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SimpleSet vs AccuSet

Started by clintnelms, August 10, 2017, 09:28:25 PM

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clintnelms

Can someone explain in detail the differences, advantages, and pros and cons between WM's SimpleSet and  AccuSet?

Percy

I havnt used simple set ever but have used accuset and accuset 2 for the last 14 years. It took me better than 30 hours of using accuset to get reasonably competant on it. Its a complex  system but once you get on to it, feed rates become less important  part of the equation as your speed to the next cut gets so much quicker than without it..
There are four modes in accuset(2). Auto up, auto down, pattern, and of course manual. Auto up and auto down do not care where the bed is in relation to the sawhead/cutline, and is usually used when the bottom of your log is still round. Pattern is used when your cant has a flat bottom. does all the guzzintas for you. There are 16 easily programable auto up/down settings and 16 easily programable pattern settings. There are also 4 easily programable "go to" settings where you just push a button and the head goes to that location as soon as you move the up/down lever in the appropriate direction. Also, while in the manual mode, a touch of the "down" arrow on the control panel will bring the head to the nearest inch. A very handy feature.

My son learned the accuset(2) easily in 2004. Kids catch on to this stuff better than us old coffin dodgers. Shouid you go with accuset, dont let it intimidate you. Use all the features and explore all options of using it. I have lookie-loo types wondering how the mill can be so "smart". As with any setworks, if you have a system in place for dealing with slabs, flitches, boards, etc, production will rise. Instead of 10 seconds hunting for your next cut, setworks will do it in a second or two. Thats on the first board of the day.
GOLDEN RULE : The guy with the gold, makes the rules.

clintnelms

Thanks Percy. I'm more or less dreaming of getting a hydraulic mill in the future and trying to see if AccuSet is worth the additional cost over SimpleSet. I don't see myself milling for production, mostly milling for myself and the occasional customer. I have a Woodland Mills HM126 now and love the mill it just wears me out to get one good log milled. I'm not 20 years old anymore lol.

Magicman

Accuset is a requirement for the SuperHydraulic models because of the larger up/down motor.  For example, my SuperHydraulic sawmill has the old SetWorks so SimpleSet can not be adapted to it.  If/when my SetWorks fail, I will have to upgrade to Accuset.  According to a (well known) Wood-Mizer rep that I talked with last week, Accuset is an overkill for most sawing.

It is my understanding that SimpleSet is quite satisfactory for most sawing needs plus much more economical.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ga Mtn Man

The SimpleSet only has one sawing mode, "Auto" (or "Auto-Down" as Percy described) and only two user-adjustable Set (thickness) values.  Unlike the Accuset, the SimpleSet does not display or track the blade position.  You must use the mill scale and quarter scale to set the starting blade height if you want to end up with the right board thickness on the bottom board.  The Accuset uses a linear transducer to directly read the blade height and will "hunt" for the exact target position to a very high degree of accuracy.  The SimpleSet uses a rotary encoder to indirectly determine the change in blade position based on the rotation of the gearbox shaft and it does not "hunt" for the exact correct position like the Accuset does.  The blade drop is made based on a certain number of shaft rotations calculated from from the selected Set value and where it stops is what you get.  Still, the SimpleSet on my mill is consistently accurate to within 1/32"+/-, which is plenty good enough for rough sawn lumber.   
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

clintnelms

Thanks all for your comments. So it sounds like for if and when I'm able to upgrade to a hydraulic mill SimpleSet should be just fine for my use.

drobertson

Not sawing anymore, (not by my choice),, but to say accuset is over kill for most sawing is, well, just sounds weird?  Accuset II is bad to the bone, you will, once learned, (does not take very long),  the advantages to sets and patterns,, pattern mode, and auto up,, will save more from  miss cuts,(some call dog boards), only because they just don't have the function.  I will say in the last maybe 100,000 bdft sawn , maybe  more, before I had to retire from it, I may have had enough scrap,(not counting first cut slabs) enough miss cuts to carry in two arms?  just saying, I know nothing of other makes and models,  and sawing knowledge is necessary, but if a plan is in place, and the operator knows the drill, its, lumber and dust all day long.  One thing that always needs to be remembered,  small logs, and many species of logs have inherent stresses,, which can and will cause bad, or otherwise whats known as typical (rough) sawn lumber,, its not the mills, or in many cases the sawyers fault, just be ready for unruly logs and timber at times,,it is easy to spot with experience as well.
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

4x4American

I disagree about accuset ii being overkill.  It's the main reason I chose woodmizer, and will likely be the main reason I stay with wood-mizer in the future.  I use every feature it offers regularly.  If they were to make an accuset 3 the only thing I'd ask them to change is to make it quicker.  What I find happens to me is I go too fast for it and it locks it up and I have to reboot.  For example if I am on my fourth face coming down in pattern mode at 4" drops for making pallet cants if I hit the drum switch down too soon after the head stops (if I want it to drop another 4") it will freeze the computer And I have to reboot.  you have to wait a second or so.  Only other thing is if you're raising the head to gig back and find that you cant drag back what you just cut so you have to pick up again after you already did to clear the taper or a knot or something if you do that too many times in pattern mode it starts over or stops working but in auto down it dont seem to bother.  Does the dcs 70 have the rounding feature anyone know?  Also does anyone know if you can put cruise control on the dcs 70?
Boy, back in my day..

Percy

Quote from: 4x4American on August 12, 2017, 11:40:09 PM
  Also does anyone know if you can put cruise control on the dcs 70?
scuse my ignorance but what is the rounding feature??
GOLDEN RULE : The guy with the gold, makes the rules.

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: Percy on August 13, 2017, 12:45:09 AM
Quote from: 4x4American on August 12, 2017, 11:40:09 PM
  Also does anyone know if you can put cruise control on the dcs 70?
scuse my ignorance but what is the rounding feature??
I think 4x4 is talking about when you can push the down arrow on the accuset control panel (not the down drum switch), and it will take the head to the next inch setting. For example if the readout is 9-3/8 then it will go to 9 and if it is 9-1/2 to 9-31/32 it will  go to 10.   Only when in the manual mode not when in the down mode or pattern mode. Very convenient for going to an exact inch. 

I first learned about the rounding feature when 4x4 posted it in his infamous Boomhauer King of the Hill video clip.

I would have to agree that it doesn't seem overkill for a mill today to read out blade height electronically, know the blade kerf, and assist the sawyer in planning how a cant gets cut up.  But it is a matter of perspective.  When I was shopping for FAOs one of the woodmizer reps told me that I didn't really need them, I could just kick some dirt under a leg instead. That's true too.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

4x4American

Haha Dennis nailed it.  Here's a link to that vidjayo:


https://youtu.be/PKZlshCpnDM




As you can see my youtube channel is kindof a big deal.  I'm about a step away from becoming a partner

Boy, back in my day..

Ox

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Deere80

Clintnelms, I was in your same shoes.  I had a Woodlands 126 and wanted to upgrade to a hydraulic mill and decided on the LT35HD with simpleset.  I do not do much custom cutting it is mostly for my own use and on an occasion I do some cutting for other people which the simpleset does just fine.  If I relied on this machine for a living I would definitely go with as much electronics as the pocket book would allow.  But I could not justify spending anymore money than I did for the amount I cut, which I am very happy with this machine.
Wood-Mizer LT40WIDE 38HP

clintnelms

Quote from: Deere80 on August 14, 2017, 06:05:53 PM
Clintnelms, I was in your same shoes.  I had a Woodlands 126 and wanted to upgrade to a hydraulic mill and decided on the LT35HD with simpleset.  I do not do much custom cutting it is mostly for my own use and on an occasion I do some cutting for other people which the simpleset does just fine.  If I relied on this machine for a living I would definitely go with as much electronics as the pocket book would allow.  But I could not justify spending anymore money than I did for the amount I cut, which I am very happy with this machine.

Thanks, that's exactly what I am thinking. Did you have any other options added? Are the two additional side supports needed?

DDW_OR

"let the machines do the work"

Deere80

 Did you have any other options added? Are the two additional side supports needed

The only thing added was a debarker, it was on the machine already so they would of had to take it off so I just had them leave it.

  I don't think so, would they be nice yes but not something I would pay more to get.  I would like to tie together the two back stops with the rollers on and the two that are in between them together so all four come up with the hydraulics not just the two with the rollers on because when you cut short stuff it is a pain having to lift them up then when you clamp sometimes they push down if the log is smaller diameter and you can not have them folded all the way up.
Wood-Mizer LT40WIDE 38HP

WV Sawmiller

   I swear by the extra side supports too. They are very handy when sawing short stuff and sometimes help when you have a big knot, curve or flare on a log.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

drobertson

and they help in deciding between simple set and acusset  too,,,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

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