NEW LT 40 SUPER WITH CAT

[KDEC19]

Hey all.  I have a new mizer and she has only ten hours on it and I am getting wavy cuts.  I had another lt40 with 25 kohler and among other gremlins never had a wavy cut.  Long shallow waves.  a little under 1/8 difference.  spannig about 18 inches.  Does anyone think it could be the motion of the carriage from the cat motor weight..  Is the cat heavier and maybe wobling.  All jacks are tight.  Mill is level.  Am I cutting to fast?  New blades same box as the other mill ran.  Any suggestions from all you seasoned vets out there.  I have eighty hours total in my sawing knowledge.  Would love to get the bugs out of this new mill so I could maybe saw another twenty this week.  We are saw oak with .045 blades 9s   Thanks much

[Kirk_Allen]

Have you checked the blade for level with the Blade Guide tool?  If your blades are tipped up or down it will cause the problem you have. 

Provided tension is right, blades are good then my first thing to look at would be the blade guieds. 

[KDEC19]

ok will check first in am.  The blade should be level correct?  I have the tool.  Will read manual a little on this.    We had the problem and mizer told me to lower the guids on each side to increase tension.  I did this and the problem seemed to get a little better.  We are running proper blade tension.  Alittle on the tight side acording to the guage but mizer said this was how to run with the diesel.

[WH_Conley]

Check the tracking of the blade on the wheels. If I use a sharpened blade that is getting thin and the gullet clearance is too close to the belt it waves more.

[MartyParsons]

What type of logs you sawing? Keep the blade tight ( On the high side of the red). Blades new or resharpned? Engine is not the problem. Use blade tool and make sure the blade measures same at both ends.  Also you need 1/4 " of Blade deflection. ( Blade Rollers pulling the blade down 1/4 ") Clearance form Back of guide to blade 1/16 on drive side and 1/8 on idle side. In soft woods you should be using a 10 degree blade. (I am sticking my neck out here) (Some do some dont) If you slow the cutting speed down does the problem go away. ( How fast are you sawing? How wide are the cuts? on a 51 hp you will not know when you are sawing to fast as you would with the 25 hp. These are nice mills! It may take you some time used to the operations. Speed, hp, blade, tension, guides (set at .008 to .010)  Lube on blade? What are you sawing??
Marty

[KDEC19]

I am sawing fresh cut oak.  Three days off the stump.  Monday  I have ten oaks lined up.  Ranging in size 24'' but to 12" but.  Red oak .    Will see if problem persissits.    I was cutting at half knob.  You are right about the motor.  Great power.  we were lubing the blade.  I have brand new blade in for tomorow morning.  I will check these clearences with the blade guide.  I lowered the guides I think 1/8 inch.  reset twelve.  and the problem got a little better.  Should I just convert to the .050 size blade.  I have heard the 51 can handle it and it will provide less problems?

[Bibbyman]

I doubt if the motor weight is causing the problem.  We had a 96 with the 35 Wisconsin cast iron engine – probably heavier than your CAT and it didn't have a problem.

I'd vote for checking the tracking first.  And then check to see if the blade guide rollers are adjusted accordingly.   I like about 1/16" of space between the back of the blade and the shoulder on the blade guide roller.

Also,  the new guides with the inserts ...  Check to see if you have enough but not too much clearance between the insert and the blade.  I think the book says something like .003. 

With 10 hours on the mill,  it's just starting to get broke in.  May want to look things over like the blade guide support arm, etc. to see if some slack has developed.  Also,  the blade guide roller mountings.  Make sure all the bolts are still tight.

9 degree blade...  I'm not sure if it's meant to be driven as fast as blades with more hook and gullet depth.  May be running it too fast for that blade.  I know when we jump in a 1.50" x .050 or .055,  we can cut like a house-a-fire.

If it's making wavy cuts on start into log or when it hits hard knots... Check the main belt tension...  New mill,  new belt,  it's going to stretch some.  Too loose a belt will cause wavy cuts.
If a little twinking don't get results,  call Wood-Mizer.  That's what those guys live for.

[gmmills]

   Make sure the mill is aligned properly as Marty stated.  Check the drive belt tension as per Bibbyman. I have sawn many thousand's of ft of Red Oak. I have used 1 1/2" 9 deg blades almost exclusively with out many issues. My mill was a 42 kubota. Using brand new blades right out of the box doesn't necessarily mean they are sharp.Many new blades cut better after they are sharpened. Are you using 1 1/2" or 1 1/4"s? The added beam strength of the 1 1/2"s will allow faster feed rates with higher HP mills. The 0.50's will cut faster at a sacrifice in flex life compared to 0.45's on the LT 40's smaller band wheels.

[MartyParsons]

Yes I forgot about the belt tension,  :-[ ( Thanks Bibbyman) should be checked at the first 5 hours and 25 hours there after. 7/16 deflection with 18 lbs of deflection force. ( You will find the directions in the auto clutch book) Somtimes you will not hear the belt slip you will only see the wavy wood because the blade speed has changed.
Yes the 1 1/2 .050 blade works well. ( the thicker blade gives more beam strength but you will loose flex life.) ( Thanks gmmills)  usually see blade breakage after the blade has been sharpned if it was ran to long more with the .055 thickness but you can cut F A S T  ;D
Red Oak should not be a problem. 10 degree blade works well 9 is ok. If you use a wider blade ( 1 1/2) be sure you check the clearance on the roller 1/16 on drive and 1/8 on the idler.
Marty
Seminar this Friday at our place in PA 9 am to 3 pm  $ 45.00 per person.  Hope to see ya there.

[KDEC19]

ok checked with blade tool all looks well.  checked the alighnment seemed ok.  I am going to check the belt tension next.  I am cutting with the blades I got with the lt40 with the kohler.  After the belt tension check and probable ajustment I am going to saw some wood and see what happens.  After examining the wood more carefully the wave looks to be asociated with knots in the wood.  Not always but alot of the time.  I like the tension idea I really hope that this is the cause.  Alls I want to do is make a huge pile of saw dust!!!  The lt40 super smooth and quick.  I like that big alternator supplying the power to those huge updown and drive motors.  Motor does not flinch when and function is used.  thanks for the help.  I will check in later today.  Keith d

[DR Buck]

My wavy cuts went away after adjusting the main belt.   No more problem!   

In soft woods you should be using a 10 degree

Should I be using 9 degree for my hardwoods?   Will I be able to cut faster if I do?   I have bunches of 10 degree blades, but no 9 degree.

LT40Hyd with 25 HP Kohler

[KDEC19]

I was under the impresion that the 9s is for hard and frozen wood.  I might be wrong.  I am very new to this.  Was told 10s for soft woods. and 9s for the hard wood oak ect.  I slowed the cutting speed.  My belt needed a little tightening.  Maybe I was just cutting to fast as the motor shows no sign of strees even cutting acrosss eighteen inches of fresh cut red oak.  My old kohler would chug right down.  Not the cat and maybe this was why I was getting the waves.  Hopefully if I have time wed I will be doing some more cutting.   Thanks for all the quick responses.  I checked the mill out and all that yall said has been checked and seems ok to me.  I think it is from maybe cutting to fast as I said.  What yall think.

[Kirk_Allen]

Should I be using 9 degree for my hardwoods?   Will I be able to cut faster if I do?   I have bunches of 10 degree blades, but no 9 degree.

LT40Hyd with 25 HP Kohler

Dr. Buck, I have the same mill and use 10 degree for almost everything in the hardwood family. I use my 9 degree blades for White Oak and Hickory.  I dont think you will see any speed gain by using the 9 degree blades, other than when frozen.  During the winter I use my 9 degree on all the hardwood and they work better than the 10's.

[customsawyer]

Glad to hear you got it working. I run a LT40 with the kabota it will really make the sawdust fly one of the things that I like the most about it is how long it runs on a tank of fuel. My best day of sawing was just over 6800 ft of 1x and 2x in about 9 hours and it didn't even use two tanks of fuel. How much fuel does the cat use?

[KDEC19]

I think we are drinking a little more maybe.  The mill has ten hours.  Came with fuel in it about 1/2 to 3/4.  Have filled once.  I am going to saw today.  Fuel is the first thing I have to do before I get started today.  Will monitor today for ya..  Mizer thought it would drink more than the kubota.  I had a choice of two new exact mills.  The only difference was the two motors.  I went with the cat seeing that I will only get this chance to own a CATAPILLAR>  ha Ha.  To pricey for there other equipment.  Ifin I can't own the machine thought at least I could own one of there motors.  Well almost there motor As it Is a Perkin CAT.

[KDEC19]

Well I cut some 2*4s made thirty of them and no waves.  Then the next log was hickory and got big time waves. well over 1/4 inch.  What's happening?  changed blade got same waves.  Lubed alot and changed speed and nothing seems to work.  Is this normal in this hard wood hickory.

[ronwood]

kdec19

When I cut hickory I have to set my feed rate down to probably 1/2 that I do in oak. Hickory is touch even when it has just been cut. I always start with a newly sharpen blade also. I have able to cut good lumber that way.  Is there any possiblity that the back of the blade is hitting the lip of the roller? How much set are you using.


Ron

[KDEC19]

I really am getting discoraged.  The mill cut wavy wood for two hours today.  I can not even cut stickers!!  I seems to me that I have to adjust the blade tension alot.  Is this normal.  New blade.  tighten to spec.  start motor and blade and the tension drops.  drop when cutting wood.  Maybe this is the problem area.  Is the tension stay the same as one cuts.  or does one have to constantly adjust. 

[KDEC19]

help  help help!

[Kirk_Allen]

If the blade is getting hot it will expand and give the problem you describe.  I cut a lot of Hickory and I HAVE to use a 9 degree blade and it has to be sharp. I get about 400 bf per blade before needing changed.  I dont have a debarker so that is why the low BF numbers.   

If your using a 10 degree blade that may be part of the problem.  I have found that Shagbark Hickory is harder to cut than Pignut Hickory.  Not sure why but that has been my experience, which is limited compared to most folks on here.

[pigman]

When I put a new blade on tighten to correct tension and make a cut the tension will drop. I either over tenison a little, or retension after the first cut. If I don't have sap build up or bad blade, I can cut till the blade needs changing without adjusting the tension.
Hickory is the hardest wood that I cut. Use 9 degree sharp blades and must change after 400ft. On red oak I consistently get over 1000 ft before changing blade. I think hickory makes good firewood. ;)

[customsawyer]

How dry is the wood that you are sawing? If it is extreamly dry turn off the water. The mosture will make the wood swell and pinch your blade. I am doing some cutting for a crosstie mill that can only cut about 28" dia. log so they call me to cut there logs that are over that most of the time they let them pile up before they call and they get very dry. This creates two problems one you can't use any water two the dry wood takes the sharpe of your blade very quickly. When you first start cutting with out any water it will heat up the blade a little making it expande and lower your tension but if you just tighten some after the first cut it should run fine for awhile. Don't forget to lossen your blade when you take a break or eat lunch or it will cool of and contract which will make your tension go way up. Hope this helps.

[KDEC19]

I will try another new blade in am.  This one did not get through one log.  Does not look like I hit anything.  I am using a debarker.  My tension changes on every cut.  Have tried fast cutting slow cutting.  So you guys can set tension adjust once or twice and then good?  Mine will drop a few times. very much also.  Will try another new blade in am to make sure of dull blade issue but I do not think it is dull yet.  Could my tension hydrolic be bad?  Anyone know how to check this?  Are woodmizers just very finicky and hard to keep adjusted?  Does one have to adjust these machines daily?  The other mill I had never cut a wave in sixty hours.  It had other computer related issues.  A bad up down gear motor. Four transducers, three main computer face boards, and an internal circuit board.  But she never cut a wave!!  They took that mill back and gave me just what I paid.  I went "all in" as they say and know this one has these issues.  Honestly it has been a loong year since last feb. when I got the first mill.  All I wanted to do was saw some wood for love and money!  The love is gone and I keep spending money everymonth on the mill.  Alls I want to do is saw some wood for two weeks eight hours a day!!  Thanks all again.

[KDEC19]

The wood is fresh hickory cut last week on my farm.  I have to readjust many times.

[Kirk_Allen]

You should not have to keep adjusting your tension. 

Have you called WM about the problems your having?  What degree blade are you using?