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“Super Nylon” PVM
Of all the performance plastics to hit the market in recent years, perhaps none has created as much interest as Redco™ PVM nylon. PVM stands for “Pressure-Velocity-Maximum” and is a performance material designed for the most demanding applications. PVM has already proven itself as a replacement in kiln cart bushings. Traditionally, these bushings were made out … Continue reading
Product Spotlight – Chain Cap
Chain is a double-edge sword. Every sawmill needs it, moving chain could be considered the lifeblood of the mill. But chain is abrasive and downtime is costly to replace worn chain or chain beds. One possible solution is Redco™ Chain Cap. This plastic cap has a low-coefficient of friction and is quite durable. Because the … Continue reading
Solutions In Action
When it comes to thinking of all the successful plastic applications in sawmills, words alone can’t do them justice. A few years ago Redwood Plastics developed a short 3 minute video highlighting various plastic solutions for sawmills. These products include bushings, bearings, sprockets, chain channel, sorter hooks, lugs and assorted customized plastic solutions. Similar metal … Continue reading
Nylon Hard At Work
Cast nylon is a plastic that should not be overlooked in sawmill applications. Nylon is able to bear a large amount of load compared to other plastics, especially UHMW and PTFE but is readily available and reasonably priced. Nylon applications have actually been increasing in the mills over the years, one notable example is nylon … Continue reading
Polyurethane Saw Blade Carriers
Redco™ Sawblade carriers made of natural HDPE (high-density polyethylene) have been a proven product for many years. However, HDPE is a commodity-plastic and will wear more quickly than higher performance materials. Redwood Plastics has recently introduced the new polyurethane saw blade carriers. Urethane is easily molded, allowing the new carriers to be produced in custom … Continue reading
One Tuff Wheel
We had an interesting inquiry a few weeks ago. A sawmill maintenance manager in the U.S. Northeast was using UHMW carriage wheels and they were wearing out extremely fast. We ended up referring them our parent, Redwood Plastics, to look into a solution – and they didn’t have to look far. Redwood offers a type … Continue reading
Cold Weather “Bionic Hooks”
So, how was winter? Polyurethane sorter hooks are a common application in sawmills. However, depending on the location of the mill the cold weather may cause problems. Especially like what most of North America experienced in 2014! Most hooks are made from 75D urethane and can get brittle in cold weather, which may result in … Continue reading
Urethane vs. Rubber
Urethane and rubber sometimes are lumped together as materials. This is because the two materials are both elastomers, meaning when compressed they will return to 90% of their original dimensions, though there is often 100% rebound in the rubber scale (shore A) urethanes. This elastomeric property means the materials can handle impact, shock and reduce vibration. … Continue reading
Chain Channel Profiles
UHMW chain channel and channel inserts are one of the most common plastic applications in sawmills. The channel reduces power consumption and chain wear saving money on power use and premature chain replacement. As a proven solution, there are many standard profiles available for H87 and 81x chain. If one of the standard profiles does not … Continue reading
UHMW Conveyor Flights
One plastic solution in mills that needs to be kept in mind are UHMW conveyor flights. Easily fabricated, these flights replace cast steel and have numerous advantages over the traditional material. To start, they are 50% of the weight of steel, which offers power saving benefits. The UHMW itself offers a much lower coeffecient of friction than … Continue reading