Andrew96
ArboristSite Operative
After Milling some dry wood up, I needed an oiler. I went with an oiler that puts oil right in the groove rather than some of the other options. Hopefully the next guy who makes one up might learn something from my photos. Of course, I wouldn't post them here if I wasn't prepared for comments.
Here is my completed mill (so far), 30" of cut from a 36" bar. Fixed 1/8" graduations for cutting depth by relocating the pins. My handle in it's final location. It's a "bolt through the bar" type mill.
My new oiler addition. Bolts to the tip so I can remove the mill for sharpening and not goof with the oiler. The top unscrews so I can fill it up. The vent line runs down into the post. Clear so I can see the level. I'll only fill it up 1/2 way. I went with a design of fixed height so I could set a flow without having the vessel at different heights all the time. Also..it had to be robust enough that I could throw it around on the ground and not brake anything. The mill uprights protect the vessel when it's laying on it's side.
The vessel feeds a 1/4" clear line down to a needle valve and mount I fabricated. There is an O ring under that lock nut. A pin on the needle so I can keep track of how far to open it.
Here you can see the feed hole, and the locating pin hole (to keep things from rotating). It's a max 0.100" hole in the needle valve, 1/8" hole in the bar but only a 0.063" hole into the bar groove...it's an 063" bar. I've drilled both sides of the bar so when I flip it, I still have an oiler.
My flow tests ranged from 14ml/min with a full vessel down to 10ml/min at the bottom with my needle open 1 turn. I can get more flow but the flow test on the bench was a little messy to play again.
Here you can see how I'm going to start and stop the flow between cuts using my small needle valve close to the chain. I'll finish my cut, then pull the idling saw off my log. Sit it down on the mill end (like the photo). I let it idle in this position after a cut. In this position though, the oil will only flow a little bit out of the hose down to the bar. Once the saw is shut off, I'll be able to turn the needle valve off, gas and oil the assembly in another orientation. Of course, it's only been tested in the shop but that's the concept.
Here is my completed mill (so far), 30" of cut from a 36" bar. Fixed 1/8" graduations for cutting depth by relocating the pins. My handle in it's final location. It's a "bolt through the bar" type mill.
My new oiler addition. Bolts to the tip so I can remove the mill for sharpening and not goof with the oiler. The top unscrews so I can fill it up. The vent line runs down into the post. Clear so I can see the level. I'll only fill it up 1/2 way. I went with a design of fixed height so I could set a flow without having the vessel at different heights all the time. Also..it had to be robust enough that I could throw it around on the ground and not brake anything. The mill uprights protect the vessel when it's laying on it's side.
The vessel feeds a 1/4" clear line down to a needle valve and mount I fabricated. There is an O ring under that lock nut. A pin on the needle so I can keep track of how far to open it.
Here you can see the feed hole, and the locating pin hole (to keep things from rotating). It's a max 0.100" hole in the needle valve, 1/8" hole in the bar but only a 0.063" hole into the bar groove...it's an 063" bar. I've drilled both sides of the bar so when I flip it, I still have an oiler.
My flow tests ranged from 14ml/min with a full vessel down to 10ml/min at the bottom with my needle open 1 turn. I can get more flow but the flow test on the bench was a little messy to play again.
Here you can see how I'm going to start and stop the flow between cuts using my small needle valve close to the chain. I'll finish my cut, then pull the idling saw off my log. Sit it down on the mill end (like the photo). I let it idle in this position after a cut. In this position though, the oil will only flow a little bit out of the hose down to the bar. Once the saw is shut off, I'll be able to turn the needle valve off, gas and oil the assembly in another orientation. Of course, it's only been tested in the shop but that's the concept.