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Mobile dimensions mill questions

Started by yukon cornelius, January 05, 2017, 12:44:26 AM

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yukon cornelius

I am going to look at a mobile dimensions mill soon and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to look for other than obvious breaks and bent items. It is a non running machine with a VW motor. I don't know a model on it yet. From a search on the ff they seem to be well liked.
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

ozarkgem

I looked at one at Everton before I bought my MM. He changed his mind after I told him I would take it. Don't know anything about them though. Keep us posted. You going to doze off a hillside to put it on? :D
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

yukon cornelius

Jim, I just might have to. This mill is worth the money they are asking, I believe. I found an old post from when another member was looking at one ( DanG). It had good info. I wasn't looking for another mill but....well, you guys know the rest  :D
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

fishpharmer

Yukon, pm DanG, he has a mobile dimension, knows a lot about them.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

dgdrls

Yukon,

good luck on your trip,   
let us know how it goes.


D

Chop Shop

Get the serial number off of it and call MOBILE,  They can tell you the history of it and parts bought for it.   Owners get registered before being sold parts to.

I checked the history of several that I looked at before settling on one.


Older ones (127 model) are not fun to run.   The newer 128 is the hot ticket.  Hydro carriage feed, and wider carriage track.  Rack and pinion side adjustment instead of the older crank rope/pull adjuster.   The 70HP 1875 is worth it over the ol smaller 1600.   The old ones will have a magneto and points and a ROPE starter.  Newer will start with a key and charge!

Is it on a trailer?   Does it have endstands?

If its been sitting it will need belts.  After belts it will need to be setup/aligned to cut without problems.   Theres only two main shafts and 4 bearings basically.  Two smaller bearings and a shaft for the feed/lumber return arm lifter.   They are pretty simple. 

yukon cornelius

Thank you chop shop, that is great info
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

CaseyK

Hi Yukon
Glad to hear you are buying a mill. Im on the rig right now and they block video streaming but i was wondering how the drive shaft of the mobile dimensional mills were configured as far as being able to be clutched or if they were direct pto shafted then connected with pullys and belts. Also what size diameter blades come on the 128 and what is the maximum size beam it can cut. I built a twin blade mill similar to a mobile dimension cutting head but travelling on a 4 post assembly along 40 ft of track. The reason i was interested about the clutch is because i am in the process of upgrading the motor from a kubota 1732cc to a kubota 2203 cc and am having to rework my motor mounting and presently i have a manual break over center idle belt tensioner as the clutch and am planning on doing away with it and just tension the belts when i position the motor. It will have local and wireless remote throttle controls and motor off controls.   
Home built automated twin blade

DanG

Sorry I'm late to the party. Chop Shop has already given a good answer to the question. I too would hold out for a model 128 machine if that isn't what it is. Condition would determine the value. Other than obvious damage, my main concern would be why it isn't running. I would investigate that thoroughly before settling on a price. Mobile can provide pricing for anything on it that you might need. Only you can determine how much risk of extra expense you are willing to take. ;)  Nothing on it is catastrophically expensive as long as the purchase price is adjusted accordingly. A complete engine rebuild would cost about $2000 if you do the work yourself, for example.

Now if you buy this thing, don't be afraid to ask questions. Every cottonpickin' problem I have had was from assuming that something was normal when it was actually a developing failure. That VW engine is strong enough to cause serious damage to itself and the mill. It can overcome problems so easily that you might not recognize that a problem exists until more damage is done. What got me was one of the bearings that the carriage rolls down the track on. It was the one on the side that keeps the edger from pulling the carriage to the side. It was obviously froze up long before I got the mill and one side was ground flat so it was just sliding instead of rolling. That would allow the saw to bind in a tough cut, but I didn't have a properly cutting mill to compare, so I just ASSumed that was normal. It wasn't and it made a big ass of me. Don't let it do that to u.  :D :D
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

DanG

Casey, there is no way to put a clutch on the MD without totally reconfiguring the whole thing. The six belts that drive the main blade come directly from the driveshaft of the engine and the edger belts come directly from the main blade shaft with a half twist in them.
The main blade is 30 inches dia. 8 guage thickness and takes a 5/16 tooth. It will cut 12" deep. The twin edgers are 12.5 inches dia., 10 guage thickness with 1/4 teeth. They will cut 4" deep. The single edger is 19.5", 10 ga., 1/4" teeth, cuts 8" deep. Biggest board is 4x12 with twin edgers and 8x12 with the single edger.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

CaseyK

DandG,
thanks for the information. Im going to connect mine the same way for my new motor as the mobile dimension does and do away with the poor boy clutch i had rigged up on my older motor. My current vertical blade is only 28" and limits me to a max depth cut of only 10-1/2 " while giving me only 1/2" for hub spacing. If things go well im planning on purchasing another Vertical blade to allow for a 12" cut and possibly go with the inserted tips.

CaseyK 
Home built automated twin blade

oakiemac

I have a MD but can't add much to what has already been said. Good luck and keep us informed
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

yukon cornelius

Thanks guys! Tomorrow I go look at it. I will post what I find. I am pretty certain iit is going to come live here. Stay tuned!
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

yukon cornelius

Well I own it now. It is going to be a project. I will post pics tonight. It is a 127. Electric start VW motor. Power lift for the height adjustment. The motor seems stuck from sitting. It has good CSPs on the exhaust so I don't think it got water in it. Oil looks fine. When I get it home I will oil the cylinders for a while before trying to turn it over. It has 24' of bunks and overall 30' long. It doesn't appear to be really worn out but needs service and repairs to be made. I never expected to owns sawmill let alone 2  8)
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

Bruno of NH

Good for you can't wait to see it running :)
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

TKehl

 :laugh:

That's awesome!  Happy for you! 

Did it follow you home or still have to go get it?
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

yukon cornelius

I still have to go get it. It shouldn't be too bad to get loaded other than it being so long. I am looking forward to this rebuild.
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

Andy White

Larry,
Let me know if you need any engine parts for that thing. I gave my buddy in Virginia a whole bunch of high performance parts for that VW. Still there and will not need them. Parts are to build a really hot 1776cc engine. Should really throw some sawdust!!             Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

yukon cornelius

Quote from: Andy White on January 10, 2017, 07:54:17 PM
Larry,
Let me know if you need any engine parts for that thing. I gave my buddy in Virginia a whole bunch of high performance parts for that VW. Still there and will not need them. Parts are to build a really hot 1776cc engine. Should really throw some sawdust!!             Andy

:o that would be one hot sawmill! I might need another trip to Texas.
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

Darrel

Any time one buys a mill, it's time to celebrate!
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

dgdrls

Congratulations YC,

I'm thinking its a 126 series (industrial) 1600cc motor??
Looking forward to seeing this resto.

D


yukon cornelius

I think I am going to start a new thread for the restoration. I will post the pics there. I amexcited to start this adventure 8)
It seems I am a coarse thread bolt in a world of fine threaded nuts!

Making a living with a manual mill can be done!

DanG

Quote from: dgdrls on January 10, 2017, 08:56:53 PM
Congratulations YC,

I'm thinking its a 126 series (industrial) 1600cc motor??


Nope. The engines on the MD mills are highly modified by Mobile Manufacturing. They modify the case to accept a large thrust bearing to withstand the lateral tension of the belts, and extend the crankshaft to accept the pulleys. You need to contact them with the serial number of the mill to find out exactly what engine you have. If the lady doesn't have the manuals that came with it, get them from Mobile. There are some parts that are exclusive to their engines, and they require special procedures when you put it back together.  ;)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

dgdrls

Quote from: DanG on January 11, 2017, 09:57:11 AM
Quote from: dgdrls on January 10, 2017, 08:56:53 PM
Congratulations YC,

I'm thinking its a 126 series (industrial) 1600cc motor??


Nope. The engines on the MD mills are highly modified by Mobile Manufacturing. They modify the case to accept a large thrust bearing to withstand the lateral tension of the belts, and extend the crankshaft to accept the pulleys. You need to contact them with the serial number of the mill to find out exactly what engine you have. If the lady doesn't have the manuals that came with it, get them from Mobile. There are some parts that are exclusive to their engines, and they require special procedures when you put it back together.  ;)

No doubt they mod them, my understanding from talking with MD when I was shopping for one
was they did use the 126 series engines for a period of time.

D


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