copedirector
ArboristSite Lurker
What is there for auxiliary oiler options? Just getting started and I believe this is a good thing.
auxiliary oil
- Thread starter copedirector
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Here is Ganbergs option. You could maker one with a plastic bottle, some fittings and a small ball valve for much less.
http://onlinestore.forestindustry.com/scripts/granbergint/G801A.html
jerry-
One thing I have learned about Aux oilers is - like any oil reservoir, if they can leak all over you vehicle they will.
I have made 4 out of PVC pipe and associated fittings. Usually I use thinner ~3.5" diameter storm water pipe but my latest one is made out of 4" sewage pipe.
I use a enough pipe so that when I glue a cap on one end and and a full width screw cap inspection port at the other it gives me about a 2 pint reservoir. The advantage of this method is one can put their hand inside this container and firmly screw down fittings from the inside as well as outside. Adding a T-pieces to the top and the bottom allows an oil level indicator tube to be fitted.
AT the nose end of the line I use setups like this which just drip the oil onto the line where of the chain makes contact with the bar.
Once the chain/bar have warmed up the oil is dragged between chain links and onto the driver. Hollow bolts through the bar delivering oil to the bottom of th bar groove also work but can get clogged.
I have made 4 out of PVC pipe and associated fittings. Usually I use thinner ~3.5" diameter storm water pipe but my latest one is made out of 4" sewage pipe.
I use a enough pipe so that when I glue a cap on one end and and a full width screw cap inspection port at the other it gives me about a 2 pint reservoir. The advantage of this method is one can put their hand inside this container and firmly screw down fittings from the inside as well as outside. Adding a T-pieces to the top and the bottom allows an oil level indicator tube to be fitted.
AT the nose end of the line I use setups like this which just drip the oil onto the line where of the chain makes contact with the bar.
Once the chain/bar have warmed up the oil is dragged between chain links and onto the driver. Hollow bolts through the bar delivering oil to the bottom of th bar groove also work but can get clogged.
copedirector
ArboristSite Lurker
Great looking design. I'm going to the store tommorrow.
Here are some oil tanks and a gas tank I made for my mill from aluminum. A little overkill, but they work great.
jerry-
Bottom of one tank and the top of another.
Gas tank is the large one and the two smaller tanks are for oil.
betterbuilt
I build stuff from milled slabs
The drawback with the Grangberg one is you can't see the oil level. BobL seems to have fixed that with that clear line that runs back to the top. It is nice to see the oil level.
I use the grangberg only because It what I have.
gemniii
Addicted to ArboristSite
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2009
- Messages
- 1,502
- Reaction score
- 166
Anyone have an idea on the minimum tube and orifice size for oil in the winter?
Say about 0 deg C, canola oil.
thanks
Say about 0 deg C, canola oil.
thanks
betterbuilt
I build stuff from milled slabs
I kept the oil in my truck to keep it warm. It gels up so I would only use what I needed to get through the cut. I had a propane heater I would use to thaw the oil if it gelled. I would say it was a PITA. The saw didn't matter, it stays warm enough the oil never gelled.
Edit/ It may have been colder than 0. You also reminded me I still need to change the thermocouple on my heater. Thanks
Edit/ It may have been colder than 0. You also reminded me I still need to change the thermocouple on my heater. Thanks
Last edited:
A couple of observations about aux oiler flow control.
The ideal flow control tap is easy to use (even while wearing gloves) and has enough fine control to vary the oil flow rate even during the cut. This is quite tricky to obtain in practice because most cheap small taps are effectively just stop cocks (ie basically on/off) and any flow control they have is over such a small range that adjusting flow rate, especially during the cut, becomes difficult. Needle valves are a good way to go if you can get them.
One way around this problem is to use two taps. One tap serves as an on/off and the other is for flow rate control so that once the a flow rate is established it can stay in a fixed position and the other tap just turns the oil on/off. This is what I set up on the BIL mill (one stop cock and one needle valve) and it worked fine except when the oil level changed significantly so did flow rate and also for other reasons when I wanted to adjust the oil flow rate during a cut. At that point I could reach across the log and adjust the needle valve so no big deal.
When using a longer (60") bar on a mill I found I the needle valve was too far away from the operator so I had to walk around the log to adjust the flow rate, so I added a remote oil flow control lever. This was basically a bicycle click position gear change lever and cable. Because the needle valve was a screw type valve I connected the remote the to the stop cock and after modifying the length, and varying the cable connection position, of the stop cock lever I found a length and position that gave me 7 clicks from "almost full flow" to "off". this give me 5 clicks of control and I find about 3 of them enough to give me the control I need to cope with the change in oil height and the other situations such as variable log widths.
One last thing is where to put the tap. It's probably instinctive to put it near the tank but then you have a line thats full of oil which when you are finished may slowly empty itself all over your garage or car floor. If it is possible, a better place to locate the tap is nearer to the delivery point. Another possibility is to added a bleeder tap to the other side of the regular tap so that the oil line can be bled so that it does not empty itself at the least inconvenient time.
The ideal flow control tap is easy to use (even while wearing gloves) and has enough fine control to vary the oil flow rate even during the cut. This is quite tricky to obtain in practice because most cheap small taps are effectively just stop cocks (ie basically on/off) and any flow control they have is over such a small range that adjusting flow rate, especially during the cut, becomes difficult. Needle valves are a good way to go if you can get them.
One way around this problem is to use two taps. One tap serves as an on/off and the other is for flow rate control so that once the a flow rate is established it can stay in a fixed position and the other tap just turns the oil on/off. This is what I set up on the BIL mill (one stop cock and one needle valve) and it worked fine except when the oil level changed significantly so did flow rate and also for other reasons when I wanted to adjust the oil flow rate during a cut. At that point I could reach across the log and adjust the needle valve so no big deal.
When using a longer (60") bar on a mill I found I the needle valve was too far away from the operator so I had to walk around the log to adjust the flow rate, so I added a remote oil flow control lever. This was basically a bicycle click position gear change lever and cable. Because the needle valve was a screw type valve I connected the remote the to the stop cock and after modifying the length, and varying the cable connection position, of the stop cock lever I found a length and position that gave me 7 clicks from "almost full flow" to "off". this give me 5 clicks of control and I find about 3 of them enough to give me the control I need to cope with the change in oil height and the other situations such as variable log widths.
One last thing is where to put the tap. It's probably instinctive to put it near the tank but then you have a line thats full of oil which when you are finished may slowly empty itself all over your garage or car floor. If it is possible, a better place to locate the tap is nearer to the delivery point. Another possibility is to added a bleeder tap to the other side of the regular tap so that the oil line can be bled so that it does not empty itself at the least inconvenient time.
Last edited:
One problem with fixed size small orifice is they block up and provide variable flow rate if the oil level height changes appreciably. I know this is less of a problem with the Granberg oiler but I prefer to use a 1/8" orifice and use flow control via a tap rather than use the orifice.
Nose Oilier Today
Here is a nose oilier I did today for my friend who just bought an Alaskan mill. I made an aluminum tank, same as I used on my mill. I used a good ball valve because I can visually see how far open or closed the valve is at a quick glance.
Vent on top of aluminum bottle. I used a PVC 3/4" plug then drilled and taped it for 1/4" pipe. The stainless steel vent I picked up at a local bearing supplier, $.50 ea.
View of the 1/4" pipe ball valve. I think it was $5 or $6.
I used a piece of 3/4" aluminum square tubing to mount the bike water bottle bracket. It just slips into the 1" square tubing that Ganberg uses for their tubing. I used 1/4-20 thread inserts into the aluminum tubing so i could attach the water bottle bracket easily.
View of how I mounted the 3/16" copper tubing to the Gandberg frame. I also used 1/4-20 thread inserts for the copper tubing hold-down aluminum strap. It makes for an easy removal of the tubing when needed.
The little red spot is my type 'O' blood. Yep, I nicked my thumb. I'll survive... :biggrinbounce2:
Here are a few pictures from the nose oilier install.
Complete oilier system mounted.
Copper tubing can be bent to any position on the bar needed. Tubing is about 1/8" ID.
End shot of oiling system mounted. Only took a couple of hours to put the system together after making a trip to HW store for a couple of fittings I didn't have in my fitting cans.
jerry-
Complete oilier system mounted.
Copper tubing can be bent to any position on the bar needed. Tubing is about 1/8" ID.
End shot of oiling system mounted. Only took a couple of hours to put the system together after making a trip to HW store for a couple of fittings I didn't have in my fitting cans.
jerry-
Last edited:
That vent valve costs AUS$8 in Australia - we get ripped off here so much.
Your 1/4" ball valve looks like the same valve I have on the BIL mill. Our hardware people sell it as a compressed air valve, from memory it cost AUS$12.
I found the nut holding the ball valve lever on vibrated loose on a regular basis and had to loctite it on. Over a couple of years the ball seat (seems to be made of some plastic) compressed and leaked oil and had to be replaced.
Otherwise very tidy work Jerry!
:yourock:
$8.00 is a rip off. I bought about 10 of them the last time I was down there. They really work nice and look pretty cool!
They really work well. I had another valve on my oilier and it was like, is or isn't it open... I have found I can open it a little and it will stay where I want. Haven't had a problem with the handle falling off yet. The stainless steel valves used for oxygen systems I have found are real nice. Expensive, but nice.
Thanks Bob. I'm all out of aluminum bottles with fittings, so it looks like I'll be making a few more when I get some spare time. That's what rainy days are for.
jerry-
