Author Topic: Gang rip saws, build or buy? (Read 3142 times)

Dave Shepard · « **on:** May 09, 2008, 06:46:16 pm »

I keep running into the same conundrum regarding ripping boards down for various purposes. I make a lot of stickers, usually saw out boards on the mill and put them back on and rip them to size. Same for battens. How available are gang rip saws, and how adjustable are they? I'm thinking an arbor that I can put an assortment of blades and spacers on to get the widths I need might work just fine. What kind of blades do you need for this kind of operation? Thanks.

Dave

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2008, 06:56:42 pm »

I bought a dozen Carbide tipped blades for my friend here. He bought a "Made" gang rip, and I had to do some adjusting on it, so it would feed straight. Here's a couple pics.

This is built in a shop down here. Not exactly the type of factory you are used to seeing in the States. Not really a big deal to make, but, there are many factories-sawmills shutting down in the states.

Probably buy one much cheaper than building, time wise.

Have you ever checked out Talladega Machine Sales

It's a place like Sawmill Exchange. Google it.

solidwoods · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2008, 03:29:00 pm »

http://www.irsauctions.com/index.asp
Look at view past auctions for past prices (just saw a weinig u17 moulder go for $3500)
jim

Sawyerfortyish · « **Reply #3 on:** May 12, 2008, 06:24:08 am »

I have a 642 cornell edger. It edges on the left side of the mandrell with 3 blades 2 of them move and I have a gang bank of 4 blades on the right side of the mandrell set for cutting 2" battens. I use carbide blades. It doesn't take long to rip out 100 battens for barn siding.

Woodchuck53 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2008, 04:37:46 am »

Morning Dave. I have 2 edgers. One with 4 fixed blades and one with the sliding adjustment from 4" to 22", I think. I just got it in a swap type deal. Wouldn't an edger set like this fixed one work for your size ops. The fixed edger is really old and set for 2 4" passes and 1 6" size. I haven't set it up yet but will probably use it seperate with an electric motor on it. The variable one is driven off the flat pulley behind my v-belt drive of the main motor. I hope to get some pics. of it soon. How's the surge deck??? coming along? CV

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2008, 05:27:02 pm »

My thoughts on building a gang rip would be to have infinite adjustment by changing out spacers, to get the widths I need. I also want to do it in one pass, which means I need a bunch of blades, and a bunch of horsepower. I'm in no rush for this at the moment. Going to be making some stickers next week, will stand boards up on the mill as usual.

Surge deck is going slowly. Waiting on a repair for my bandsaw. I don't like to do fabrication without it.

Dave

David Freed · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2008, 10:05:23 am »

You can take a look at my photos for one more option. It works great for me, but it will only cut 6/4 or thinner.

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2010, 02:09:02 pm »

I've been thinking about this again fairly seriously. I have a number of different products that I need to rip down, and I think it is too slow to do on the mill. I've seen machines for sale that would do what I want, but they are pretty darn expensive. I can build most of it here, and I have access to lathe and milling services. To continue on with the design stage, I need to get some information on blades.

Specifics are:

Blade type, i.e. carbide, serviceable vs. disposable.

Thickness of body in .001"s as well as actual kerf in .001"s

Size of arbor. It looks like the arbor in FDHs pic is quite robust. I assume that is to compensate for the cantilever of the shaft.

Any leads on suppliers of blades, as well as opinions on blades would be a big help and greatly appreciated. Thanks. I'm going to check our sponsors and see what they offer as well.

edit: I see some blades have splines and some don't. I'd like to avoid having to spline the arbor. Any input on that aspect would be appreciated as well.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2010, 04:06:53 pm »

dave,
google gang ripsaws there are plenty of used ones, go with one that a dip chain most have mandrels with spacers for different widhts, super easy to change sizes.
i bought a used one 3 yrs ago for $5,000 14" wide variuble speed upto 200 fpm.when we make stickers i stack the blades at 1"spacing and start ripping 1x8 out the other end comes 7-1"stickes at 80fpm it doesn't take long to have a pile of sticks

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2010, 05:29:10 pm »

I'm not sure I understand the part about the dip chain. What is that? This is going to be a do it yourself project. I don't have, or want, to spend out of pocket for this. However, I do have a lot of iron and odd parts, as well as access to the machining. It will take some time, but I'd have to get paid and awful lot to make it worth buying a complete machine. I have a friend that is retiring soon, and has set up a very nice little machine shop. He is always looking for new challenges, and also wants a timber frame shed, which is within my capabilities. I'm thinking a trade might be in the works.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2010, 05:43:04 pm »

sorry dave i thought you were looking to buy one. can't offer any advice on building one other than be careful! the wood feeding in will want to be kicked back at you

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2010, 06:53:05 pm »

I've found a couple of blades offered online. The ones with a big arbor have a 70mm hole(2.7559"). That seems like it would work on a 2.750 shaft, unless I need less than .006" free play. If anyone has a gang saw, I'd be interested to know what type of blades you use, and what, if any, type of keying the arbor uses.

red oaks lumber, what type of blades does your rip use? How many HP is the saw? Thanks.

I've got my machinest and my mechanical engineer consultant on board for this project.

Reddog · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2010, 07:40:57 pm »

Quote from: Dave Shepard on January 11, 2010, 06:53:05 pm

That seems like it would work on a 2.750 shaft

Yep that seems like the right clearances.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2010, 08:10:55 pm »

dave,
there 12" dia. .125 thick 3" bore 40 tooth carbide smooth bore. my gang rip has 50 hp
when buying blades you need to specify they are for ripping, the teeth are groung differently, i think the ends are ground square but, i don't know for sure.
i would go smooth bore versus keyed bore, over time your keyways will get very sloopy, smooth bore is a commpression squeeze with a big nut keeping it tight.
my gang has 2 rows of anti kickback fingers, keep that in mind when building asaw, ripping dry wood is a very violent operation stuff will explode inside the saw housing, like i said before everything wants to kick back towards the infeed side

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2010, 09:22:54 pm »

Thanks Reddog.

red oaks, I appreciate the advice. I will certainly make some sort of anti kickback device. I know how badly a table saw can kick back and have the bruise to prove it. Don't want to be on the receiving end of 25 or more HP.

I was hoping a smooth bore setup would be acceptable, as that is how I want to set it up. It will also be much easier to make. I found a website that offers a variety of saw blades and some specifications. I guess I can call them when it comes time to choose a blade. I'm hoping they can advise how much HP per blade as well as type of blade for my application. I will be ripping ash and oak into sticker and stake blanks. I am somewhat limited by my genset. Hoping to stay around 20-25 hp to leave room for blowers and drive motors. I'm not worried if it won't run at 200 fpm, anything will be faster than a table saw.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2010, 10:07:12 pm »

for what it's worth.. when we run 8 blades ripping dry oak running 80fpm it's drawing 60amps. so i think you won't need anymore than 20hp just have your feed slower.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #16 on:** January 12, 2010, 12:36:56 pm »

This info does NOT concern a sponsor, but, I bought the 12 blades for my Buddy, from BH Payne. Look them up, call and talk to Bobby Richardson, and maybe he can pull up my invoice, to tell you what I bought. I gave the Invoice to my Buddy, and his Accountant has it.

The blades get used ALL the time. They are Carbide tipped, and not 1 of them has had a problem, sawing soft through VERY hard woods.

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2010, 12:50:37 pm »

Thanks FDH. I'm now searching for pillow block bearings. MSC stops at 2".

.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2010, 01:33:08 pm »

Try an outfit like Corley Sawmills. The one I had used a standard 2 & 7/16 shaft dia. IF I remember correctly

Might be overkill

Try a heavy Equipment Garage. They use big shafts or an AG garage, like Cat-Deere- Case-, etc

Just checked
http://www.surpluscenter.com Pillow Blocks to 3" or 35 MM

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #19 on:** January 12, 2010, 02:00:15 pm »

At those prices, I can have a couple of spares. Thanks. Will have to figure out the arbor a little more to find out what size bearing we need.

Fla._Deadheader · « **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2010, 02:25:26 pm »

Did you look up Bobby Richardson, yet

Those blades work great down here. Kinda like "Reverse Engineering" matching shaft to the blades

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2010, 09:19:23 pm »

Stopped in at the machine shop today. 40" piece of 3.5" 1018 for $30.

Moving ahead on the arbor.

GF · « **Reply #22 on:** February 01, 2010, 08:45:56 pm »

Hope to see some pictures on the progress.

Gary

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #23 on:** February 01, 2010, 09:29:45 pm »

I'm moving along slowly. I can take a pic of the piece of shafting, but that isn't terribly exciting.

Still working out the arbor and blades. FDH, I did not talk to your contact, as I was already talking to a different company. Sorry. The company I mentioned earlier has been very helpful. The 70mm blade they offer is used on an arbor that slides onto the shaft, a quick change sort of deal. I'm looking into that, but I don't expect to have to change the setup very often. They were advising a higher HP, like 50 or more, as that is what most of the gang rips for sale have, although from what I gather, they will also take something like and 8x8 and spit out 2x8s at a pretty rapid pace. I don't see myself needing to saw anything over 1.25",and if I did have a need to saw say a 2x12 into 3-2x4's, well, that's only two blades.

red oaks lumber · « **Reply #24 on:** March 20, 2011, 06:15:11 pm »

dave,
just wondering how the rip saw project is coming?is there pictures yet

Dave Shepard · « **Reply #25 on:** March 20, 2011, 08:33:44 pm »

My machinest is still building his new shop and has his big lathe is apart right now. I'm so involved in timber work, I don't know what my needs are for sawmill equipment. Many of my projects are more about having an idea than a need. We may still tackle this project at some point, as he is retiring in May, and likes a challenge. When I was originally thinking about this project, I was thinking I would have a large demand for stickers and stake blanks. Now, I just need to get my timbers and other specialty products made so I can keep working on my barns and other projects. I think next winter I will have some time to start building the arbor and framework. Over the last couple of months, I've just been trying to get my long term woodworking projects finished, before I start anything else.

pyrocasto · « **Reply #26 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:35:12 pm »

This machine build is in my future so I look forward to watching this project. May start mine this year maybe next depending on life.

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Author Topic: Gang rip saws, build or buy? (Read 3142 times)