blade options for WM LT-10? Cutting difficulties

[francismilker]

I cut a 12" cant out of a seasoned oak log today.  I was slow and easy about it and still went through one blade to get it sliced up into 2" slabs.  I used a good stream of water with a little cascade mixed in. (maybe too much because I had a pretty good slurry sawdust build up on each slab as it come off the mill.) 

I'm wondering if anyone here has used another blade other than the 10 degree blade offered for the mill at WM?

I can get some Cook's Supersharp that have an 8 degree angle but don't know if I should plunge into buying a box of 10 blades without hearing some reviews on them first.

It's been a while since I've sawed and I remember having trouble cutting hardwoods before.  I'm wondering how difficult you all have it cutting hardwood.  I know it's going to take more time than cedar or other softwoods.  I know I'm going to have to go slow and steady about it.  But, It's taking me 2-3 MINUTES to make an 8' slice on a cant while sawing hardwoods.  If I go any faster my blade actually stops.  It starts slipping on the drive belts.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[hamish]

You are cutting seasoned oak, its hard, plain and simple.  What is your blade set at?  How big is the motor on your LT10?

The benefits of different degrees of band is not very prevelant on lower hp mills.

[Red Clay Hound]

Seasoned oak can be tough to cut, but if you take it slow, your mill should handle it fine.  It shouldn't dull your blades that quickly.  Are you sure you started with a sharp blade?  Also, are you sure there was no metal in the log?  Wood-Mizer sells 7 degree blades that work well on tough-to-cut woods, but they require more power - not sure that's your answer.

[francismilker]

I'm absolutely sure it was a new blade.  As far as the blade set, I'm sorry I can't tell you off the top of my head.  It's whatever WM sells for the LT-10.  There's only one blade option for that model.  The motor is a 10hp.  I'm sure there was no metal in the log.  I know the log should be considerably harder to cut than a green log or a softwood, but 5 cuts taking 2-3 minutes per slice to me was a little slow IMHO.  I still wonder about the blade slippage on the drive belts.  Could I be overwatering the blade and the slurry buildup cause this?

[dgdrls]

2-3 min, is too long,  check your drive belt tension (motor to band wheel)  and make sure the rubber tension block on the band tension arm is set correctly.
My motor tension belt needed adjustment after the first few logs I cut, I suspect you may need to tighten it.

  Woodmizer makes 10 and 9 deg blades for the 10 only,
I also owe Cooks a call for some Number 8 bands.

let us know what you find.

DGDrls

[5quarter]

Your blade should never stop while in the cut unless the engine stalls.You may be losing torque. tighten or replace your drive belt and up the tension on the band. an lt-10 shouldn't have trouble with 12" wood, even dry oak.
   I use Cooks blades and love them. order a couple and try them out.

[Migal]

I think you have a different issue. have you looked to make sure the tension and the teeth of the blade are not hitting your wheel's or rollers and getting flatted out. Picture's would help in finding what is up? Read your manual again and make sure all is what it is suppose to be I prefer dry oak to wet due to drying time and reaction of the wood can be read easier by my poor eye's while sawing as I also remember I own a wood burning stove that like's mistakes  8)

[Migal]

Oh on the Cook's blades I have used three so far from a ten pack and other than having to adjust for the length so they stay square on the wheels I cant complain! :P

[hamish]

Put on a new band and see how things work out.  10hp and a 10 degree band muscle its way through anything, but as you are stalling out your band, you have a tension/drivebelt issue.

I have a 13hp GX390, I can push it hard enough to push it off the blade guides, but it never stops cutting.

[thechknhwk]

I had 10deg bands that I got with my sawmill and while they were fine for pine or green or wet wood they did not cut well in the hard, dead, dry ash I was trying to saw.  I bought some simmons red streak 8 degree bands on the recommendation of the local supplier/sharpener and they worked wonderfully.

[MartyParsons]

Hello
10 degree .042 would come with the mill when new. WM can make you any blade you want that is 144" in length. I keep the 9 degree blade here for customers wanting to saw the tough woods with the LT10. Like the others said you need to adjust the drive belt tension. I don't think the 7 degree would work unless you were sawing the less hard woods. The tooth is to agressive. But I have never put a 7 on a LT10. Do you have a 10 hp or 7?
Marty

[bandmiller2]

Milker,all good advice given,but don't let one log change your procedure.Try more logs,sometimes unseen grit will take the edge of a new band quick.You could try a mix of diesel and a little oil in a spray bottle. Slippage is a real possibility,check belt condition and tension. Frank C.

[YellowHammer]

On both my oder LT-15 and newer LT-40 there is enough grip from the bandwheels to the blade and also from main drive belts that I can stall the engine from over feeding into the log. IMO If you can't stall your engine from over feeding then you are not utilizing all the power from your engine and that's why you are cutting slow. I belive you have a powertrain issue and need to fix the slipping so you can be utilizing more than a fraction your engine hp.  Are you sure the bands are slipping on the bandwheel belts or is the main drive belt slipping? Seems to me excessive bandwheel and blade slippage would tend to dismount the blades and cause them to run against your blade guards and either dull them or have them come off.  Lots of things can cause slipping, including having excess lube get on the main drive pulleys, not enough tension, wear, etc. 
I've never had sawdust slurry between my bands and bandwheels cause blades to slip, it just made them vibrate and run rough until I stopped to clean to off. 
YH

[mikeb1079]

i agree that it's a drive belt issue.  i had the same problem with my homebuilt mill.  i would have to cut really really slow or my band would stall.  as has been mentioned the drive belt needs to be tight tight and working perfectly especially in tougher wood.  even if it doesn't stall out you'll get dips and dives unless your power transfer is steady. 

[drobertson]

Not sure how the drive tension works on the lt 10, but if the blade is stopping you dont' have enough tension.  The Cook's super sharpe is a good blade, as are most on the market, I use them, for every type of wood I cut, oak, and pine, some walnut and cherry,  You might stick with the wmz's, pricing is the same, pretty sure.

[francismilker]

Thanks all for the excellent advice. I will give belt tension a try and report back.  I was going to do it today but got called in to work at my day job.  Thanks again. 

[francismilker]

Took a lot of slack out of the turnbuckle yesterday.  The jam nut had backed off and I had lost a lot of drivebelt tension.  Things went good yesterday and today.  I'm only sawing cedar but it's going great.  I got almost 600bdft of cutting in one blade.  (sure can't complain about that)   Sure am liking my little LT-10.  Wish I'd bought one years ago. 

THe only problem is.....................I want a bigger one with wheels already and the Mrs. is perfectly happy with the LT-10...................I  just don't see why she doesn't want a bigger mill.!!!1

[dgdrls]

Glad to here you found the culprit.  Mine did the same thing.
Also found WM makes 4 and 7 deg bands for the LT10
I posted that on another thread,
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,60949.0.html

DGDrls