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Author Topic: anyone built a conveyor table before  (Read 11986 times)

Offline terracefarmer

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anyone built a conveyor table before
« on: August 27, 2019, 09:12:35 PM »
Anyone ever built a conveyor table before, if so how did you go about it and where did you get the rollers, or if you built the rollers, how did you do it?

I'm wanting a roller table to take the slabs from the mill to the edger and then the edged boards to a stacking pile without having to handle them so much and carry each board.

Offline Crusarius

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2019, 06:14:52 AM »
I have not built one. But I know you can get parts for one from mcmaster. But doing a search for "roller conveyor" They really aren't that expensive.

12" wide x 5'-0" long is only $62.

May be a worthwhile option. Don't need to have the conveyor full width of the slab. Of course it would be easier.

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2019, 08:18:20 PM »
I've been thinking lately about something similar to a green chain, but on a much smaller level, using two roller chains that stick above the side frames and then powering them like a conveyor with a small electric motor, having a reversing switch on it to run the boards both directions if needed and also to start and stop it as needed.     

Anyone done something like this, or seen it done or for that matter think it would work?    I thought it would be much easier and cheaper to build and that way I could run lumber both up a slight incline and back down again, have three way switches along the conveyors as needed and also stack up lumber on them to wait for edging and start and stop the conveyor to feed the lumber to me as I ran it through the edger one board at a time.     Anyone have an opinion on this idea??

Offline moodnacreek

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2019, 08:44:29 PM »
This is a hard reply because there are many different ways to go.  I would like to make some suggestions. Build your 'table' on telescoping pipe legs with double set screws to adjust for height or out of level. If possible make it 24" or more wide and 20' long as most steel comes in that length. Flat belting can run on a steel or wood or roller top. Don't make it too light as you will want to slam heavy stuff down on it. Always have forward and reverse and if possible a foot operated control. Live roller tables can have sweep bars to unload one side. [mine has lifting bars that dump boards l/h and slabs r/h]. You can make spiral rolls that screw lumber off when it hits a stop. Rolls should be 6" well pipe, if for belt conveyer have machine shop double crown pipe to make head pulley. Production starts and greatly increases with conveyers!

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2019, 05:23:33 AM »
Anybody have any photos of their conveyors?

I was thinking pin adjust for the end legs and set screw adjust for the other in between legs.

If a person was to use a green chain style, what size and pitch of chain would you recommend?   I'd certainly not need anything as heavy as those that handle logs all day long and would you suggest slats or no slats, never been around any to know myself.   

My sawing is part time hobby with one or two people and the conveyors are to stack stuff on to save bending over and picking everything up off the ground all the time.     I'm by no means a production type operation that need them for efficiency.     

Is there any place a person could find used conveyors?   

Offline moodnacreek

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2019, 08:40:47 PM »
78 , 2.609 pitch [ I think] is a very good steel chain to use. It is much heavier than you need or want but not that expensive and common and easy to get or make sprockets for. You can weld it to the shafts as it well last a life time. The head shaft will run around 25 rpm. Real green chain is roof top chain and not cheap . No. 55 is the small size. You conveyer should only need 4 legs for 20 foot. A 60 to 1 gear box with 1 to 5 hp depending on load. I have built 2 and did the first one with manure spreader chain and got buy with that until I got bigger. The w 78 chain and sprockets where not that much more $ than the 67 manure spreader chain if bought new.  There are tons of used lumber decks at an upcoming auction here in N.Y. next month.  Did you look at sawmill exchange or LPS machinery? Its all out there.

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2019, 08:34:28 PM »
I've been looking for used, but in order to find anything in my budget I'd have to buy it at an auction, where do you find the upcoming auctions listed at?  I seem to only find those that have already been, not those coming up.   

I've looked at some of the sale sites, most those are more along the line of live decks for logs, not really lumber like I'm wanting.   

When you made them, what size tubing did you use and how thick were the tubes, or did you use something else entirely for the main frame?

When you reversed them, I'd guess the deck chains had to be pretty tight?

Offline joasis

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2019, 11:39:03 AM »
If there are grocery warehouses anywhere around you, of commercial and industrial equipment dealers, chances are good that they will have roller conveyors that are used to load and unload boxes from trucks. I had a few of these on my Meadows mill....worked great. Paid less then $50 each.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gravity-Roller-Conveyor/254160210110?hash=item3b2d2108be:g:C~UAAOSwSjpchslK
Ladwig Construction
Hennessey, Oklahoma
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If anyone has any issues, I can be reached at the number above, anytime.

Offline moodnacreek

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2019, 08:02:28 PM »
Subscribe to Lumbermans, all the sales are in there. 4" channel and 2" pipe and whatever size will slide in it or around it. There are pipe sizes in different schedules and tubing sizes to look at. This is really worth the trouble. The 4" channel @ 20' with the legs set in a few feet on each end [ 4 legs total] works fine.  Get the Lumberman's and study the ads. Everybody needs conveyers to handle lumber or firewood. Only when you drop something should you bend over!

Offline moodnacreek

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2019, 08:15:31 PM »
Oh sorry; sch. 40 or 80 pipe wall as needed to fit one in the other as these pieces will be short and not get bent plus on inside the other is strong.  Reversing : if chain only tight enough so it does not push and buckle the chains. The direction most of load will be moved determends  the shaft that will be powered.  You want to pull the load if you can not push it. But you will push the load with the reverse so build with the heavy chain.

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2019, 05:43:46 AM »
Thanks guys, got signed up for the magazine this morning.     

There are no grocery stores or warehouses anywhere near me.     I'll keep my eye's open for something to come along.     I'm hoping there is something on a sale somewhere near me in the future that might work.    New York is too far to go for just a conveyor, I could build new and still be cheaper than the travel and shipping costs from New York.   

Anyone have pictures of their own setups, showing how they have their conveyors set up and what they look like and how they arranged them for material handling??

There are not many around me that saw lumber, just the portable guys who have nothing but a mill or there are three large commercial mills that are so large and so automated they are not really relevant.   

Offline kbeitz

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2020, 09:28:56 PM »
Are you still looking? I've made a ton of them. What location are you from?
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Offline moodnacreek

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #12 on: April 21, 2020, 12:02:42 PM »
Out behind the barn [not the song] of a farmer friend I see 3 silage wagons all collapsed because they took out the running gears to make hay wagons. Scrap iron is worth nothing. All the parts except the frame are there to make a green chain [lumber table]. This is how I made my first one with a small electric motor and a 60 to 1 gear box plus a foot switch. It was 1/3 h.p. and still pulls boards from the edger.   

Offline terracefarmer

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Re: anyone built a conveyor table before
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2020, 06:37:43 AM »
Sorry guys been really busy and haven't had time to check this site.    Yes I'm still looking and just yesterday we were at a farmers place doing work and I also saw an old silage wagon in decay and thought about a green chain again.     So how did you guys make one out of an old silage wagon??     Did you keep the slats on them, or cut some or most off and just keep the chain, what??    How many rows of chains did you have and best yet, does anyone have any pictures?   I've been searching the internet and youtube, but most are so elaborate and high tech, they wouldn't fit very well for my needs.