Useful sawmill mods

[fluidpowerpro]

Ya, sometimes the simplest solutions are the hardest to see.

[rusticretreater]

I think I might do that just to keep me from hitting the original log stops with the blade.

[MattM]

Been meaning to post these two mods for awhile now but I kept forgetting to take pictures...



The first one is super simple.

The hook the holds the log loading arms up for travel was always miserable to unhook. I jams right between the two log turner springs and I would have to fight it for 2 minutes to get it unhooked. All I did was add a 1/2inch quick link between the springs for a new hook point. Now it only takes 2 seconds to unhook it during setup. 8)



The second one is my diesel drip setup.
I'm a thrifty ba$-turd at the best of times and with diesel in Canada costing between $1.65-3.00Cad per liter depending on how the regulators feel at any given moment I sure hate wasting it when my blade's not in the wood.
I have a pneumatic solenoid wired to a fused toggle switch that gets power from the forward switch. The solenoid only opens when the head is traveling forward and only if I have the toggle switch turned on (it's always on when I'm cutting, I only turn it off if I'm working on the mill).

The solenoid as as close to the drip nozzle as I could get it so that when I travel the head backwards I don't have a full line of diesel slowing dripping out.

After the solenoid is a drip valve to adjust how many drips per second I need depending on what I'm cutting. If I notice sap building up on the blade I can reach over and adjust it pretty easily.

I used 3/8 stainless fuel line and compression fitting to attach everything solidly to the mill. The only physical modification I had to make to the mill was to cut off the drip tube from where it attached to the little piece of roundstock in front of the guide roller and bending it a little to the side and to bend the top portion toward the bandwheel in order to fit a compression fitting on it. Before cutting the weld sawdust would plug the drip line.

[cabindoc]

I did something very similar except I mounted the toggle switch on blade engagement handle and the micro adjuster is mounted right under tank platform so well within reach.  Why something like this isnt standard on an LT35 hyd and up is beyong me.  I get the no bells and whistles on an LT15 etc...but once you get to the $25K level and up....

[cabindoc]

I want to start doing a better job of sawing parallel to the bark. One thing that would make it easier would be to have a laser, so that's next on the list.

I purchased this laser and now I need to figure out how to mount it.
The first thought is the mount it on the movable guide bar but I have a lot of reservations about doing that because of vibrations.

Does anyone have any suggestions?



 

I started with this idea.  I found that the vibration made a fuzzy line and those lasers are made for inteior and I found were not bright enough for daylight. I was also concerned I would ruin it and I would not have it for construction projects.  Also, when in autolevel mode requires your mill to stay level.  I dont need my mill level.  I went with an industrial laser that I mounted permanent wired to a switch.  Laser is 50 mW in green which is about as strong as you can get, but still cant see it on a bright day.  Here is what I used:  https://www.apinex.com/ret2/green-line-laser-module-for-sawmills.html  There are others I saw in other posts.

[TimW]

Has anyone made a Utube video of using their laser?
hugs,  Brandi

[Southside]

James Bond in Goldfinger comes to mind.  :D

[fluidpowerpro]

I want to start doing a better job of sawing parallel to the bark. One thing that would make it easier would be to have a laser, so that's next on the list.

I purchased this laser and now I need to figure out how to mount it.
The first thought is the mount it on the movable guide bar but I have a lot of reservations about doing that because of vibrations.

Does anyone have any suggestions?



 

I started with this idea.  I found that the vibration made a fuzzy line and those lasers are made for inteior and I found were not bright enough for daylight. I was also concerned I would ruin it and I would not have it for construction projects.  Also, when in autolevel mode requires your mill to stay level.  I dont need my mill level.  I went with an industrial laser that I mounted permanent wired to a switch.  Laser is 50 mW in green which is about as strong as you can get, but still cant see it on a bright day.  Here is what I used:  https://www.apinex.com/ret2/green-line-laser-module-for-sawmills.html  There are others I saw in other posts.

Since the original post, I took my laser outside to play with it and I have decided to sideline my laser ambitions. Just have others had already warned, you can't see it in bright sunlight.
Granted, it still would be nice to have even if I could only use it on cloudy days, but it's now lower on the list.

[TimW]

James Bond in Goldfinger comes to mind.  :D

The Mircosoft answer.  Totally correct, yet totally worthless in this instance.  Have you been hanging around @WVSawmiller?
hugs,  Brandi

[WV Sawmiller]

   Here I was minding my own business when out of the blue BAM! Blindsided in another unprovoked ambush! Woe is me. >:( :( :

[Southside]

Do you expect me to talk Blowfield? 

No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!! 

:D

[TimW]

  Here I was minding my own business when out of the blue BAM! Blindsided in another unprovoked ambush! Woe is me. >:( :( :

Howard,
    Glad you don't feel left out.
        hugs,  Brandi

[Peter Drouin]

I go by eye, can get it within an 1" 16' out. After that, I would be cutting beams anyhow. Then I tape it so to box the pith.

[WV Sawmiller]

  Here I was minding my own business when out of the blue BAM! Blindsided in another unprovoked ambush! Woe is me. >:( :( :

Howard,
   Glad you don't feel left out.
       hugs,  Brandi

The wounds will heal but there will still be a scar. :( :(

[Old Greenhorn]

Howard, do you need a hug? I'm here for you buddy, bring it on in. :D

[paul case]

Youall make me remember how much I like this group! I have not posted here in a while so here goes.

We made a major mod. A new building and change of ownership. Sold the big mill to my son Scott and we moved it to his new ''homemade '' building a couple months ago. Built in ''floor sweeper''(an old feed conveyor) under the mill.Absolutely the worst job at the mill was to clean out under the mill and this fixed it.
Many videos on the shed build on my youtube channel.
Saw shed update number five  - YouTube

PC

[Magicman]

Welcome back home Paul.  

Sold the big mill to my son Scott and we moved it to his new ''homemade '' building a couple months ago.

Maybe I missed it, was this Willie's mill?

[Joed]

Nice idea on the log stop caps, wish I had thoughts on my previous mill. I now have a Vallee Green Monster, both guide wheels adjust in and out. The idler side travels like most miles and on the drive wheel side it adjusts about 5 or 6 inches in or out. Have used this often to clear bumps and humps.

[paul case]

Magicman, 

This was wwsjr's mill. It had 3xx hours on it when we bought it and it has 67xx hours now. Never been out in the sun. Made us a good living since 2016. Scott put all the hours on it since we bought it. May not look so showroom now but cuts as good as ever. Thanks for your help with everything!

PC

[Magicman]

It could not be in a better place and I know that Willie would be pleased. 

It made me happy to read about Scott's successful sawing and now him expanding.    

[paul case]

It has kinda put me out to pasture a bit, or rather back to the woods.  I need to do another video as I have not done a video on his shed since we moved the edger.

PC

[Magicman]

I understand the "pasture" comment but mine is for a different reason.  I have scaled back but by choosing my jobs.  For example, I took off all of last week which, for me, was very unusual.  I have sawn over 35Mbf this year which is not to shabby for an old man.

In the past I have always had 12-15+ jobs on the book whereas right now there are only 6.  They are all fairly large multi-day jobs, but at least not as many.  The job a couple of weeks ago and next week's job was/is putting the finishing touches on jobs that I sawed during the past two years.

 

[TimW]

I got this idea somewhere back in this thread.  I finally got around to installing brushes to clean sawdust from the B57 belts. 

 

 I bought 12 bamboo handle toothbrushed on Amazon for $12 and change.  After the photos were taken, I added a 1/16 inch shim under the block on the drive wheel brush.
hugs,  Brandi

[Magicman]

I am trying to wrap my mind around why?  ???

[TimW]

I am trying to wrap my mind around why?  ???

To keep sawdust buildup on the belts down.
           hugs,  Brandi