Re: HYDRAULIC LOG TURNER-CIRCULAR MILL

[Bro. Noble]

Unclebuck,

Bibbyman posted pitcures of Woodmizer's 2-stage clamp which can be used to turn cants on a WM.  Maybe he will post the picture here or tell you where it was posted.  I think you could use the same idea to make a turner.

Noble

[Bibbyman]

Noble,
I think the pictures I posted on the Wood-Mizer 2-plane clamp was over on the - AhHumm... other... forum..  I suspect it's been swept off the bottom of the list by now.. You know how they are.

But both the Wood-Mizer 2-plane clamp and the arm/claw turner requite some "elbow" room under them to work.  Thus I don't see how they would work and still fit in the limited space below the carriage.

Maybe a chain turner run by a hydraulic motor and small ram?


Here is the one used on the Wood-Mizer LT70 mill - note that the cylinder is vertical - may have to change that to horizontal.


Here is one used on a TimberKing.  It does not look as robust as the WM but would be easy(er) to build.

[Ron Wenrich]

First of all, a word of caution about log turners.  You will have to come up with some method of securing your carriage to the track while turning logs.  Otherwise, you'll be picking up your carriage and putting it on the track more than you will be sawing.  

It isn't hard to do.  You need to put a 3-4' piece of angle on your carriage, and on your track.  These have to mesh so they keep your carriage from movement.

We use a pretty simple  bar type turner.  Ours is a Jackson, and I've had a Frick.  I don't have any pictures handy.  They're pretty basic with a cylinder that lifts a an arm with a couple of dogs on it.  

The only problem with using a hydraulic log turner is that you'll have to be moving your headblocks in and out while turning a log.  That may mean a lot of cranking.  If you don't move your headblocks, turning will be more difficult, harder on your carriage, and possibly dangerous.

I had a system that we used on a hand mill that was pretty slick.  Very low tech.  It consisted of a couple of rollers that was mounted on our log deck.  They were on a hinge.

When you wanted to turn a log, you flipped up the rollers.  Then you turned your log onto the rollers and the log slid back onto the carriage.  I turned some really big logs with that set up.

[mitch]

You might take a look at some commercial log turners at Meadows Mills
        http://www.meadowsmills.com/logturn.htm

A log flipper would be easy to make, but it must be mounted on the carriage
         http://www.meadowsmills.com/logflippers.htm

I made a simple cable log turner, but it is a little slow....you have to wrap the cable around the log. However it works great. I just sawed logs that weighed up to 3400 lbs by myself.
        http://www.shagbarkfarms.com/LogTurner/

[Ron Wenrich]

I worked at an outfit that had an overhead hoist.  Instead of cable, theirs was on a chain, and had a grab hook on the end.  Just put the hook around the log, and turn on the hoist.  It would always turn even the biggest logs.  You probably could hook that up with hydraulics, especially if electricity wasn't available.

Mitch, you are quite the fabricator.  

[dail_h]

We used to use turning block like Ron mentioned,worked great.Gig back.flip blocks up ,pull dogs,turn log toward you,pinch back against headblocks,dog,and saw.Faster to do than to type.To turn the other way,we'edleave the dogs in and back the headblocks back.while turnerrolled the log.Worked ok

[UNCLEBUCK]

thanks everyone for the ideas and for this year I think will just eat a 1/2 pound of bacon for breakfast and beef up my cant hook, i was glad I asked because I didnt realize that carriages are that easy flip off the tracks and I will wait and get a year of sawing under my belt, the forum rocks !

[UNCLEBUCK]

hi everyone again, changed my mind and going to weld on a bracket to the side of the mill and stand a farm hydraulic ram on end vertically and make the tip of it pointed like a needle and have a spring or heavy bungees wrapped around the cylinder so it can move as it pushes straight up to flip over heavy oak, i suppose it takes about 3 quick full extensions of the ram but i tried to roll a oak over today and it was still round and it was very very heavy, thanks again to all for the pics and ideas and i am gonna do it !

[Fla._Deadheader]

I don't know much, but, next time, when yer at the mill, put a little bead of oil on the log bunks where the log will lay when it's against the headblocks, THEN try the can't hook on the log.

[Jeff]

Here is a link to a scematic of our log turner. It was just to big to put in a post.

https://forestryforum.com/images/turner.gif

[Ron Wenrich]

You can't just bull a log around.  You have to use your headblocks, as well.  Turn, then let your headblocks fall back, and the log will roll a little.  Then, pull the headblocks front, you may have to dog the log, and repeat the process.

I use this process even when using a ram style log turner.

You will need an angle on the carriage and one on the track, so that when your carriage is parked, they will overlap.

Here's a schematic I found on the web. http://www.tbc.gov.bc.ca/culture/schoolnet/drawings/sites/site3/3_dtturn.html  You might be able to enhance it a little bit by adding some things you didn't think about.

For one, a point on the end of a ram won't work all that well.  You should have dogs on the side of a bar, like in the diagram.  It really helps to turn the log.

I'll have to take some pics of the one in our mill.  Might give you some direction on a bar turner.

[UNCLEBUCK]

hello, thanks for the pics and info everyone, i looked at it all and my heads a buzzin with good ideas about this, it would be a waste to not make use of hydraulics now that i have the extra valves, will try the drop of oil trick too, i knew that when i switched to hydraulic carriage that i would make use of the extra valves, sooner or later i might run out of questions but week 2-1/2 of being a member and this is so great, got my track cleaners figured out good now and log turner is next. :P