Wood Mizer Wireless remote?

pineywoods · March 19, 2008, 10:40:01 PM

Dave, parts are readily available and cheap. The field of view on mine is about 120 degrees wide. I had to put a hood over the sensor to restrict that some. Park a tractor with a hot engine in the wrong place and funny things happen ;D Like I said, a few bugs yet. Sensitivity is quite good, works fine from 100 ft away. Progress has been slow, people keep showing up with logs they need sawn ASAP.

Dave Shepard · March 19, 2008, 10:43:01 PM

What are the pros and cons of infrared and radio? Sounds like it would be fun to play with some wireless stuff.

Dave

WH_Conley · March 19, 2008, 11:12:01 PM

Didn't we have a member a few years ago that had a wireless remote?

bandmiller2 · March 20, 2008, 05:51:47 AM

Guess I'am heading in the wrong direction,you guys are on the cutting edge[yea pun]and I'am planning handset and flat belt feed.Why does high tech red neck come to mind.Whole new set of excuses sun spots,no 9v batteries,dog ran off with the remote.This is the stuff that keeps life interesting,and the cookie jar empty. Frank C.

Dave Shepard · April 08, 2008, 02:22:12 AM

Here is a link to the wireless remote at Wood Mizer. Wireless Remote

Mill is coming ~~tomorrow~~ today. I will report back later.

ElectricAl has a picture in the crash archive's photo album. (Came up on a Google search, ;) )

Dave

Dave Shepard · April 08, 2008, 06:40:25 PM

Going from a '94 manual LT40 to a brand new Super Hydraulic, and wireless no less, is quite the eye opener! It will really "Walk the Dog" As Bibbyman would say. :D It took a few minutes to get used to the remote. It was windy today, and the debarker throws a good shower of sawdust into the procedings. Kept trying to walk with the head, but realized I could just step aside out of the dust cloud. ;)

The remote is very straight forward, and will work out well, as I will have to do my own tailing part of the time. We have to rearrange the edger and lumber piles closer. I take a board off the mill and put it on the stack, and then as I'm walking back to the mill I just bump up the head and zing it back to the front of the mill, autoclutch as I hit the drop and send it back into the log. I think you would need a tazmanian devil for a tailman to keep up with this thing.

You have to be at the head of the mill for hydraulic functions, same as a regular mill. I would like to see them mounted up on some sort of riser so you don't have to bend over to run them. You must also be at the head to change the Accuset settings. This isn't a problem, as you are there to run the hyd. anyway. The procedure is to set it on manual and set your opening height and then hit auto down. After you have a flat on the bed rails, you select pattern. The remote will make your Accuset drops for you, same as if you were using the lever on the head. Board dragback and debarker are also operated from the remote. All functions on the main controls are disabled when the remote is activated, except the Accuset panel.

I think this is a great option for anyone who wants to run a long bed extension, but still have the ability to operate remotely. I can't see being able to utilize the speed of this mill without a remote station or the wireless, unless you used the operators seat. I don't think you would want to walk with it at the speeds the head moves.

Dave

farmerdoug · April 08, 2008, 07:33:16 PM

Dave, My LT40SH has the remote accuset and you are right about keeping up with the mill without it. Of course if you had to run with the mill the off bearer had probably be less tired than you at the end of the day. :D :D

Dave Shepard · April 08, 2008, 08:07:56 PM

I agree, I wouldn't want to run alongside this thing. I think I would tie a string to the return handle and just give it a pull when it got through the log. That would be wireless too. :D :

Dave

Dave Shepard · April 09, 2008, 07:52:28 PM

Here is a close up of the remote. Starting with the silver toggle on the left: Power, Autoclutch, Board return, Debarker and Debarker in/out. Left rubber toggle is forward/reverse, and blade guide in/out. Right rubber toggle is up/down. To the right of the up/down is a small speed pot to control the head travel speed. There is also an E-stop on the left side of the box. The remote has been very easy to get used to, except that at first I was trying to walk with the control panel. :

I got over that quickly though, can't keep up with it. :D I don't have anyone to tail for me yet, so it is very handy to have the remote, as I can be in position to grab the board or slab, and not have to be near the controls to stop the sawhead. Very cool feature! 8)

Dave

beav39 · April 09, 2008, 08:16:41 PM

DAVE ARE THE HYDRO HANDLES STILL STATIONARY?

Mooseherder · April 09, 2008, 08:19:31 PM

Next upgrade will be voice commands. :D

Dave Shepard · April 09, 2008, 08:35:23 PM

Yes, the hydraulic controls are unchanged. I find that the only time I have to change any setting on the Accuset is when I have turned the log, so I am already near the Accuset when I am turning. I would like to see the handles mounted higher, myself.

I think the wireless would be a cool way to do the stationary remotes as well so you could use a 12' or 24' bed extension without 50' of cat track. Actually, if I sat on a stool and mounted the wireless on the end of the mill, it would be like a command control, only you would have to wait for the head to come back to change the settings on the setworks. :D

Dave