Whut I've been up to...

[Guido Salvage]

I have set or help set up 3 mills and taken one down, all older model Fricks. All had hand setworks (though my 01 was set up with air) and were much easier to work with than what you have. Looks like a fun project.

 

[blsnelling]

Hey Jeremy, it's good to see you around Here's wishing you and yours a VERY merry Christmas!

 

[milkman]

Hey!, get crackin' March is just around the corner.

 

[Guido Salvage]

Hey!, get crackin' March is just around the corner.

We ought to see some finely milled and square cants!

 

[little possum]

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. He said all it needs is a coil. I'll get to it one of these years.

I thought it was never lick a gift horse in the mouth...

Merry Christmas friends!

 

[pioneerguy600]

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. He said all it needs is a coil. I'll get to it one of these years.



The loader made light work of the I beams. I don't know what it will pick up, but I've yet to see him overload it. We unloaded the new carriage from the lowboy with it. The new carriage weighs 11,000lbs.

Nice project you are working on, done a few myself. That a John Deere 544 loader? They will lift 22,000 lbs before the rear wheels leave the ground.

 

[ELECT6845]

It's just wore slap out. The carriage rails are knife edged from wear. The whole thing rattles and beats around as it heads down the track. It was built in 1990.




I'm not real hip on "sawmill terminology" but I think they call the large saw( it was already off for the pics I took) the head saw. And the top saw is obviously the top.

And it might be a 150hp motor. I'll look on Wednesday. They said the motor weighed 1200lbs. All 480V three phase.

A 150hp motor is going to pull 180 amps and require a 250 amp breaker to feed it. Are you guys putting a soft/start on it? What size electrical service is currently there? Do you currently have enough electrical service to power everything? I have a ton of used breakers laying around and some starters if you guys need anything give me a call. If i dont have it, i know i can get it.

 

[wigglesworth]

A 150hp motor is going to pull 180 amps and require a 250 amp breaker to feed it. Are you guys putting a soft/start on it? What size electrical service is currently there? Do you currently have enough electrical service to power everything? I have a ton of used breakers laying around and some starters if you guys need anything give me a call. If i dont have it, i know i can get it.

1200A service. No soft starter. :/ Watching the CT, with the entire saw blade buried, the highest I saw was 155 A. I'll look, but I know there is 3 starters to get things rolling, but haven't looked at any sizing.

I tried to talk em into a soft starter when they replaced their 200hp chipper earlier this year, even found em several for reasonable prices, but they didn't want to change anything up. They use the "if it works, don't fix it" mentality. The flywheel weighs 4k lbs on that baby. I'm sure the power company loves it when they fire up in the mornings.

I am however installing a AB powerflex 40 on one of their smaller motors for their resaw, just to give em an idea of how much better things could be. Freq drives are the way to go, IMHO. You can do so much with em. But the initial cost sux. Lol

 

[ELECT6845]

1200A service. No soft starter. :/ Watching the CT, with the entire saw blade buried, the highest I saw was 155 A. I'll look, but I know there is 3 starters to get things rolling, but haven't looked at any sizing.

I tried to talk em into a soft starter when they replaced their 200hp chipper earlier this year, even found em several for reasonable prices, but they didn't want to change anything up. They use the "if it works, don't fix it" mentality. The flywheel weighs 4k lbs on that baby. I'm sure the power company loves it when they fire up in the mornings.

I am however installing a AB powerflex 40 on one of their smaller motors for their resaw, just to give em an idea of how much better things could be. Freq drives are the way to go, IMHO. You can do so much with em. But the initial cost sux. Lol

Yes, freq drives are expensive, but they can also be set up and used like soft starts . They need to realize that they would save money in the long run by using them. There power factor penalties would pay for the freq drives. Did you check on the power factor? Installing a capacitor on the larger motors will help too.

AB is always expensive but its top of the line. They could probably go with less quality and still get the job done.

Be safe if you get into that 1200 amp service. Shut that service down if your changing out any breakers. Working electrical services HOT is just plain STUPID. All it takes is one little slip and 1200 amps at 480volt is a bomb going off in your face.

 

[wigglesworth]

Yes, freq drives are expensive, but they can also be set up and used like soft starts . They need to realize that they would save money in the long run by using them. There power factor penalties would pay for the freq drives. Did you check on the power factor? Installing a capacitor on the larger motors will help too.

AB is always expensive but its top of the line. They could probably go with less quality and still get the job done.

Be safe if you get into that 1200 amp service. Shut that service down if your changing out any breakers. Working electrical services HOT is just plain STUPID. All it takes is one little slip and 1200 amps at 480volt is a bomb going off in your face.

I absolutley love working with AB powerflex drives. Of course, there the ones I have the most training with, both on the job, and in the classroom. I still get all thumbs sometimes when working with the software, but it ain't no step for a stepper. There is cap banks on all the big motors. We did look at the power factor when messing with the chipper, but I don't remember where we were at with it. I do remember we were gonna save em quite a bit though.

Did I ever mention I was a licensed electrician? Not that I'm an electrical engineer or anything, but I'm ahead of most. Now the guys at work, most of them have no business even opening a cabinet, but they can pass the Class B test, so the plant turns em loose. We had one guy absolutely dissintigrate a 3/8 hex wrench and a pair of channel locks by not locking out. Even afterwards he had no clue how close he came to biting the big one. You can't fix stupid....

 

[ELECT6845]

I absolutley love working with AB powerflex drives. Of course, there the ones I have the most training with, both on the job, and in the classroom. I still get all thumbs sometimes when working with the software, but it ain't no step for a stepper. There is cap banks on all the big motors. We did look at the power factor when messing with the chipper, but I don't remember where we were at with it. I do remember we were gonna save em quite a bit though.

Did I ever mention I was a licensed electrician? Not that I'm an electrical engineer or anything, but I'm ahead of most. Now the guys at work, most of them have no business even opening a cabinet, but they can pass the Class B test, so the plant turns em loose. We had one guy absolutely dissintigrate a 3/8 hex wrench and a pair of channel locks by not locking out. Even afterwards he had no clue how close he came to biting the big one. You can't fix stupid....

I need another good electrician. Want a job? I pay good and will give you a nice van to drive, not to Ky though. LOL

 

[Guido Salvage]

I need another good electrician. Want a job? I pay good and will give you a nice van to drive, not to Ky though. LOL

If you give me a good GPS and pay my speeding tickets I might be interested...:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ELECT6845]

If you give me a good GPS and pay my speeding tickets I might be interested...:hmm3grin2orange:

Did you ever get one?

 

[Guido Salvage]

Did you ever get one?

I did and forgot to pay it in time and it cost me an extra $50.00.

 

[Currently]

I absolutley love working with AB powerflex drives. Of course, there the ones I have the most training with, both on the job, and in the classroom. I still get all thumbs sometimes when working with the software, but it ain't no step for a stepper. There is cap banks on all the big motors. We did look at the power factor when messing with the chipper, but I don't remember where we were at with it. I do remember we were gonna save em quite a bit though.

Did I ever mention I was a licensed electrician? Not that I'm an electrical engineer or anything, but I'm ahead of most. Now the guys at work, most of them have no business even opening a cabinet, but they can pass the Class B test, so the plant turns em loose. We had one guy absolutely dissintigrate a 3/8 hex wrench and a pair of channel locks by not locking out. Even afterwards he had no clue how close he came to biting the big one. You can't fix stupid....

If you ever run into a SqD or Schneider Electric drive and need help, get a hold of me. Since you already have the AB stuff down, it will be very easy to get you up to speed with that brand. I am very good at programming these VFDs. Pricing is much better than AB and quality is just as good.

Within ten years if not five, every three phase electric motor sold will have a frequency drive component. Across the line starts will be a thing of the past. A VFD pays for itself just in maintenance cost prevention over the life of the motor by preventing "system shock" on startup and avoiding exceeding power peak demand costs.

97% of the total cost of ownership of an electric motor is electricity. This is what I use to convince plant managers and bean counters to spend the extra for motor control.

With variable torque pump and fan applications, one can obtain simple payback cost of a VFD to two months or less just in electrical consumption savings.

BTW, no baloney for you ... that job deserves steak with all the trimmings! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Hddnis]

I know this is sorta off topic but I seem to remember hearing that the new high E washing machines are using VFD to save on power. I didn't think on such a small application it would make much difference but I guess it does.

Anyway, really cool project at that mill. Work safe and hurry so you can get to that Echo crank.



Mr. HE

 

[wigglesworth]

Forgot to finish this thread up. Lol

Some other pics.

The old Husk frame goin out.

New husk and cab

Da Boss giving orders.

Mitch in da hole welding

All buttoned up and makin money again.

[video=youtube;_ki_O3c7TK0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ki_O3c7TK0&list=UUvEG38T8e7zTVuj5qqvYPQQ&index=1[/video]

 

[mdavlee]

That sucker is getting it. I bet it don't take no time to get some 8x8"s.

 

[wigglesworth]

That sucker is getting it. I bet it don't take no time to get some 8x8"s.

Moving pretty good for 15,000lbs, huh? Lol

[video=youtube;Y8EcWvW7U8E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8EcWvW7U8E[/video]

And yes, I know I "Tawk Funnaie".

 

[ELECT6845]

Very nice. Are those WEG motors? The WEG distribution warehouse is about 20 minutes from me.