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Found something odd on my LT35 today,

Started by 123maxbars, December 26, 2011, 07:50:53 PM

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123maxbars

Well for the past few weeks i have been having issues sawing on my LT35 (LT28 then upgraded and had no issues sawing on the LT28). Today while putting on a new blade I noticed a small block of wood mounted inside the housing that the blade goes into. The wood was directly below the exhaust on the kohler engine but was inside where the blade tracks. The only way to notice the wood was to bend down and look up where the blade tracks, it was not visible with just the doors open.  I thought at first it was scrap that got lodged in there somehow. After looking at it further it was screwed in and had two screws outside of the housing that pretty much had it bolted into the frame. I noticed it was black on the bottom where the blade had been rubbing up against it constantly. I unscrewed the screws and took the wood out. I then cut about 100 feet of pine and had no trouble in my sawing like I had been having leading up to this find. Right now I'm not sure why that block of wood (probably 1in thick and 4in wide) was bolted in there like that, but it apparently was having a huge effect on my sawing. Anyone else ever see this on their woodmizer? Maybe it was attached for shipping purposes or something?
Sawyer/Woodworker/Timber Harvester
Woodmizer LT70 Super Wide, Nyle L53 and 200 kiln, too many other machines to list.
outofthewoods
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

caveman

Our lt 28 has the same block of wood.  I assumed that it was there for a reason but I do not remember reading about it in the manual.  The mill cuts well.  Caveman
Caveman

zopi

I believe it is there to keep the blade from smacking the housing if it rides off...sacrificial piece..I recall reading something about that on this very forum a few yrs back...
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
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And lots of junk.

WDH

There is a similar block of wood on my LT15.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Magicman

If I am following you, it sounds like an anti-vibration "damper" between the blade wheels.  This keeps the blade from oscillating and prevents premature metal fatigue.

Post a picture or maybe Marty Parsons will pick this up.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

123maxbars

I appreciate the replies. This block of wood was causing my blade not to run at the fastest speed possible. The blade was rubbing against the wood which I think caused my sawing problems I have had lately. I think my blade was running slow due to rubbing on the wood causing my cuts to be wavy and in accurate. Sawed for three hours today after removing the object and the LT35 saws perfectly. 
Sawyer/Woodworker/Timber Harvester
Woodmizer LT70 Super Wide, Nyle L53 and 200 kiln, too many other machines to list.
outofthewoods
Youtube page
Out of the

Magicman

I have never seen an LT35, but if it is what I described, it should not contact the blade, but should be adjusted about 1/16th inch away from the stopped blade.  It should only contact the blade to stop any blade oscillation.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Magicman

I see that Magic Smoke is on here.  Maybe he will pick it up.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Magic Smoke


Magic Smoke

Although I think the wooden blocks are fixed now, as compared to the set screws used on some mills.

Magicman

123maxbars, I would trim or adjust that block so that the tightened blade is about 1/16' from the block.  It is there to prevent premature blade failure.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bill Gaiche

I agree. I added one from oak to mine. Its so the blade does not bounce up and down when running. When blade is tight there should be at least 1/16" clearense. There is no reason the block would make the mill cut bad or pull down the engine if the clearense is there. bg

Chuck White

It operates on the same principle as the plastic/nylon bearing in the bottom of the blade housing on the LT40's.

Follow the suggestions already given and just sand a little bit of it off, so that you have between 1/16 - 1/8" clearance when the blade is tightened to your desired tension.

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

pineywoods

123, that block of wood serves a very critical purpose. It's there to dampen out blade flutter. without it, you will break blades like crazy, as well as some other not-so-desireable things. If the blade has been rubbing hard on it, you have some other more serious problem.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
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ladylake


My B20 doesn't have a wood block to stop flutter and I have lots of blades sharpened down to 1" wide without breaking but WM blades a little longer and running loose belts which might cause more flutter.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

r.man

I do wonder why this problem happened so recently on a used saw that had been running well. Has the block moved or has the blade managed to shift due to a wheel bearing or something in the main adjustment. Moving the block and fixing the problem points you in the right direction but I expect it fixed the symptom not the problem.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

Magicman

There is nothing to adjust where this block is located.  If it was a bearing problem, the blade would not properly track or stay on.

Sometimes mill/blade vibration is caused by simple things like a piece of bark, etc. tightly wedged into a blade guide groove.  Always check and clean these grooves at blade changes.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

YellowHammer

I checked my LT-40, it has a threaded metal stud that is about a quarter inch from the blade, no wooden block or piece of plastic.  I may replace it with a wooden block because I don't like the idea of my blade bouncing into a metal stud to stop vibration.  I am guessing I should also adjust the stud closer to the blade, anyway.  Any thoughts? 

Thanks,
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Chuck White

Quote from: YellowHammer on December 27, 2011, 01:59:26 PM
I checked my LT-40, it has a threaded metal stud that is about a quarter inch from the blade, no wooden block or piece of plastic.  I may replace it with a wooden block because I don't like the idea of my blade bouncing into a metal stud to stop vibration.  I am guessing I should also adjust the stud closer to the blade, anyway.  Any thoughts? 

Thanks,
YH


YH, check it out, that stud isn't metal, it's nylon!

It should be adjusted to between 1/16 & 1/8 inch.

Chuck
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

petefrom bearswamp

Chuck,
Looks like metal on my lt40, and thought so on my old mill (which is yours now.)
I am going to check this tomorrow if it doesn't snow too hard.Weather is calling for snow all week.
Oh well we have dodged the bullet so far.
My manual says 1/16"
Pete
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

YellowHammer

I just pulled it from the saw to check it a couple minutes ago, its definately metal, I checked it with a file and a magnet.  I wonder if I shouldn't replace it with a nylon one, that sounds like a good idea.... 
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

MartyParsons

Hello,
The picture is a 3/8 bolt or better yet allen bolt with lock nut. Not ever seen a plastic one, dont think it would last very long. I am not sure why the first post that the blade had been hitting or rubbing the wood. It should be in there, it is not something new. They have been using the wood for some time. LT15, LT28 and LT35 The other mills use the metal bolts. The LT70 is from the top.
The early mills had a bearing running on the band in the center top.
I have seen these bolts good as new and some are gone like rubbed / ground off.
Hope this helps.

Marty
"A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Bill Gaiche

I would say replace metal stud with a nylon/plastic stud. Maybe a brass one would work or aluminum but not sure. Trial only would you know for sure. The steel stud would cause gaulding in my opion and could damage a blade over time. bg

Chuck White

I don't know fella's, but the one in my LT40 is either plastic or nylon.  smiley_headscratch

Which makes sense because that would be more of a lubrication affect than a steel one.  smiley_thumbsup

Pete;  Maybe the original owner switched the metal one out and the nylon one in.   :-\

I adjust mine 2 or 3 times through the course of our sawing season.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

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