circular push bench saw

[helicable]

I'm only new the scene , so go easy on me, lol
question,, is there any safety measures that i can do to cut down on the "boxy" logs ? I'm not sure if thats the right word,, but when the log closes/pinches up on the saw causing the log to maybe flip back, i know some sawmills have dogs, but mine don't , i have seen from pics online that someone has a straight bar behind the saw blade maybe 8-12 inches ,to keep it from pinching,
also if theres two people at the saw ,i goes the second person can stick a wedge in the sawn part of the log to keep it open, any advice,,
i was told it could be dangerous, so i want to cut down on any risks,,
thanks

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, helicable.

[longtime lurker]

The term for logs like that is "springy" rather then "boxy".
The piece of steel that sticks up behind the sawblade is called a riving knife. If you aint got one make one because its important.
and yes, if the tailer out guy is careful he can stick a small wedge in there. Make sure its a wooden or plastic wedge and anytime your hand goes inside a foot of a blade its dangerous. Watch your feet - leaning too far into a bench or tripping and falling that way isnt a good idea

How dangerous depends on the size and power of the bench. If resawing with a cabinetmakers type saw with a sliding table you try and work it from the side. If its a full blown breast bench that gets a bit hard but I hope you don't have one of them because they are far from user friendly even in skilled hands and dangerous even then... big saws and big HP means they can toss big lumps of timber back with incredible force. My mothers uncle was killed just that way - flitch off a number 1 bench spat back and crushed his chest.

[dgdrls]

I'm only new the scene , so go easy on me, lol
question,, is there any safety measures that i can do to cut down on the "boxy" logs ? I'm not sure if thats the right word,, but when the log closes/pinches up on the saw causing the log to maybe flip back, i know some sawmills have dogs, but mine don't , i have seen from pics online that someone has a straight bar behind the saw blade maybe 8-12 inches ,to keep it from pinching,
also if theres two people at the saw ,i goes the second person can stick a wedge in the sawn part of the log to keep it open, any advice,,
i was told it could be dangerous, so i want to cut down on any risks,,
thanks

Welcome to the FF helicable.

My advise, stop until you build some dogs and place a riving knife,

Tell us more about your mill

best regards
Dan

[longtime lurker]

Not all saw benches have dogs, and with some fitting them would be counter productive. It might be helpfull if you could post some pictures so we can see the beast.

[helicable]

thanks guys, nice to see fast responses.
As for now i only operated it for the afternoon with the guy i bought it from, i was impressed, but I'm not forgetting how unforgiving it can be. I've been reading for the past week now on mills, seeing i have lots of time,(I'm on the north side of canada with my primary job fixing heli's).
I will get some pics when i get back home ,eastern canada. Any advice would be great,,
Thanks

[Kbeitz]

.

[bushmechanic]

 To be talking about a push bench and "boxy" logs you must be from Newfoundland. The knife on the back side of the saw helps a lot but my dad if he had a boxy one would take a smaller slab first which released the tension from a thicker slab. Most of the forestry forum members have never seen a push bench mill and they would deem it as unsafe, in reality it most likely is. We have used these for years and I currently still use one. Just this spring my dad sawed enough lumber for my son to start a house, he's only 81 years old you know!

[longtime lurker]

Im just assuming a push bench is a variation on a "breast bench" like in this tube video.
This ones a "two man bench"... theres also a "four man bench"which would have another bench (one set left hand, one set right hand) with the flitch passing through  the second bench on its return.
Two man benches are pretty much dead and gone here, but theres still a few four mans in useage because they are really good for quartersawing, roll the flitch and you've got the face right for the next cut every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YkyUnbt3l8

If it isnt, then Id certainly enjoy learning about what a push bench is.

[bushmechanic]

Nope that's not it longtime lurker, here's a pic of ours.

 

[longtime lurker]

Nope that's not it longtime lurker, here's a pic of ours.

Gotcha now. The technical designation for that is "sliding rack bench, circular" or some variation of those words.

Hydraulic rack benches ex Scandinavia are pretty popular in small mills in Australia. If the OP googles "Kara", "Laimet" or "Slidetec" (major manufacturers of them)  he'll be able to see plenty of vids of those in action and get a look at how the dogging systems work. It doesnt need much, its only there to steady it for that first cut anyway. Once theres a flat face on the table dogging the log is un necessary.

[helicable]

thanks ,
hey bushmechanic, PM me your email so i can get your phone number,
yea I'm on the southern shore highway 40 mins south of st.johns,,
I'm still on a work tour ,but I'm sure i'll be looking for input when i get cutting,

[derhntr]

Longtime, thanks for sharing the video, a guy would certainly earn his peso's working there. Made me tired just watching.