Author Topic: Fabtek Harvester Computer (Read 1423 times)

logloper · « **on:** December 11, 2011, 07:31:03 pm »

Does anyone have any experience with setting the pre set lengths in the computer? General info on operating a Fabtek 4 roller head? Thanks

Gary_C · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2011, 07:43:01 pm »

Sorry but no, I'm having enough trouble setting up my Ponsse Ergo computer.

Best bet is to get a manual from a local dealer or see if they have any tech's that can walk you through the system. You should have a manual anyway. When I bought my machine it did not have any manuals either, but Ponsse printed me new ones for a nominal printing fee. Well worth while to have them.

snowstorm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2011, 07:52:03 pm »

nice to see i am not the only one that has trouble programing the puter. i have the book for my keto it says its easy. being made in finland maybe it lost a little in translation. i am sure you already know that fabtec is now cat

logloper · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2011, 08:14:01 pm »

Since Cat bought them does that mean I go to Cat for parts and service manuals? I have a Cat feller/buncher so I understand the cutting and laying out part. I have never sat in a processor until today,so I am lost on that part. When you engage your feed rollers to send the tree through, should the knives close by themselves as the diameter of the tree decreases? Or do you have to hit a button to close them a bit at a time as the diameter decreases?

snowstorm · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2011, 08:24:47 pm »

what helped was the vids on youtube. on mine it has tracks instead of feed wheels close the tracks the limbing knifes close. it has an aclunlanator plus i can adjust the pressure if needed. i belive fabtec sold to prentice then cat bought them. used to have a tracked fb. ctl is way different. i found a old fabtec spec sheet says it has 9 presets ....my keto 88 think i have 4 preset the rest are hideing

leeroyjd · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2011, 08:05:23 am »

How can you be contacted? I've been meaning to join here and signed up today.Ive got a JD653g with a Fabtek 4 roller fixed head.
If this is what you have it is very simple to program and I think I've got the book with me.
Leeroy

thecfarm · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2011, 08:20:36 am »

leeroyjd,he's a keeper. First post and he ready to help out a member. Glad you joined,welcome.

logloper · « **Reply #7 on:** December 13, 2011, 02:40:17 pm »

Leeroy, I dont know how to send a P.M I will try and call you later today on the # you sent me. It is a 4 roller fixed head, with 9 presets. Am going to check on Baileys now for chain. Thanks for the replies

leeroyjd · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2011, 04:08:46 pm »

Are you a 970 area code? Make sure you leave message if you call. I forget which but if you press * or # it will prompt you to enter new lengths enter in inches ie a 10'6" log for # 1 would be entered as 0126(126") you need the 0 or 4 digits,then press * or # for next and enter another 4 digit # such as 0150 for a 12'6" preset for #2
I hope this helps and I hope you like the Fabtek as much as me. What carrier is it on?
Leeroy

leeroyjd · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2011, 06:12:12 am »

Hey Matt I must have gotten your e-mail address wrong call when you get a chance.
Regarding the knives closing again the switch on top of computer(Knife float) should be on if you've got real knotty wood and use the override button on left joystick if it gets hung up.If the spruce is real clean you probably will find that you do not have to overide as much . And yes the knives do close as the diameter gets smaller. Does the machine have a diagram of the joysticks function?
I touch up the knives with a hand file from time to time and this makes a huge difference.If you sharpen the chain while its on head you may want to turn off machine I've heard a story of wire shorting and feed rollers closing on someone on a wet day.Not sure this is true or possible.

Quote from: logloper on December 11, 2011, 08:14:01 pm

Since Cat bought them does that mean I go to Cat for parts and service manuals? I have a Cat feller/buncher so I understand the cutting and laying out part. I have never sat in a processor until today,so I am lost on that part. When you engage your feed rollers to send the tree through, should the knives close by themselves as the diameter of the tree decreases? Or do you have to hit a button to close them a bit at a time as the diameter decreases?

logloper · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2011, 10:27:31 pm »

I dont speak clear on the phone, sorry. hghlnsm is the letters in the email. We had a big storm here over the last couple of days and got alot of snow. 26" on our road this morning. Problem is we have about 30 miles to keep open and it drifts bad.We are only produceing about 8-10 lds a day total off this job, so its not really worth all the plowing. Looks like we will be moving jobs. That means this new machine I bought(FabTek processor) wont be used for a while. Kinda dissapointing. Hope you alls season is going better than mine.

leeroyjd · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2011, 11:55:15 pm »

I sent it again.
Hope the new job has less miles to plow. We've no snow here but ground is not frozen either.Plus my harvester needs engine rebuild-coolant in oil.Think I caught it early,hoping to get started on it this week.
Leeroy

logloper · « **Reply #12 on:** December 21, 2011, 07:58:28 pm »

I started useing the Fabtek today, processing logs that are already piled. Seems like alot of buttons to keep track of. Machine worked well, but it is hard to seperate the logs in the pile. On the bigger logs(16" plus) I am haveing trouble when I cut them off. I keep leaving tabs and sometimes they break before they are fully cut. Any advice from anyone? Once I get proficient on this machine, it does seem much easier than tapeing and bucking by hand.

leeroyjd · « **Reply #13 on:** December 22, 2011, 05:51:50 pm »

Try to keep the butt end of log you are cutting close to the ground so as you cut it so it does not have to fall far before hitting ground and splitting.You may find yourself having to pick up on main boom as you are bucking so it does not get pinched.Don't be afraid to file rakers down! That 3/4 chain does not seem as sensitve in the raker department as regular saw chain.( In my opinion)
Also,since these don't have a topping saw you can grab your last piece so the large end is at the top of the stationary knife hit the cut button quick to get at 0 and then run rolls reverse.It will be negative numbers. Example -24 =8'8" -46 = 10'4'' etc.

Grab a few logs that you know are the right length and run them through this way and jot it down.I've got a paper taped up on window next to boom with different numbers etc.
Hope this helps-Leeroy

logloper · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2012, 08:43:23 pm »

LeeRoy I started cutting an aspen sale yesterday. The wood is around 15" DBH average. We are cutting a 37'6" out of the but log, and still getting a top log of 16'-35'. I am not trying to process these so much as to bunch them for the skidder. I started haveing trouble with my bar and chain not wanting to cut.When I grab the tree, I lift up a bit. Then I activate the saw button. The saw goes in 2-3" and then stops. The chain is still running full speed, but the bar wont push it through the tree. I have tried tilting the tree forward, backward and side to side.(while the saw is not running)Nothing seems to help. Then after 8-10 tries, it grabs and goes. I put on a new chain and a new bar today, didnt help. It cuts fine when the bar is running down, like when the tree is on the ground and I am cutting out the but rot. In the assembly that pivots the bar out, and in the chain adjustment assembly, there is alot of play. I wonder if this is causing the chain to bind. I also wonder if the cylinder pushing the bar is not pushing hard enough. What do you think? Any help from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks

Bobus2003 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 06, 2012, 10:37:41 pm »

Sure sounds like you either have weak Bar Cylinder pressure, or you could have a bad bearing/bushing so it binds up while cutting (Since you swapped Chains/Bars rules out dull chain or bent bar). As for leaving the Duck Bills (Tabs on the logs) I get them when cutting in real cold weather (Frozen tree breaks before i complete the cut), And I get more of them as my chain dulls (Cant cut through as fast) Keeping the log close to the ground is the best way to prevent the duck bills in all cases

Gary_C · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2012, 11:22:14 pm »

I think Bobus2003 is right.

Also check for snow, ice, and sawdust packed in the saw box around the saw head pivot that may be causing the saw head to bind.

Ken · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2012, 05:34:03 am »

logloper The same sort of thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. It ended up being a partly stripped bolt that held the sprocket and chain catch to the saw motor. Easy to check and repair.

Jamie_C · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2012, 06:19:38 am »

Another thing to check is the bolts that hold the saw bearing to the frame, they have a tendancy to come loose on some heads annd will let the entire saw motor and everything attached to hit wobble a bit and then it wont cut worth a *DanG.

logloper · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2012, 09:41:50 am »

I took the bolt holding the sprocket off and checked it and it is fine. When I grab the saw bar and pull, the whole assembly moves and wobbles. Both up and down and side to side. Is the bearing you are talking about? Just above the sprocket, there is a steel round piece that is atatched by a bunch of allen head bolts. I checked these and they are all tight. But, the steel part that pivots the bar sits right on top of the steel round piece. This has at least an inch of slop side to side in it. If I pull those allen head bolts, is there a bearing or bushing in there to replace?

Jamie_C · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2012, 12:40:48 pm »

Go to the other side of the bearing where the saw motor itself is bolted on, there sould be 6 or 8 bolts there that hold the bearing assembly tight to the frame. Check to make sure they haven't come loose. If they have then put permanent loc-tite on them before putting them back in. Even better is to replace with new bolts and permanent loc-tite.

There is a bearing and a gear inside the housing but i would be quite surprised if either one of those went.

Bobus2003 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2012, 08:09:02 pm »

Quote from: Jamie_C on January 07, 2012, 12:40:48 pm

Go to the other side of the bearing where the saw motor itself is bolted on, there sould be 6 or 8 bolts there that hold the bearing assembly tight to the frame. Check to make sure they haven't come loose. If they have then put permanent loc-tite on them before putting them back in. Even better is to replace with new bolts and permanent loc-tite.

There is a bearing and a gear inside the housing but i would be quite surprised if either one of those went.

The bearing in this location tends to go bad on My Processor and Delimber if I run my chains too tight for very long..

logloper · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2012, 09:27:49 pm »

The saw motor itself is tight with no play. Do I get to the bearing by removeing the saw motor, or by comeing in from the bottom?

Jamie_C · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2012, 06:53:01 am »

Are there any bolts back there other than the 4 for the saw motor ?

The bearing and gears in the Ponsse H73 head i run are original and the head is a 2004 and any of the Waratah heads i have run were original as well and they had about the same amount of years in service.

You will have to take the saw motor out i imagine.

jkingsley · « **Reply #24 on:** January 13, 2012, 06:38:01 am »

we had a a similar problem with our 4 roller. ended up being a bad check valve in the saw

logloper · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2012, 10:30:06 am »

I found my problem. I was trying to cut the trees to close to the ground. Where the butt "flares" was contacting the metal houseing that holds the saw bar. This would not allow the saw to cut. I still tend to try cutting to low, but when i do I just slide the head up a few inches and then it cuts right through. I finished the week with no major breaks on this machine, so I was happy. My production is slowly comeing up, I am able to keep 1 skidder busy. With time, hopefully can do better.
Thanks to everyone who replied to my questions. Its amazeing to me how I can ask a question and get so much help from people I dont even know.

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Author Topic: Fabtek Harvester Computer (Read 1423 times)