New Motor for my Mill

[DJ’s Timber]

Been wanting to get my 8" Lucas mill up and running again, been about 4 years since I've had it running.

Anyway, got it out this morning to see what it needed to get it running again, was going to replace all the usual serviceable items, change the oil and drain the fuel tank and top up with fresh fuel.

Before I got to carried away, I had a pull on the starter rope and the thing was jammed solid, couldn't budge it. Checked everything to make sure nothing was jamming the starter mechanism and that was all fine, so thought it must be internal then, so off with the rocker covers to check the valves, one exhaust valve was stiff so I then knew which cylinder was the prob.

Pulled it all apart and and took the cylinder head off and this is what I found :~ 66118 and a closer look 66119.

Apparently the exhaust valve was slightly open on that cylinder and over the years, condensation has built up in there through the open valve and rusted the chrome off the bore and the piston is seized onto the bore.

So a new motor will be ordered tomorrow, will also be upgrading from a 20hp Vee twin to a 22hp electric start. Will not be able to get a 20hp till March but can get the 22hp now and will only be an extra $200 so I will go for the 22hp :2tsup:. Would like to get the 30hp that Lucas are fitting to the current model but would require extensive reworking of the frame to fit it in or buy a new frame and that is money I can't afford at the moment :no:.

[Calm]

Thats bad luck DJ but the electric start and a couple of extra horses will be an improvement.

Do you have some timber waiting to be slabbed.

I think at the top you meant 8' not 8"

cheers

[DJ’s Timber]

Thats bad luck DJ but the electric start and a couple of extra horses will be an improvement.

Do you have some timber waiting to be slabbed.

I think at the top you meant 8' not 8"

cheers

Yeah the electric start and extra hp will be good and no I don't mean 8', its a 8" circular swingsaw.

Haven't got any timber in mind waiting to be slabbed, just want to get it going again and start doing some regular milling work again, got plenty of Redgum logs up at the farm and will also be good for resawing old sleepers as well.

[bobsreturn2003]

its a real shame about the motor , may be able to resleve it and new piston may fix it . if you have a good small engine guy have a look at it .the lucas are a good mill .next time you leave the motor pull it onto compression ,closes the valves ,or give it a squirt of crc down the carby .. happy cutting bob .

[DJ’s Timber]

its a real shame about the motor , may be able to resleve it and new piston may fix it

Thought about it, but cylinder head would need to be done as well plus new valves and the carbie needs to be reconditioned and a few threadholes would need to be heli-coiled as well.

Considering that I'll also be gaining an electric start plus 2 extra horsies as well and can have it up a running again virtually straight away, not to mention that the original motor has done a lot of work, thought it would be best to start afresh again.

[DJ’s Timber]

Picked up my new motor this morning between doing deliveries and pickups.

New motor prior to installing it

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Back view of motor with new clutch and front view mounted in frame, took awhile to put in as I wasn't happy with the alignment of the pulleys, one of the original mount holes was drilled about 6-7mm out of whack which then put pressure on two of the other rubber mounts, so spent a bit of time re-aligning everything and the pulleys are now dead in line with each other and the rubber mounts are no longer being twisted :2tsup:

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Got the fuel tank remounted, had to do a bit of modifications to the existing brackets as shown in the second picture below, the rocker cover is slightly wider then the original one, so scalloped a bit out of the side of the bracket, same for the other side but for the dipstick not rocker cover.

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Might not get back to it till late tomorrow or Friday, but need to pick up some fuel line, find out why the muffler wasn't in the box as I was told it would have one and make up a mounting frame for the battery. Hope to fire it up Friday or Saturday and then on Sunday do a bit a milling re-sawing some sleepers for thumbsucker

[BobL]

Looks Good DJ, I'd love to see some pics of the sleeper milling for TS.

Cheers

[Harry72]

Should'a wacked a Harley motor in it!

[DJ’s Timber]

Should'a wacked a Harley motor in it!

Are you crazy :o, I want something reliable, not something that I have to patch up and dodge oil leaks on :doh: :U

[Groggy]

Should'a wacked a Harley motor in it!Why? Less power and more noise :p

[Groggy]

Nice work there DJ, I guess the trees nearby are looking less than happy :)

Looks a LOT bigger out of the box btw.

[DJ’s Timber]

The trees around here are pretty safe Groggy :U, rather mill the Redgum or Yellowbox from the farm before I touch any around here, unless one of my 2 Blackwood trees decides to fall over :o.

Any way, not much more has happened, the muffler is on back order, which is why it wasn't in the box. So that means it won't be going this weekend :C.

Have worked out where the battery is going to sit and will make a cradle for it tomorrow, also had some leads made up for it today. Picked up some more fuel line today as well only to discover that when I got home the drongo :gaah: who cut it for me gave me 5/16" line instead of 1/4".

[BobL]

. . . . . Picked up some more fuel line today as well only to discover that when I got home the drongo :gaah: who cut it for me gave me 5/16" line instead of 1/4".

That's a bummer :(( but I am secretly pleased to hear this happens to other people too - I only ever thought this happened to me :D

[charlsie]

i think it happens quite often but at least i've got a metre of all sizes
DJ i notice the petrol tank on your mill is the same as the one on my slabber. question; does yours let water in ? if i leave mine uncovered outside i have to drain the bowl out and i put it down to the tank letting in water:doh:

[DJ’s Timber]

i does yours let water in ?

Can't say if mine had ever let water in charlsie, but at the end of each day when I've finished, I normally top the fuel tank up so that it's always full. In fact it still had nearly a full tank in it now despite being sitting there for 4 yrs or so.

Will be draining it out as it will have gone off and replacing it with some fresh fuel :2tsup: before I fire the new motor up.

[Exador]

i think it happens quite often but at least i've got a metre of all sizes
DJ i notice the petrol tank on your mill is the same as the one on my slabber. question; does yours let water in ? if i leave mine uncovered outside i have to drain the bowl out and i put it down to the tank letting in water:doh:

I've not had that problem with my slabber. It might be a fault with your tank?

[thumbsucker]

I am looking forward to actually seeing the mill in action and to see how it works exactly. Have seen it at the show but never really paid attention to it.

[DJ’s Timber]

Picked up the new muffler today, installed it then finished the battery bracket to fit in under the muffler. Fitted the new leads and new fuel line from tank to motor, gave it a check over to make sure I hadn't missed anything, put some new oil and fresh fuel in and she fired up as soon as I turned the key :2tsup: :U.

Will pick up a couple of logs from the yard in the morning and give her a run :;

[Calm]

Looking good DJ, bet you cant wait to try it.

[Groggy]

Should be interesting watching this in action, let us know when you get serious with it. :2tsup:

[charlsie]

dj looks like there's too many trees in that yard you might have to get to work on those first. good luck

[DJ’s Timber]

Picked up 2 Cypress logs this morning from the yard but that is far as I got today, as I had to shoot off down to Melbourne today :~.

Anyway, all keyed up to unload them in the morning and get stuck into them and also re saw some very clean straight ex railway sleepers for thumbsucker as well.

[Groggy]

DJ, if you want somewhere high and dry to stack that after it is cut, I can reluctantly offer the back of my yoot.:wink:

[DJ’s Timber]

DJ, if you want somewhere high and dry to stack that after it is cut, I can reluctantly offer the back of my yoot.:wink:

You're quite welcome to come and pick it up after I've cut them Groggy :2tsup:, but you'll have to pay for the timber at the yard as I am milling it for them :U.

[Groggy]

It was worth a try I guess :)

[DJ’s Timber]

Well a start has been made and the report is that the new motor works well :2tsup:. Neil (dei sensei) also joined in and watched with a bit of help here and there, thanks mate :2tsup:.

Positioned the first log no worries but the second log was a bit too much weight for the boom on my crane, 67401 doesn't surprise me as it is only 3mm wall thickness whilst the rest of it is 6mm wall thickness :doh:, was what was on hand at the time :shrug:. Not to worry, got some 150mm x 75mm x 5 or 6mm SHS here that I can use :U.

Got the top off the first log, which I then placed some Brush Box sleepers on to re-saw for a fellow forumite TS.

Some action shots of it in use and the Brush Box.

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[Groggy]

Aarghh, aarghh, aarghh!!! (as Tim Allan would say). Looks like a fun day.

Pity about the crane, I'm sure you can fix it in no time though with your welding abilities.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Are there any blocks of land up for sale within log-rolling distance, DJ? :innocent:

[thumbsucker]

That is some nice timber I have their :D, thanks DJ :2tsup:

Keep posting back.

[DJ’s Timber]

Are there any blocks of land up for sale within log-rolling distance, DJ? :innocent:

Not confirmed yet, but next door might be going on the market, is that close enough for ya :q, already got a house on it with enough room to drive a truck right around the house :U.

[dai sensei]

It was great seeing a Lucas up close and personal. Shame about the crane, but I am sure with your handy skills you will have it up and running again in no time.

Thanks for the company.

Cheers

[DJ’s Timber]

Pity about the crane, I'm sure you can fix it in no time though with your welding abilities.


Shame about the crane, but I am sure with your handy skills you will have it up and running again in no time.


And fixed in no time it is :2tsup:.

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Using just the gas axe, bench linisher, arc welder, electric hand drill and a few hand tools it is done :U. Was able to salvage all the original fittings bar the boom :doh: by gouging out the welds with the gas axe and then cleaned everything up on the linisher, cut a new boom and then re-weld the lot back together.