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Upgrade to LT15

Started by JBS 181, January 08, 2018, 10:00:45 PM

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JBS 181

Ordered a power feed for my LT 15 today. Since it will be a day or two before delivery, Iam looking to round up some rope. Reading some previous posts I see suggestion to some Regatta 5/16. For those of you using the power feed, what is working best and where might I purchase the rope? Do I have too pull it tight with a come a long? Do I have too keep the rope sticky with something? Thanks for the help.

Kbeitz

Rope? Do you mean the cable that would move the carriage ?
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

firefighter ontheside

Doesn't it use the same kind of rope that is already on an LT15? 
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

JBS 181

OK, I have had the mill for a couple years and yes it did come with some rope. Who knows what happened to the rope that came with it. If cable can be used I will use whatever works best.

starmac

May be best to check with woodmizer on this.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

Brad_bb

I went down to Lowe's and got some braided rope I think it was 5/16ths.  Got it to match the original.  I needed longer because I have the MP100 beam planer on the same track with the saw head and you feed the rope through both.  You do not need a come along.  I thread the rope pull it to the end and then tie a loop knot about a foot to 15 inches down from the end and pull it by hand and slip it into the slot.  It has to be tight, but not so tight you'd need a come along.  You do not need anything sticky on the rope.  Friction does it just fine.  How to thread it takes a few minutes to figure out, but it's logical.  If you do it backwards the first time, just re-route it so it goes in the other direction.

I don't have powerfeed.  My upgrades (I have a 2014 LT15GO) would be to get the mill up higher like it is with the GO so you're not bending over so much.  Then I'd add an hour meter.  Next I'd add a toe board up front.  I'm in the process of adding a manual one from an LT28.  If I had my way the next upgrade I'd do is adding hydraulics so i could add a log turner and two plane clamps.  I don't have powerfeed because I don't feel the need for it yet.  I don't get tired with manual feed.  I also perceive that I can feel what's going on and stop or back up quicker with manual.  I can also slow down and go slow manually like when I'm going through a really wide slab or really hard wood or doing unclamped curves on the mill where I may need to go slow and rotate the curved log as I'm going.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Kbeitz

I don't know if it would help but I put a small turnbuckle on my cable.
That made it very easy to tighten.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Jemclimber

I have powerfeed on my lt15.  Do as Brad suggests to install it, and use rope not cable. A nice thing about it is that the rope will slip when it hits something unmovable, like a log that won't fit between the guides because the flare widens, or a clamp left out too far, or the mast left up too high that hits the mill head shed.  Those are the things I can recall bumping into.  The rope is a nice slip clutch for these "whoopsies".  I really like the powerfeed for a number of reasons as I'm sure you will too.
lt15

WDH

I found the powerfeed to be a real productivity booster. 
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

MartyParsons

Hello,
   Rope is 5/16' Solid Braided Polyester. 30" on LT15 and 34' on a LT15 Wide.
For the LT15 Power Feed it comes with a turn buckle and the rope must be tight. If it slips then it is not tight enough. 

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

JBS 181

Thanks for all the help. Looking forward to installing power feed and not having too push mill all day. Thanks again.

Darrel

For me, power feed would be a must. Neither one of my elbows could handle crank turning all day and I'd rather spend my energy doing more productive things than pushing a mill head through logs. A manual mill is enough of a workout without that.
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Brad_bb

If the rope is not tight enough, simply take the knot out and move it down a little bit so that you have to stretch the rope farther to get the knot in the holder bracket.  The type of rope is important as it has to stretch and have spring action in it.  A cotton type rope would not work as it would not have spring/stretch.  You didn't have an original rope with your LT15??  The rope material is a common type that I found at Lowe's.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

JBS 181

I did get rope with it to start. Finding it may be a venture. I have also added on too my mill so the rope will need to be longer.










hopm

Never used or even laid eyes on manual woodmizer. However, I have wondered from watching videos what was gained in turning the crank vs. just pushing it through?

Brad_bb

There is a small mechanical advantage with the crank and it helps you keep the speed more consistent.  When pushing by hand, you hit a harder spot and you will feel more resistance.  When I'm doing normal cutting I use the crank, but many times when I'm edging, I just push as there is much less resistance when edging.  When you get over 3 or 4 inches I prefer to crank.  You can push for wider cuts, it's just a bit more work.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

alanh

My 15 has the powerfeed, the motor went and I pushed and pulled for a while.. not for me. Quickly ponied up the $$ for a new motor. Not sure if came with it or the previous owner put it on but the rope is hooked to a pretty large spring where it hooks to the mill, seems to keep it tight as the rope stretches.

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