Thread: Old School 24" 3Phase thicknesser

I would love to think that the blokes working on this machine know they are on solid ground, and know that some wild and outrageous claims about the legality of the old machine should be ignored. And since kuffy could not produce the relevant Australian standard I obtained a copy.
I read it, and did some more reading to confirm what I knew was true, since I have been involved in actually giving input into an Australian Standard.
What it says must be read with a clear understanding of what a non mandated Australian Standard is, and what enforceable mandated standards are.

1. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->Compliance of products and services in the Australian market with Australian Standards is normally voluntary, unless the products or services are regulated by Government.
Ref:
http://www.standards.org.au/OurOrgan...Standards.aspx

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> 2. It is legal to supply products in Australia that do not meet voluntary Australian standards, while mandatory standards are law and there are penalties and consequences for supplying products that do not comply with them.
Ref:
http://www.productsafety.gov.au/cont...atorystandards

3. Full list of mandatory standards, things like baby dummies, cots, helmets etc.
Ref:
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> http://www.productsafety.gov.au/cont...atorystandards


So....until I have someone show me where the laws banning square head machines are, I'm happy with what I know to be true...
The use of a square head machine in Australia is not banned
Manufacturing square head machines and parts for them in Australia is not banned.
Selling new or secondhand square head machines is not banned.
Squareheads fighting in cages in Victoria is not banned.
Teaching the use of square head machines in TAFE and other places is also not banned.
Here are 52 RTOs approved to deliver this unit of competency.
https://training.gov.au/Search/Searc...peSearch=False

This is my last post in this thread.
Since I would love to talk more about vintage square head machines, I'll zip across to the vintage machinery section and discuss it with like minded individuals.

Cheers,
Peter

AS 1473.6-2005 (which is still the current one to my knowledge). whether the crap this document says is "law" or not, damned if i know. I just know what i was told in school. perhaps ive been trained by teachers spreading myths..Im perfectly happy to concede that older machinery produced before standards or laws are passed aren't always banned outright, i dont know for sure, but it seems reasonable and Peter ill take your word on it. also, thankyou for schooling me on the fact that standards arent always enforceable laws, more like guidelines.

for thicknessers and surface planers and also combo machines, the standard says from memory going back +10years, something about cutterblocks must be a cylinder shape. and then it will crap on about how the knives must be fully supported/clamped and not protrude the cutterblock more than about 1.5mm, or 3mm for 20inch+ thicknessers. there is also something about how far away the clamping wedge can be from the cutting edge, i dont know the measurement but i reckon it gives an exact measurement in it. theres probably other stuff in it, but i dont remember, didnt really care.

now..you may ask, whats so important about any of those design "guidelines" (guidelines, because not all standards are laws i just found out). there all based around limiting the amount of exposed cutter. if you had a cylinder head, with a cutter exposed only 0.5mm from the cutterblock. each revolution of the head can at maximum only take 0.5mm from your finger (ignoring any depth gained from the distance from the clamping wedge), because to be able to take anymore, you need to be able to physically shove your finger into the actual steel cutterblock. all this is a more fancy way of saying "Square heads were outlawed a long time ago due to the amount of trauma suffered if u did touch the spinning head." though i probably shouldnt have said "outlawed" as it obviously struck a nerve with Peter

for a square head, lets say 100mm square head, the comparable cylinder head will be about 141mm in diameter. on a cylinder head with just a cylinder and a cutter sticking out of it 3mm, no clamping wedge etc, you will lose 3mm slices off your finger, arm, face w/e per pass of each knife. on the comparable square head, off the top of my head, its gonna be closer to about 23mm taken per pass of each knife.


in summary,
square heads are not "illegal"
square heads are extremely much more dangerous for the dummies that actually touch spinning cutter. difference of losing a fingertip or hand...

I would be willing to use square heads on anything, buzzers, thickys, spindle moulders w/e. wouldnt worry me in the least. i have used machinery which far exceeds the dangers from square heads. i would not purchase a square head machine for commercial use, just seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

You'se can all rest a bit easier.
Following a risk assessment of all the machinery machinery in our shed we have decided to locate Tom "off site" and restrict access to a very small number of members.

Originally Posted by BobL

You'se can all rest a bit easier.
Following a risk assessment of all the machinery machinery in our shed we have decided to locate Tom "off site" and restrict access to a very small number of members.

Probably a good move, but in my opinion not necessary if all the spinning bits have guards covering them.

Originally Posted by specialist

Probably a good move, but in my opinion not necessary if all the spinning bits have guards covering them.

Sorry I should have said that safety was a secondary reason.
The main reason for moving it was the amount of space it takes up versus the expected use.

That makes good sense

Here is a nice Wilson chain and chisel Mortiser to go with your Wilson thickneser Bob. Its over your way as well


http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/padbu...cer/1076909981

Rob

Originally Posted by auscab

Here is a nice Wilson chain and chisel Mortiser to go with your Wilson thickneser Bob. Its over your way as well


http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/padbu...cer/1076909981

Rob

Well, given we got the thicknesses for nothing we certainly won't be paying two grand for what looks like a major refurbishment.