Picked up the LT28 Today

wwsjr · April 06, 2010, 11:15:24 AM

Qweaver,

The first mill I had was a LT40G28 with log deck package. I mounted a Warn 3800 winch in place of hand winch, used a battery on ground under mill, recharged overnight. I had same problem you are having with one end of log coming up before the other. I believe not having the center of the weight of the log directly on the turner was my problem. Not necessarly the midpoint of log, but midpoint of weight. Just a thought. I am not sure the rollers are a lot of help. I have had rollers on all my mills.

Magicman · April 06, 2010, 11:18:24 AM

Sometimes a large or odd shaped cant/log is tough to turn, no matter how many rollers you have. I often have to pull the bottom out with the log clamp and stuff like that. Cant hooks never go out of style..... ;D They are your friends.....

Qweaver · April 06, 2010, 11:32:53 AM

I love my Logrite too, but when you are 65 with a broken back and a cranky hip, and your helpers are 68 and 76, well... that log turner starts looking better and better and one of the main reason that I bought this mill. :D

Magicman · April 06, 2010, 01:24:10 PM

Quote from: Qweaver on April 06, 2010, 11:32:53 AM
but when you are 65 with a broken back and a cranky hip, and your helpers are 68 and 76 :D

For a second there, I thought that you were talking about me......but then I remembered that I am 66..... smiley_old_guy

trapper · April 06, 2010, 08:14:52 PM

Magicman i am in your camp 66 also and back in 87 broke 2 vertbrae when i dumped my bike. I am lucky they bother me very little. My kids say they will just keep rebuilding me. rods in my back plate in ankle and glass eye. Also the doc told me I didnt need the kneycap he took out when it was shadered.
I was thinking also about replacing the manual winch on my lt30 with an electric. Instead I use a half inch electric drill to run the winch.

timberjackrob · April 06, 2010, 09:39:18 PM

i usually have trouble after my first turn . the first turn works perfect when put the first flat side against the back supports. its when i make the second turn it starts to turn but wants to climb up on top of the back supports.i have found that if you have two people one can hold out on the turner as it comes up to keep it from striking the log to low and just raising it up instead of turning it. ive tried every adjustment on the turner but not much change.the eletric winch works great i only use the turner on large logs or long heavy logs the rest of the time i use the logritescant hooks . iwould use the turner more if it worked better.let me know if you get the rollers,im interested if they work.

Magicman · April 06, 2010, 10:35:50 PM

Maybe you need a "Magicman's Handy Dandy Log Turner Holder Outer".......

Rope with a hook on the end

Hook it to the turner and loop the rope over the loader (or something) and back to you. Now you can hold the turner out and place it on the log in just the right spot......

timberjackrob · April 07, 2010, 12:42:43 AM

i knew there was a reason to login one more time before i went bed, thanks magicman.

backwoods sawyer · April 07, 2010, 01:19:46 AM

Magic you beet me to that one. I have the chain turner so that is not an issue with my mill, but the back supports do like to grab ahold of some of the larger logs, western red cedar can be problematic. I keep a couple 24" long pieces if steel pipe that slips over the back supports in the truck. Straight pipe can push the log to far over, so I heated them up and bent them back at about 15* angle so they slide all the way down on the back supports.

Magicman · April 07, 2010, 07:42:31 AM

Quote from: backwoods sawyer on April 07, 2010, 01:19:46 AM
I keep a couple 24" long pieces if steel pipe that slips over the back supports in the truck. Straight pipe can push the log to far over, so I heated them up and bent them back at about 15* angle so they slide all the way down on the back supports.

I like that idea.....

What size pipe? Pop us a picture.

Jim_Rogers · April 07, 2010, 07:50:19 AM

Quote from: Magicman on April 06, 2010, 10:35:50 PM
Hook it to the turner and loop the rope over the loader (or something) and back to you. Now you can hold the turner out and place it on the log in just the right spot......

I use a bungee strap and hook it to the chain on my log loader, then by adjusting the height of my log loader or the link on the chain it is hooked to, I can move the turner in or out a little.....so that it will hit the log in the correct spot to turn it. Sometimes the turner will go right under odd shaped logs, and you need to pull it back and up.....these are the things you have to do when you work alone.....

MartyParsons · April 07, 2010, 01:24:23 PM

The log support rollers work well. We have had many owners change to the kits and I get feed back with a thumbs up. Wood-Mizer had bearings on the first design kits and they always seem to be locked up. They now have a machined roller with a brass bushing. When servicing the mill I try to remove the roller and put never seize on the bushing.
Hope this helps.
Marty

dovetails · April 07, 2010, 02:00:55 PM

I use 3" PVC . Light weight,easy to spot it in the sawdust pile,and don't hurt your foot as bad as a metal pipe when you kick it!

Qweaver · April 10, 2010, 06:23:46 PM

Just another point on the LT28 as an upgrade from the LT15. We resawed/edged today and I'd guess it to be twice as fast (or better) as on my LT15.

Dan_Shade · April 11, 2010, 10:30:44 AM

really? I thought they were basically the same machine, with a different frame.

Qweaver · April 11, 2010, 12:14:24 PM

My LT15 is a 2004 year model. The newer LT15 may have some of these also. I don't know.
Here is a list of things that the new LT28 do better or easier for me.
1. One central log clamp is fast and easy to use and it holds the boards for resaw well.
2. Power feed and return
3. Up/Down mechanism much easier and faster to operate.
4. Log turner works OK. I'm having a little problem with it but way better that not having one.
5. Toe boards work great.
6. Cuts 21' logs without an extra bed extention.
7. Ramps and winch to load logs. I will not use this much.
8. 25HP standard.
9. Trailer mounted.
10. Able to cut and easily turn bigger logs
Also, I have never been able to cut and resaw 1400BdFt in one day on my LT15. We did that the first day that we sawed with the LT28.
My LT15 did a great job for sawing logs to build my cabin and out buildings. But we are now going to be sawing mainly as a business and the LT28 will make us much more profitable for that.

Dan_Shade · April 11, 2010, 02:08:16 PM

that makes sense. I forgot how much my life improved when I got the toe rollers!

Brucer · April 11, 2010, 06:44:06 PM

Edging is a lot easier and more comfortable when the flitches are at waist height instead of knee height.

Qweaver, I've had problems with the end of the log lifting both on my original manual LT40 (similar turner to yours) and on my hydraulic mill. The difference with the hydraulic mill is that you can very quickly move the turner up and down to kind of inch the log around.