come forward 1 click to loose 1/4" [and pull up to the pin.]