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Useful sawmill mods

Started by Bibbyman, July 25, 2004, 08:27:09 AM

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learner

Pete it actually seems to work better than the original flap.  It's a bit stiffer so it really hugs the log. 
WoodMizer LT40 Super Hydraulic, MF-300 FEL, Nissan Enduro 60 forklift, 2 Monkey Wards Power Kraft Radial arm saws, Rockwell series 22-200 planer, Prentiss 210 loader

petefrom bearswamp

Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

drobertson

Nice mods! like the clear deflector,  and the board deflector too!  nice stuff,   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Bibbyman

 

If you have the Lube-Mixer option on an LT40 series mill, you probably curse each time you take the side shield off and put it back on.  We'll,  I thought about it and didn't see why it had to be where it was.  If it were up on the turned up edge of the water tray it would be out of the way. 

Well, yesterday was the day.  I soon found out that if you just raised it up and tried to install it on the edge of the tray,  you couldn't unscrew the bowl.  So just to try something,  I turned the bowl assembly so the top was flat against the edge.  We sawed a couple of hours yesterday and everything worked so it just may be fine there.

Just for good measure, we removed the bunji cord from under the try.  As our mill is stationary, it was never used.

In any case,  the side shield went back on MUCH easier.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Chuck White

Good one, Bib!

I usually use a nut driver to remove the side shield (except for the one that's towards the engine) and the top-front bolt is right in line with the clamp (pita) that holds the gas hose.

Mine has been adjusted too.

Thanks for posting.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

terrifictimbersllc

I put these 12V trailer clearance lights on the front of my hydraulic box.  They're wired to the motor lead side of the hydraulic solenoids.  Why?

Those are my wife's toes, she's pushing down on the loader lever.  When hydraulics are working normally, both lights are on.  Originally, I mounted these to be able to see when one of the solenoids fails, rather than waiting to find hydraulic fluid running out of the box.  These lights have already proved useful in another way.  Several weeks ago I saw that the lights were dim even though the hydraulics were working.  I checked voltages and found the alternator wasn't charging the battery.  I called WM,  and very quickly was led to discovering that the green wire from the alternator had a bad connection at the 16 pin connector, which was easy to fix.  If I hadn't seen this I might have run down the battery and been unable to start the sawmill.  It is reassuring to see these lights on bright,  whenever I use the hydraulics.
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

Magicman

I like them.  They would also be dim if/when the button was not making good contact with the strip.
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

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: Magicman on January 06, 2013, 04:49:36 PM
I like them.  They would also be dim if/when the button was not making good contact with the strip.
Thanks. Or when the hydraulic microswitch fails, when my battery is going bad, or anything else affecting battery voltage. I don't have to worry about that button anymore though,   with help from Bibbyman and PNyberg (posts earlier in this thread), last summer I did the 1/0 gauge welding cable replacement of the hydraulic strip.  What a difference!
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

DR_Buck

Quote from: Bibbyman on January 06, 2013, 10:22:08 AM


If you have the Lube-Mixer option on an LT40 series mill, you probably curse each time you take the side shield off and put it back on.  ................In any case,  the side shield went back on MUCH easier.

I'm going to have to look close at my mill tonight.  My mill came with the factory installed lubmizer.   I don't ever recall having an issue with the lubmizer bowl  when taking the side shield off and on.     smiley_headscratch
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

Magicman

I had that shield off of my sawmill this morning.  On my sawmill, I loosen and remove the 5 bolts and then the shield pivots out from the bottom and passes by the wiring terminals on the up/down motor and then lifts downward and out.  The top edge of the shield is the last to come out when removing and the first to be reinserted when installing.  I also have a retrofitted Lube-Mizer.

Other LT40 versions may be different.
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

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Magicman on January 07, 2013, 02:03:03 PMOn my sawmill, I loosen and remove the 5 bolts and then the shield pivots out from the bottom and passes by the wiring terminals on the up/down motor and then lifts downward and out.  The top edge of the shield is the last to come out when removing and the first to be reinserted when installing.   




thats what I do :)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

YellowHammer

This a followup to a previous post (702 on this thread) where I've been working on my board return system to make it more controllable, and fixing it so that it would release the board where I wanted, not just where it wanted.  I also desired to return shorter boards all the way to the end of my loading table, and virtually drop it on my lumber stack, as opposed to just dropping to the mill bed about halfway back, which kind of defeats the purpose of a board return.  Normally, I have to reach forward to grab the dropped board to drag it to the loading table with one hand and this got old real fast, especially with lots of heavy, boards. 

So I welded a small lip to the bottom of the board return arm and now I can return most boards all the way across the table and release them at any point by just reversing direction on the mill head.  Much easier and more controlled.  I'm still experimenting with the shape of the lip, but here's a picture and also a video on it returning a board with me stopping at a few locations on my table, then finally dropping it where I want it.  I put a few thousand bdft through it in the last couple weekends and it seems to work pretty well. I only had to reach for a few boards, and was also able to push the ones I wanted right to my stack with no real handling.  This was one of the first configurations, now I am experimenting with a slightly larger, more tapered flange.  A very simple mod, but pretty effective.



 

http://youtu.be/E5upimQu1YU



YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

DR_Buck

Quote from: YellowHammer on January 21, 2013, 11:09:16 PM
This a followup to a previous post (702 on this thread) where I've been working on my board return system to make it more controllable, and fixing it so that it would release the board where I wanted, not just where it wanted.  I also desired to return shorter boards all the way to the end of my loading table, and virtually drop it on my lumber stack, as opposed to just dropping to the mill bed about halfway back, which kind of defeats the purpose of a board return.  Normally, I have to reach forward to grab the dropped board to drag it to the loading table with one hand and this got old real fast, especially with lots of heavy, boards. 

So I welded a small lip to the bottom of the board return arm and now I can return most boards all the way across the table and release them at any point by just reversing direction on the mill head.  Much easier and more controlled.  I'm still experimenting with the shape of the lip, but here's a picture and also a video on it returning a board with me stopping at a few locations on my table, then finally dropping it where I want it.  I put a few thousand bdft through it in the last couple weekend and it seems to work pretty well for such a sImple mod, I only had to reach for a few boards, and was also able to push the ones I wanted right to my stack with no real handling.  This was one of the first configurations, now I am experimenting with a slightly larger, more tapered flange.  A very simple mod, but pretty effective.



 

http://youtu.be/E5upimQu1YU

Nice mod.   Keep us informed of any improvemnets you come up with.   I might have to do the same on my mill.
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

Larry

YH, I like your mod. :)  Think I'll do something similar for my TK.

Let us know if ya make improvements.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

rmack

Quote from: YellowHammer on January 21, 2013, 11:09:16 PM
This a followup to a previous post (702 on this thread) where I've been working on my board return system to make it more controllable, and fixing it so that it would release the board where I wanted, not just where it wanted.  I also desired to return shorter boards all the way to the end of my loading table, and virtually drop it on my lumber stack, as opposed to just dropping to the mill bed about halfway back, which kind of defeats the purpose of a board return.  Normally, I have to reach forward to grab the dropped board to drag it to the loading table with one hand and this got old real fast, especially with lots of heavy, boards. 

So I welded a small lip to the bottom of the board return arm and now I can return most boards all the way across the table and release them at any point by just reversing direction on the mill head.  Much easier and more controlled.  I'm still experimenting with the shape of the lip, but here's a picture and also a video on it returning a board with me stopping at a few locations on my table, then finally dropping it where I want it.  I put a few thousand bdft through it in the last couple weekends and it seems to work pretty well. I only had to reach for a few boards, and was also able to push the ones I wanted right to my stack with no real handling.  This was one of the first configurations, now I am experimenting with a slightly larger, more tapered flange.  A very simple mod, but pretty effective.



 

http://youtu.be/E5upimQu1YU

it's simple, and it works... pretty tough combination to beat.  8)
the foundation for a successful life is being able to recognize what to least expect the most... (anonymous)

Welder Bob
2012 LT40HDSD35 Yanmar Diesel Triple
1972 Patrick AR-5
Massey Ferguson GC2410TLB Diesel Triple
Belsaw Boat Anchor

ElectricAl

Pretty nice mod YellowHammer.



In a quest to keep from plugging up the LubeMizer upper jet, I made a plastic guard.

The prototype was a piece of Milk Jug. Worked good enough to pass the "Proof of Concept" stage.



Next was the bottom corner of a one quart oil bottle. I just let it rub on the blade until it had self adjusted to a slight gap. That took about 2 weeks.
With the gap set we enter Long Term Testing.
Which may only be a couple weeks until I dream up a slight modification.


Nothing like Modifying a Modification.   ;D
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

LeeB

What blades are you using Al? I don't recognize the profile.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

pineywoods

Quote from: LeeB on January 22, 2013, 11:15:35 PM
What blades are you using Al? I don't recognize the profile.

Me neither, that is sure some wicked gullet..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

ElectricAl

Lee & Pineywoods.

That is actually a WM 9 degree that I pushed the set out to 34. We had just sawn a bunch of frozen Pine.

The Gullet looks funny because there is Sap build up on the back of the tooth. Plus the bottom of the Gullet is hogged out a little extra.

Good Eye
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

LeeB

Do you do your own sharpening and have you sharpened them? I use WM 9° also and still the configuration looks different to me. It seems that the transition from the tooth face to gullet is very acute. Did you modify the cam?
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

Brucer

Quote from: ElectricAl on January 23, 2013, 06:34:00 PM
... The Gullet looks funny because there is Sap build up on the back of the tooth....

The tooth on the very left shows up the buildup on the back of the other teeth.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

ElectricAl

Lee,

We grind our own blades with a WM Drag Sharpener.  The Face to Gullet transition is pretty tight and could use some extra radius. 

We normally saw with 7 degree and 10 degree blades, so the sharpener has a 10/32 cam on it.
Only had to saw 2700' of Pine so I never changed the cam when I put the 9 on. There are 3 other cams in the draw to choose from, but I chose to ignore them.

We are going to use up all the 9 degree as soon as possible then switch to CBN  .

The CBN wheel is the same for 7 degree and 10 degree.
Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

Larry

Quote from: YellowHammer on January 21, 2013, 11:09:16 PM
This a followup to a previous post (702 on this thread) where I've been working on my board return system to make it more controllable, and fixing it so that it would release the board where I wanted, not just where it wanted.  I also desired to return shorter boards all the way to the end of my loading table, and virtually drop it on my lumber stack, as opposed to just dropping to the mill bed about halfway back, which kind of defeats the purpose of a board return.  Normally, I have to reach forward to grab the dropped board to drag it to the loading table with one hand and this got old real fast, especially with lots of heavy, boards. 

So I welded a small lip to the bottom of the board return arm and now I can return most boards all the way across the table and release them at any point by just reversing direction on the mill head.  Much easier and more controlled.  I'm still experimenting with the shape of the lip, but here's a picture and also a video on it returning a board with me stopping at a few locations on my table, then finally dropping it where I want it.  I put a few thousand bdft through it in the last couple weekends and it seems to work pretty well. I only had to reach for a few boards, and was also able to push the ones I wanted right to my stack with no real handling.  This was one of the first configurations, now I am experimenting with a slightly larger, more tapered flange.  A very simple mod, but pretty effective.



 

http://youtu.be/E5upimQu1YU

It sure is nice to drag the board back and drop it right where I want it.  I welded up my rendition for a TK 2000 last week and tested for proper operation.  Worked great so I painted it and got it installed permanent today.



 

Thanks for the idea...every step saved makes for faster/easier production.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

YellowHammer

I glad to hear that it also works on TK's.  I've already gotten so used to mine that I don't think I could go back
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

papow22

Quote from: Bruce_A on September 09, 2004, 06:23:29 AM
Are other mill so complete that they don't need these updates?
To some other sawmill owners this site only "Woodmizer".......But it pays to go and snoop around to snag some ideas also Lm2000 owner operator. :snowball:  :D 
Lives to do sawdust,run a trapline,hunt big game,live life to it's most.Got 4 mills a circle mill,(2 band sawmills) Norwood's 2000, Trim Saw,Beam Machine (chainsaw mill).

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