Blanco Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 As it was a pleasant afternoon, got the bandsaw fired up to clean up the sleepers I had aquired to make a bench top, ..... yes it is a tad on the substantial side. Toasted two blades, sleepers are full of unfriendly grit etc. which is almost impossible to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 Nice But please note the obvious : the are regarded as chemical waste and working in the industry, we treat them as such.. The dust etc. is not good. But once in place, they will do just fine ! Love your mobile sawmachine.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted October 6, 2018 Author Share Posted October 6, 2018 Rules seem a bit behind over here, already in France (3 years ago for me) they were very difficult to get hold of, a shame as most were oak not softwood. These are all softwood and one is full of old fashioned creosote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertspark Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Alaskan chainsaw mill? Used one a bit with oak sleepers, works a treat https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/alaskan-mill-landing-page/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgOzdBRDlARIsAJ6_HNnhLiya8e80jlw9GhoJvlqr1NPBQZAFvRYRen97wNszPtVg5pcB8roaAgdqEALw_wcB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted October 9, 2018 Author Share Posted October 9, 2018 I have milled the French oak sleepers with the bandsaw with very little trouble, perhaps the grit sticks in the grain of the softwood more easily? When the big mill goes (which it will this Winter) I thought I might go for an Alaskan if I needed to do another timber frame ever. Slower but probably more flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Italy replaced 100's kms. of oak sleepers in the late '90's on the HSL's for concrete and the Continental market was floaded with them. Very good quality - some less than a year old... These days, nobody wants them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnoK Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Sleepers for furniture is a big thing in South Africa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 Ah but I think they are tropical hardwood with no preservative treatment. Used to be a company called Jarrah Design or Jarrah Furniture in the North west of England did some nice pieces, don't know if they are still about. I'll have to look them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 Just shows you can't always trust your memory! Furniture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnoK Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 8 hours ago, Blanco said: Ah but I think they are tropical hardwood with no preservative treatment. Used to be a company called Jarrah Design or Jarrah Furniture in the North west of England did some nice pieces, don't know if they are still about. I'll have to look them up. Most of the sleepers we had were Jarrah and Karri, some Oak from the early days, apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 Was the Jarrah imported I wonder or did/does SA have a native species? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnoK Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 14 hours ago, Blanco said: Was the Jarrah imported I wonder or did/does SA have a native species? It is an invasive import form Australia. We have Eucalyptus, Black Wattle and Port Jackson Willow which are varying degrees of nuisance, depending where you live. We have Port Jackson in the Western Cape that regularly contributes to the big fires we have when our local Fynbos does it's regeneration burn. On the other hand, Eucalyptus in the fireplace really gives a good burn, plus, my wife's lungs don't mind it as opposed to Port Jackson which has her wheezing in short order. I remember hearing as a kid that sleepers were Rhodesian Teak, but that was phased out in favour of the locally grown Jarrah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 Just back on this a bit today, ..... no pics but just fixing it to the floor and wall. As this is the 'engineering' bench I thought I might put a steel top on part or all of it, just wondering what people have used to good effect? Thinking thickness wise,................ strength isn't the issue so much as dent resistance............. and would it be worth the extra for SS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 I wouldn't use SS , it will hold every bit of spatter from welding , a thin sheet of Hardox or AXR ~ 3 or 4mm would be dent resistant or 6mm S275 steel . wandering off a bit , what model no HIAB do you have on your trailer ? I have one very similar cobbled onto the Yard Hicap with no model type or proper rating plate cheers Steve b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 Steve, thanks for the feedback on steel, I hadn't thought about weld spatter, good point. The Hiab (my one) is an 022T, (2.2Tm), I can take a snap of the plate if you want tomorrow, there is also a very similar, visually near identical 017 which I have the handbook for (It was available at the time, the correct one wasn't), I have also seen 025 and 027. The T signifies the simplified boom format, ie post and telescopic main boom, no dipper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted November 12, 2018 Share Posted November 12, 2018 A pic or two of the crane and plate would be great ta . It sounds like mine is the same or similar , they lift really well . ...mind you a dipper and another slide out or two would be good , Hyva make a rather nice unit for 3.5T LGV's but it is pricey cheers Steve b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 18 hours ago, steve b said: I wouldn't use SS , it will hold every bit of spatter from welding , a thin sheet of Hardox or AXR ~ 3 or 4mm would be dent resistant or 6mm S275 steel . wandering off a bit , what model no HIAB do you have on your trailer ? I have one very similar cobbled onto the Yard Hicap with no model type or proper rating plate cheers Steve b Why would the stainless hold the spatter more than variants of mild? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted November 13, 2018 Author Share Posted November 13, 2018 Pics of the markings;..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, landroversforever said: Why would the stainless hold the spatter more than variants of mild? I can't give you the scientific reason Ross , but experience of production MIG welding stainless with an 3ph. transformer unit has shown that any spatter will very firmly attach itself to SS particularly any polished/cleaned area , even with copious anti-spatter spray . TIG is sooo much neater but sooo much slower for production work . Thanks for the pic's Blanco , mine has one powered slide out and a pinned fixed extension but otherwise looks the same with a max reach of 2.5m cheers Steve b Edited November 13, 2018 by steve b reply to Blanco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 4 minutes ago, steve b said: I can't give you the scientific reason Ross , but experience of production MIG welding stainless with an 3ph. transformer unit has shown that any spatter will very firmly attach itself to SS particularly any polished/cleaned area , even with copious anti-spatter spray . TIG is sooo much neater but sooo much slower for production work . Thanks for the pic's Blanco , mine has one powered slide out and a pinned fixed extension but otherwise looks the same with a max reach of 2.5m cheers Steve b Interesting! One of my jobs at some point is a metal top on the workbench. Maybe mind is a better way to go (only trouble being rusting between uses. Having said that I am planning a welding back at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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