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LT15 Power Feed on Sale - I'm Gonna Order

Started by firefighter ontheside, March 10, 2021, 01:28:01 PM

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YellowHammer

Quote from: Rodman on March 12, 2021, 09:15:52 AM
Quote from: YellowHammer on March 11, 2021, 11:08:51 PM
Quote from: firefighter ontheside on March 11, 2021, 08:59:37 AM
That's an interesting point YH.  I can set the speed just right to coincide with what I'm doing in between cuts.  
That's exactly right.  Ideally, just as you off bear a board, you look down and the next is cut.  
Might be a stupid question, but do you guys with the power feed ever run into trouble while you are off bearing while the saw is making the next cut ( ie: blade diving or rising ). Blades breaking? I typically work alone.
With my manual mill i'm right there with the saw head & know when the blade is beginning to rise or dive. I have never had a blade break ( but expecting it to happen one day )
Would like to upgrade in the future to something with all the bells and  whistles & maybe some orange paint  ;D
Play Safe
Les
Hands off auto feedjng is only for routine sawing.  It's a lot like cruise control for a car, you only use it in predictable, low stress situations, which should be most of the time, when sawing.
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

lazyflee

@firefighter ontheside , power feed ordered! She must love me eh? Now the wait.....

firefighter ontheside

Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

lazyflee

Woodmizer email says shipped, be here friday????

firefighter ontheside

Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

John S

My hand is always on the speed control when milling, speeding up or slowing down as needed.  It is rare that I take my hand off the controls (mine is a walk along).  When returning the sawhead after a cut, I am feathering the lever to control the speed of return.
2018 LT40HDG38 Wide

Woodpecker52

When I use my power feed, I am always at the control, never doing something else.  I learned the hard way that a chain driven power feed will not stop till something gives or bends.  You are lucky if it is a blade that gets ripped off, or a pin shears, but let a adjustment arm be to far in and did not see that bump sticking out can make for some panic moments when you realize the pulling power of the drive.  Luck would have it I found out the weakest link was a pin down the line which sheared off instead of the adjustment arm.  I really rarely use the power feed usually just turn it on to see if it is working.  I much rather push and look up close to get a feel of how it is cutting..
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

firefighter ontheside

To push the saw by hand do you place the power feed in neutral?  I've never seen the power feed in person.  It's interesting the different view points and uses of power feed.  The adjustment arm issue is a good point.  Definitely don't want to hit that.  Maybe I'm more likely to walk away when the saw is cutting straight edge boards as opposed to live edge slabs that may have a knot to hit.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

YellowHammer

In my opinion, the best time to use the power feed is all the time :D, but whether it's put in cruise control is another matter.  

Normally, when I'm learning the log, all my radar is on, as I'm making the first few cuts.  There may be issues with changes in diameter, hardness, knots, stubs, etc that need to be watched out for.  As I'm sawing, I'm also learning how fast I can feed on that particular log and not have sawing issues, such as wave, or even bogging the engine.

However, once the cant is developed, there is nothing to hit, and the proper feed rate should be apparent by that time.  So I enter the cant and go to cruise control.  Depending on the horsepower and speed of the mill, it may take 10 seconds to saw the board, or it may take 20 or more, which is more than enough time to do something else.  Of course, its not a good idea to get more than a quick step or two away from the mill, but its certainly enough to stack the board that just was sawn.  My LT70 saws fast enough there isn't much more time than to scratch my nose, with my older LT40, tree was enough time stack wood, and with more oldest LT15, with much smaller engine and slower cutting speed, I could do a lot more.

The blade guide arm adjustment will generally have a sweet spot, where is is clears most logs, and still saws straight and fast.  So I may go several logs or more and never adjust it.    
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

lazyflee

 

 It showed up this morning. Really nice, will take a bit to get used to. @firefighter ontheside 

firefighter ontheside

Wow.  They must have done you a favor for your birthday.  Mine hasn't even shipped yet and I ordered mine before you.  Congratulations.  I don't doubt there's a learning curve.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

firefighter ontheside

 @lazyflee I just called WM and they said my power feed is 8th in line to be built, so he expected I would get an email later this week to say it was being shipped.  I still wonder how you were able to get one so quick.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Woodpecker52

I did put kill switches on each end of the mill in case something goes wrong, however my feed system uses a chain and sprocket system run by a gear drive and 1hp dc motor.  The gear drive is a horse built during the 40's and it will not stop till a pin shears, chain breaks, or steel is torn.  I do not know about the Woodmizer feed since it probably uses the rope and windlass system, it might be more forgiving.
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

firefighter ontheside

What I read somewhere is that if the mill head reaches the end, the rope will slip on the pulley, but its not a great idea.  A kill switch would be better.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

YellowHammer

Using a power feed is a learning curve.  You go from hand pushing or cranking where you can feel everything, to turning a knob and having to get some of your sawing cues from other sources, such as your eyes and ears.  You lose some of the tactile feel at first and it can be a little frustrating.  However, after awhile, it all comes back, and it's great as you can use the techniques with other mills if you decide to upgrade.  

As a general rule, never, let the mill head hit the far stop.  
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

WDH

Yes, it does not matter what kind of mill you have, you have to pay attention and not let the mill hit the stops with any powerfeed.  One must learn to pay attention and develop a rhythm. A LT15 is no different from a LT70 in that respect.  
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

firefighter ontheside

I ordered about 5 weeks ago.  It feels like 30 weeks, lol.  I called to check the status today and they said it will ship tomorrow.  Happy dance.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

Breezybrzez

Congrats! Lucky I had to wait 14 weeks for my 28.... Although that's nothing like I've heard they are now 

firefighter ontheside

Quote from: Breezybrzez on April 14, 2021, 02:01:19 PM
Congrats! Lucky I had to wait 14 weeks for my 28.... Although that's nothing like I've heard they are now
This was just for the power feed and not a whole mill.  
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

lazyflee

Glad you finally got it. Really getting used to mine now and loving it. Hooked up a green line laser the other day, still sorting that out, but pretty cool.

firefighter ontheside

Quote from: lazyflee on April 14, 2021, 05:20:57 PM
Glad you finally got it. Really getting used to mine now and loving it. Hooked up a green line laser the other day, still sorting that out, but pretty cool.
Thanks.  I just checked tracking and it says it will arrive tomorrow from Indiana.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

firefighter ontheside

Power feed arrived yesterday and I installed immediately.  It's gonna take some getting used to, but I can tell I'm gonna like it.  I was surprised at how fast it goes backwards with no ability to make it go slower in reverse.  Guess I will learn to move it manually when I just need to move it back a bit.  I still need to route the wires better before I actually saw with it, which will likely be tomorrow.  I've got a big walnut sitting on the mill.  I was also surprised that the rope goes on a regular pulley instead of the type that wraps around twice.  Seems like that would be better for the hand crank too.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

WDH

You will certainly like it. It does come back in reverse at the speed of light. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

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