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Gear Drive Trolley on a Frick?

Started by JoeBrittany21, May 21, 2012, 12:21:01 PM

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JoeBrittany21

Hi, I am new to the site. So happy to have found this wealth of info. Thank You.

I recently bought what I think is a Frick sawmill but the trolley for the log is moved by a gear coming out of the husk and there are teeth bolted to the side of the wooden trolley near the track. So the gear makes contact with the trolley and there she goes. My question is.. Is this a Frick and about when was it made? Does anyone have experience with this gear drive? I was wondering if this was a good purchase.
Thank You.

sealark37

Welcome to the forum.  The circle-saw guys are out-numbered here, but the bandsaw members seem to be glad to have us.  You may be looking at the gig back mechanism that retracts the head blocks when the carriage is ready for the next log.  If your rig is a Frick, the name is usually  molded into the head blocks.  The carriage is normally powered by a cable drum that is driven from the husk frame.  The gig back is engaged by a foot lever that engages the gear that you see to the rod that connects the head blocks.  If your  new saw mill is a kit ( a collection of parts), you could have any number of standard or custom built features that must be sorted out to get it running.  You have come to the right place for help.  Don't be shy, since no one else is here.  Oh yes, we love pictures.  Regards, Clark  :)

bandmiller2

Joe,some of the heavy duty older mills used rack and pinion to feed the carriage.If you can figure out the picture thing, probibly we can recognise your mill.Most of the newer old mills went to cable,especially after teeth were broken off the racks.Welcome, feel at home.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

jimparamedic

Post some pics I have seen an American mill with that kind of feed.Also it used a paper clutch drive. All in all a cool set up.

dblair

I only know of a one other person with a rack and pinion drive and he lives in Va. in the Culpepper area . He told me it was made in N.C. in the late 19th century . I would love to see some pics of your mill . Welcome to the site
old Appomattox Iron Works circle mill.

JSNH

There are at least two in NH that are rack driven but both are Lane mills.

JoeBrittany21

 

 

I must be an idiot, putting pics on this is harder than brain surgery.

JoeBrittany21


JoeBrittany21



I hope these pics help to identify the mill. I cannot find a name on it anywhere. Part numbers or casting numbers have a P on them as a prefix.

beenthere

Joe
You did well.
You have three pics in your gallery, and you pasted one two now three in your post. One more shot at modifying that post and you will have all three... 8)

Looks to be in pretty good shape. Just need some solid wood to bolt to, and some HP.
The rack on the carriage must be how long?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

JoeBrittany21

The carriage all together is 24' long so my son and I are thinking this thing can cut 20' logs. 48" blade.

JoeBrittany21

I have to do a lot of reading and calculating for the HP but a friend of mine offered me a 12" chipper motor that has a 4 belt pulley on it. I would have to take the flat belt pulley off and replace it with a comparable pulley if I was to use that motor.

Ron Wenrich

That doesn't look like any Frick setup that I've seen.  The P is a clue to the make.  Many of the manufacturers used to put a letter on their parts to identify it as one of theirs. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

ALWOL

   Both Geiser and the Lane and Bodely Company made sawmills with the rack and pinion drive. I think yours is a Geiser because it has the enclosed gearbox around the mandrel that drives the variable speed feedworks. You can find pictures of it at vintagemachinery.org.

Alan
There's a big difference between staying busy and making money.

JoeBrittany21

Both Geiser and the Lane and Bodely Company made sawmills with the rack and pinion drive. I think yours is a Geiser because it has the enclosed gearbox around the mandrel that drives the variable speed feedworks. You can find pictures of it at vintagemachinery.org.

Alan that is a good website loaded with info but I can't find the type of gearbox that I have here. Its funny because certain parts look Frick other parts look American.

JoeBrittany21

Well after some wire brushing I found the manufacturer's name "Canton Saw Co. of Canton Ohio".

bandmiller2

Joe,its nice to know who built your mill but most of them are long out of business and its condition that matters.Old mills are usally close enough so parts can be mixed and matched.Your friction wheel drive is clever its the system used on most snowblowers for foward/ reverse.Most mills were built for many years and changed their parts suppliers especially around war time when they couldn't get what they needed.Yours should be an interesting build. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

JoeBrittany21

I started tearing the trolley down and it is interesting how they lubricated the axles shafts for the rail wheels. They put oil soaked oakum in a cup and it would swell up and touch the axle in the process with oil. Simple but effective. I had to make a new oiler cup since one was missing. Check out the new one on the right side.

 
It might be a sin to have this much fun.

hardtailjohn

Do you have this mill on eBay or is it another one like this?
John
I'm so far behind, I think I'm ahead!

JoeBrittany21

Hey John,

I do have it on ebay. I always list all my new toys on ebay so my better half thinks I bought them to resell. SHHH don't tell her. 

 

My wife told me I am not hen pecked. :D

JoeBrittany21

First soapy bath in a long time. These are the balance of the bearing blocks and caps for the trolley axles. 5 axles all together with the ones I worked on over the weekend.

 

I'll be cleaning these then remove the oakum from the cup and pack the cups with new oakum and oil. Once I clean them I will show the bearing wear and how I have been replacing the bearings.

Was at the plumbing supply, the guy never heard of oakum. I must be getting old.

JoeBrittany21

The bearings are 1/2 type made out of  babbit material. Only one was completely gone and riding on the axle but it isnt that bad.

 

I already ordered the babbitt material, now to make a template so I can pour new ones.

bandmiller2

Joe good babbit is expensive as its mostly tin,whats in the bearings now can be remelted with a little new stuff.For what your doing 50/50 lead tin solder will work fine.Years ago I owned a JD  A that was a transitional model between two piece bearings and aluminum bushing, main crank bearings.Could not get the part from Deere.I made up a brew of wheel weights and 50/50 solder poured the bearing machined it on the lathe.The tractor is still running see it at pulls every so often.If your not a strict restorer you can use pillow blocks if the shaft size is close,thats what I did on my carriage. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

JoeBrittany21

You got it. Thats what I am going to do. I wasn't sure about the solder though. I already ordered the babbitt material it was $30 bucks including shipping for 5 lbs. I thought that was cheap enough.
I am thinking that if I setup each axle, number them and the block I can rebabbit each one according to its liking.

JoeBrittany21

The third dog on my mill needing a little welding, so I braced it right away and then painted it. I got some babbitt material today by the USPS. I will probably start that process next week.

 
If I am boring anyone or if I should be on a different thread let me know and I will fix it.

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