Hydraulic Tensioner

[Rockn H]

One reason I would have to go with a hydraulic gauge, or some type of gauge that would show your band tension constantly. Maybe a manual tension gauge that you could attach you tensioning bolt to.  I know Grainger had some .  That way you can monitor the temp of your blade while you cut.  If the pressure drops you know your blade is getting hot so you can make corrections to your sawing right then.  Heat will dull a blade quick.

[countrysaw]

just a thougt,  has anyone ever thought of getting an accumulator to hold hyd. pressure, so that when the blade gets hot and "stretches" you would hold a constant pressure on the blade?  we have had good luck with accumulators in varying load conditions, where the force applied has to stay the same.  Pretty simple to use too, to tune the pressure, just fill with fluid, attach a valve to the line, and screw a gauge into the end of it, and figure out what pressure the cyl needs for the blade, and take it to a shop and have it filled with dry nitrogen, and open the valve and have them fill until it is at the pressure you need, this should avoid all of the extra pumping and fine tuning.  i looked around and found a small one too
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2005061104364921&item=9-6127&catname=hydraulic
you will still need a pump and gauges, and i would reccomend the valve on the tank so you can releive pressure and stop leakdown after done sawing

zach

[sprucebunny]

Here's a picture of one part of the hydraulic tensioner on a Champion sawmill. I don't know how the other end works....yet

[Buzz-sawyer]

Hey Spruce
Do tell some more about that hydraulic jack/tensioner........ is the gauge mounted in the lift? Did they drill and tap a seperate output, does the jack still go up?
Buzz

[sprucebunny]

Buzz    I don't think anything goes up...it looks like they tapped the top of an ordinary bottle jack. You can see the T fitting and the hose to the adjuster coming out.
I know that pictures help me think about things and I thought a picture might help someone else

[Buzz-sawyer]

Yep...more ideas=more projects

[Left_Coast_Rich]

The only real grip I have about my WM is the blade tensioner  It seems like I do the btdance way to often for the amount of wood that gets cut.  Cooks saws seems to have a good system for keeping the blade tight.  If I remember correctly theirs is  tensioned by a hinged spring and controlled by a mark on the hinge.  Set the pressure and the spring will keep it close to that level during the temp changes of cutting.  I was impressed.  Don't know if it worked, but I bet it is better than what I have.  LC Rich

[Kirk_Allen]

LCR -  I would bet you may have other issues going on that you may not have yet identified if your having to adjust your tension a lot.

When I first started sawing I thought the same thing and then after lots of expert advice from this forum I found several things wrong that was causing my problems.

The first was not enough set in the blade, which caused sawdust to rub on the blade and get hot.  As it got hot the blade expanded and the tension dropped. 

Another was rust build up on the crome cylinder causing it to hang. If I tapped on the assembly it would break free.  Cleaned and polished the cylender and all was good.

Sawing to slow!  I was afraid to go fast early on.  Now I cant go fast enough

Sawing logs that were dead standing for several years.  They were much dryer and tougher to cut.  More lube cured that problem.

Sawdust build up on the belts.  If you have build up and adjust to a proper tension you will see the tension drop when that sawdust comes off the belt.  I whipe my belts off every blade change and turn them around every other blade change.

There may be a few other things but these are the ones that I have experienced.

I rarely have to touch my tension now! 

[Larry]

Broke down last night and thought of this thread when I pulled the tension gadget off this morning.





As the “T” handle is tightened on the bolt it pulls the band tight (the cylinder fits into a bulkhead on the mill) and compress’s a ram into the cylinder.  A gauge displays the pressure.

Quite simple tension device...reliable, accurate, and easy to use.  This is the first attention it has had in eleven years...gonna get two new “O” rings.

Kasco would sell ya one iffen your really interested.

[jrokusek]

I like it.  I like it a lot.  Is this the same place?  http://www.kascomfg.com/

I'd like to contact them and see what they get for this sucker...but what is the name of this tensioning widget?  Is it just called a hydraulic tensioner? 

Thank you for the info!

Jim

[Larry]

Thats the place and your right on the name to...hydraulic tensioner.  Hope the price is within reason.