Handy things around the mill

[Bibbyman]

I took a picture of three of our cant hooks.  The one on the top is a smaller one and works really well. The one on the bottom is an average size one and works pretty good.  Probably would work better if it were sharpened.  The one in the middle does not work worth a darn and could get you hurt.  

In case you don't recognize the odd color wood,  its Osage Orange.  (Got a thing about Orange!  8) )

[LeeB]

Just a guess, but the only real difference I see is that the one in the middle has a sharper curve. Looks to me that it would give it less of a bite. You might try heating it and opening the curve. Probably have to reposition the hook to maintain the correct angle. LeeB :P

[timberbeast]

Heh Heh!!  Look at the tips.  You can tell the non-middle ones have been used a lot more!  

[Frank_Pender]

   Just a thought, fellas;  the smaller  curved units are for smaller logs.  This is what I have found to be the case for the 8 or 10 I have around my mills...  but I am just a youngin in this business. And I ain't go much of that thar book learnen in engineren 'tither. :P :D :D

[Bibbyman]

Well,  in this case,  the one in the middle will not even hook on a log say 10" diameter and smaller because of the distance from the point to the end of the handle where it would press against the log.  

Now it works perfectly fine for turning cant on the mill so I guess it does function as a CANT hook.  It just doesn't work for turning and rolling logs.  It does not bite into and through the bark.  Instead,  it scrapes along until it pulls out.

Maybe I'll look up Dixie and send them these pictures and comments and see what they have to say for themselves.  Probably these tools are made in China.

[Bibbyman]

We were sawing away last weekend and somehow the hydraulic line going to the up/down cylinder on our Wood-Mizer got under the clamp arm.  It didn't slow the arm down none, it just broke the fitting on the bottom hose.  Not to worry,  I'd go to town and get one.  Looked at a couple of place where I thought may have one but they didn't.  Not to worry,  I'd go to Jefferson City on Monday and get one when the farm equipment dealer opened.  Got there and he looked at it and said,  "That's one of those plastic hoses.  I ain't going to have one. But you may try the industrial supply store."  Got there and got the same answer except they told me to try the farm equipment dealer.  I tried two more industrial supply place and they didn't have one but suggested I try the large automotive supply place.   I did and they told me to try the big truck dealership.  The truck dealership told me to try the other farm implement dealer as they also carry industrial equipment.  Tried them and they told me to try the forklift people across and down the highway.  They didn't have one but assured me any one of the other places I tried would.  I tried the Bobcat dealer and then quit.  

Common to every experience was – they'd take the part and go look the come back and say;  "That's one of those fittings for a plastic hoses. We only carry stuff for rubber hoses."  And "What's it off of?" Then I'd have to explain all about that and that only took time that didn't help.  Then they'd suggest the same lineup of usual suspects that they were sure would have it that I'd already tried.

Got back home and called the hydraulic engineering place in Mexico, Mo.  They'd have one.  "Nope,  that's one of those thermal plastic hoses and we don't stock them or the fittings." Had one guy in the store at the time that used thermal plastic hoses on bucket trucks for high line work but he only used 3/8" and all he knew is he always had to order them.

Resolved I could not repair this hose myself from local parts,  I called Wood-Mizer and had them send me out a new hose assembly and two extra fittings just in case I could find someone to repair the one with a broken end.

After I got off the phone with them,  I found a copy of the McMaster-Carr catalog and looked up hydraulic hose fittings.  After a bit of searching and head scratchin' I found a 1/4" female swivel fitting that was self-clamping and thus didn't need to be taken off and to someone to crimp a new fitting on.  It is also reusable.  I called them and placed an order for two of them.  With shipping they came to $10.00 each but it was sure a cheep fix.  One part slips over the hose and the other part screws into that part and at the same time expands the hose to form the clamping and sealing action.  Took about two minutes to put on.  Took about another 10 minutes to get the hydraulic reservoir up to the right level as it about emptied the tank.

Looks like it's going to work.  The McMaster-Carr part number for this fitting is 52305K91.  Looks like they will work on the clamp assembly and the toe boards.  I'm going to look the mill over and check the parts manual and get a couple these reusable fittings for every size and type connection we have.  That way I'll never break another one.


McMaster-Carr #52305K91 for thermalplastic 1/4" hose - reusable and does not require crimping.

This one come out a little blurry but you can see the threads inside the female part and how the other part tapers to expand the tube to form seal and clamp.

[Corley5]

We had a White Seed Boss cornplanter at work that had these type hoses and fittings.  One day one broke.  I was near Alpena and tried the tractor places, auto stores etc just like you did and no one had them .  They could, for a price ;), order them for me from a White dealer in the Thumb.  I packed up the hose and broken fitting and headed back to my home base in Indian River.  The next morning I went to Ginop Sales in Alanson, they sell MF, New Holland, Kubota etc and have a large stock of hydraulic stuff.  They matched up the fittings that I needed and made me two regular hydraulic hoses to replace the plastic ones.  The fittings were odd too.  Not standard at all.  That is my only and hopefully last experience with that kind of hose.  I wasn't impressed.  Not with the hose but the lack of availability.  It's good to know that those fittings are available someplace 8)  It's still pretty inconvenient when you can't just go to town and pick up what you need.

[KiwiJake]

Hey guy's we at Petersons make a spring loaded canthook, we call it the "Rhino can hook" he he...  :D It's got a horn on the end of it, so you just basicly place it on a log, turn, retract to the next bite and so on. I don't use our ordinary ones any more, it's just not the same!

I come up with the idea when I was contract milling off site, being sick of slamming into the log only to turn it a third of a turn then slamming into it again to get another bite, it gets tedious! The first day for my mate milling, crushed three of his fingures between the hook and the handle of the traditional ones, I'm sure that was a great introduction to milling for him! Besides being a great Cant hook it can lift logs off the ground for skidding or firewood chopping with your chainsaw, can be adjusted to different sized logs.
It's interesting what you can come up with out of neccesity besides, it won me the prototype award at the national fieldays in New Zealand, my friends and I had a good night out on the prize money. :

[Bro. Noble]

Kiwi J,

That just begs for a photo.  Sounds like a good deal.

Noble

[LumberJack]

Kiwi,
I would like to see a pictore of that also, sounds interesting!  
I also recently purchased a cant hook and like many of the other posts indicated its a not-so cheap  foreign copy.  I like the comment about the CAN'T HOOK :D :D :D. I was referring to it as a localized debarker :(! just doesn't seem like you should have to carry a mallet with you so you can knock the hook into the wood. Its about ready to hit the pile of stuff that has to be re-engineered for real life work.

John

[Brian_Bailey]

Bibbyman,  

Thank you for sharing the info about the hyd. fittings.  I made a note in my Mizer's parts manual in case I ever need to replace one.  Those fittings look like the way to go if you don't have to replace the whole hose.  Again, thanks.

[ADfields]

Bibbyman
A would have thout all the shops you went to would have had that!   All the NAPA's I have ever used for tractor parts have this "Weatherhead" brand fiting for the black ruber line.   Is this one just for your plastic hoses or is that the same as I am thinking of?
Andy

[Bibbyman]

The thermoplastic lines are smaller in outside diameter than the common Gates style rubber hose.  All the above listed places assured me they could not crimp a rubber hose coupling onto my plastic hose.  The hydraulic engineering place said they had repaired a few by using a coupling meant for a gas line by doing some machining on it to change the inside diameter.

Also, there was some discussion that the angle of the faces where the two lines actually mesh are different for the two types of hoses - I think the rubber hose type has a 31 degree face and the thermoplastic type has a 37 degree face.

The NAPA dealer was one place I didn't try. :

[Bro. Noble]

Did you ever notice that whenever you find something it's always in the LAST PLACE YOU LOOK  !!

Noble

[ADfields]

You would think if something has worked fine for ALL those years thay would not be so fast to change it all around like that :

Noble
For me it's a lot like Bibbyman,  I look at all the places for it and DONT find it! :-/    Then I find a diferant way to do it and go on a new quest for the new thing  ;)   Then it's found in the LAST PLACE I LOOK  : :'(
Andy

[Bibbyman]

I usually find what I was looking for after I don't need it any more while I'm looking for something I need now but can't find.

[Bibbyman]

Noble came up with a great way to unload ties and other large beams from the backside of his mill.  He built a pair of two-legged sawhorses out of 2" square tubing.



ARKANSAWYER decided there wasn't enough daylight in a day so he rigged his mill with 12v running lights.  One on the belt shield shown down on the log.  One mounted on the right lower corner of the control box shown on the blade and guide rule.  He tapped into the existing wiring for the laser site option for power and used the switch hole to mount the toggle switch.

[J Beyer]

The nicest thing that is handy around the mill are people that will do anything to keep food in their bellies.  Any of you try this on the young ones, like "if  you don't help with the mill today you'll go to bed without supper"

[dail_h]

   I find conscripted labor usually to be less than useless :( :( :(

[Captain]

On the subject of "Handy things around the mill"  I stopped at Peavey Manufacturing yesterday in Eddington, Maine.  (I was in the locality on Business).  They have a small factory store.  Unfortunately, I did not get a look at the facility and the forge was closed for the day.  They have an extensive selection of anything wood tool related (Cant hooks, peaveys, hookaroons, axes, replacemant tips and handles...more)

I picked up a debarking spud, a 30" Peavey (for the times that 54 inches is too long) and a replacement shovel handle for $4.

They are very close to my normal route of business travel, and I will certainly stop again.

Captain

[Percy]

Hmmm, mebey this goes without saying but a small gas powered leafblower is invaluble around a mill site. Mine just qiut the otherday and before I got it fixed, I realized just how much I used it, Missed it bigtime. When Im done cleaning up, it looks like I havent been working for weeks as there is no sawdust anywhere on the millfloor.

[AtLast]

Ok..so where do I pick up a pickaroon...anyone have a web sight to purchase one please?

[Jeff]

I have a pickaroon kit i'll sell ya. Cheep

[Tom]

bailey and madsen both offer them.  If you don't get Jeff's try their websites.

http://www.madsens1.com/
http://www.baileys-online.com/

Be sure you get the right tool  A hook-a-roon is an axe handled tool and a pick-a-roon is a Pike ended tool.

I favor the hook-a-roon.

[Bro. Noble]

Tom,

I'd druther have macaroons :D

Noble