Timber Harvestor Pulley Issue

[Dewey]

I posted some time ago about this , But I still need some help....
I have a Timber Harvester 30 HT with the cable drive to pull the saw head thorough the log..
I am having problems with the cable fraying.... I  have tried all different size cable and I have machined the pulley to take out the groove... I machined if so that it is flat across....  currently I am going through a cable every 1 1/2 days ... it's a PIA...
I can push the mill easily so I don't thank that's a issue..
I have called Clousier Farm they make a similar mill. He suggested running a 1/8" cable that didn't help.. I have a call into him now  ..

Soooo   Any ideas ???



 

[york]

Hi,is the cable tight??If it is slipping,it will chew up the pulley and cable....

[Kbeitz]

I also have the cable drive...
Im not haveing any problems.
I used the clothesline cable and the plastic came off right away but the cable inside it is holding up good.
Are you useing the soft cable ? The hard stuff is not made to be bent more than a few times.
The hard stuff is made for buildings and to hold up poles.
The soft stuff is made for winches.

[Hewer of Wood]

Are you running one loop or two? I had my pulley remachined by a machine shop. Its hardened so my DIY attempt failed. The machine shop remilled the original radius, I believe he said it was 5/8. Before correcting the pulley I'd go through a cable every other day. Now I get at least a couple months on each cable. I'm still using the 1/8" cable I had left but will probably go back to 3/16" since the pulley is right. If you could post a picture of your pulleys surface and I'll compare it to mine. If there is a noticeable difference it probably will need more reshaping. As long as the tension on the cable is in the correct range it almost has to be the surface of the pulley causing the cable to rub against itself.

[Dewey]

I had two old pulley that I took to the machine shop I wanted one to be
re-milled as close to original that it could and the other to be milled flat across to see if there would be a difference...   unfortunately he milled them both flat,,, Flat sux....  Sooo I am going to see if I have another old one to put on until I can find a replacement. They are not easy to find around here.
As far as cable I am running 3/16" 7x9 aircraft cable there are a zillion types of cable  I guess I will try to find one that may be more flexible.
I run it fulltime the mill has 15,000 plus hours on it

[Dewey]

Ohhh... I have been running one loop

[bandmiller2]

Dewey, I have a cable on my home built and I tend to think York is correct if the cable is not fiddle string tite it will slip in the pulley groove and wear the pulley and fray the cable. I have a heavy compression spring on one end to keep the cable taught. About once a year I redress the pulley groove on the lathe, I've had the best luck with a flat bottom one wrap. Frank C.

[Hewer of Wood]

One loop is all I run too. The 3/16" 7x19 was the standard issue cable. I doubt the issue is the cable being loose. At least on the Timber Harvesters, if the cable is too loose it wont pull the head through the log. If the head is travelling normally and the cable is fraying that fast it has to be the pulley. Hope you can get it straightened out. That system is one of the few things on my mill I don't care for.

[Kbeitz]

One loop for me...
Turnbuckle at one end.

[bandmiller2]

Even a snug cable will slip some when the feed and especially the gig back is engauged. I would like to figure out a soft start for the feed spool valve. Any hydraulic engineers out there. ?? Frank C.

[Kbeitz]

The soft start could come from the pulley.
If a locking collar was on the turning shaft that hoked to a wind up spring that attached to your drive pulley that should work. Or just something like a Love Joy conector with a soft insert.

[dutchman]

I run a 95 HT 30.
Single wrap on the drive, 3/16 cable.
On each end I have a eye bolt with a spring
over the threads with flat washers and use a selflocking
nut. Take some shock out of the system.
Cable wear is still an issue but not as bad as it was.
I adjust as needed.

[Kbeitz]

Rotary dampers minimize kinetic energy by controlling velocity.  Models are available as single or bidirectional, continuously rotating or single rotating. Other options include: with or without gears, latching or unlatching, and fixed or adjustable.

[Dewey]

I can't seem to find a pulley anywhere I guess I'm looking for Ideas ????
I've made phone calls to a few advertisers on here .

I took a grinder to the pulley yesterday and rounded it out the best I could and the cable made it through the day !!   But I think I am on borrowed time..

I doo have the springs on the ends along with a connector that spins  and I do just one wrap....   I think the problem is the pulley

[Kbeitz]

Check E-bay... Tons of pulleys there.

[Dewey]

I am going to have one made...

[york]

The pulley that came on the TH mills were custom made at a machine shop in Waterloo,ny......See if yours could be harden??

[Dewey]

Thanks York....  I guess that's what I have found out...  There are no pulleys in the same configuration that are made by manufacturers....
Th shop that is making me one is using a hard steel but not as hard as the one on the mill...  I will ask what can be done to harden it...
We are going to make it a little bit different than what is original...

[bandmiller2]

Dewey, I just use common "B" series Vee belt pulleys for my cable drum with  taper lock. When they wear a groove I just machine the bottom flat again. Yes they wear faster than hardened but I get long service for a small  cost. Frank C.

[Brad_S.]

 I know that Timber Harvester used "Smith Metal Works" in Newark,  NY for outsourced fabrication. I know they made the fuel and hydraulic tanks, maybe they made the pulleys as well. Worth a call to check I would guess.

[xjdigger]

Just an idea to the pulley problem. Did you check to see if the saw head is tracking straight - loose or bad bearings on rail guide. something could be binding and creating extra stress on drive pulley.