Claw log turner on woodmizer

Left_Coast_Rich · July 29, 2005, 01:41:15 PM

There has to be a better way. I have been cutting high value black walnut and really have to grit my teeth to turn this great log using the log claw. I have gone to using the hold down to turn as much as possible. When cutting clear wood that claw eats up too much profit. Question Has anyone else modified their log claw to turn their logs or do you just grit your teeth like i DO? New ideas are great as long as they can be copied :D :D :D :D LC Rich

spencerhenry · July 29, 2005, 02:23:18 PM

i turn all of my high dollar lumber by hand, i use the clamp to turn cants, and only use the claw for turning logs. i sometimes have the issue of the clamp leaving dents in the side of the piece. havent done it yet, but thought about a rubber "shoe". maybe a "shoe" on the claw? if the log/ lumber is worth that much, i would just do it by hand.

ronwood · July 29, 2005, 02:51:47 PM

Left_Coast_Rich

I turn cants on my Woodmizer with the 2 plane clamp system that I have on the mill. Works well for me. Use the claw turner when I am squaring up the log into a cant. I don't have any real ideal on how to mod the turner at this time.

Ron

Brucer · July 30, 2005, 01:10:51 AM

The '96 Wood-Mizer I was running last year had the old style single-plane clamp. The only way to turn a heavy cant was with the claw turner. My boss seemed to accept that it would tear a chunk out of a good face, but it always annoyed me. I think the intent with the new mills was to use the 2-plane clamp for turning a cant and the claw turner for turning a log.

My new manual LT-40 only has the winch-operated claw turner -- very similar to the hydraulic version. When I can, I use my LogRite cant hook near one end of a cant to turn it. On the bigger stuff I'm stuck with that annoying claw (which works great on logs).

On my last mid-sized log I tried sticking a piece of angle iron in the claw that was about to catch the edge of the cant. It sorta worked -- until the angle rolled in the claw and exposed the teeth >:(. I intend to play around with this idea some more. I'd like to eventually have some kind of insert I could just slip into the claw to keep the teeth away from the wood.

Right now the mill is out of commission while I expand and regrade the milling site, so I won't have a chance to do any more development for a few days. I'll let you know what I come up with. Yes, with pictures ;D.

ARKANSAWYER · July 30, 2005, 11:40:59 AM

I flip my cants with the 2 plane clamp and leave very little or no marks. I just use the claw to turn logs and barky faces. I did once see a old WM in the weeds one time with the old cable claw and there was a old tennis shoe on the claw. I have often wondered if it was so he would not mess up the face of the cant. ???
I do know that if you leave the claw up on a large log you can hit it with the blade at about 18 inches.

WH_Conley · July 30, 2005, 03:19:47 PM

How would ya know that, Arky :D :D :D :D :D

pigman · July 30, 2005, 07:37:24 PM

Arky's got the solution. 8) Saw off the sharp teeth on the claw turner and it won't damage the lumber. ;) ;D

Minnesota_boy · July 30, 2005, 09:45:06 PM

It takes a lot of sawing to get all those teeth off. Mine are only missing a little paint and have one shiny spot now. (unlike my clamp and log stops that have sever grooves in them) :D

Tom · July 30, 2005, 09:56:53 PM

I'd sure like to know how you guys get away with just having a shiny spot where the blade touched. I hit'm bull bore. ......can't stop! You'd be amazed how much metal they can go through before all the teeth come off.

Minnesota_boy · July 30, 2005, 10:06:34 PM

I saw the turner just before i sawed it, so I almost got her stopped in time, but not quite. Awful racket for just peeling a little paint off, and that was the saw making the racket, not me. :(

Lenny_M · July 31, 2005, 06:06:36 AM

We only use the claw turner on large logs and cants. Its faster to roll by hand with our LT40 manual deck.Good grade and beams we roll from the ends.
Lenny

Left_Coast_Rich · August 02, 2005, 05:10:53 PM

Thanks for the ideas. I think my wife will volenteeer some tennis shoes next time she isn't looking. Mine are only for emergencies. do you think there would be any difference if you used a left and right or 2 rights or two lefts at a time? I suppose if you're turning left you would use the left shoes and right the right shoes unless it would cause some counter spin on the log???? Then you would have to use the rights only>??? To scientific for me...LC Rich