Log turner for manuel mill

[Gary_B]

I own a timber king 1220, and was wondering if anyone has come up with a means of log turning with some help? Its not hard to get the log on the mill, the hard part is turning it within a 36 inch surface. Im sure others have ran into this problem and maybe came up with some ideas, any suggestions would be appreciated, and NO I can not afford to buy a larger mill.....

[Tom]

While you could engineer something, I've found that a 4 1/2 foot cant hook does the job on most logs.  A lot of sawyers use a short handled (2 foot) cant hook.  Most of them are circle millers who are standing next to the blade and the log.  The longer the handle the easier it is to turn the log.

[Buzz-sawyer]

Why would you need a bigger mill???
 what are you doing now, ?
A winch mounted under the rails helps with the larger logs on my mill (5000# logs)....otherwise a cant hook does wonders......

[Gary_B]

I do agree 4 1/2 cant hook works well, but if you have a 25inch long and 36 inch working surface, that allows you 11 inches to slide and turn the log over, without sliding off the rails. thanks anyway

[Tom]

Aren't you turning the log against dogs or something?  I can't imagine trying to turn it on the bed with nothing to hold it.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  I think we need a picture of your setup, here. Seems to me that you are working waay too hard. It ain't all that difficult. You gotta have something to hold the log while you turn it ???

[Gary_B]

   All I can say is thanks for the advice ;) after reading the replies, I had to go back to the manuel  :P after reading the manuel once again, all the information you have given me has been completely correct, I bought the saw last November and when the guy that delivered it and set it up, we went thru the proceedure with a 12 inch cherry log, one thing he said was not to use the log stops for turning , for fear of bending and then your cuts would not be square, my son remembered the same thing, but when I looked it up in the manuel after you  achieve a satisfactory flat face, raise the log stops all the way and turn the log. Can you imagine how much trouble I was having trying to turn a 12 ftX 28 inch pine log without using the stops. I have learned a valuable piece of information today thanks to this Forum.
                                                              Gary

[Tom]

Holy Cow!   I'm glad that got figured out.   You would have been an Ol-l-ld man before you ever got 100k feet sawed like that.    :D   Sure was glad you got it figured out.

Make sure you take some pictures of your mill and some of the lumber you saw and let us look at  them.  

Glad to have you on the forum.  Timberking needs some more representation on here. :D :D

That 1220 is supposed to be a good mill. :P

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Whew, made me tired just thinkin about not using them stops. Glad ya got 'er done. Bet ya have a LOT more fun, now.  ;D ;D :D :D

[Bigdogpc]

I guess I been snoozin and nearly missed this one.  Yup, turnin against the stops is whut works for rollin them logs against.  Weld ya some bracing to the stops for you will surely bend them quick.  I have bent mine and straightened them so many times that I can look at them now and they start to bend! :D

A winch and loop of cable will speed up the actual log loading but yur right, those little ramps work real good and gettin the log on the mill ain't real bad it's the turnin that ain't fun!

FDH has a slick turner on his mill using hydraulics.  I am toying with the idea of something handcranked but similar for turning them on my mill ( a 1220 also).

Another thing we had done with our mill was to lay us a set of bunks from some small oaks that came out just a shade higher than the mill frame (at that point we were stationary).  All our logs were dropped on these bunks and it was EASY to roll them right on to the mill with little or no grunts to be heard.  I posted some pics on here someplace in the milling forum.  Good luck!!!

[weimedog]

My old Case 780C works well. (Backhoe) (I nail and then wrap a chain part way around and just lift...wrap not cradle so the log turns as the chain unwinds. then just move the bucket & chain out of the way as I cut the next few slices...but I have a really manual mill. An Alaskan, time & gas burner; mill!

[hillbilly]

                  I have a 1220 also ,yep if you did'nt have your stops up you were probably having problems   But a 41/2 foot cant hook will turn some pretty big logs ,and big dog is right you will bend your stops some times IF you dont stand them up all the way.But in all it is a pretty good little mill I'm fixing to build me a new frame for mine heavier and loooonger  ;) 24 ft in fact with log loaders have'nt drawed up a turner though , BUZZ how are you mounting you winch under your frame to turn your logs?
hillbilly  

[Gary_B]

Hey Hillbilly,
 Keep us informed how that extension goes, seems like if you have the right size channel, it would go pretty smooth. Do you have the tow package that came from Timber King? Thats what I would like to do is set it up for towing, without paying the 600.00

[hillbilly]

                                   Yep I've got the tow package, I paid the extra money for it and the 20 horse koler it does a pretty good job,
I lucked out here awhile back a friend of mine siad that he had a big shop that he was'nt using and he also has a steel supplyer a pair of two phase welders a lathe and a milling machine.He told me if I would help him do a few things around the shop that he would order all of wy steel for cost,and use his stuff to build me another mill{ new frame to put my old head rig on.}I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my old frame yet  :-/  
      hillbilly

[Gary_B]

I wished you werent to far away, I would like to be able to add on to mine, I only have the stock frame for my 1220. I think that is the best investment I have made, buying the 1220, seems like I am always building something around here and with the price of lumber, plus what ever size I need, I can saw. Still the most hardest wood I have had to saw is knotty white pine, those knots are so hard, it takes a real sharp blade to cut, soon as they get dull, I start to get a wavy effect.