Useful sawmill mods

[beenthere]

............  I told her it was a problem as she had nothing to do half the time.  ........

She could find just the right length stick, and poke you in the ribs that other half the time.... 8) 8) 8)

[DR Buck]

LT40 Super does not have any guides to direct the board. LT70 has them.

Ron

I took a good look at the LT70 dragback during the 25th tour.   It looks like it would work fine as an add-on to the LT40.   You could also make one up if you're so inclined (as we know Bibby is   ;D)

[Bibbyman]

This one by BBTom



And this one that more resembles the LT70 design by wscott

I think CustomSawyer has one on his LT40 also.

We'll be going down to Mt. Vernon here in a couple of weeks to the open house there.  I plan to take a harder look at the LT70 design and see if I can come up with more ideas.  It would be nice if there was a way of hinging it out of the way when not in use. 

[DR Buck]

It would be nice if there was a way of hinging it out of the way when not in use. 

Yea,  I thought about that as well.   I think it would have to flip up.   There is no place to either side where it wouldn't be in the way.


I really like BBTom's use of the roller chain.   Less parts and drilling with the same end result.   I'd hang more chains though.

[BBTom]

DR,  That was the intention when installed, however, I just never have gotten a round tuit.  The one chain worked pretty good, so the rest of them never got installed. The chain needs to be a fairly heavy chain so it can withstand the side pressure. 

When I am doing something that does not require the guide, I can just flip the chain over the bar and it is out of the way. 

I promised Bibby some more pics and some measurements, so I better go get them.

[Brucer]

As I recall, you can flip up the individual guides on an LT70 to keep them out of the way.

I've been looking at the hanging chain idea. Rather than using the heavy chain with a large pitch, I was planning to use a double-wide chain. The extra width should make it stiff enough to withstand the sideways pressure from the log.

Guess I better buy a drag-back first ;D.

[BBTom]

Ok, I finally got busy and took some pictures.  The guide is 34 inches in front of the dragback.  Why 34" you ask??, cause that was the length of the scrap angle iron I got my hands on.  Much longer and it may be in your face when you bring the head all the way back.


I drilled and tapped two holes to bolt the angle iron onto the engine mount angle iron.  The other side is held by the bolt for the autoclutch cover.

The chain is lined up so that it just clears the side of the cant when sawing,  the length of the chain is about 2 inches below the blade.

The chain can be flipped up out of the way if it is not needed.

I catch the end of the board and set it on this bit of rollcase. After starting the next cut, I turn around and run it thru the edger to the stacker.

Sorry that picture was so dark. 

Hope that helps guys.

[pineywoods]

This ain't exactly a modification, but it saves me some time and frustration. I saw dead pine with loose bark, cypress and cedar with stringy bark. Plugs up the sawdust chute, then the dust goes everywhere. Never can find the right sized stick to clean it out. Made this handy tool out of coat-hanger wire and keep it hanging on the strap for the water tank.



It just fits up the sawdust chute on WM Lt40, clears the teeth inside.

[Dave Shepard]

What kind of pine, yellow? I don't know what cypress bark looks like. I saw a lot of white pine with loose bark and haven't had a plug, but the fingers are not in the chute anymore. I thought the pipe would stop a broken band, I guess not. :




Dave

[zopi]

I had to align the guides on the mill yesterday, so I wnet ahead and swapped holes...moved the water lube to the drive side..I like it alot...i'm not fond of having to wring the water out of the boards as I offbear.. :D I also added a junk needle valve I "liberated" to control the flow of water a bit more precisely than eyeballing the globe valve position..let's me concentrate on getting into the cut rather than on how much water I'm dumping...

After having become interested in upgrading the mill, I went back and red this thread through again...I love the fact that alot of these mods are features of the new mills coming out...Good stuff there.

Should this thread maybe be a "sticky?"

[Papa1stuff]

I have thought about putting my automatic levelers from my motor home on to my mill,Just hit a lever and your mill is level!!

[zopi]

No kidding, I moved the LT-15 this afternoon...god but they are a pain to level...the wife was laughing at me, because instead of cussing it, I'd mutter "Hydraulic mill" about every three minutes...

[sandmar]

Bibbyman said: "I try to keep Mary happy."

That is the bottom line my friend,'nuff said  ;D

[beenthere]

Papastuff.
Burlkraft did that hyd. leveling mod on his WM mill. Slick mod.

[backwoods sawyer]

I have thought about putting my automatic levelers from my motor home on to my mill,Just hit a lever and your mill is level!!

Even a bang cylindar on the front of the mill would be a big help for the "Hydralic" mills that are doing portable milling.

[jpgreen]

My LT-40 is seriously a pain to level.  I can't believe such a well engineered machine has such a horrible jacking system. I've got to design something else..  :

[WH_Conley]

Well, you can worry a lot or do what I do. Drop the 4 center down solid and jack the last two on the end up 1" and forget about it.

I have set my lt40 up on area's that  I was afraid that it was going to run me down on tha return.

With the frame these mills have they don't have to be level, square or anything else.. Take that from a  guy that has worked with a lot bigger machinery than  these mills.

[Dan_Shade]

there are a few tricks to setting up an LT40.

first off, I drop the 4 center posts and lock them into place.  then I raise the one at the tongue about 2 holes up, then run the head down to the front, this raises the back up in the air, then I go back to the back two (not the far end), and jack them up one hold past where they are, using shims if needed, then I lower the back one down 2 or so holes from the ground, maybe 3, then roll the head all the way back to the end. and jack up the front two so they are solid, then drop the one at the tongue.

it's not hard to set the mill up, you have to use the head of the mill for leverage.  you can actually lift it up so the wheels are off the ground without much hassle.

[DR Buck]

there are a few tricks to setting up an LT40.

first off, I drop the 4 center posts and lock them into place.  then I raise the one at the tongue about 2 holes up, then run the head down to the front, this raises the back up in the air, then I go back to the back two (not the far end), and jack them up one hold past where they are, using shims if needed, then I lower the back one down 2 or so holes from the ground, maybe 3, then roll the head all the way back to the end. and jack up the front two so they are solid, then drop the one at the tongue.

it's not hard to set the mill up, you have to use the head of the mill for leverage.  you can actually lift it up so the wheels are off the ground without much hassle.

Dan,

You confused me with the UPs, DOWNs, LOWER and DROP.     Am I extending the legs towards the ground (lowering)  or retracting (raising) them?

[backwoods sawyer]

This process is repeated 10-15 times on some sets. I have had customer scratching there head as I set the mill up this way.  I was all ready to stick a bang cylinder at the front of the mill but the valve is froze up so will need to get another one before I can install it.
My plan is to set it up like a tongue jack that pivots out of the way. It will mount right behind the hydraulic box, making for easy connections. I may need to add a second hot rail at the other end of the mill so it is more stable by not having to lift the head of the mill as well.
The way it will work is set it down with the weight on it and lower the front of the mill set the two legs behind the wheels then use it to raise the front of the mill. It will save steps and not wear out the back lifting and lowering the front of the mill. The process may need to be done 3-4 times if on a side hill.

[Papa1stuff]

Like I said ,use the leveling system like motor homes use ,just hit one button and machine is level.
Just need to put blocking under the low side !

[LeeB]

Pardon my dumb, but what's a bang cylinder?

[pineywoods]

I'm with WH, don't have to be level. Just so there's support under all the jacks.  Mine's set up permanent but it's no where near level, mill don't know the difference, still works just fine.  I know one sawyer who deliberately sets his LT50 up so it's tilted toward the head side.

[Chuck White]

there are a few tricks to setting up an LT40.

it's not hard to set the mill up, you have to use the head of the mill for leverage.  you can actually lift it up so the wheels are off the ground without much hassle.

Dan is pretty-much going by-the-book in his method of setting up the LT40!
Move the the head to either end, then adjust the jack(s) at the opposite end, then, reverse this procedure.
Moving the head to one end really makes it a simple task to raise the other end.

The first thing I do when I unhook the mill from my truck is to place an RV level (the one with a centering bubble) on the tube that the log clamp is on, it just makes set-up quicker and easier!

[jpgreen]

I will replace the word "level" with "Stabilizing" my LT40, which is what I meant. I don't think operating the machine un- supported at every point is a good idea with large logs no matter how strong the mill is built.

It is a pain in the butt on uneven ground regardless of the technique used.

If those jacks were variable- ala screw feed there would be no issue at all, and it could be done in 5 minutes.

The notch and spring pin are fine if you do not have to setup multiple times, or you are on flat ground.