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My mill is sick

Started by WV Sawmiller, April 24, 2019, 09:04:37 PM

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WV Sawmiller

   Went to saw a small order of tulip poplar 1.5 miles from home for a friend today and sawed a small log into stickers with no problem then about a 14-15 inch 10' log into 1X6's and my mill head started shaking badly when I got to the first rail, about 2' in the cut. I was using 7 degree doublehards then replaced with a 4 degree and basically the same thing. Called WM and checked a few things like power feed belt which first thing I had already checked. Finally I went to move the head by hand and noticed it was binding so narrowed it down some from that. I took the chain off this afternoon and the sprocket and shaft seem to be turning freely so I don't think it is the bearings in there or the bearing that holds the chain against the sprocket. I'm thinking it is one of the rollers or the cam follower bearings but they all seem to be turning. If one would just lock up I could figure the one causing the problem but they don't. When I push the mill it seems to start binding sooner when pushing toward the front than the back. 

   Anybody had similar problems or any suggestions as to things to check? I have about 570 hours on the mill and the last issue I had was I replaced a drive belt due to a broken bolt. I don't see how that could cause the symptoms I am seeing as it does it when pushed by hand and not even running and with the chain and power feed motor/sprocket off the mill.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Lawg Dawg

How many years you been running this mill with no problems?
2018  LT 40 Wide 999cc, 2019 t595 Bobcat track loader,
John Deere 4000, 2016 F150, Husky 268, 394xp, Shindiawa 591, 2 Railroad jacks, and a comealong. Woodmaster Planer, and a Skilsaw, bunch of Phillips head screwdrivers, and a pair of pliers!

100,000 bf club member
Pro Sawyer Network

WV Sawmiller

   About 4 years and I had it serviced on the loop last year by the WM mobile team. He replaced the bearings in the idler belt wheel which had died a couple days before. I am diligent about the 50 hour service and check ups too.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Southside

It's the cam follower.  Mine did the exact same thing, I replaced all of them but only the bottom one was bad.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Cutting Edge

 
x2  I bet good money on the Cam Follower too. 

Gonna be doing all 8 on a WM4000 in a few days that had one lock up solid, broke the shaft on (2) others - Peer brand (Made in China)

Do yourself a favor and replace with a good quality Made in USA - McGill or RCB

"Winning an argument isn't everything, as long as you are heard and understood" - W.S.


Cutting Edge Saw Service, LLC -
- Sharpening Services
- Portable/Custom Milling and Slabbing
- On-Site Sawmill Maintenance/Repair Services

Factory Direct Kasco WoodMaxx Blades
Ph- (304) 878-3343

WV Sawmiller

   Thanks guys. Did yours ever completely lock up or did they just just bind at certain points? Any gotchas or special techniques involved in replacing them? 
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Southside

The bearings had failed internally, so sometimes I could push it through, other times it was all but locked up tight.  I can't recall exactly what I did but I do remember removing the rubber bumper at the end so I had a bit more run to get at least one off.  That and you will need to gather up a couple of chickens, cut their heads off, and make the voo-doo sign on the mast with the blood so your fingers can fit into those spots.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

WV Sawmiller

Southside,

   Thanks. I will try the chicken.  I already discovered that swearing doesn't work when I took the end link off the chain and removed the bearing next to the chain drive sprocket that was so tight a socket head would not fit over it and I had to remove the bracket and loosen 1/8 turn at a time with a 15/16" end wrench. After removing the bracket I realized I had not needed to remove the chain end link.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

terrifictimbersllc

Should roll very easily when the chain is off.  Good tip I got from a Woodmizer employee is that if the rails are lubed and a bearing is starting to go bad sometimes you can see the bearing just sliding along and not turning. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

WV Sawmiller

TT,

    I thought so but it does not. Pushing it by hand is how we narrowed down the likely causes to either rollers or cam follower bearings or something else in the feed system. Removing the chain and drive sprocket narrows it down even more. Thanks for the input.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

sparks

Did you spin the power feed motor to make sure a magnet has not come loose and is binding the motor?
\"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.\" Abraham Lincoln

WV Sawmiller

Sparks,

  Thanks for the suggestion. I did spin the shaft on the power feed motor because I too the pulley and later the entire motor off ans they spin freely. The shaft with the pulley on one end and sprocket on the other also spin freely as well as the cam follower next to the sprocket the rolls over the chain. With the entire power feed unit off the head still binds although the first thing this morning it moved freely for about 3' then bound up when I tried to pull it back so it is binding with no feed system.

  Based on the info from Southside and Cutting edge I ordered 3 cam followers today and they will be here Monday. I will replace them starting with the one on the bottom. 

   Remember - the person who can smile during times of adversity has already found someone to blame his problems on. :D
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Southside

WV -

If it turns out not to be the cam follower then my account was hacked and the answer was posted by an imposter.   :D
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

WV Sawmiller

   Reminds me of the old flow chart I used to see when working regular work. Started with "Was there a problem?" and went from there like:

1. Did you cause it - if yes back to front if no "No Problem."
2. Did anyone see you - if yes, back to front if no "No Problem"
3. Is there someone else you can blame - if yes no, back to front if yes no "No Problem"
4. Continues through many more steps with same loop till finally no more excuses and goes to a box that says "You're screwed"
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

terrifictimbersllc

1.  Did you make any money last year?
2.  How much?
3.  Send it in

:)
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

WV Sawmiller

TT,

    Did you retire from the IRS? :D
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

gdaddy01

how much should we give ? the answer is more , more , more .   ccr

moodnacreek

Geeze, my sawmill was made before w.w.2 and it never done nothing like that.

Bluejay27

We had a cam follower seize up on our 70 super a few hundred hours in, made it stop dead on its track. Turned out someone forgot to grease it from the factory. All my replacements have grease zerks and get a weekly shot. If I forget, pretty soon I'll hear it when I'm backing up.

I also had a bearing go in the power feed shaft on our '98 40 super, but I only found that because the drive sprocket was so worn that teeth were breaking off. That was about 3000 hours in though.
'98 Wood-Mizer LT40HDD42 Super, '08 LT40HDG28, '15 LT70HDD55-RW, '93 Clark GPX25 Forklift, '99 Ford F550

WV Sawmiller

  New ones just came a few minutes ago and am fixing to go change them and lets hope that is all it was.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

WV Sawmiller

   Well, if it was sick before its on life support now. :( :'( :'( I replaced the lower cam follower bearing and by all indications that was the problem as the old bearing will not turn and all the others (upper ones and rollers) will.

  However to access the top of the bearing shaft to hold it with an allen wrench while I took the hex nut off I had to loosen and move the plate down that it was connected to which happens to be the one connected to the lower rail . I got the old bearing off and the new one on but when I went to reconnect the plate I needed to lower the head just a fudge to line the bolts back up. When it moved it did not stop and the entire head assembly jumped completely off the mill. My little FEL on my JD 750 is not big enough to lift it so I have a neighbor hopefully coming in the morning with a bigger tractor and FEL and hopefully we can get it set back into place then I can see how much damage is really done. It is not a pretty sight right now. The last thing you ever want to see is your mill in 2 separate pieces. I will say this has forced me to learn way more about my mill than I ever wanted to do.

  If I ever have to replace the lower cam follower again I will have it under a big limb with a chainfall or a piece of equipment big enough to lift it. I still see no way to get the cam follower off without removing that plate.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

Must be different than the LT40.  ?? 


 
I lowered the head down onto a timber (seen behind the wipes) supporting the outside edge of the saw head which took all of the pressure off of the cam followers. 
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

millwright

Hope you didn't get hurt, keep us posted. I may have to do mine sometime

WV Sawmiller

Lynn,

   I can't see from your photo where the cam follower is. Look at it and see if you can get an allen wrench into the top of the bearing shaft without taking something loose. That was my downfall. I could turn the hex nut on the bottom with a 15/16" end wrench but without the hex wrench holding the shaft it would all just spin. It came off easily once I locked the top with the hex wrench. I had a timber (6x6) under the front like you show but I was using one that was 4' long so the head was much higher. When I got the new bearing on the holes in the plate did not line up and I needed to lower the head just a bit to get them straight. When I raised the head to take tension off the 6X6 the head rolled back then fell. There was nothing connected at the bottom to stop it.

MW,

   I got a bruised left shoulder vacating the area when it started to fall. Could have been much worse.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Southside

From what you can tell does it look like it survived the fall?  Glad you did.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

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