band blade guides

[Norwiscutter]

Just got to checking on my guides and it seams as if it is time to do a little work on them. I was looking at the different options IE new parts or new guides, and because the cost of the parts isn't much different from new guides, I was thinking of maybe upgradeing to bigger or better model guides.  Right now I have Carter C-20 guides that came with my mill.  Was wondering if their would be any advantage to going to a larger sized carter guide, or maybe even another brand altogether. Maybe a retrofit to a cooks roller guide system? My mill (Hud-son 36) ain't exactly the most expensive mill on the market so I was wodering if there maybe a better setup that I could go to. Of course, if the Carter guides got a good reputation, I will stick with those.  Does 40,000 BF seam like a low number to be replacing the guides? I figure I got about 200-250 hours on the mill right now.

[EZ]

I'm not quite sure what the carter guides look like, but my first guides were flat guides. They were two pieces of metal that had a gap a couple thousands bigger than my blades. They work real well and were even better when sawing pine. They would hold the blade were its suppose to be, the only problem was they wore out fast. A thousand bf and you had to change them if I was sawing pine. I now have Cooks roller guides and they work good as long as the blade is fairly sharp. You can buy from Cooks the roller guides with a cerimic piece that holds the bottom of the blade, my next guides will have the cerimic. I think you can get them from WM also.
I have about 100 k on my Cooks guides and still going strong.
EZ

[Tom]

It depends on what part of the guide you are replacing after 40,000 ft.  If you are using roller guides (I'm not familiar with Carter), then I wouldl expect only a rebuild.  A rebuild on WM, or Cook guides is basically replacing the bearings in the rollers.  

I had over 300,000 feet on  my WM guides before I had to replace the guide rollers.  It was still considered a rebuild since the the bulk of the guide system remained..  

[Norwiscutter]

http://www.carterproducts.com/cpdocs/html/CP20parts.htm

this is the blow-up of the guide that I have. The parts that I have to replace are the cp-20-24/24tct and the pads cp20-10a/10c/17


this a the link to an actual picture
http://www.carterproducts.com/product.asp?product_id=43&p_id=6&cat_id=12

[arj]

I also have a Hud-Son 36 nad just replaced the carter guides with the ones hud-son makes in house. They are simular to carter but the back bearing is horizontal in stead of vertical. I like that much better ( no groves cut into it ) They are much easyer to adjust also, and are cheaper than carter.
                               arj

[D._Frederick]

NOR-,

You didn't say how good the lumber is that you cut with the Carter guides, if they cut straight lumber (not all wavey), I would say that this type guide gave you good service. The pads are made to be replaced when they wear, if you have gotten good lumber and the pads cost is not excessive, I would stay with the Carter design that has a proven history.

[Norwiscutter]

That is a pretty good point- If the shoe fits, wear it, right. I am pretty happy with the way the mill has cut thus far, with most waviness problems being remedied by a sharp blade. What do you guys think about the duribility issue though? Is forty thousand a little early to be replacing the parts that I indicated?

[Norwiscutter]

arj

Have you noticed any difference quality wise with the Hud-son guides?

[Swede]

Thank You NORWISHCUTTER! That 20-model I use on my mill, Didn´t know,  but the roller doesn´t look that nice. Perhaps an older model. Works good even with 1 1/2" blade. (Monkey, what else?)  ;D
Need new blocks but have not find any in EU. Perhaps easyer now when I know what to look for.  :D

Most US parts cost 3x more here, has anyone used blocks from a lathe? Also very hard. Perhaps can get used for SEK. 0:00.  :

Swede.

[arj]

Norwiscutter
  I haven`t seen any difference in quality, liek you said a dull blade will cause problems every time. I like the ease of adjustment and the horizontal back bearing. I had problem with the carter guides bearing stoping and the blade cutting groves in it. The hud-son guides are a lot cheeper also, I think I paid around $100.00 (show price) for the pair. I replaced mine with about 36,000 ft. One side was warn more than the other, neither was totaly worn out.
                                                   arj

[Norwiscutter]

Swede, Carter makes a set of pads that are kevlar, teflon, somthing or anothers that are supose to last 5 times as long. Of course they cost five timesa as much too  ???

I had the same time with mine arj, wore groves into the guide.  I deceided to replace the rollers as the pads, after examination, still apear to be in pretty good shape.

[Swede]

NORWICHCUTTER; I think the expensive plates are made of ceramic, called "cold xxxxx ".......something.
Asked Carter´s at Nov 18 if and where i can buy them plates in EU. No answer yet.  :(

One day perhaps I´ll make my own guides.............. 3-roller type. Now Amarika-Sågen is parked inside my workshop. In some days all electric controls can be done from the end of the frame where the hydraulic levels are! 
All parts for free. Just cleaned up some in the corners here and get 160' used 18-part cable from a friend working with elevators. He said "perhaps i need some boards one day.................."  8) I like that kind of business! ;D

Swede.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Swede, Get tired of chasing that sawhead ??? ;D ;D  I designed the controls to stay at one end, as the first thing we built for the mill. Then, we built the mill around that. Ours has a bracket where you can slide the controld off the beam, and drive a iron bar into the ground, and drop the open tube bracket over the bar. We gain 2 feet of length for the log, doing this.  ;D ;D

[Swede]

Fla._DH; :D
Nice to see You! I never liked that walking along the saw mill. One day, (IE when I´ve got Amerika-Sågen doing everything exept taking me to the moon : ........or even Florida) I´ll send lots of pictures.

Have been thinking some about a moveable control kit but found out it should be heavy. Besides that I use to saw much by my selfes and then pulling the boards off while the sawhead is feeding next cut. Then it´s easy to touch a level or a button with the board.
I made a box of 1/8" sheet metal  for the electric stuff at left corner, facing 45* towards me and placed the hydr. levels down inside the frame in right corner. There is also two rollers 2" over the frame to pull the boards on and protecting the hydr. levels.

My vew


Swede.