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laser sight for square

Started by spencerhenry, October 02, 2006, 09:57:07 PM

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GF

I currently use two sets of logs stops, one set is hydraulic and one set is manual.  The manual set is set perfectly square with the bed, these are normally not used unless the lumber needs to be perfectly square, even under pressure from the log clamps the manual seem not to move.  The hydraulic ones are used 98% of the time and can cut pretty close to square.  Just another idea to think about.

pigman

Quote from: Brucer on October 04, 2006, 01:33:21 AM


The one thing I just realized is that both spencerhenry and pigman have Super Hydraulic mills and it may be harder to control the clamping pressure with the boosted hydraulics on those machines.





I think the post I made above was written in such a way that I might have confused people along with myself. smiley_dizzy
I do not have a problem  keeping the backstops square with the bed. The super hydraulics are faster than the regular WM mills, but are not stronger. The problem I have is on large logs, 30 to 36in, the flat portion on the previously sawed face, maybe only 8 to 10in wide causes only 4 or five inches of it to rest against the top of the back supports.  From the front of the mill, that small contact area is difficult for this old man to see if it is square against the back stops. On small logs, under 6in, I have the same problem because of the small contact area.  On nice 18 to 24in logs I have no problem keeping the cant square. Now  everyone should be totally confused with what I am saying. ::)
Bob
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

DanG

Hey Bob the Grandpa!  I like the new avatar. :) :)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Tom

Yeah, me too!   Bob's got comany.  :)

spencerhenry

i think i failed to mention, the beams i am cutting right now are up to 38' long. i have no bed extensions. beams this long, i tell them that i promise nothing. i had one today, 1.5" of crook, .5" of bow, and 3/4" of twist. piece measures 4" thick, 10" wide, by 37'+. they insist that i mill it into a 3.5"x 9.5"x37'. i tried to tell them that it is not possible, but they want it done anyway. i left the site early today, fed up, *pithed off, and tired. loading 38' doug-fir 4x10 onto the mill by hand is 5!@#%^&*.

beenthere

Quote from: DanG on October 05, 2006, 01:34:52 PM
Hey Bob the Grandpa!  I like the new avatar. :) :)
I like that too, but think Bob should have dressed the same......including the cap. ;D ;D
Congrats to the proud GPa

spencerhenry
I think your conclusion that it is impossible (let alone impractical), is accurate. But sometimes 'impossible' is a challenge  :)   If you do the machining to their specs, and they don't stay to specs (warp some), will they then reject them and not pay for your effort?  That would worry me.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Tom

Yeah!  38' long is a minor little tad of information.

I've been in only one situation like that before and it took all day, with the customer being allowed to show me exactly where he wanted me to place the blade, for him to understand that we weren't working with a benign piece of plastic.  Sometimes it's difficult to get them to understand that the more you cut, the more it moves.

Not only is your job difficult, but your customers unreasonable.   I would have left in a foul mood too.  

I guess you have to be careful that you don't burn bridges or cut off your nose to spite your face, to quote some old sayings, but the pleasurable part of working for yourself is that you can tell them that you don't want to do this anymore, if it becomes unbearable.


fat olde elf

And I thought I had problems sawing these little 16' beams !!!
Cook's MP-32 saw, MF-35, Several Husky Saws, Too Many Woodworking Tools, 4 PU's, Kind Wife.

LOGDOG

If they're asking you to saw 38 footers with no bed extensions to those tolerances they've been smokin' some herb. That's just ridiculous. Unless these guys are going to spend a pile of money with you I'd walk and save myself the irritation. Otherwise tell them to buy you enough extension to do the job right. A guy here in town did that. His customer need 30' material sawn. He said, "Fine, you buy the extension and I'll do it with the extension as my compensation." They did it. Done deal. Oh, and have them buy you a laser sight too while they're at it.  ;) :) Worst they can say is no.

LOGDOG

Brucer

When you're faced with an unreasonable (to you) business request, there's three answers you can give.
  1) No, I can't do it.
  2) Sure, no problem (lyin' to beat the band).
  3) Yes, I can; this is what it will cost and this is how long it'll take.

Most of the time #3 is the correct answer. Just be sure you set a price and time that will allow you do do the job without undue stress.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Max sawdust

First off great thread, learnen lots here :)  I am dealing fighting with "square issues" when making beams.  (No 38 footers though :o)

LOGDOG, I do not disagree that their is no substitute for a good old square, and I agree with your comments on lasers, but that only applies to RED lasers and daylight.  Green lasers will show up just fine.  If I were to design something for checking square with a laser I would be sure to use green ones.
max
True Timbers
Cedar Products-Log & Timber Frame Building-Milling-Positive Impact Forestscaping-Cut to Order Lumber

LOGDOG

That's good to know Max. Seems I had read about green lasers somewhere and it too mentioned improved visibility. I can't verify it though. Anyone here have hands on experience with them or anyother color outdoors?

Also ... Very well said Brucer. Those three pretty much cover the gammet.  ;)

LOGDOG

Modat22

Green is way more visible than red. Its primary color is further into the visable spectrum. Plus you can find higher power versions of the green diode easily. I have seen 500mw green lasers out there for pennies on the dollar.

50 to 100 would probably be what a few folks would want. It will still be hard to see in direct sunlight though.
remember man that thy are dust.

Max sawdust

Quote from: LOGDOG on October 07, 2006, 07:11:26 PM
Anyone here have hands on experience with them or any other color outdoors?

LOGDOG

Sorry about that guys, lost track of this thread. ::)  LOGDOG, I have a green laser pointer that cost about $75 it can be seen in quite well compared to the red ones.  Yes it can be seen in full daylight, but as Mod says if you have sun shining directly on the target it can be tough to see.

max
By the way...I have not figured out how to adapt the green laser pointer to the saw mill yet.
True Timbers
Cedar Products-Log & Timber Frame Building-Milling-Positive Impact Forestscaping-Cut to Order Lumber

Fla._Deadheader


Having recently sawn 40' 2 X 8's, I don't believe I would want the job of resawing beams to that close a tolerance. It might be fine to get the satisfaction of "I did that", but, the stress factor would do me in. That wood WILL move. I've resawn long beams and watched them move ever so slightly. In 38', that's asking wayyyy too much of a sawmill.  ::)

  How ya doin with that job, Spencer ??
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

timcosby

pigman just keep taking off 1" boards till you get enough meat against the stops. if you are close to sqaure you won't see it being off in 1". the bigger the log the bigger the pain in the rear.
just an observation from all the other post..... seems using the hydralics disconnects you from the wood.. it takes very little pressure from the clamp to hold the cant or log. if the hydraulic ones are bending the backstops out of square wow wee too much pressure or flimsy design of the backstops.

pigman

Quote from: timcosby on October 25, 2006, 02:18:14 AM
pigman just keep taking off 1" boards till you get enough meat against the stops. i
When I am sawing a 38" log, that is not always possible. Also, I have a few customers that say " turn the log now" . ::) Since they have the checkbook, I sometimes listen to them. ;D
Bob

Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

Furby


pigman

Quote from: Furby on October 25, 2006, 10:33:43 PM
Only sometimes ???
Yes, sometimes when they are not looking, I do it my way. ;)
Bob
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

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