Blade issue

As a follow on to 'Flying Blade ' thread i thought i would report back with some info regarding the bolts.
I located a further 2 bolts,which were very close to the log (plus the sheared bolt) making a total of 3 bolts
Found 3 nuts plus sheared nut making a total of 4 nuts
I think i can deduce probably a least some of the 3 bolts and 3 nuts,if not all, were loose somehow :?,so i certainly don't think the bolts failed initially.

Lucas Mills are a great and safe mill and will continue to be so for many years...MM:2tsup:

Or perhaps the nuts weren't tightened to the correct torque?

Lucas advocate the use of grease on the blade bolts to stop them seizing in the drive hub. If the locking nuts are tightened, regardless of if the bolts are greased the bolts don't come out.

Its easy enough to get 'distracted' during changeovers and not torque them down.

there is only one way that blade bolts can come out and that is if the locking nuts are not put on or if they have rattled undone.

a nut done up tight against another (or a thread in a boss) will deflect the thread and lock the bolts in place. it is impossible for the nut to come off regardless of how much wd40 you put on it.

even if the nuts had rattled off the bolts if done up tight should not fall out.

in horasontal if a bolt has started to come out they would hit the end of the log. unless by some fluke each bolt rattled out wile ideling at the ends of the log.

I have once had a nut rattle off because I had not torqued it properly. I had the mill jump off the end of the rails into the ground with the blade running, because I let it hit the end of the rail to fast.

there is no harm in saying that you made a mistake, every one dose, either by mistake, threw not paying attention or just lazyness, I know I up all the time.

Don't know anything about lucas mills so I'll ask a silly question, these "locking nuts" are they proper nylon locknuts or just normal nuts. If they are nylon locknuts I've found that after a few " loosenings and tightenings" they end up as just nuts and the nylon in them does nothing.

Nyloc nuts, once used should be replaced with NEW ones, unless Loctite or similar is used.
Kryn

No lads, they aren't nylocks.

They are a standard bolt, but they are called 'locking nuts' as the bolt is threaded into the hub to tighten down the blade. Once the bolt is tight, holding the blade to the hub, then the nut is placed.on the end of the bolt and tightened against the hub, thus 'locking' off the bolt. No need for nylocks, especially as with repetitive use nylocks become ineffective.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sigidi

No lads, they aren't nylocks.

They are a standard bolt, but they are called 'locking nuts' as the bolt is threaded into the hub to tighten down the blade. Once the bolt is tight, holding the blade to the hub, then the nut is placed.on the end of the bolt and tightened against the hub, thus 'locking' off the bolt. No need for nylocks, especially as with repetitive use nylocks become ineffective.

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no need for nylocks? why not use them i do on my mill cheap enough by the box to buy even after many uses they still have some grip on threads much more than a plain nut

I have a lucas mill and even before I purchased the mill I was impressed with the thought that has gone into the development of this mill. After using the mill for some time I'm even more impressed with the research and development that has gone into this machine, that said there is no way that I will use cheap parts on my mill