Solution to the 21" Mingo marker wheel

Just got off the phone with the fellow that came up with the Mingo marker.. Great jolly gentleman to chat with. I was asking when he was going to come up with a 20" wheel for the marker and he said it wouldn't be anytime soon as it was $20K to have the mold made.

BUT, he said that he had a solution for me.

He said to get a 14" wheel and add a cam 180 deg to the original so it marks twice a revolution, that is, every 7". Make your cut on every third mark and you have a 21" piece of firewood. I ordered a wheel from him and he threw in the extra cam for free. It'll use more paint, but you'll know your firewood when you see it. It'll have 2 dots on every piece.

Ian

Never used a Mingo before...Do the wheels get larger or smaller for longer wood...If they get larger/longer, couldn't you just wrap tape around the largest wheel until you acheived the desired length?...Then if you wanted you could make a spacer out of plastic that would press on the old wheel for a more professional look...

Anyone try this? I cut my wood 20"-22" in long so the 24" is a waste so is the 18"

I use my mingo with the 24" for my owb....would love to make it 23 or 23.5"...all it takes is one cut at a bit of an angle and it doesn't fit in my 24" splitter...grrrr...I was just jumping on two pieces to cram them in last night....

I have one made up, but have not used it other than just playing around. It does work however. Here's a pic. I used some plastic cement in addition to the screw. --Ian

With both wedges on the wheel , is that the one that makes a mark ever 7 inches?

Yes, that's a 14" wheel with an added wedge for marks every 7"

Ian

Haywire Haywood said:

Yes, that's a 14" wheel with an added wedge for marks every 7"

Ian

Click to expand...

is that 14" diameter or circumference?

(doing a little thinking here.... lol)

never mind...i figured it out..

We use a 16" wheel. Cutting everything to 16" works great for selling (3 rows 4'x8'), storing (3 rows per pallet), and QUICK splitting.

22" works out best in my stove but, the 2 guys that cut with me have a hell of a time getting 2 pieces the same length. Here is my fix for the mingo for 22" wood.

Cut off the outer ring



Cut out a section to end up with 22" circumference



Spread some epoxy on the ring and clamp back on



End result

That would work great if the outer ring was good and secure.

Anyone have access to a water jet cutter? You could cut a disc out of a piece of 1/16" aluminum plate with teeth cut into the outer rim. Weld a spacer into the center for a hub, a little wedge for a cam and bob's yer uncle.

Ian

Haywire Haywood said:

That would work great if the outer ring was good and secure.
Ian

Click to expand...

What................no confidence in my epoxying?

Haywire Haywood said:

That would work great if the outer ring was good and secure.

Anyone have access to a water jet cutter? You could cut a disc out of a piece of 1/16" aluminum plate with teeth cut into the outer rim. Weld a spacer into the center for a hub, a little wedge for a cam and bob's yer uncle.

Ian

Click to expand...

21" / pi = 6.68"

A 42 tooth bicycle chainring is almost exactly 6 3/4". You could probably get a worn out one from a bike shop for free if they don't throw them out the minute they remove them. You'd really want a 41 tooth, but that's rare and you can't have the one I possess.
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?ID=10218

super3 said:

What................no confidence in my epoxying?

Click to expand...

I wasn't implying anything against your epoxying skills... I just know that gluing thin plastic is a challenge.

Ian

taxmantoo said:

21" / pi = 6.68"

A 42 tooth bicycle chainring is almost exactly 6 3/4". You could probably get a worn out one from a bike shop for free if they don't throw them out the minute they remove them. You'd really want a 41 tooth, but that's rare and you can't have the one I possess.

Click to expand...

Problem with that is weight (thick steel), plus the center arbor is too large. You'd have to scab a patch on there, redrill the center and then weld in the spacer.

Ian

seems like a lot of trouble

I guess I just don't get it, why buy a plastic tool and paint to make something as simple as firewood? My saw has a 20 inch bar on it, if I want to measure I just put the dog in my last cut and then cut were the nose lands. I can burn up to 24 so as long as it is under it is fine. I just eyeball it and get 18-20 inch with a few oddballs from time to time. But would rather have a few 24s and 16s than have to carry another tool around to keep up with and buy paint.

Am I alone in this or does anyone else think these things are pointless?

depends on how anal you are about a neat even wood pile... I mean stack.

Ian

Haywire Haywood said:

Problem with that is weight (thick steel), plus the center arbor is too large. You'd have to scab a patch on there, redrill the center and then weld in the spacer.

Ian

Click to expand...

That one I linked was, IIRC, 7075 aluminum, not steel. (and on closeout for $10 if you can't find a used one for free)
A nice crankset (2 arms, two chainrings, and bolts) weighs about a pound and a half. The smaller (42 tooth) chainring alone probably weighs less than 3 ounces. I was thinking you could screw the chainring to a 18" Mongo wheel, but maybe that wouldn't be feasible.

4seasons said:

I guess I just don't get it, why buy a plastic tool and paint to make something as simple as firewood? My saw has a 20 inch bar on it, if I want to measure I just put the dog in my last cut and then cut were the nose lands. I can burn up to 24 so as long as it is under it is fine. I just eyeball it and get 18-20 inch with a few oddballs from time to time. But would rather have a few 24s and 16s than have to carry another tool around to keep up with and buy paint.

Am I alone in this or does anyone else think these things are pointless?

Click to expand...

To begin with this thread was about altering an existing tool.

If selling wood consistent lengths make a lot of difference.

My stove also will take 24" wood. 18" wood is just wasting the firebox. Less burn time, less btu's. More cutting, more splitting, more stacking.

Besides as I all ready stated this was done to aid an occasional cutting partner that has a problem with consistency.

super3 said:

To begin with this thread was about altering an existing tool.

If selling wood consistent lengths make a lot of difference.

My stove also will take 24" wood. 18" wood is just wasting the firebox. Less burn time, less btu's. More cutting, more splitting, more stacking.

Besides as I all ready stated this was done to aid an occasional cutting partner that has a problem with consistency.

Click to expand...

I get that customers can be picky and would want a consistent length. I wouldn't take someone that was buying wood my odd length, badly split stuff, but it will burn in my stove just fine. I just don't see using spray paint to mark it. I must have overlooked the part about a cutting partner's problem. My father-in-law cuts some short crap so last time he helped me cut I took him a sample length piece and said "This length please." But I know if I had a plastic wheel tool with a spray can it would get broken the 1st time out in the woods.