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TECH UPDATE

Finger Jointing Equipment

Tech Update Editor: Helen Johnson

Please fill in our Reader Request Form located at the bottom for more information on these products.

Western Machinery Group/Western Pneumatics
The high production, state-of-the-art finger jointer from Western Machinery Group, the HD High, is a durable, efficient and accurate horizontal finger jointing system, offering more production capacity, the company says. Western Machinery has a full range of finger jointing systems for medium and high production, as well as a low production finger jointer, the Western Reclaimer. All systems feature a dust collection system. Experienced field service technicians install and troubleshoot all systems. Trade-ins are accepted and financing is available.
Circle Reader Service Card # 740

Conception RP
Conception RP Inc introduces its new CRP2000SE and CRP2250 finger jointers designed for short blocks from five inches up to 42 inches for studs and I-beam flanges applications. The CRP2000SE has a production capacity of more than 250 linear feet per minute, with a capacity to run up to 160 lugs per minute with a perfect glue application, the company says. An important improvement is that the hydraulic component has been completely eliminated. The high-capacity stop-and-go press is now entirely pneumatic and presses the planks on both ends. This 32-foot press can produce up to 10 cycles per minute.
With a production capacity of more than 325 linear feet per minute, the CRP2250 has a continuous in-line pressing system (crowder type) and a flying saw with an accuracy of -0" + 1/4" on a 60-foot plank. The flying saw is driven by a servomotor and is one of the most accurate on the market today, the company says.
Circle Reader Service Card # 741

Grecon Dimter
Grecon Dimter offers a wide variety of finger jointing equipment, from small reclaim finger jointers to high capacity models cutting either vertical or horizontal joints. Most models are modular to allow for the addition of more automation to increase production capacity, while retaining the same major items such as shapers and press.
The increased automation brought about by modular upgrades helps to reduce labour costs, the company says. In use in virtually every finger jointing application, Grecon Dimter finger jointers are heavy duty and precise and produce high quality joints based on the Weinig-made cutter head spindles. The company, which manufacturers more models of finger jointers than any other company worldwide, has offered training, installation, service, documentation and spare parts programs for many years in support of its customers.
Circle Reader Service Card # 742

Wisconsin Knife Works
A pioneer in the finger jointing industry since 1929, Wisconsin Knife Works initially developed and patented the Lock-Joint Grooving Head-known today as the finger joint head-that was originally used to finger joint wood pieces to make automobile bodies and steering wheels. Since then, the circle-bit style finger joint cutter has evolved with greatly improved tolerances and machining precision. WKW finger joint heads and cutters can be used on a variety of machinery, from a heavy-duty spindle shaper to a double end tenoner. The most common application is on a finger joint system that comes complete with stock handling and feeding systems, as well as all assembly and gluing apparatus.
Traditionally, the cutters for softwoods are made from high-speed tool steel and high molybdenum M-2, whereas hardwoods may be jointed using WKW Opti cutters or cutters made from high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide.
In addition to the abrasion and corrosion problems that abrasive woods cause, the increasing use of man-made wood products has necessitated specially designed cutters. Composite materials consisting of wood fibre and glue usually require WKW carbide finger joint cutters.
Circle Reader Service Card # 743

BGR Tools Inc
BGR Tools, a manufacturer offering a variety of custom tooling to the wood industry since 1974, makes either straight bore or hydraulic finger joint heads, from six to 20 bolts. Durable and precise, knives from BGR Tools can be made to exact specifications for whatever production pattern is required. The company, with distributors on four continents, manufactures knives and heads for the wood, panelboard, plastic, rubber and metal industries. BGR also manufactures custom parts for finger jointing heads and set up stands.
Circle Reader Service Card # 744

Apquip Company
Since 1971, Apquip has specialized in adhesive application equipment for the forest products industry, designing and manufacturing application systems for both vertical and horizontal finger jointing machines. Apquip's pressurized, non-circulating, application system incorporates a profiled extruder head with an air-operated adhesive valve, adjustable timed on/off delay controls and constant adhesive pressure from a pressure tank, pump or meter mixer. By detecting the leading and trailing edge of each board or block with a sensor, start and stop points of adhesive coverage can be accurately controlled.
Apquip manufactures a variety of x,y adjustment slides that include a break away feature to allow defective boards to pass without damage to the system. Made from stainless steel for durability and corrosion resistance, all applicator heads and wetted parts are built to customer specifications.
Circle Reader Service Card # 745

Doucet Machineries
The new DJ-400 from Doucet Machineries Inc is a complete finger jointing line designed to produce studs or joist rails at speeds of up to 400 feet per minute. It includes an automatic infeed module, a dual broad base profiling machine with machining centres on both sides of an eight-foot-wide transport table, an automatic corner, a continuous assembly press and a flying cut-off saw. Designed to joint 2x3, 2x4 and 2x6 material 10 to 144 feet long, the high capacity profiling system features dual cast iron chains, traverse bars with chip breakers spaced 9 inches on centres, machining centres equipped with trimming/scoring units, 25hp cutter head motors and spindles and an automatic glue applicator. Material is held in place by a pneumatic hold down system with interlocked flexible guide.
Three 36-inch roller conveyors are used for end justification before machining side-to-side transfer and outfeed of material.After profiling, pieces are automatically transferred onto the accumulator/sequencer device. The automatic press has a pre-assembly tunnel, a crowder/retard device, a four-spindle planer, a flying cut-off saw and a material exit facility with precision trim saws. It uses the crowder and retard principle to apply pressure to the pieces to be jointed. The press includes a control panel with a programmable microprocessor and has sensor devices to ramp assembly speed up or down depending on volume exiting the finger jointing machine. Configurations have been developed to match final product
characteristics and production volume requirements.
Circle Reader Service Card # 746

Cutting Edge Machines
The focus of Cutting Edge Machines is on the processing of blocks before finger jointing and improvements on finger joint components. The finger jointer lug loader and high-speed automatic corner are two improvements that have greatly improved production, increasing throughput from 105 lugs per minute to as much as 160 lpm, the company says, depending on the length of blocks being processed. Cutting Edge Machines is currently testing a finger jointer quality control system that monitors the width of blocks, the trim squareness and moisture content and, as well, checks the chain's lug squareness on the fly.
The Cutting Edge finger joint proof loader offers fast setup and calibration. Held in place by locking pins, the stands that support the boards slide easily between the various positions. The cylinder is returned to its home position by releasing the hydraulic pressure and requires no compressed air. The dimensions allow testing of 2x4 through 2x6 boards on the flat and on edge without ripping. The pressure gauge and piston snubber are designed to withstand the inverted spikes that result when the board breaks and the quick-disconnect gauge has a maximum-reading needle so breaking pressure can't be misread, the company says. Optional is a PC interface that automatically records breaking force and compares it to the MOR tables.
Cutting Edge also manufactures a short block ripsaw for re-rip operations that utilizes a spike-chain bed and single climb cutting circular saw along with a unique overlapping fence system. The saw uses standard saw blades.
Circle Reader Service Card # 747

Coe/Mann-Russell Electronics
Coe/Mann-Russell Electronics designs and builds complete finger joint gluing lines utilizing the many benefits of radio frequency curing. The designs and processes are based on more than 40 years of experience in structural finger jointing and non-structural finger jointing for exterior use.
In addition to the RF heating section, Coe/Mann-Russell also manufactures the assembly and crowder sections, flying cut-off saw, final trim and stacking equipment, bending proof loader and specially designed finger joint cutting equipment.
Circle Reader Service Card # 748

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