Need alittle help with my new Oscar 18"

[kojacksback]

Well i'm a newbee and have recently purchased my first bandmill a Hud-son 18". (just love making lumber).  Anyway during a cut the head started to vibrate and got pretty noisey so i shut it off and decided to check it over.  Upon checking out all the nuts and bolts i noticed that a bolt had fallen out of one of the head upright guides on top.  I put it back in and tightened it up,  now i can no longer get the head to move up and down smoothly (one side is always hanging up when trying to lower the head).  I tried loosening up both bolts in each upright and readjusting, but it's always the same outcome.  There is nothing about this in the manual or anything else.  So am i missing something?    Any help would be greatly welcome.

-kojacksback

[thecfarm]

kojacksback,welcome to the forum.Sorry I can not help you,but I know some members have Hudsons.I know they will help you.By the way,if this is a new saw I would be checking for more loose nuts and bolts.

[Dan_Shade]

are you talking about one of the eye-bolts that the cables attach to?  if it's not adjusted properly, the head is wracking on the posts. 

[Haytrader]

Although your mills problem is more than likey minor, I would give the manufacturer a call.
They will have you going in less time than it took me to type this more than likely.

Wecome to the Forestry Forum also.

[Dan_Shade]

if it's a support post, it's probably out of alignment, causing the head to stick while going up and down. 

[Mr Mom]

I am building my mill right now and i have four 1" dia rod with tomsons bearing to help raise and lower the head.
I had to do each rod by itself and here is how i did them.
first get the sawhead down to the sawbed as far as you can. then lossen the bolt that you tighen.then run the sawhead to the top and then tighen the bolt. i did this after i fought with four rods and tapping here and there on diffrent rods try ting to get it to go up and down.
I do not know if this helps but try it it might. My sawhead has some sticking but that is because the motor is not on the back and it is off balance(i hope) and if not i will do the samething when i get the motor on.
Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[Mr Mom]

Forgot to say that you have to check and make sure that your sawhead doesnt hit any part of the sawcarrage when you raise it up.
Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[kojacksback]

Well I called the manufacturer about the problem today and they suggested i leave the top bolt loose on the upright that is binding so it will self alighn.  I did try that already, but doesn't seem like fixing the root problem....

[Radar67]

Have you checked to see if the guide the upright goes through is bent or buggered up? Have you lubed the upright? I've got a Oscar 28 and it will hang if the upright isn't lubed up.

Welcome to the forum.

Stew

[kojacksback]

Ya know tonight i did clean both uprights real good and regreased them.  Found that there was a bunch of sawdust cramed in the tubes that slide on the uprights.  Works good now except when raise the head towards the maximum height then it snags comming down.  Cut a few more logs afterwards until dark.  I wonder if the wife is going to get lonely. ;D  Just love this stuff.

[Radar67]

At maximum height, mine snags a little too. I don't cut logs that big very often.

Stew

[Dan_Shade]

transmission fluid (ATF) works pretty good for lube, sawdust doesn't stick like it does to grease or motor oil.

[Radar67]

Spray silicon works good too.

Stew

[kojacksback]

Yeah i noticed that,  I used some all purpose grease and it really gets gooey.  Thanks all for the help.

[arj]

My Oscar 36 has a bolt that locks the head in position for transporting
try looseing it a little
                                         arj

[fencerowphil (Phil L.)]

I use a dry teflon spray sold at many places:  "Blaster"
Can't remember the manufacturer.

Your addiction to sawdust sniffin' is developing nicely already!

:D    :D          ;D

Phil L.

[Porta mill]

a few things to try
first lower the head down  and make sure both sides are  the same hight off the track, if they are out of adjustment  they might bind like the others mentioned lube the uprights ofted  . atf it the cheepest thing to use and it works well or you might want to try PB blaster  you can find it at a auto part,s store or evan wall mart. aver all are you hapy with your hudson I have a oscar 28 have a hard time keeping the edges square  haven't figured out that bug yet .

[Radar67]

I think it is the clamps causing the edge out of square. I've had to shim mine on occasion to make sure the edges stay square. They are just not stout enough to hold the log or cant on the deck, unless it is a big log.

Stew

[Rancher]

I've had my Oscar 36 for over 3 years and once in a while I'll get in a hurry and find an edge out of square as well. Usually it's on a smaller log. The clamp will lift the log a bit on one side. I have to make sure not to clamp it too tight.

[kojacksback]

Yeah I would say i'm happy, except for the clamps i'm alittle disappointed.  When i first started i couldn't  get my cants square either.  Tried the measureing the blade on both sides to make sure it was even and that didn't work so i just called hud-son and they said i was clamping to tight and sure enough i was. Lightly clamping the cants did the trick,  But the clamps just seem so sloppy and clumsy to me.

[Radar67]

I've got a few ideas for modifications/replacement of the clamps, just haven't had the time to get started on them.

One quick way to make sure the cant is square to the blade is to draw a line across the cant with a framing square once the opening cut and the 180 cut are made. It works for me.

I've also noticed clamping too tight causes the problem. Once I have a square edge, I have been guilty of not clamping at all, just letting the bunk stops keep the cant in place.

Stew