Mill pics finally!

[newguy]

Hello again all,

I have been asked to post some pics of the mill I am building.  Here are few of the early stages.  The quality is so-so but you'll get the idea.  I am having trouble uploading them so this may just show the links.  Not sure what I did wrong.

This is the log turner and one of the log dogs.


another of the one of the dogs.


One of the head frame.  The concrete block is temporary. ;D


The log loader up for travel.


The loader down.


Looking down the rail, head and loader.

[Gilman]

You're so close to having your images correctly inserted.  Check out the Forum Tools for the final step.

How much money do you think you'll save building your own verses a comparable production model?

[newguy]

I'll have about $6K into it when I am done plus lots & lots of sweat!  It is fully hydraulic with DC motors running head and carriage.

If I counted my time as $$ I would have been better off buying one! :D

[Gilman]

Make sure you don't paint it orange.  I've never seen a WM in the town that I live in before.  Yesterday afternoon I was driving by the road that I currently have my mill at.  OUT comes my mill behind a truck I don't know!  I freaked out. "Oh crap! what do I do?"  We'll, I'll just have to follow them I guess..

As I got closer I noticed the engine was much smaller than the Kabota diesel on my Super.  For a half a second I thought, "Why would they change the engine and then steal it?"  A second later and I started laughing.  Fortunatly my $50,000 worth of college education kicked in and I figured there is another mill in the one mill town.

I followed them and they turned into a LesSchwab tire center.  I followed them in and parked next to them.  I told the driver he scared the crap out of me and we had a good laugh. After talking to him for a bit, it turns out his was my Dad's best friend through highschool.  

It was great to meet another local sawyer with a great personality and much more experience that I do.

[newguy]

That's a funny story!

Haven't decided on a color yet.  Any suggestions out there?

[Gilman]

I'm sure you'll get plenty of input on color.

I'd suggest you use a fiberglass filled paint like Hammerite though.  I've been using them for years on machines and high wear items and it holds up great.  If you use an acid etching primer you've got a great combination.  This type of primer is expensive but worth it compared to the cost of sandblasting.

[newguy]

I'll have to look into that.  Is Hammerite a brand name?  Never heard of it before.

[Gilman]

http://www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=21&SBL=1

After a closer look, I'm not sure this one has fiberglass.  It does work great though.

Here is another source for industrial enamel.  
http://www.industrialnewsroom.com/fullstory/15901

I just hate puting so much work into designing and fabricating a machine to have it chipped and rusty after a year of use.

[T_in_SC]

You're doing a fantastic job on the mill.  Are you keeping up with the hours you have in it?

[newguy]

T_in_SC,

Thanks, I'm tryin'

No I haven't really kept track of the hours.  I spent quite a while (around 150 or 200 hrs.) on the drawing board before I even started to build it.  I'd guess I'll have a couple hundred into that as well when all is said and done.

[raycon]

Nice looking mill.

Did you leave room in the design so you can add on extensions? A 12'+ extension to mill 24-28' timbers is #1 on my wish list at the moment. (Don't you like it when people add on more stuff....)

[slowzuki]

Borrowed from another discussion on here, PINK

No one would ever steal your mill, and if they did everyone would know where it went!
 :D

That's a funny story!

Haven't decided on a color yet.  Any suggestions out there?

[Tom]

The head Chartreuse, the bed pink and trim it in lavender.  ;D :D

You just didn't complete the process. When you get the upload screen finished there is a button under the picture that, when clicked, loads the URL of the picture on your workpad.  When you go back to the post, clicking "insert Image Code" found under the update window, will put the URL in the post where you have your cursor located.   Easy. .

It makes things siimpler to name the pictures something simple, descriptive and precede it with your name or userid or initials.  The Gallery is in Alphabetical order and that makes it easier to find.

Next time, name your pictures something like
ng-logloader01.jpg
ng-fredandluke01.jpg
ng-fred-luke01.jpg

Don't use /?><.,'";:]}[{=+_)(*&^%$#@!~`\| or capitals or spaces.

[pappy]

newguy,

Nice start on your mill heavy duty.  8)

Ya might want to take a look at the John Deere paints, they are self etching.

And I think the colors are a bit more macho than some of the girly colors the guys here are recommending -- I bet they wouldn't paint their mills pink  :D :D :D  but one never knows.  :D :D

Limerick uh --  you know Arthur Carroll or Stan Barski ???

[Tom]

 :D Pink, pink!  :D :D

Seriously, I don't think it matters much unless you are going to be mobile.  If you will be setting up in unknown places, like the side of the road or constructions sites, it might behoove you to paint it a Safety color.   Orange or Chartreuse  or Fire-engine-red are the only ones I can think of now.

[pappy]

How about the track black and the saw head yellow ?? Both are John Deere colors and a very good paint, it takes the weather good  :P  

[newguy]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  I think I will stay away from pink. :D  Red maybe.  I have a while to decide, probably have another month of buildin' and tinkerin' to go.

Temite,
Thanks, it is heavy duty.  I don't want anything to break ya know?  I thought about the JD colors, still thinkin about it.  I don't know the two guys you mentioned.  Lots of Carrolls in Limerick but it is a small town so I have probably seen them.

Tom,
Ah, that's it.  I had spaces in my pic. titles.  I couldn't figure out what was happening.  I thought I was doing everything right.  Guess I was except for that! ;D

[newguy]

Termite,

Wasn't very neighborly of me not to invite you over if you ever get down this way.  I was in a hurry when I replied last time.  Do you ever get down to this neck of the woods?  I don't get up your way very often.  Went to the Allagash on a canoe trip last summer.  Are you anywhere near there?

Ray,

Thanks.  No I haven't thought about the extensions yet.  Maybe when it is done.  Just worried about making the dang thing cut straight over the distance I have right now

[pappy]

newguy,
Arthur has a float plane with a prop that's got a big bite and when that lifts off ya kin hear em from miles away  

[pappy]

newguy,

The town of Allagash is 37 miles from here, when you drove back south on Rt. 11 you drove right past our place.

Wasn't very neighborly of me not to invite you over if you ever get down this way

Ditto; if you ever get up this way we got place ta hang fer a bit if you wants.  

The last time I was down to southern Me was 4 years ago, we went to Louden NH ta see a race.  8)  

[woodhaven]

How thick is that steel you cut your log loading arms out of?

[newguy]

Woodhaven,

It's 1".  I went heavy on everything. Most of the tubing is 1/4" wall.  The wind aint gonna blow it over that's for sure. :D

Termite,

Yeah, I musta driven right by your place on our way to and from.  We used an outfitter up in St.Francis,  Gorman something can't remember his last name.  He gave us a lift from St. Francis down to Round Pond.  Beautiful country up there.  So you able to get your hands on any of that nice white cedar up there? ;D

[pappy]

Gorman Chamberlain is his name -- Dad had access to an old Maine state Forestry log camp on the Musquacook Dead water just below Round Pond called the "Hosea-B in the 50's and 60's when we were growing up.  We spent many a weekend on that river.

So you able to get your hands on any of that nice white cedar up there?  

oh ya.  my nephew bought 80 acres with about half in cedar, he cut 25 cords of it.  The deal was I'd saw and plane what he needed for his house ( decking and T & G paneling) and I could have the rest.  It only took about 4 or 5 cords for his needs and I got to keep the rest.  8)

So we've started our camp "out back" using the cedar, I started a thread over in Timber Framing and Log Construction.    

Here's a link;
https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=tframe;action=display;num=1089947090

[newguy]

Yeah, Chamberlain that's right.  I couldn't recall.  Heck of a nice guy.  We were there in the middle of July last year.  No water!  I think we hiked as much of the river as we paddled. :D  The canoes took it hard.

Nice lookin cabin.  My mouth is watering over of all that cedar.  Rare breed down my way.   Ya can send any leftover down south if ya want! :D

[woodhaven]

I have got to build a loader for my mill. Thats why all the questions. What size cylinders are they? How much weight do you think the loader will pick up? What kind of hydrulics are you using?

[newguy]

woodhaven,

The cylinders are 2" bore.  They would lift roughly 4700 lbs. each at 1500 psi. if it were a straight lift.  I have a slight mechanical disadavantage because of the geometry of the arms so I will not get that.  I haven't actually calculated the exact number I will get yet. I can increase my pressure up to 2500 psi if I need to but I plan on running 1500.

[Tam-i-am]

I think Pink would be a great color! ;)  Just ask Shopteacher he liked my pink peavey! and you could have one too! ;D  

Let me know when you get it running and I will have the guys put through a special order in pink.  

Tammy

[Swede]

Amerika-Sågen is painted blue and red with Hammerite! I paint ALL old stuff with Hammerite, even my old car.

My loglifters can load  2600 lbs. at pressure 2143 psi.. Don´t think I can find many  heavyer logs here. Use two cylinders Ø 40mm x 250.mm. It takes less than 6 seconds to lift and the same time to let them lifters down. Less volume in cylinders gives faster cycle.

One day I´ll send pictures but you know, me and my old Canon camera  I also know some about drawing the geometry and calculating.  :
 Also think I´ve found out how to rotate and clamp the logs with the same tool.  8) I think............

Swede.

[EZ]

Ok I give up, what's 40 mm x 250 mm in inches. The old broken down school I went to, did'nt teach me mm's. And if they did I was'nt paying attention.  ;D
We had a welding class, sawing class, grading class and many other classes, maybe we need a mm class, or did we already have it and I miss it. ;D
EZ

[woodhaven]

 Swede,
 A 48" x 12' green walnut log weight is around 8500 lbs. I don't think your 1 1/2" cylinder would have a chance with me.
I am more concerned about the log arms bowing. I will use 2 1/2" cylinders at 2500 psi.

[Swede]

woodhaven;  I´ve never seen walnut here in Sweden   but oak logs perhaps can be too heavy for my loaders. THEN I need help from a crane or other loading equipment.
I also want Amerika-Sågen not be heavyer than 1200Kg with all the bells and wistlers. Sometimes I need to place the mill beside the logs not coupled to my VW Passat (90 hp.) and I don´t want to go to driving scool and get  license for a heavy and "thirsty" 4-WD monster.  ;D

Most wood here is softwood less than 18" in small end . There fore I need less volume in my cylinders and faster action. I do NOT need a chance...... ;) :D  but I DO like Your loglifters.

EZ; Do NEVER give up!   I would NEVER permanent give up counting into " and ' !  :D

1 1/2 " is 38,1mm.
10" = 254 mm.

Swede.

[newguy]

Tammy,

Thanks for the offer but I just can't see it in pink.  Red maybe but pink just won't work for me :D.

[rs1626]

EZ      take mm  and divide by 25.4     40 mm = 1.5748

[EZ]

Thanks rs.
EZ

[sawmillsi]

Hi newguy,

I'm going to buy a bare bandsaw in the next few months but I want a log turning and dogging system.

Yours looks good - I'm just wondering if you have drawings for your system that you would give or sell.

Thanks

Simon