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The Future Of Sawmill Automation
Automation has been increasing in sawmills for decades. Redwood Plastics and Rubber’s own “Shark Fin Board Turning System” provided mechanical automation of board grading starting in the 1990s. Many industries continue to push for higher automation in order to reduce (human) errors, reduce costs, increase productivity, and therefore increase profits. Automated grading systems are one … Continue reading
Redco 9600 Impact Bearings
Perhaps an underutilized plastic sawmill solution, Redco 9600 impact bearings serve an important role. They consist of a double-hardness polyurethane combined with a durable steel outer shell. The system is designed to provide easy-to-change components and self-lubrication properties. Designed for high-impact, low-speed applications such as hour glass rollers and log kickers the 9600 Impact Bearings … Continue reading
Product Announcement: H78 Sprockets
Redwood Plastics and Rubber has discontinued their line of sprockets for H78 sawmill chain. However, their 81X sprocket, which is now standard, is perfectly suitable for use on H78 chain. The difference lies in the thickness of the A-plate which holds the teeth. The H78 mold was 1″ wide whereas the 81X sprocket A-plate is … Continue reading
Current State Of The Softwood Lumber Dispute: All Bark And No Bite?
As the softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the U.S. continues despite the angry rhetoric from both sides, it appears that the duties the U.S. Trade Commission applied to Canadian softwood lumber haven’t had a large effect. According to an article by CTV, softwood lumber remains at very high prices. In fact, even though exports … Continue reading
Product Spotlight: Roller Chain Diverter Gates
Roller nose diverter gates are a popular sawmill product. They’re available manufactured out of two materials, with the bulk being natural UHMW. They are; however, also available made from sturdy Redco 750 polyurethane. The nose kit with the roller is actually a popular, but optional, addition. It consists of two laser plates with a UHMW … Continue reading
PVC Strip Door – Keep The Cold Out Of Your Mill
In the world of engineered plastics solutions for sawmills – plastics that function – it can be easy to overlook some of the simpler applications. One of those is flexible PVC strip door available from Redwood Plastics and Rubber. This strip door is sold by the roll and is all cold-weather rated. This means it … Continue reading
Machine Your Own Kiln Bushings
Redwood Plastics and Rubber has a long history of providing premium quality machined kiln wheel bushings to customers. But leads times can often be 4 weeks or sometimes more to ship your bushings and there are times you simply cannot wait. The good news is we can often get tube stock to you, oversized on … Continue reading
Shark Fin Replacement Parts
The Shark Fin Board Turning System (www.Sharkfinsystems.com) has plastic components manufactured from durable Redco polyurethane. Even though these components are high-wear and take significant impact, they will eventually require replacement. What you may not know; however, is that through the many years the Shark Fin System has been used the fin-shaped lugs have undergone several … Continue reading
Product Spotlight: Redco Pusher Lugs
The humble plastic pusher lug is a workhorse of the sawmill industry. Plastic pusher lugs, made from Redco polyurethane or UHMW, offer excellent impact and low-temperature tolerance (especially UHMW). These lugs will not mark the wood and also absorb shock. Being lighter than metal, these lugs reduce the amount of power required to move the … Continue reading
SN Bearing Inserts – Part Numbers and Profiles
The Redco series of plastic SN bearing inserts is a popular sawmill product Redwood Plastics branches widely stock. These inserts are made of Redco 750 polyurethane and have proven their success in this application for decades. In the beginning, these inserts were meant as an emergency replacement for SN bearings but worked so well many … Continue reading