Old Stenner mill

[muttley9050]

Fair enough, if you enjoy setting up old hefty machinery like this.   
 
I do very much like old hefty machinery, but I am also aware how expensive some of this kit is to work on.  If the main motor is past its best what would the cost of re-winding a 25HP three phase motor be?  Probably more than the cost of the entire mill. 
 
I am currently trying to get my large thicknesser working again.  So far it has cost me about £5000, and still no good.

I thought this machine was belt driven from a stationary engine so no 3ph motor to worry about?

[Squaredy]

6 minutes ago, muttley9050 said:

I thought this machine was belt driven from a stationary engine so no 3ph motor to worry about?

So it is - my mistake.  I would say such an arrangement is a whole can of worms on its own.  A lot depends on how well the drive was set up all those years ago and how much wear is in the pulleys and bearings etc.  And what is the arrangement for stopping it?  Do you have to go and switch the engine off or is there a clutch?

 

Actually looking at the pics again surely it is a re-saw not a sawmill?  Those rollers are meant to re-saw square edged boards and beams etc, not for logs to roll along.

 

It might be good for re-sawing beams from your Lucas Mill into boards, but I wouldn't fancy pushing a log through that blade!  If it had a sliding carriage that would be different.

[bilke_user]

47 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

So it is - my mistake.  I would say such an arrangement is a whole can of worms on its own.  A lot depends on how well the drive was set up all those years ago and how much wear is in the pulleys and bearings etc.  And what is the arrangement for stopping it?  Do you have to go and switch the engine off or is there a clutch?

 

Actually looking at the pics again surely it is a re-saw not a sawmill?  Those rollers are meant to re-saw square edged boards and beams etc, not for logs to roll along.

 

It might be good for re-sawing beams from your Lucas Mill into boards, but I wouldn't fancy pushing a log through that blade!  If it had a sliding carriage that would be different.

Pretty sure it has a sliding carriage, log goes onto carriage, clamp it firm and then push it through the blade on the bed rollers.
 

 

[topchippyles]

Not a project i would be undertaking with the availability of bandsaw mills now. 

[bilke_user]

1 minute ago, topchippyles said:

Not a project i would be undertaking with the availability of bandsaw mills now. 

I'm too fond of hydraulic handling to go back in time to the days of spending more time handling than cutting

 

[topchippyles]

Just now, bilke_user said:

I'm too fond of hydraulic handling to go back in time to the days of spending more time handling than cutting

 

Anyone who has used a modern day bandsaw mill would not touch that with a barge pole.I am all for old machinery and have some big 3 phase stuff but that stenner looks a death trap. More of a resaw that a sawmill.

[billy_wizz]

6 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Well of course it depends how you value your time, but dismantling is going to be a day for two people.  Assembly if you have the skills will likely take somewhere between a week and a month.

 

It is certain that it will have some faults and wear and possibly damage so getting it all working right will maybe take much time also and who knows what work will be needed?  A three phase diesel genny of that vintage could be a whole can of worms, and again could cost thousands on its own to get working right.

 

I will be buying a Woodmizer LT15 wide fairly soon and it is going to cost £7300 or thereabouts.   That will be completely new, with support and warranty, and minimal setup.  Nothing will be worn or broken.  Bit of a no-brainer if you ask me.  And I haven't even mentioned the fuel cost - how much diesel will the Stenner drink in a day?  More than a little petrol engine that a Woodmizer has that's for sure.  And from next year you will not even be allowed to use red diesel to run it.

 

This is why there are so many old Stenners like the one in the original post available and why they sell for so little.

Assembly a week to a month? Perhaps if you're doing it a couple of hours a night! One day to put it in place one day to level obviously that's assuming the pit and concrete pillers are in place

[billy_wizz]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

So it is - my mistake.  I would say such an arrangement is a whole can of worms on its own.  A lot depends on how well the drive was set up all those years ago and how much wear is in the pulleys and bearings etc.  And what is the arrangement for stopping it?  Do you have to go and switch the engine off or is there a clutch?

 

Actually looking at the pics again surely it is a re-saw not a sawmill?  Those rollers are meant to re-saw square edged boards and beams etc, not for logs to roll along.

 

It might be good for re-sawing beams from your Lucas Mill into boards, but I wouldn't fancy pushing a log through that blade!  If it had a sliding carriage that would be different.

Looks like a hand crank carriage to me the carriage is in the end and I'm guessing the winder that I initially thought was for setting the fence is in fact a hand crank for the carriage but could be wrong can't see any gear for a hydraulic drive system 

After looking at the pics again seems the handle is to set the fence so could be manually operated

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by billy_wizz

[muttley9050]

Definately got a sliding carriage

 

I expect the was originally a ratchet mechanism to move t he log sideways

[spuddog0507]

6 hours ago, Squaredy said:

So it is - my mistake.  I would say such an arrangement is a whole can of worms on its own.  A lot depends on how well the drive was set up all those years ago and how much wear is in the pulleys and bearings etc.  And what is the arrangement for stopping it?  Do you have to go and switch the engine off or is there a clutch?

 

Actually looking at the pics again surely it is a re-saw not a sawmill?  Those rollers are meant to re-saw square edged boards and beams etc, not for logs to roll along.

 

It might be good for re-sawing beams from your Lucas Mill into boards, but I wouldn't fancy pushing a log through that blade!  If it had a sliding carriage that would be different.

That saw at the time when new would be the smallest mill available from Stenner, it is what i would say how it was supplied all them years ago from the factory, ours was a different set up but a much bigger saw and driven bed, the drive set up would be by PTO shaft possibly from a gear box with dog clutch, these saws where very common in the UK back in the 50s/60s/70s/80s as every estate had there own sawmill for cutting timber for there own use, but as time has gone on sawmills have become automated and are so productive today with zero waste as a result, a sawmill we send sawlogs to put about 100-120 tonne a day through there,s, But can i just remind some of you the stenner saw in question has a bit of age about it and when we look back engineering at this time was at the top of its game and most items from this era where vastly over engineered and thats why its still here, the saw i worked with is still milling timber today ok not every day but it will be cutting 20 tonne a week on a part time basis,