Using the Wood-Mizer board drag back

[Bibbyman]

Say,  we've got a new Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25-RA Super coming next week.  Among other features, it will have a board drag back arm on it.

If you've got one of the new Supers with the drag back feature and are using this feature with a table, rollers, conveyor, etc., I'd sure like to know more about it.  

Our goal is to have a small live deck that would hold around 500 bf of logs.  Then use the drag back feature to push boards onto a conveyor or live rollers.  The conveyor would dump everything onto a green chain.  

If one of us is running the mill,  we could load up the live deck,  saw like a mad man (or woman – as the case may be) ,  then stop the mill,  pull boards, edge flitches and let the slabs fall off the end of the green chain into a rack.  When the green chain is empty, the slabs could then be dumped, lumber moved if necessary, and fresh logs loaded onto the live deck.  

If two of are running the mill,  we could probably saw more with out stopping.  But I'd think the E25 Super should be able to swamp one stacker and edger. Maybe the sawyer could stop and run the loader, etc. until the green chain is about empty.

I know we really need at least 3 and could use 5 people to run a setup like this but it's just "Mom and Pop" and that's all it's going to be. (We rather make a little and keep most of it than make a lot and have to give most of it, if not more, to other people.)

[Ron Wenrich]

What size of band are they using on these newer mills?  I thought I read somewhere they were going to a 2 inch blade.

[Bibbyman]

I have not heard that but we could ask Randy Panko at WM.  

Even though I could use 1-1/2" wide blades,  I plan to use 1-1/4" x .045 DoubleHard blades until I've use up the blades I have and then maybe replace them with .055.

Last I spoke with WM, they were running the 1-1/4" x .055 blades even on their LT300.

[Bibbyman]

Has anyone pushed a plate of GRITS down a log using the board dragback feature on a Wood-Mizer mill?

Anyone? Anyone?! :P

[Frank_Pender]

Let us all know what happens when YOU do.  It sound like a scream of an idea.  :D  I bet I could do that with a bowl of oatmeal with my Mobile Dimension Mill.  I hope it is ok that I borrow your idea, Bibbyman?