Thread: Do you use lube?

on the odd occasion i'll spray some CRC up there,but other than that mine seem fine

The best thing i've ever done was to buy some teflon spray. I've sprayed the chain, inside the winders, on the top of the rear rail on the mill head that the nylon block slides on, the carby linkages and all my woodworking machines' beds.

I've always tried to avoid oil/grease for the obvious reason that it picks up sawdust, so the teflon spray is a real bonus. I use a type that goes on wet and takes about 30 minutes to dry. There are several brands. It's not cheap, but goes a long way. Be generous with it.

I regularly go over the winders. Although I haven't found a product like Craig's yet, so I'm still using oil based stuff, which is a PITA as it hold crud. but I go over the chains, sprockets, the arms the sprockets are on (never touch the pads with lube, never!!! they act like your car brakes, so need to have friction for the brake to work properly - that's just my opinion, so I try hard not to touch them with any lube) I use it on all the stuff which moves when winding the end frames up and down.

Don't think you will need to replace those pads inside the winders though, you'd have to do a ##### load of cutting before they need replacing I'd reckon...

i use silicone spry once a year.

Without hijacking the thread, i came across a new chain lubricant the other day made by Innox. It comes in a purple can and goes on as a liquid, not like alot of others that tend to foam up and collect sawdust forever. Good product should you come across it

Cheers All for your help!
Not sure whats going on with one of my winders... If fine winding up till it gets to one spot, that seems to be in the same location, and it gets stiff but can still wind through it, then I hear an ominous "click" and it become easy to wind again
Ps I am holding down the cam with my thumb and keeping the mill reasonably level, doing a bit at each end at a time.

Originally Posted by comgreserv

Cheers All for your help!
Not sure whats going on with one of my winders... If fine winding up till it gets to one spot, that seems to be in the same location, and it gets stiff but can still wind through it, then I hear an ominous "click" and it become easy to wind again
Ps I am holding down the cam with my thumb and keeping the mill reasonably level, doing a bit at each end at a time.

couple of things I'm thinking, is the click once in every turn? if so I'd say you've lost a tooth somewhere, if it is only in one spot on the endframe pole then maybe ya pole has had a knock and the collar isn't riding easy. Sometimes I've found the collar binds on the endframe pole, so to get me trough that particular job I oil the pole so the collar slides easy - it does mean I have to clean it off really well at the end of the job, but it helps make things easier to get through without too much stress on ya winding shoulder

PS. you shouldn't have to worry about keeping the mill 'level' if I need to raise the mill high, I go up to half the height of the endframe in one go at each end, the whole height at the other end, then back to the first end - doesn't seem to have any probs - when I do that though I chuck the motor in the middle to make each end easier

Originally Posted by comgreserv

Cheers All for your help!
Not sure whats going on with one of my winders... If fine winding up till it gets to one spot, that seems to be in the same location, and it gets stiff but can still wind through it, then I hear an ominous "click" and it become easy to wind again
Ps I am holding down the cam with my thumb and keeping the mill reasonably level, doing a bit at each end at a time.

Hi with your winch problem what you will find is your winch chain has streched over time and the chain is riding up on the tooth as you wind the mill up.
As the chain goe's up on the tooth it get tight.
The ominous click is the chain going back into place.
With the new mills we have a chain tensioner in them so this can't happen ang more,to fix the probem you need to take the winch cover of and put a bolt in as an idler to keep the chain tight,if your not shaw what to do give us a call at lucas mill on the toll free number 1800582271.
Cheers Dudley
Lucasmil

LEGEND LEGEND LEGEND!!!
If for no other reason, anyone thinking of buying any other brand of portable sawmill, should buy a Lucus simply for their after sales service!
Cheers for that, I will investigate when I get a chance. At least I know its not going to break off in my hand.

Cheers again Dudley

Darren

Just thought I'd get in before Allan

I love my Lucas for that very reason

Anyone would think this is a Lucas forum

Ah Dudley, you are indeed a legend. I have had the same prob and tried to take the whole winder apart to fix it. Note to everyone, you don't want to do that!

ky works good