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Thread: Lucas mill woes

  1. #1
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    Default Lucas mill woes

    Hi guys hope someone can help with this problem,my lucas mill will not cut properly vertical and horizontal cuts do not meet to make a clean cut and it starts to dig into the timber and wander all over the place,took the blade to sawshop they sharpened it and said it was good to go.
    Heres some photos.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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  3. #2
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    Default solution

    When i first started out with my lucas mill 14 years ago i had the same problem. I took my blades to several so called saw doctors in my region (southern highlands nsw) almost gave up milling then i sent my blades to a reputable saw doctor at Bendigo on the advice from the lucas mill people and problem solved have only ever used these guys since, each blade arrives on my doorstep and behaves like brand new . My advice to you is to find a real saw doctor who deals with lucas mill blades and is competent , where do you live ? other members may suggest a favourite in their state. Dont make the mistake of fiddling with the adjustments you will just make matters worse. Blade issue in your case is i beleive is loss of temper and needs hammering/retensioning etc . A phone call to lucas mill will help they can possibly suggest a reputable saw doctor in your area. My 8/20 still cuts like it was purchased yesterday its a wonderfull machine (carby issues aside) its just done 2500 hours and still going strong i also have a 8/27 wow what a machine that is . The bottom line is that a lucas mill is a fabulous machine as long as your blades are doctored properly . Read the manual just to make sure your adjustments are ok ie nose angle and blade step are correct . I always run a cap of detergent in my water bottle to help clear gum as well . Good luck

  4. #3
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    Default

    I agree about the choice of saw-doctor.

    I have had quite a few problems recently.

    I suspect the issues you are having are also to blame on the blades. A few issues I have had: incorrect tension in the blades. Incorrect angles on the teeth. And teeth coming off without a proper reason (like hitting foreign object).

    In my opinion (I'm not an expert) more tension in the blade (floppier, so hammering) can make your blades cut even better then new. However, if all the angles on the teeth are not 100% spot on with what lucasmill specifies, you end up with the problems you are having. If the blade is stiffer, I think the sharpening is more forgiving, it will stay on course.

    An other issue I have had were the use of different teeth then the type that are standard on the blade. There was some kind of copper in the join which caused me to loose teeth on every job which was very frustrating.

    Bernt

  5. #4
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    Thanks for the advice,have purchased a new blade from lucasmill wil be giving it a go on monday,hopefully this will fix the problem.

    Thanks Tim

  6. #5
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    Tim are you on FB? Have we been talkin about sharpening on one of the pics of milling at Bonogin?

    I think with a new blade from Lucas you will find it will cut like a dream and even if you are dodgey as hell it will still be good for 3 sharpens after that (if you have been really shocking at sharpening) you'll find it will to start to play up on you, if a saw doctor re-tips it it will be good again and this will go on for a few times, but once the blade gets warm - not even hot!! it's tension will be changed and it will mess around on you regardless of new tips, newly sharpened tips or what - until that is the saw doctor does a proper tensioning job on it.

    I use a bloke over 150k away and it costs me less than $11 to courier two model 10 blades to him over night.

    Tim I don't get into NSW often, but if you are around Brissy sometime look me up and more than happy to chew the fat about all things Lucas

    You'll find the new blade will be perfect - except it you've made a whole heap of adjustments to the settings. did you get a manual with your second hand mill? if so go, through the section on the sawmarks and settings
    I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
    Allan.

  7. #6
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    Hi Tim

    A few other things to consider which can effect the accuracy of your cutting.

    The effect of tensions, or release of them, as you progress down through a log. I don't find them an issue with big old logs that are larger than 1m diameter, but they can have an effect in smaller logs, particularly less than 60cm diameter, and some species are worse than others.

    I find that keeping one pass horizontal cuts to a maximum of 150mm wide produces a more accurate board. Hence, anything over 150mm wide is cut in two passes, generally each pass being half the final width.

    Just a few observations I've noted over the years, which someone with a more technical understanding of tree structures may elaborate on.

    Cheers

    James.

  8. #7
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    Sorry Tim, turns out I've been chatting with a Tony on FB about blades at the mo

    Mate can you take a bit of time and do me a favour? If you still have a log in the mill, shave a new face on the log, the thickness of the blade, doing just 2-3" horizontal passes no vertical cuts. Then take a pic of the sawmarks at each end and middle of the log, then post them up here for me to look at?
    I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
    Allan.

  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by tassietimbers View Post
    Hi Tim

    A few other things to consider which can effect the accuracy of your cutting.

    The effect of tensions, or release of them, as you progress down through a log. I don't find them an issue with big old logs that are larger than 1m diameter, but they can have an effect in smaller logs, particularly less than 60cm diameter, and some species are worse than others.

    I find that keeping one pass horizontal cuts to a maximum of 150mm wide produces a more accurate board. Hence, anything over 150mm wide is cut in two passes, generally each pass being half the final width.

    Just a few observations I've noted over the years, which someone with a more technical understanding of tree structures may elaborate on.

    Cheers

    James.
    James

    I don't profess to have a particularly technical understanding, but something to remember with the swing saw blades is that they have a much harder time when cutting horizontally. I am not aware of other circular saw types that cut horizontally.

    The difficulty is with clearing the sawdust. In vertical mode it falls away or is ejected much more efficiently. In horizontal mode it is more difficult to clear from the underside and tends to build up heat, which is the primary reason for the cooling water. Clearing 200mm or more is a big ask at one hit particularly on a long log. I did do it on occassions but as you rightly said it is quicker in the end to perform two horizontal passes.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  10. #9
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    Paul, the way it is described in the latest Lucas DVD I got when I picked up Sparky is pretty good - in the vertical, once the tooth gullet has been filled with sawchips, it can fall out of both sides of the blade, in the horizontal, it falls under the blade bigger horizontal cuts means more sawchips building up under the blade and yep, not long before the blade is heated up and a trip to the sawdoctor is needed.

    So Tim, how are things goin with the mill?
    I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
    Allan.

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sigidi View Post
    Paul, the way it is described in the latest Lucas DVD I got when I picked up Sparky is pretty good - in the vertical, once the tooth gullet has been filled with sawchips, it can fall out of both sides of the blade, in the horizontal, it falls under the blade bigger horizontal cuts means more sawchips building up under the blade and yep, not long before the blade is heated up and a trip to the sawdoctor is needed.
    Al

    You, and they, are absolutely right. The other effect of the blade overheating is that it has to expand. As it is held by a flange above the blade it's only option is to bend down resulting in significant problems.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  12. #11
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    Hi guys got my new blade from lucasmill a lot better still a few issues with cutting but i think its the tension in the timber i have attatched some photos of the start and the finished product.
    Thanks for all your help Tim
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #12
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    Tim, by the looks of your logs, they are long and thin... long + thin = nasty tension has been my experience. Had occasion to be cutting 3x1.5" out of 16' spotty's that where 300mm dia at big end!! recovery is terrible with each and every layer has to shaved after cutting.

    Did you get chance to take a pic of the surface like I asked? I bet the sawblade marks where almost full circle of the blade across the face of the log?
    I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
    Allan.

  14. #13
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    Spotted Gum has a lot of growth spring in it. I got to the stage and am still there for that matter where I wouldn't cut logs less than 600mm dia. As Al has pointed out, the longer the log the worse the spring gets. The recovery rate becomes abysmal. Naturally large section timbers from small logs are not possible either. It is a different situation with softwoods of course.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  15. #14
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    Default Yep I've it the same problem

    Quote Originally Posted by catpower View Post
    Hi guys hope someone can help with this problem,my lucas mill will not cut properly vertical and horizontal cuts do not meet to make a clean cut and it starts to dig into the timber and wander all over the place,took the blade to sawshop they sharpened it and said it was good to go.
    Heres some photos.
    Ive done all the adjustments and just can't get my cuts to meet. What happens is the blade flicks to the left about 10 mm when it exits the vertical cut, so it's being pit under pressure. Then, once I dod the hoz cut, the blade jams towards the last third of the log and when it exits, the hoz cut is about 8mm below the vertical cut line.

    Will try another blade because I do use my mill to rip posts and do so without the guard/water bottle so it may have gotten too hot.

  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by catpower View Post
    Hi guys got my new blade from lucasmill a lot better still a few issues with cutting but i think its the tension in the timber i have attatched some photos of the start and the finished product.
    Thanks for all your help Tim
    So did you cut your posts on the mill?

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