Cost-Saving And Time-Saving Measures For Kiln Bushings

Posted on November 6, 2018 by admin

Redco kiln wheel bushings are a cost-effective solution that have been proven over decades of use. However, the turnaround time on orders often reaches 3-4 weeks, which doesn’t work for emergency needs. Besides stocking up on extra bushings, there is the possibility of stocking plastic rod, which is available in both Redco blue (heat-stabilized) nylon as well as the Hi-Temp Yellow premium grade. While kiln wheel bushings are often provided with grease grooves, this is not necessary for emergency replacements. So as long as your mill has a simple machine shop, stocking rod could be a solution.

Alternatively, you can reduce the complexity of the bushings to make them less expensive. This also means eliminating the grease groove in most cases, as that machining time needs to be accounted for. As with most parts, buying in bulk will save money, not only on the per-piece price but will further reduce costs by limiting the amount of shipping you will need to pay.

For a consultation with a plastics expert to discuss your kiln bushing requirements, please contact Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

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UHMW Extruded Channel Profiles

Posted on October 10, 2018 by admin

UHMW channel profiles are a very common sight at North American sawmills. The channel serves to reduce power requirements by making the chain slide easier. In addition, the soft channel reduces wear on the chain as it slides. This saves money immediately (in the lower power costs) and in the long-term with reduced chain wear. Customers are sometimes unsure what profiles are offered and ask for extruded profiles that do not exist. While custom channel can be machined, this is costly with poor availability and usually only available in black.

Redwood Plastics and Rubber’s extruded chain channel is available in “polygold” or yellow. While it is a reprocessed product, unlike the black reprocessed UHMW, the yellow is ‘clean’ meaning the regrind bits are not visible. They are stocked and sold by standard 10 foot lengths; however, 20 foot lengths are available on special order. The profiles are available for several chains, most notably 81x, H78, and C2060. The profiles are sold as simple U-channel; however, all of our profiles can be supplied with plug holes drilled and weld washer’s supplied and this service is provided at each and every Redwood Plastics and Rubber location. This service typically adds $10.00/length and 3-5 business days delivery.

Two important channel profiles of note are the C3 and C4. These are actually channel inserts, which mean they are extruded to fit into C3 and C4 steel channel respectively. They are not designed to be used separately without support.

For more information on Redwood Plastics and Rubber’s extruded UHMW chain channel profiles please click here to view a downloadable brochure.

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Solution Spotlight: PVC Strip Door – Keep The Cold Out!

Posted on September 26, 2018 by admin

With the fall comes a bitter chill in many sawmilling regions and it’s consequently the time to invest in PVC strip door supplied by Redwood Plastics and Rubber. PVC strip door covers open entrances helping to keep inside work spaces warm and clear of drafts. The product also serves to protect machinery from dust and contaminants, reduce clean up costs, and decrease energy use. The product is widely stocked in 12″ widths though 8″ and 16″ widths are also available. The product is sold by the full roll.

  • Save Energy with Temperature Retention
  • Increase Productivity by Opening Traffic Flow
  • Reduce Maintenance & Clean Up Costs
  • Improve Working Conditions by Maintaining Ambient Temperatures
  • Improve Employee Safety by Reducing Noise and Increasing Visibility

For a quote on flexible vinyl for your sawmill please contact Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

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BL400 Dovetail Sawguides

Posted on August 28, 2018 by admin

Sawguides made from Redco BL400 are one of Redwood Plastics and Rubber’s ‘standard’ products. Stock is kept in full lengths at both our Canadian and U.S. Manufacturing facilities allowing for quick turnaround on orders. This product is a graphite-filled phenolic laminate and offers incredible structural, dimensional, and wear properties. These guides are compatible with any grease, oil, and solvents that may be used on the saws and can take incredible pressure and frictional conditions. Standard lengths are available between 6-60″ with up to 96″ being available on request. In addition, if you want to make your own guides we can sell you just the material.

For more information or pricing on these guides please contact Redwood Plastics and Rubber today.

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Shark Fin Board Turner: FAQs

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Posted on August 13, 2018 by admin

Redwood Plastics and Rubber has sold the Shark Fin Board Turning system for well over 20 years. In that time we’ve received plenty of questions about the system and its capabilities and as with any solution, the same set of questions tend to come up. This article is meant to address as many of these as we can – in no particular order:

What are the largest sized boards that can be turned?

Shark Fin has turned boards up to 6″ x 12″ successfully.

What speed can Shark Fin run at?

75LPM or less is ideal, this makes Shark Fin an excellent solution for hardwood mills.

How much does it cost?

This is dependent on several factors including table length, number of graders, and lug pitch. On average one-grader systems start around $18,000 with the largest systems around $60,000. This is very economical compared to other board turning or grading systems.

How do I get it quoted?

There is a simple 1 page quote request form that can be found by region here.

NOTE: The quote is not valid if a sawmill engineer needs to get involved. Redwood Plastics and Rubber provides *parts only*. Installation and design support is not available unless a sawmill engineer is brought in. We have all regions of North America covered.

What is the lead time to get my system?

4-5 weeks is the standard delivery time.

Can I have it quoted “piecemeal”?

The Shark Fin system is designed to function as a kit. Removing any portion of the kit may result in substantially lower performance of the over board turner. The only case a substitution or declining of components is when a direct substitute is available. For example, certain sawmill engineers use their own plastic drive sprockets with the system.

What does the spare parts kit come with?

Each Shark Fin system comes with a spare parts kit. It comes with a couple lugs and an extra turner star. Extra parts in the future can be purchased from Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

What is the guarantee?

If our parts are defective and discovered within 30 days of delivery, we will replace them. However, there is no refund on the system itself.

What are the advantages of Shark Fin over competing systems?

Shark Fin is simple and relies on gravity for its turning power. This means that Shark Fin will not cost you extra money and the simplicity makes it very cost-competitive with more complicated competitors. We also have many testimonials from customers with a proven track record over decades of use.

For more information on the Redco Shark Fin Board Turning System contact an expert today.

 

 

 

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81X Sprocket Modifications

Posted on July 24, 2018 by admin

Plastic 81X sawmill sprockets are primarily a molded product, this is to reduce delivery times as well as cost. The standard sprockets available from Redwood Plastics and Rubber have a hub that is 3-3/4″ wide (length-through-bore). Often these days customers want a thinner hub to fit into their sawmills and in most cases that’s fine! All we need to do is machine down the hub on our solid idlers.

In addition, our split idlers have special “short” hub that’s available that’s available which reduces the width to only 3.0″. Length through bore narrower than that; however, are not possible as there is no more “meat” to machine away – the bolt holes get in the way. You will notice there has been no mention of a “old style split idler” in this conversation that is because unfortunately there is no “short hub” design for that particular part.

For other customers, maintenance is limited and customers do not want to have to regularly grease the sprockets. In this case we can mold them out of an alternative version of the polyurethane used for our regular sprocket line. This plastic is called “Redco 750 SXL” and is lubrication-impregnated so it will not need to be greased. In the case of the solid sprockets, the entire sprocket can be cast as 750 SXL (including the split idlers). In the case of our new style splits where the A-plate and hub are separate, we can simply cast the hub as 750 SXL while leaving the A-plate as the standard Redco 750. Please note this will mean a mismatch in color, as the Redco 750 is red in color and the 750 SXL must be black due to the fillers it has.

The final sprocket modification we get asked for is to reduce the bore size below what is our standard (1-15/16″) or to provide a sacrificial bushing in the bore. This is somewhat uncommon, but it does happen. In that case we will design a simple Redco 750 SXL sleeve bushing and can press fit that in.

For assistance with your sprocket needs, please contact us today.

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Deadplate: 5 FAQs

Posted on June 25, 2018 by admin

Redco Deadplate is a polyurethane with very specific properties and the sole application in sawmills of absorbing and deadening shock. Because Deadplate is so unique, sometimes customers don’t understand how to use incorporate it into their mill or even request a quote. Fortunately, it’s an easy material to quote, manufacture, and install. So what are the frequently asked questions?

1.) What sizes does it come in?

There is no standard size. The material can’t be cut, it’s not like other plastics that come in standardized sheets. All Deadplate must be cast-to-size, so we will work with you to find your requirements.

2.) What is the lead time?

For Deadplate material alone it’s typically 3-4 weeks to ship. Part of this time is that the product has a couple weeks of “post-cure” – it needs to sit and settle to firm up its properties before installation. Because of the post-cure, and that Deadplate cannot be stocked in standard sizes, it is impossible to offer rush orders.

3.) Can I use it by itself or does it need to be capped?

For most applications you want us to quote a Deadplate “sandwich”. This consists of a steel backing plate, typically 3/8″ thick with the Deadplate bonded to it. Then there is a cap on the front that is usually Redco 500 polyurethane but sometimes also steel. Using Deadplate by itself can lead to premature wear of the product and is best left to sawmill equipment OEMs familiar with the product.

4.) How much does it cost?

This depends on application, the dimensions of the sandwich, and how thick the Deadplate is. Typically they average around $2100.00.

5.) What information do I need to get a quote?

Most importantly is the largest size of lumber that will hit the impact zone, the distance it slides into the impact zone, and the dimensions of the impact zone. The last is important to know the parameters we have to work within as the sandwich will need to be welded on. We also would want to know how many boards hit that zone per minute.

For questions about Redco Deadplate or a quotation for your needs, please contact Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

 

 

 

 

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SFK Housings and Custom SN Inserts

Posted on June 5, 2018 by admin

We get requests from customers disappointed that Redwood Plastics and Rubber does not yet carry SN inserts for the newer (and larger) SKF bearing housings. The question “why” is pretty easy to answer: the mold for each size would cost upwards of $6,000 and demand simply isn’t out there yet. We would have to be turning away business at least double the mold cost per year to make sense for us to tool for the new inserts.

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t supply machine copies of these bearings. These bearings range between $375.00-$600.00 each depending on the profile and typically come with a 4 week lead time. If demand increases and we can discuss firm large volume orders for a new SN insert please contact us today.

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3 Custom UHMW Chain Channel Options

UHMW chain channel only
Posted on May 8, 2018 by admin

UHMW chain channel is used at most medium to large sawmills in North America. The product is wear resistant and slick, extending chain life. Primarily chain channel options are for H78 and 81x chain. Several profiles are available from Redwood Plastics and Rubber and you can view them HERE. However what if you need a different profile? What options are available? Actually, we have a few options to meet virtually any requirement.

1.) Modifying Existing Channel

This is perhaps the most common custom chain channel option. If there is a profile that almost matches what you require, existing stock channel can be machined to suit. This is usually shaving the inside walls or base of the channel to make it more open or shorter. This does need to be quoted on a case-by-case basis; however, so do not assume this modifying is provided at no charge.

2.) Milling Custom Channel

This involves machining an entire channel profile out of solid sheet stock. It is the most expensive option per foot; however, often it is the only option for a profile that cannot be modified from existing channel. There are a few differences here: since the channel isn’t extruded it won’t be made of the “clean yellow” UHMW, instead it will be milled from reprocessed-black sheet.

The milling will also result in a profile that doesn’t appear to be nice and smooth. You will see subtle ripples from the “dado” cutting. To mill custom channel you need to supply a drawing or otherwise work with a Redwood Plastics and Rubber representative to get the exact dimensions required.

3.) Custom Extrusion

A custom extrusion profile allows you to get a customized channel that is made of the same clean yellow UHMW as the stocked profiles and the same slick, smooth, surface. There are three potential drawbacks to a custom extrusion. The first is the one-time tooling fee. This is usually a few thousand dollars and may not fit all budgets. Secondly, you need to require a lot of this channel to make it worth it: 1000′ linear feet is the minimum order.

Thirdly, there is a long delivery for custom channel. Including the tooling you’re looking at about 8-10 weeks to get the first run. Subsequent ‘runs’ of custom channel are 4-5 weeks to ship. It sounds like we’re trying to dismiss custom extruded channel as an option – we’re not, it can be an excellent choice! However, you need to understand where your budget, time frame, and usage needs to be to make a custom channel worth it.

If you want to discuss custom channel options, contact a Redwood Plastics and Rubber representative today.

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LSI Plates

Posted on April 19, 2018 by admin

If you’re considering a custom lug or hook you need to consider an LSI plate. This is an insert between the Redco 750 polyurethane which provides added sheer strength for the hook or lug. They are not always necessary as some designs build up a “bump” of extra urethane around the mounting holes, which provides similar support. The LSI plate is made from mild steel and is sandwiched via a “press fit”. The holes on the plate are 1-1/2″ apart. Even though the plate provides additional shear support that does not mean the hook or lug can take significant abuse. The plate is only 0.13″ thick.

For assistance or a quotation on your plastic sawmill lug or hook needs, please contact Redwood Plastics and Rubber.

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