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General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: Jim B on June 30, 2017, 08:47:38 AM

Title: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Jim B on June 30, 2017, 08:47:38 AM
Hello everyone I'm a new member and have been reading and searching this forum for sometime now and this is my first time posting on any site . I have been restoring a Foley M-14 that is a steel base it is ready for a power unit as my tractor is only 40 horse. I have recently found a older ford 300-6 chipper motor that is all set up with a clutch and runs good,my question is it going to have enough torque to pull through Oak? That saw is 48"
Thanks for all responses

Jim B
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: paul case on June 30, 2017, 09:01:43 AM
Welcome to the Forum, Jim B.

PC
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Gearbox on June 30, 2017, 11:15:14 AM
If you turn it enough RPMs it will pull a 48in saw .
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: york on June 30, 2017, 01:29:25 PM
Hi,if it was on a chipper,it will have good torque...Should work ok....
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: bandmiller2 on June 30, 2017, 08:18:02 PM
Welcome Jim, where in Ma. are you located.??  That 300 6cyl. is a good engine and it will have a governor and clutch. Only problem I can see is its rotation. Belsaws are designed to be driven with a tractor PTO from behind the mill left hand rotation, the ford 300 turns right. there are ways around this but require more work. If you have the tractor PTO to arbor shaft you could try the tractor, Belsaws feed slow and you would do fine with pine. Frank C.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: bandmiller2 on June 30, 2017, 08:33:10 PM
Jim I see your in Brookfield, I used to put my canoe in the river just down the street. Frank C.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: tgalbraith on July 01, 2017, 07:14:23 AM
If you check the owner's manual, you will find that 40 hp is the maximum recommended power. The mandrel, bearings and frame are not built that heavy.  If you go bigger on hp,  it would be a good idea to use some form slip clutch to prevent damage to your mill (or you).  I've found that you can handle oak, etc. if you just feed a little slower.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Jim B on July 01, 2017, 08:45:16 AM
I agree they aren't very heavily built ,I've added some bracing to the rails and built a frame for a jack shaft that is bolted to a separate concrete pad so I can run matched belts and pulleys to get the correct rpm for blade. I've been looking for a old tractor to power it but the prices that they want for them are just way to pricey for me.The power unit that I'm looking at has a Rockford clutch and I thought that V belts would also act as a slip if it binds
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: ButchC on July 01, 2017, 09:18:54 AM
The Ford 300 has good torque and will be good on the mill. It is also very thirsty if run at the usual governed speeds. If 50HP is all you need in would slow it down to 1500 RPM or so by adjusting the governor spring. The engine will use lots less fuel and still have more than enough power. If you don't understand how the governer works it would be best to call on somebody who does or ask plenty of questions.  Just don't adjust linkages in an attempt slow it down, you need to adjust the spring tension
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: bandmiller2 on July 01, 2017, 07:54:49 PM
Jim, if you don't have the owners manual do a google search, its out there. Pay attention to the flip up log turners as turning heavy logs on the carriage will shorten it life. There has been volumes written on this forum on Belsaws. Frank C.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Jim B on July 03, 2017, 09:33:41 AM
I have the original owners manual it came with the mill when I purchased it. I have spent hours reading about these mills on this site,the amount of info that is available here is unbelievable. I had thought about converting my mill into a vertical bandsaw and useing the carriage like conventional mill but decided just to use the blade
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Dave_ on July 03, 2017, 01:01:06 PM
Great decision to keep it a circle mill.  There are already plenty of band mills around ;D
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Wayniac on July 04, 2017, 06:56:48 AM
I had a foley I dug a hole under the mill poured a concrete floor and mounted a slant 6 dodge from a massy combine in the hole under the saw that made the rotation right with belt drive I liked the setup a lot
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: bandmiller2 on July 04, 2017, 09:13:50 PM
Wayniac that's a clever fix mate, do you have a problem with sawdust or water in the pit.?? I have seen them mounted over the mill but under sounds better. Frank C.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Wayniac on July 05, 2017, 06:35:15 AM
no problem with water with a roof over it and I put the engine a little to the back of the blade so the dust didn't go in the pit you could even cover the pit over the top of the motor
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: bandmiller2 on July 05, 2017, 07:52:53 AM
Engine under is a viable option but not if the mill will be moved much. Myself I would mount the engine on a good heavy steel base and attach a jack shaft along side of the engine driven by multiple "Vee" belts from the clutch shaft. Front of the jackshaft would drive the arbor via a drive shaft and universals. The belts would give the necessary weak, link allow for speed corrections, and the drive shaft would relieve the arbor from side load. Frank C.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: dsaw on July 09, 2017, 09:39:19 PM
I'm just learning to use my new to me Belsaw M-14, but once I changed the inserts out on the blade, I haven't had any problems cutting with my 40 hp tractor.  My cutting is still pretty limited, but I have cut pine, poplar, and oak.  I did have to slow the feed down on the oak; but other then that it's been fine.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: moodnacreek on July 10, 2017, 05:46:05 PM
When I had a bellsaw I put a 292 ford on framework parallel to a shaft belted to the engine  and connected to a drive shaft connected to the mandrel to change the rotation.  When sawing you are looking at the radiator. You could do this with your 300.
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Jim B on July 10, 2017, 05:56:45 PM
That's what I'm planning on doing, I just have to find out what the proper RPM for the 300 is so It will be the sweet spot for power and I can calculate my pulley sizes for final blade RPM

JB
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Kbeitz on July 10, 2017, 06:35:43 PM
You can always use a differential for a reverser.
The rear 4 wheel drive Subaru differential works great for that.



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/rear_differential_Subaru.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1499726128)
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: Jim B on July 10, 2017, 10:03:46 PM
I never thought of that, will have to check into that
Title: Re: Foley M-14 Power Unit
Post by: OldSmoke on July 17, 2017, 02:06:55 PM
I have an M14 on steel as well. Mine has an old truck engine to power it with a tire off the back of the transmission. It runs against another tire mounted on the arbor. The tires tires run tread to tread and this provides the proper rotation for the mill. Haven't run any logs through it yet, still working on the motor. Good luck