Thread: advice for loading long logs into lucas mill

Move the mill to the open bit at the end of the shed so you can use the forklift or I could bring my bobcat down and we can lift one end each

thanks dj. i'm thinking,i might have to move the mill down there and set up a sawdust collector as well.i've got some old bench rollers that i could set up to slide the logs in.

Charlsie, whats wrong with putting them on skids on outside of mill and rolling them into mill on skids?

remove power head and then remove one rail and spread ends apart and drive log in with forklift replace rail and power head. safest way I find.

allan the end frames won't allow the log to roll in.from memory it's 5200mm or there abouts. if it wasn't raining so much i'd go and measure it. tricky,i'm trying to avoid moving the end frames too much and trying to find an easy out.if it was only 2 or 3 logs i would do it that way but there is 23 of them. i also saw on someone elses thread,a few different ideas on rollers to help tailing out,which i will make up through the week

i went and put a tape over the mill.i can get 5.6mtr log in but not much more

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Charlsie, whats wrong with putting them on skids on outside of mill and rolling them into mill on skids?

Alternatively, setup the mill on a set of skids/wheels/track and move the mill length ways over the log once log is setup, would mean a set of railway tracks ~12m long tho, otherwise it's rolling the log into the mill on a boat roller type of setup, would have to then stop the log moving


Pete

When you say 5.6m, is that the length of cut or loading in?

Can't remember if you already have extensions on your mill or not, but if you need some, you can borrow mine.

The bloke who cut some hoop pine here had extension on the mill to cut longer logs but the support frames were still a problem for side loading..

It get them in the mill we put them end on at one end of the mill & wrapped a sling around them & put a chain on the sling right through & out the other end of the mill & used the 4WD to tow them into place.

The spreaders were dug in so the log didn't catch on them.

Originally Posted by pjt

Alternatively, setup the mill on a set of skids/wheels/track and move the mill length ways over the log once log is setup, would mean a set of railway tracks ~12m long tho, otherwise it's rolling the log into the mill on a boat roller type of setup, would have to then stop the log moving


Pete

If the log was suspended in midair, then yes you could, you still need to allow the bottom pipe of the end frame to travel under the log

pete that's what i might be looking at,and then chock the log.dj 5.6 is the load length,i can cut 6.1 with the extentions and cliff understands it

Two sets of underslung snigging wheels should do the trick, provided there is access at both ends to pull.

It's a shame your crane doesn't have the capacity to lift them, I use mine to load them by shortening one of the chains so one end is higher, drop the lower end in between the end frames then feed it through one end till clear at the other end then readjust chains so log is level then feed through other end frame.

Originally Posted by Acco

If the log was suspended in midair, then yes you could, you still need to allow the bottom pipe of the end frame to travel under the log

I'm not that familliar with the finer design details of a Lucas so the bottom pipe would be a problem, Is it possible to remove it temporarily for a move then replace after a move, I am guessing it adds stability so needs to be there, Is there only one each end?


Pete