the all aussie dribble thread!

[KiwiBro]

G'Day clunts. Finally bought a lucas mill, will be trying to sell my POS other mill once get it sort-a running, and then hopefully the rain pisses off so the land can dry out so I can get access to the logs I've got all over the North of NZ. After a few years of milling misery, am keen to get going again and put that narcissistic peanut behind me. Funny thing is, the mill is an old lucas. But even a decade old, is made better than the POS nightmare new mill. Asked lucas about buying a new trolley for 10" cuts and, fark me, they wanted about $17k for it. That's just the trolley/engine, etc, no end frames, rails, etc. So I think I'll focus on milling everything I have down and access to next Summer then will poke my head up and look at what astronomical price a new mill is at that point. But, feels good to be close to milling again.

 

[derwoodii]

well that brake thingy dint blow up & the pills passed though all that lattice and surprisingly grouped ok-ish be it down right 100mm than normal,, it lessened the kick a tad some what but not much,, its off and in the i'll buy it dumb ideas junk box.

100y

 

[Bwildered]

G'Day clunts. Finally bought a lucas mill, will be trying to sell my POS other mill once get it sort-a running, and then hopefully the rain pisses off so the land can dry out so I can get access to the logs I've got all over the North of NZ. After a few years of milling misery, am keen to get going again and put that narcissistic peanut behind me. Funny thing is, the mill is an old lucas. But even a decade old, is made better than the POS nightmare new mill. Asked lucas about buying a new trolley for 10" cuts and, fark me, they wanted about $17k for it. That's just the trolley/engine, etc, no end frames, rails, etc. So I think I'll focus on milling everything I have down and access to next Summer then will poke my head up and look at what astronomical price a new mill is at that point. But, feels good to be close to milling again.

What was the old mill & what size is the Lucas ?

 

[KiwiBro]

Turbo. Lucas is 8". Really wanted a 10" cut (without double cutting/swinging trolley around) for proper sleepers, bee boxes, larger joists/beams, and originally thought I could easily convert the 8" over by just changing gearbox and possibly trolley position but lucas said had to change a few more things over so gave up on that idea. But at least can get going. Trouble is many of the logs I have access to are to be cut into 4x1 decking, which made me think the 10" carriage would be overkill anyway and I should perhaps instead buy a 6-18 model for the smaller dimensions (but with endframes set up for 8/10" trolleys) and then later on get a 10-30 trolley for it, but the price tag for that 10" trolley put an end to that idea. Will have to make do by double cutting if need 10" which I think will get old pretty quick.

Am trying to decide if I should buy the slabbing attachment for it or make my own. I don't think I'll enjoy swapping between blade and bar and back again, if get the attachment, but a dedicated slabber is moonbeam money too, so might have to make my own.

 

[Bwildered]

Turbo. Lucas is 8". Really wanted a 10" cut (without double cutting/swinging trolley around) for proper sleepers, bee boxes, larger joists/beams, and originally thought I could easily convert the 8" over by just changing gearbox and possibly trolley position but lucas said had to change a few more things over so gave up on that idea. But at least can get going. Trouble is many of the logs I have access to are to be cut into 4x1 decking, which made me think the 10" carriage would be overkill anyway and I should perhaps instead buy a 6-18 model for the smaller dimensions (but with endframes set up for 8/10" trolleys) and then later on get a 10-30 trolley for it, but the price tag for that 10" trolley put an end to that idea. Will have to make do by double cutting if need 10" which I think will get old pretty quick.

Am trying to decide if I should buy the slabbing attachment for it or make my own. I don't think I'll enjoy swapping between blade and bar and back again, if get the attachment, but a dedicated slabber is moonbeam money too, so might have to make my own.

I got the 9" kit for mine to do sleepers & larger beams, the arse completely dropped out of the sleeper market when they went over to concrete , my mills in a shed so I made a chain harness that I hang off a beam to rotate the carriage for the wider stuff which isn't very often. How many hp & hours has it done.

 

[KiwiBro]

25hp (so would be a bit underpowered for 10" anyway), about 350 hrs but looks like more than that in wear but still in good nic. Wondered which would be easier - lifting and turning trolley with tractor, or dropping trolley onto cut face of log, turning, then raising rails again. Either way, I think I'd get tired of the shagging about. That and also not being able to do 10" vertical.

 

[Bwildered]

25hp (so would be a bit underpowered for 10" anyway), about 350 hrs but looks like more than that in wear but still in good nic. Wondered which would be easier - lifting and turning trolley with tractor, or dropping trolley onto cut face of log, turning, then raising rails again. Either way, I think I'd get tired of the shagging about. That and also not being able to do 10" vertical.

The hours probably aren't correct, the batteries in the hour meters only last about 5 or so years , I'm on my 3rd hour meter .

 

[2strokenut]

well that brake thingy dint blow up & the pills passed though all that lattice and surprisingly grouped ok-ish be it down right 100mm than normal,, it lessened the kick a tad some what but not much,, its off and in the i'll buy it dumb ideas junk box.

100y
View attachment 656850

that moved the POA a hell of alot

 

[KiwiBro]

The hours probably aren't correct

That what I assumed also. The wear on the mill doesn't jive with the hours. But it's straight, the guy seemed very particular about oil changes and had a heap of spares (filters, bearings, oil - engine, transmission) to go with it. It has been stored indoors too. This morning have been trying to nut out a good way to load everything in the back of the ute. A bit more welding to the existing racks and some more drilling and I think I've got quite a nifty and secure solution for carting it all quite easily. Only issue is it's still quite a handful to wheel the trolley on and off the ute by myself, even with my cheapy alu ramps. Have ordered 6" wheels to use where the castors are supposed to go (but seller didn't have 'em and claims he never did).

Might have to give the trolley loading a bit more thought to nut out a safe and easy way. But it all fits fine, with a tiny amount of spare space in the tray for tool box and a few saws, fuel, etc.

 

[2strokenut]

did a bit more shooting with the 20g slug gun setup scope is ****** now to get a new one.

 

[Bwildered]

That what I assumed also. The wear on the mill doesn't jive with the hours. But it's straight, the guy seemed very particular about oil changes and had a heap of spares (filters, bearings, oil - engine, transmission) to go with it. It has been stored indoors too. This morning have been trying to nut out a good way to load everything in the back of the ute. A bit more welding to the existing racks and some more drilling and I think I've got quite a nifty and secure solution for carting it all quite easily. Only issue is it's still quite a handful to wheel the trolley on and off the ute by myself, even with my cheapy alu ramps. Have ordered 6" wheels to use where the castors are supposed to go (but seller didn't have 'em and claims he never did).

Might have to give the trolley loading a bit more thought to nut out a safe and easy way. But it all fits fine, with a tiny amount of spare space in the tray for tool box and a few saws, fuel, etc.

You can register your mill at the lucasmill site & they may have a history of it if the previous owner bought parts direct off them, carriage rollers hour meters & blades are the common consumables bought from them.
Thanski

 

[KiwiBro]

Good idea thanks. Did register it with them but didn't think to ask how many sets of rollers have been bought for it. That would be a pretty good tell. I' assuming about 300 hrs for the rollers? The ones on it are quite worn and I'll be ordering a new set and a few other bits and bobs from lucas soon.

 

[Bwildered]

Good idea thanks. Did register it with them but didn't think to ask how many sets of rollers have been bought for it. That would be a pretty good tell. I' assuming about 300 hrs for the rollers? The ones on it are quite worn and I'll be ordering a new set and a few other bits and bobs from lucas soon.

I got over 500 hrs out of my first set & my mill is used undercover, they wear out less on the outside, they get flogged out between the bearing & the roller material more and the roller flops around on the bearing.

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks for that. Any idea what the rollers cost? I'm putting together a list of bits I need to buy for it but hopefully they aren't a crazy price.

 

[Bwildered]

Thanks for that. Any idea what the rollers cost? I'm putting together a list of bits I need to buy for it but hopefully they aren't a crazy price.

I can't remember exactly but I'm thinking around the $25-35 each mark. They changed the composition of the rollers & went over to the white nylon for the narrow grooved ones.

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks.
Still has the black rollers. I wonder if there is a better way to handle the lateral loads than the vertical rollers. Can see why the bearings get flogged out. Slabbing must be hard on 'em. But the slightly elevated trolley vert rollers on the rails don't get swamped by chips so easily I guess.
Noticed one of the end frame top poles is 50mm longer than the other. Can't figure out why - the connection points on the end frames are the same distances from the end posts so I'm wondering if the previous owner had to replace them and screwed up the measurements.
Got the roof racks sorted yesterday. My ute is one of those single 'extra-cab' models and the ute tray isn't quite long enough to fit the posts, etc in nicely so I put a few sockets on the back of the racks I can slip parts into to hold them without needing too many tie downs. Probably a better way to do this but as a first time owner of a Lucas Mill I am just feeling my way around and will probably change things as I get used to it.

 

[Bwildered]

Thanks.
Still has the black rollers. I wonder if there is a better way to handle the lateral loads than the vertical rollers. Can see why the bearings get flogged out. Slabbing must be hard on 'em. But the slightly elevated trolley vert rollers on the rails don't get swamped by chips so easily I guess.
Noticed one of the end frame top poles is 50mm longer than the other. Can't figure out why - the connection points on the end frames are the same distances from the end posts so I'm wondering if the previous owner had to replace them and screwed up the measurements.
Got the roof racks sorted yesterday. My ute is one of those single 'extra-cab' models and the ute tray isn't quite long enough to fit the posts, etc in nicely so I put a few sockets on the back of the racks I can slip parts into to hold them without needing too many tie downs. Probably a better way to do this but as a first time owner of a Lucas Mill I am just feeling my way around and will probably change things as I get used to it.
View attachment 657407

I'm not understanding the difference in pole lengths, do you mean to the top pipe between the end frame uprights?

 

[KiwiBro]

Yeah, that one. One is 2" longer than the other. I can't see how that doesn't spread the rails at one end the higher they are positioned.

 

[Bwildered]

Yeah, that one. One is 2" longer than the other. I can't see how that doesn't spread the rails at one end the higher they are positioned.

I'd be measuring the assembled frames to ensure they are equal overall in every dimension

 

[derwoodii]

fukit too cold in the shed tonite i wos reloading but after an hour im chilled,, still snow in the mountain tops means i might get a ski this winter

i hear a saw collector chap Ivor saw sadly shuffled off last week a shame too young too soon