boards increasing in thickness

[ely]

what type of wood are you cutting? if its pine then you may throw on a hardwood log and see how that cuts out for you. pine needs more set in the band than hardwood.
band tension? if you do not have enough band tension the band will rise in the cut sometimes...
lay a square or a level across the cant and see if it is rounded at all.

[JB Griffin]

Just got back from the mill and the guides were of a little still, adjusted them again and its a little better the boards were now the same thickness on both ends but the cant was still thinner on one end (the starting end).
Going to try a new red oak log tomorrow and see what happens. I really think Im gaining on it now but not quite there yet.

Thanks again.

[ladylake]

 
If cutting straight and your cants are thicker on one end with a overhead track your top track is not even with the log bunks.  Steve

[JB Griffin]

Ladylake how do you recommend to check for unevenness, measure form each bunk?

[Brucer]

I think Steve's got the answer, and yes, you measure from each bunk.

[5quarter]

As usual, I'm posting first, reading later... ;) I suspect that the cant is lifting up on you. Flip it 180 and take a skim cut. If the taper is out of the cant, then you can rule out trouble with the blade. My apologies if I'm being redundant. 

[JB Griffin]

I think I've got it at least part way figured out, my mill is designed to use 1.5" blades and I been running 1.25" blades so the teeth were runnin on the steel idle wheel and there for mashin the set out of one side causing the blade to slowly dive, or at least I think.
New Munkforssager 1.5" blade should be here in a day or 2 and i'll try it again. If this don't work I may have a mill for sale as I have been fightin this thing for almost 5 months. :-\

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Take your time JB......they still haven't found that plane.  ;D

[Ga Mtn Man]

Your blade isn't going to dive in a straight line from one end of the board to the other.  If your cutting a wedge shaped board then either the sawhead isn't a consistent distance from the bunks or the cant is lifting.

[JB Griffin]

my track has sagged about ¼" in the middle but the boards aren't consistent with the way the track is bowed and the cant ain't lifting, 5 diferent logs aren't going to react exactly the same.

David if this don't work they might just find that plane first if not this mill is gonna leave and be replaced by a Cooks or WoodMizer. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

 

 

[JB Griffin]

Good one David :D

[JB Griffin]

I really was thinkin a little more red than that it seems to me you get more for the money with a Cooks.

[backwoods sawyer]

I think I've got it at least part way figured out, my mill is designed to use 1.5" blades and I been running 1.25" blades so the teeth were runnin on the steel idle wheel and there for mashin the set out of one side causing the blade to slowly dive, or at least I think.
New Munkforssager 1.5" blade should be here in a day or 2 and i'll try it again. If this don't work I may have a mill for sale as I have been fightin this thing for almost 5 months. :-\

That would do it, when i bought my mill it had steel wheels and an alignment issue, bad idler suport arm bearing ect setting the tracking was real touchy and when it was out the saw would walk back on the wheel taking out the set, it would rise up in the cut and the cut would have a slight crown, path of least resistance. Hope the new saws resolve the issue.

[JB Griffin]

Got the blades today and the first log and the blade did exactly what it wanted to and nuthin else.
Culled that log and on to the next and it cut just about perfect, same thickness on both ends, Thank You Lord. 8)

[5quarter]

Halleluiah! 8) 8)

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

That's good......they're getting close to that plane.  ;D

[ladylake]

Got the blades today and the first log and the blade did exactly what it wanted to and nuthin else.
Culled that log and on to the next and it cut just about perfect, same thickness on both ends, Thank You Lord. 8)

You really shouldn't have to cull logs, how much down pressure are you running.  Too little and the blade will do what it wants.  Steve

[JB Griffin]

David im gettin close to gettin all this mess figured out, but they might still beat me to that plane.
Steve im runnin about ¼" down pressure on the blade. That log was a crooked white oak butt log with signifcant butt swell.

[SawyerBrown]

... with signifcant butt swell.

Happens to all of us with age ...   :D

[reswire]

I have a 27 hp gas, and when I cut dry logs(when the inside is wet, and the ends are dry and hard), the same thing happens to me.   The end of some oak logs can get real hard, and if I don't slow down, the same way I enter, it travels like nuts (kinda like when you hit a hard knot).  Maybe this is happening to you??? ???

[JB Griffin]

... with signifcant butt swell.

Happens to all of us with age ...   :D

Sawyer how'd you guess. :D
Reswire That is quite possible those log had been on the yard for 2-3 mo.

[ladylake]

What hook angle are you running, old white oak likes 4° or maybe 7°. Make sure that down pressure is at least 1/4 ".   Steve

[JB Griffin]

Runnin Munksforsager 1.5" .043" 7° right now and sawdust removal sucks on cedar and oak.

[hookdrvr]

JB,
I was running into similar problems with my mill. I also wanted a more accurate cut than I was getting with the scale and pointer on the side of the mill. I replaced it with an electronic yard stick which now allows me to see any variance in the mill as I run the head from one end to the other. Part of my problem was the head not being parallel to the bunk, one side of the head was two teeth further ahead on the pulling chain then the other side, and the jacks were sinking into the ground halfway through milling. I squared the head, adjusted the chain so each side was pulling through evenly and changed the leveling jacks to a crank down boat trailer type for infinite adjust-ability, All this made a world of difference in milling. My boards are more consistent to the dimensions I need as well.