New shoes and more.

[Jeff]

I have some big sawing plans for my 31 year old sawmill this year, so now that I have a place to work, some things are gonna change!  I plan on reworking the battery side of the mill so I can use a standard size battery and redoing the wiring rats nest in the "control box" probably relocate it as well. New tow wire and lights. New sawing scales if i can get them and ya never know, maybe even a little paint.


  

 

[sprucebunny]

Gonna be purty. Don't forget the dielectric grease 

[Darrel]

watching, anxiously expecting great things!  8)

[Magicman]

We will enjoy watching that old gal get a facelift.   8)

[thecfarm]

Sawing plans?   ;D  Whatcha going to be sawing-building?

[Jeff]

I have all that cedar up to my property that I was going to build a cabin with. It can't sit another year. Well over 100 logs yet. There is also 20 bigger tamarack stacked up there too. I want to build about 100 feet of fence and also a building to replace the quansit tent that stores my mowers and quad.

[Chuck White]

Looks like it's going to be a busy year for you Jeff, Good luck!   

[porcupine]

We've seen the before photo and will be waiting for the "after"

[slider]

Don't get any orange paint on the bird.

[Jeff]

The bird and the sawmill will not be coexisting anywhere there might be paint.  

[Treehack]

Sounds like a lot of work(FUN).  Will be looking forward to the progress updates.

[isawlogs]

Once I get my mill out of the where it sits... Still wayto much snow to think of getting anywheres near it with any kind of towing vehicule, the battery box is on the to do list ... It has completly rottted out and I  had to strap it on the finish sawing last fall. Is yours also under the sawhead on that model.. i'm assuming it is. I  can put a large car battery in mine, what size do you have in that mill Jeff???

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

My friend that was killed on his farm had a mill that looks like yours Jeff.
He never let me saw with it but I helped him move lumber on and off for 23 years.
Its good seeing an up close pic of your mill.

[paul case]

BTW that ceiling looks good too.

PC

[Jeff]

Once I get my mill out of the where it sits... Still wayto much snow to think of getting anywheres near it with any kind of towing vehicule, the battery box is on the to do list ... It has completly rottted out and I  had to strap it on the finish sawing last fall. Is yours also under the sawhead on that model.. i'm assuming it is. I  can put a large car battery in mine, what size do you have in that mill Jeff???

It only allows you to put one of those long skinny batteries. Not sure of the dimensions, but they are certainly not over 5 inches. I'll need to remove the fender mount and redo that, that will give me room for the battery to pass past the wheel. I want to build a new box, and relocate the elecrrical panel there as well.  As it is, if you have the head all the way down, and if the battery dies, you can't get to the battery without considerable fiddle-fating around.

BTW that ceiling looks good too.

PC

Yea it do don't she?

[paul case]

My 706 Farmall USED TO have a battery like that. Them are more expensive than a regular car battery and dont last anywhere near as long. A revamping to accept the same size and type battery your pickup takes will be doin you a big favor.

I wonder if you could build a whole nother battery box either behind or in front of the head high enough to clear the tire or axle so you didnt have to change it around?

[isawlogs]

 Mine big enoughto fit a regular car battery.. That being said, if it goes and dies on you, it is under the headrig as yours, only way I found to get to it is to boost from the starter wich is not that easy, or bring power to the alternator much easier access.

[paul case]

OR you can hand crank the pulley on the up/down gear box for half a day to get it up far enough to get the cover off.
Don't ask how I know.
Jump to the pos post on the alt. Much easier.

I must do it the hard way first.

Jeff,
Is your mill a lt40 or 30 hyd? Can't remember. Maybe I need to sit down.
PC

[Jeff]

Or you can manually spin the up motor pulley a quarter million times. (DITTO) Paul beat me to the post ;)

I hate that battery. My big concern right now is it's not charging, or, the charge isn't getting back to the battery. If its that the mag has lost magnetism, I'm pretty much toast. That part, if you can find it, costs more than the onan is worth. Parts like the coil are impossible to find, and other parts are horribly expensive. Simple carb kit is like 40 bucks. If you want a float with that, double.  I'm hoping the shady wiring is the culprit.

LT30 manual.

[paul case]

Yeah thats the same luck I have had with onan parts. If it was mine and ''if'' it happened to have an extra pulley I would add the automotive alternator. That would keep that battery hot.

PC

[Magicman]

By design, I would have to use a jump battery to raise the head if the battery died.  Deters thieves from stealing the battery.

[paul case]

And you cant do that easily  without the keys.

PC

[Jeff]

I plan on building a lockable battery box.

[Kbeitz]

I got 4 garden tractors with the onans. I dont think the prices
are bad at all off E-bay...

New coils      $63.00
Carb kits.      $24.00
Stater           $120.00 (thats a little high)
Rings             $22.00
Carburetor     $86.00
Piston+rings   $56.00
gasket set      $30.00
V-Regulator    $54.00

I think you would pay at least this much for other engine parts.

[Jeff]

The carb for my engine is almost 300 bucks. The parts are hit and miss on ebay. Many don't fit. Been there, done that.

[Jim H]

My first mill was a 1986 lt30. Looked just like yours but had a Kohler magnum 16 instead of the Onan. When I got it the previous owner had put in a lawn and garden type battery, that had enough power to start the engine and run the motors. I changed it to the skinny battery and that lasted until I sold it about three years later. Now with the hydraulic mill running pretty regularly I rarely get much more than a year and a half out of a battery.

[isawlogs]

 Do you have a double pully on the motor.... If not, I may be able to help you out, then you would need to put in the alternator support brackets, from what I seen on my mill, that aint hard to make. I guess before doing anything, one would need to verify the lenght of the engin shaft... Just saying bro, if you want to put in an alternator, I do have a pully here for an Onan.....  ;)

[Jeff]

First I need to confirm it isn't charging I think.

[isawlogs]

That would be one way to approche the maybe probleme. 

[47sawdust]

Jeff,
I can tell you are really enjoying have a comfortable work space.Nothing like it.

[Jeff]

I love it! Any and all projects, jobs or chores now are a joy.    Now when something breaks or goes haywire I say "I GOT THIS!" :D

[slider]

Amen to a nice place to work.

[Peter Drouin]

I love it! Any and all projects, jobs or chores now are a joy.    Now when something breaks or goes haywire I say "I GOT THIS!" :D

[tacks Y]

Jeff did you buy this new? So what year did WM start making mills?

[red]

Jeff's LT30 was delivered packed in ICE . Also known as the Slush Mizer.

[Jeff]

Yup, thee slush-mizer/food-mizer. I purchased it 12 years ago from member douginutah . He hauled it across the continental divide in a snow storm, making it unrecognizable to but a few once it came out the other side.  I'm not sure what year was the first, but this mill is certainly in the first 3 or 4 years. It was built in July of 86.

[pineywoods]

Somewhere I remember reading that the first production model was 1983.That makes Jeff's mill one of the oldest

[Jeff]

To bad they have never wanted it back for a collectors item. :D  I'd surely make a swap!

[Waterford Woodworks]

If you paint it I would love to know how it goes. I've thought about painting mine since the day I bought it. Ive also contemplated trying to reconfigure the battery to a complete different location due to the sawdust and bark building up on top of the battery box. Bibbyman did it right but he didn't need a battery since going electric. My first mill (Lt40 manual) didn't collect the sawdust so bad on the battery box as bad as this one(Lt40 super). I think its due to the larger drive motor size.

[Jeff]

I'm kinda leaning away from painting now, but who knows. I did start tearing out the old battery box today.



 

[Jeff]

Initial mock up of the new battery
tray.
I first removed the fender mount, then cut off the ridge that stuck up on the axle carriage frame to get clearance in front of snd under the battery. Since I don't have any steel other than junk I have collected, I'm reporposing.
The old lid is now incorporated into the box. The new lid once constructed will hinge from the bottom front to give access to the battery when the head is all the way down. I have to take the new box back off and build the sides before I can bolt it back on. I'll find something to space the old fender mount out 3/4s of an inch and put that back on, then build my lid.


 


 


  

[paul case]

Looking good!!! smiley_clapping smiley_clapping

PC

[Ljohnsaw]

Just make sure you leave enough room that you can bring your head all the way down!

[Jeff]

That is part of the reason for doing this. The head sits right on the battery box on this model in the down position. This is being improved upon.

[Darrel]

If you make the battery box lid out of a non-metallic material, you'll be able to gain a little bit more room.  You'll be able to get closer to the top of the battery without shorting things out. I doing this to my '92 LT40 and will gain another 3/4 inch of clearance and I'll almost be able to get my hands in there with the head all the way down.

[red]

The normal battery would be a Group 31 , and I like AGM for all the vibrations. But if you are using a car battery a Group 34 is one inch smaller height .

[Jeff]

My mill is much different than anything newer. The 86 was built so you could cut no closer than 3" to the deck. So, getting the battery lower does me no good. I have plenty of room between the top of the new box and the top of the battery posts.
It's now ready for an access door, but I don't have anything to make it from.


 

[Kbeitz]

Sounds like it's time for a trip to the junk yard.

[Brian C.]

All looking good! Anxious to see the result.

[goose63]

Jeff you can show it off at the pig roast   ;D

[Jeff]

A couple more weld tacks, add the hinges on the bottom and some sort of top latch, paint, and this will be ready to install. Once the battery situation is taken care of, on to replacing much of the wiring.


 

[Darrel]

Anybody who can do a job that looks that good with a hammer that big can do anything! 8)

[Jeff]

That is exactly how I've been making my parts. The hammer, the vice. A block of wood, and the work table edge is all I have for bending and forming the sheet metal. There are hammer marks, but a guys gotta use what a guys gotta use!

[Ljohnsaw]

IF you want to lessen the hammer marks, get the biggest rubber mallet you can find.  I found that works really good at bending and not creasing/denting your work.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I was thinking a trip to the junkyard for a car hood or fender would give you a good amount of sheet metal.

Watching with interest.

Jon

[Darrel]

I've tried doing sheet metal work using hammers and it never looks good, functional yes but looks pretty bad.

[azmtnman]

Somewhere I remember reading that the first production model was 1983.That makes Jeff's mill one of the oldest

My LT30 was manufactured in April of 1984 (serial #143). Battery has been on my redesign wish list too. If my solar charging panels don't work well, it will be sooner than later.

Jeff, are you sure yours will only cut to 3"? I can cut down to 2". The clamping system makes anything less than 4" a PITA but it can done.
I have thought about making something to raise and clamp the cant so I can get down to 1".

[KirkD]

Jeff,

Both the up down and carriage motors and controls look the same as my 1989 LT40 but mine will take a normal sized battery.

[Jeff]

3" is it. I usually cut a nice straight 3" thick can't first thing, then use that to put under each subsequent can't if I'm sawing on down.

[Jeff]

Ready to mount as soon as I build the new fender mount. It's not beautiful, but with what I have to work with, I'm okay with it.


 

[Weekend_Sawyer]

From my desk chair it looks great!

Jon

[Jeff]

Look at this mess!

 
Almost every wire has insulation missing.  Trying to make heads or tales. Over the years before I got it, redundant wires and grounds were ran all over the place when originals failed. And left in place I might add.

New box in place.

 

This is why this mill only saws to 3 inches from the bed. My finger it pointing to what hits the rail at 3".


  

[Jeff]

Battery upgrade complete. All kinds of clearance. Only have to pull the fender out now to get to that battery. Onward to more electrifrying things.


 

[Darrel]

More electrifying??  This could be interesting, I'm staying tuned!

Looks good!

[isawlogs]

 Did you get the pic I sent you Mister electreessien?   :P

[Jeff]

I did. I'm thinking I may get some parts to put that control panel back together right.

[Jeff]

Thanks to Sparks and Wood-Mizer!   I have all the guts coming to rewire that mess in the box, less the wire.  Switch, hour meter, two indicator lights, and a breaker assembly.

[scully]

Jeff if I am not mistaken WM increased the size of the stater on that for higher charging output etc. If your mill is pre- mod you may want to order a bigger one from WM . Thats if you have the Onan .

[Magicman]

You may want to pop rivet a flap or something over that opening in the battery box to prevent sawdust intrusion.  I can't tell from the picture about a battery hold down bracket, but a piece of plumber's pipe strap should work nicely to hold the battery against the back of the box.

[Jeff]

Jeff if I am not mistaken WM increased the size of the stater on that for higher charging output etc. If your mill is pre- mod you may want to order a bigger one from WM . Thats if you have the Onan .

I'll probably try and put an alternator on it. A new stater and voltage regulator costs about half of what a new non-obsolete engine might. I can't see putting overpriced parts in an engine they don't make parts for any more.

[Kbeitz]

I still say E-bay is your best bet for Onan parts.

voltage regulator around $25.00

stater  $35.00

I would be glad to help you find the parts you need.

[lmo506]

Somewhere I remember reading that the first production model was 1983.That makes Jeff's mill one of the oldest

My LT30 was manufactured in April of 1984 (serial #143). Battery has been on my redesign wish list too. If my solar charging panels don't work well, it will be sooner than later.

Jeff, are you sure yours will only cut to 3"? I can cut down to 2". The clamping system makes anything less than 4" a PITA but it can done.
I have thought about making something to raise and clamp the cant so I can get down to 1".

mine is a 1982 and it cuts to two inches