my solution to wavy cuts

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Very nice!
Did you build that mill? Lots of clever stuff in there. Those roller wheels on the back are neat, plus the fact they are levered together.
Your log clamp on the other side - I'd like a closer look at that. I'm not terribly happy with my woodmizer clamps. i've tried making something, but it didn't turn out too well.

What I like most is that all of the controls are on the 'wrong' side. You control everything from the log side, so you don't need to run around the mill to turn the log. Also, your sawdust exits the other side. Why in the world haven't the other companies thought of that?!?

As for slowing the engine speed down, I never heard of that. I wonder if I can do that on my woodmizer electric motor.
 
Very nice!
Did you build that mill? Lots of clever stuff in there. Those roller wheels on the back are neat, plus the fact they are levered together.
Your log clamp on the other side - I'd like a closer look at that. I'm not terribly happy with my woodmizer clamps. i've tried making something, but it didn't turn out too well.

What I like most is that all of the controls are on the 'wrong' side. You control everything from the log side, so you don't need to run around the mill to turn the log. Also, your sawdust exits the other side. Why in the world haven't the other companies thought of that?!?

As for slowing the engine speed down, I never heard of that. I wonder if I can do that on my woodmizer electric motor.
Hey unc, good to hear from you. I'd like to take credit for the simplistic design but I actually bought the mill just as you see it. SMG Champion, out of Quebec, Canada. It's their Econo13 model. When I was looking around to choose a mill back in 2017 I looked at many that were made in Canada, the US and from overseas. What I liked about the SMG models was just as you described. Quick adjustments, hydraulic blade tension, a solid one piece channel steel frame, sawdust exits on the far side. I never understood why someone would want to walk in the wake of sawdust exhaust.

Electric motors, I've often thought about replacing the gas engine with an electric. I'm a dummy when it comes to electricity. What I've read online about swapping varies a lot. From 2:1 hp to 1:1. If the honda gas engine is 13hp on my mill, an electric motor would be 7-15hp maybe? Big difference. The other issue putting on an elec motor would be to add some sort of clutch to stop the blade from constantly turning. Don't know how to go about that either. Then there's power supply, generally a 3phase service is required for bigger electrics. I looked into that for a saw blade welder, the power company wants over $20K. So that's not gonna happen unless I win the lottery.

I'll see about some other close up bits later and post it.
 
Hey unc, good to hear from you. I'd like to take credit for the simplistic design but I actually bought the mill just as you see it. SMG Champion, out of Quebec, Canada. It's their Econo13 model. When I was looking around to choose a mill back in 2017 I looked at many that were made in Canada, the US and from overseas. What I liked about the SMG models was just as you described. Quick adjustments, hydraulic blade tension, a solid one piece channel steel frame, sawdust exits on the far side. I never understood why someone would want to walk in the wake of sawdust exhaust.

Electric motors, I've often thought about replacing the gas engine with an electric. I'm a dummy when it comes to electricity. What I've read online about swapping varies a lot. From 2:1 hp to 1:1. If the honda gas engine is 13hp on my mill, an electric motor would be 7-15hp maybe? Big difference. The other issue putting on an elec motor would be to add some sort of clutch to stop the blade from constantly turning. Don't know how to go about that either. Then there's power supply, generally a 3phase service is required for bigger electrics. I looked into that for a saw blade welder, the power company wants over $20K. So that's not gonna happen unless I win the lottery.

I'll see about some other close up bits later and post it.


My mill has 10hp, 3 phase. But I bought a phase converter instead of doing the expensive route. It was about $2,000, and I did all the wiring myself. I like the electric, but maybe I should have gone gas. I dunno. It's done and I'm happy. I may upgrade the HP one of these years, though.

I don't really mind wading through the sawdust, but if I spend a lot of time milling in a day, then it gets pretty deep and I have to shovel it out. I just bought a big pedestal fan to blow on my back as I mill. That will help keep the sawdust off of me (I hope) but also help keep me cooler in the hot weather.

The woodmizer has an engagement lever for the blade, but I don't use it.
That's quite a setup you have there. I just subscribed to your channel. I look forward to seeing more of your vids!
 
My mill has 10hp, 3 phase. But I bought a phase converter instead of doing the expensive route. It was about $2,000, and I did all the wiring myself ...
I looked at the VFD's too. I had consulted with my electrician who then in turn consulted with his cohorts since he didn't know much about VFD's, and they came back saying that VFD's are ok but a stable power source is preferred. Also said that machinery with electronics tend to run into trouble sooner or later due to the unstable nature of the power supplied by VFDs. I was going to buy a 3ph butt welder for making/fixing saw blades and use a VFD but I decided to go with a 1ph and we'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the subscribe! :)
 
My mill has 10hp, 3 phase. But I bought a phase converter instead of doing the expensive route. It was about $2,000, and I did all the wiring myself. I like the electric, but maybe I should have gone gas. I dunno. It's done and I'm happy. I may upgrade the HP one of these years, though.

I don't really mind wading through the sawdust, but if I spend a lot of time milling in a day, then it gets pretty deep and I have to shovel it out. I just bought a big pedestal fan to blow on my back as I mill. That will help keep the sawdust off of me (I hope) but also help keep me cooler in the hot weather.

The woodmizer has an engagement lever for the blade, but I don't use it.
That's quite a setup you have there. I just subscribed to your channel. I look forward to seeing more of your vids!
Rather than the converter types i went with the 20hp model .... power company wanted $10K a mile to add a wire to upgrade the service to 3 phase over a decade ago.
https://www.phasetechnologies.com/products/phase-perfect
 
It is nice to see what folks look like and sound like. I thought you sounded like Australia but the name is otherwise obviously. So far I only made it to changing the cotter pin on the guide movement sprocket.
I am not sure the 3 tips, sharp blade, slow feed, and slower blade speed will help a lot, sharp is pretty obvious as is feed rate and speed if electric is pretty much not possible and if a toggle switch that moves a solenoid on the engine is probably not something to timker with on a regular basis.

If Spruce is like hemlock it isn't terribly problematic at least so far. Oak is the worst that I can recall. Not even sure it is the hardness of knots I have had some pretty serious dives when the actual knot is still deeper in the log.

Probably the best solution is not to have an attitude of not letting that go to waste and dealing with round logs with the pith exactly in the middle and no branches showing at the bark and of course growing straight up.

Last time I tried making the first cut real deep like where the cant is wanted then positioning the next cut in both pieces coming in at right angles to the opening cut. I think I did lots of water based coolant though I doubt it was why I got better results. Even if you enter on the bark and exit the cut face things were not too bad. To minimize flexing of the log as parts are removed open one side and then turn 180 is what I usually do but this is preferable for the wave issue.

I fairly confidently guess this is 1 1/4 wide blades. I do wonder how much better the 2 inch blades which generally run on larger wheels are in this regard.

Woodmeizer does have 1 1/4 blades that are 0.050 those in 4 degree are as good as any for my pasture grade oak trees They bill in 18 inch increments of their choosing so special sizes can vary from hardly any more to 17 inches extra of cost. As one might expect their vortex saw dust removal blade with deep gullet is pretty prone to waves.

I have not tried but instead of roller guides and pushing down on the blade with them just a friction type sandwich and blade running straight from the bottoms of the band wheels.
 
I looked at the VFD's too. I had consulted with my electrician who then in turn consulted with his cohorts since he didn't know much about VFD's, and they came back saying that VFD's are ok but a stable power source is preferred. Also said that machinery with electronics tend to run into trouble sooner or later due to the unstable nature of the power supplied by VFDs. I was going to buy a 3ph butt welder for making/fixing saw blades and use a VFD but I decided to go with a 1ph and we'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the subscribe! :)

how long have you had your mill?
I’m debating on getting a blade sharpener. Sheesh- it’s taking forever to get new blades delivered AND old blades sharpened. I have a good supply, but with this lag time, I’m starting to worry.
 
Woodchuckcanuck ..

.. I think you might have to consult with some others who actually know about VFD and how they work..''' unstable nature of the power supplied by VFD''' absolute rubbish, you have companies like Siemens, Rockwell, Johnson Controls........building /selling VFD's that are operating on machinery in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, no way in hell the load would be ''unstable'' !

 
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