New Techniques, Developments in Rip Saws and Moulders

Recent developments in power-feed, straight-line rip saws and accessories for them have made these units more versatile. The constant improvement in saw blades has contributed to these improvements. Variable-speed drive units can provide any feed speed in constant increments within a fixed range. A modern semi-automatic panel lay-up gage eliminates the necessity for passing stock back and forth across the saw table, saving labor and increasing production. A lay-up table with an adjustable stock stop for setting panel width should be used in conjunction with a lay-up gage. Another accessory is a pre-select semi-automatic hydraulic rip gage. A two-blade straight edger has recently been developed for double-edging rough lumber. This machine was designed to double straight-line rip lumber into preselected width boards, though it has other potential uses, such as straight edging one edge and ripping any stipulated width board between the saw blades. The double ripper, which has two single-blade saw units built into one machine, has feed units which can run either in opposite directions or in tandem. Several gang ripper designs have been improved to increase capacity and provide higher quality work. Innovations in moulders, which are used to dress lumber into specific sizes of plain and formed pieces of stock, have increased the production capacity and versatility of the machines. The use of alloy steels has improved wearing qualities, and cast irons have increased the strength of moulders. Variable-speed units, stock feeding mechanisms to increase feed rates, and additional feed rolls have increased efficiency. Top-feed rolls have been replaced with lag-type feeding chains for some kinds of work. There are also changes in the methods of mounting cutterhead spindles, in the design of spindles, and in the use of components and methods for opening the machines to change set-ups or clear jam-ups. These minor developments have all contributed to high quality production. Some typical new attachments include an auxiliary motor mounting which can be considered a fifth cutterhead, smaller motor units used for small supplementary rabbets or grooves not easily cut with side heads, a jump-cut attachment, and a glue block splitter. Another new machine is a wide abrasive belt sizer, sander, and polisher, which can remove as much stock as a planer and produce a sanded finish while maintaining very close tolerances over large surfaces. A new fully automatic wood turning lathe, using controlled air power, can be adjusted for any cycle of operation suited to the stock being turned.

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