Building a model Drag Saw

[Brian Rupnow]

My calculation for sprocket center distance seems to have been "right on". After a half hour struggle with the master link it all goes together and looks about right. Not under tension but not a lot of slack either. The uglies on the face of that large sprocket are a testament to just how bad my vision is getting for welding things. A little J.B. Weld will fill those cavities. I buy my sprockets as "flat" sprockets with no center hub. I make up my own center hubs and weld them in.

[Brian Rupnow]

Progress is being made. This morning I finished the 1/2" thick engine sub-base which connects the engine to the rest of the components underneath, and gives me an alternate place to mount a gas tank. The original gas tank on this engine was mounted to the side where you see the two socket head cap screws, and would have been in the way. The next plate I make, which is going to provide a place for the 108 tooth gear shaft and the 30 tooth gear is going to be a challenge.

[zeeprogrammer]

Going to be cutting something other than metal pretty soon. 

[Johnmcc69]

Looking good Brian. You may want to allow turning the rear wheels 90 deg. Though, it seems like the saw may want to pull itself up & over the log like a rack & pinion.

 John

[Brian Rupnow]

The complex endplate is roughed in using the bandsaw, and tomorrow will be milled to finished size. That 1 1/2" hole bored in the center is cosmetic, nothing more. The large sprocket with the shabby welding showing on the one face was treated to some J.B. weld, left overnight to harden up, then painted with a rattle can. A little paint hides a lot of sin!!

[crueby]

 

[Brian Rupnow]

That went very well!! The riser plate is finished and installed. The gears all mesh perfectly. I have a couple of shafts to shorten, but all in all I'm happy with the way that turned out.

[Brian Rupnow]

This morning I completed the other riser block, which serves as the bushing holder for the large sprocket shaft and also gives a place to bolt the two long rectangular "handles" to. I have removed the engine from the drag saw platform to make some adjustments to it before reassembly. The chain fits as I had intended, with no last minute surprises. While I was boring this last piece  in the lathe, I managed to turn out the tailstock spindle too far and it all came apart, so now before I do any more work, I have to figure out how that goes back together.

[Brian Rupnow]

Today is a milestone in the drag saw build. I wanted to be certain that the Odds and Ends hit and miss engine had sufficient power to cope with the gear train of the drag saw. It handles it with no difficulty, which is great. Now I can proceed with the rest of the build.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5A2P8KrjSg

[Brian Rupnow]

Nothing real exciting machined today. Just an axle. The real, full sized drag saws had short stub axles, each attached to a pivot so the machine could be dragged along using the handles, or the wheels could be turned at 90 degrees to help prevent the drag saw platform and engine from moving as the saw cut through the log. Obviously, I'm not going to do that with mine. Mine will have the handles pinned to the log to prevent the platform and engine from moving as the saw cuts. If you look closely, you can see the 3/16" hole thru the right hand end of the axle where my dog clutch arm will pivot.

[Ye-Ole Steam Dude]

Hello Brian,

Your project is coming along really good. Went to youtube and watched your last video and it sure looks nice with all the parts in action. Great build.

Have a great day,
Thomas

[Brian Rupnow]

Thanks for having a look at the video and for saying Hi. I'm not getting a lot of spectator comments on this build, but maybe it's so "far out there" that either people aren't interested or they are waiting to see if it actually runs and saws logs.---Brian

[crueby]

We are definitely here and watching!
 

[Admiral_dk]

We are definitely here and watching!
 

For sure 

[zeeprogrammer]

Some of us have to saw logs once in a while 

I've been following.