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WM 6' Bed extension connection inprovements with pictures

Started by Jim_Rogers, April 14, 2012, 01:59:49 PM

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Jim_Rogers

As my signature says, I have a LT30HDG24 from 1994 and a 6' bed extension so that I can mill up to 22'.

For years I've had problems with aligning up the mill and the bed extension.

At a logging equipment show, I think it was the one in VT, I saw these holes on the ends of one of the new mills:



I asked the WM guys what those holes were on the ends of the rails.

They told me that those were for hooking up the bed extensions. And to help align the rails.

This is a great idea and a lot better then the old method for sure.

I saw in this thread: https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,46046.0.html where slingshot has made a bed extension for his mill and how he made up the tube for aligning the drill bit.

I asked him if I could rent it from him to drill out mine. He was such a nice guy he gave it to me to use.

I finally have gotten around to using it.

Today while the bed extension was up on my trailer, as I just brought it home from a road job, I figured it was about time to try it out.

As Stephen1 had mentioned that the guy from WM CA had told him some of the rods are hardened steel and to test that you could take a punch and punch the end and see if it left a dent. If it didn't it was hardened steel.

I tested both upper and lower rails, on the mill and the extension and all four tested ok, not hardened steel.

So I found the jig in my shop, the drill bits I had bought, some time ago to use for this job, and set it all up.

Here is the end of the bed extension:



Here is a close up of the pin I made from a regular 5/16" bolt:



You can see the punch test mark above the pin.

Here is a shot of the jig with it pulled back a bit to show the end of the rail:



So far it has all worked out ok.

I now have to drill out the ends of the rails/rods on the mill and I'll be ready for a test fit.

More later on when I have it done, if all goes well.

Jim Rogers

PS. If anyone wants this jig when I'm done with it, I'll freely pass it on to you. Just send me an email or a pm and I'll pack it up and send it out to you. You can use it and send it along to another FF member for them to use.

Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Jim_Rogers

Ok, so I got mother her lunch, had some lunch myself and got right back at it.

I moved the trailer and lifted the bed extension off of it and have it near the mill ready to hook up again:



I got all the tools over there and set up and started drilling the ends of the rails/rods again.

To make sure that I was drilling them in level, I put my four foot level on the mill rail and checked it. It was level hitch to tail.
I used my level on my drill to make sure I was drilling level:



This worked good for me.

I found two 5/16" bolts and cut the heads off with my hack saw. And then turned them around in my vice and cut the threads off. Making two pins only about 1" long each.

I put the pins, as shown before, into the bed extension and with a sharpie marker made a line around the pin and labeled the end going into the mill with a dot, and the top one with a line.
I put the top one in the mill hole and checked to see if it would fit snug and ok.



Which it did.

And I slid it in to make sure it covered the line so that I'd know I had the hole deep enough.



I didn't want to be putting this whole thing together and find out I didn't drill the holes deep enough.

You can see the test punch on this end as well.
Here is the jig on the bottom rail/rod:



And the pin in with no black line showing:



Next it's time to hook up the bed extension to the mill.

In case none of you have ever seen anyone do this or to show you how I do this I took a lot of pictures today.

The first thing I do is release the tension on the drive chain that is hooked to the tail spot:



Once the tension on the chain is backed off, you can remove the lock on the master link of the chain and removed the master link side bar and disconnect the chain from the tail stop. You have to remove the tail stop and move it down to the end of the bed extension:



After the tail stop is removed you insert a steel block that comes in the kit from WM when you get the bed extension. This block bolts to the two holes that the tail stock bolts to.
One bolt takes a 3/4" wrench and one takes a 7/8" wrench. The top one is the 7/8" one and the head has been shaved down to make it very thin. This is so that the drive chain gears can past by the bolt and not hit the head. If it was a regular head it would it.





Next I set the bed extension near the mill and slide it over to the mill by hand. It is not easy but I don't lift it I just drag it some.

When the bed extension is almost touching the bed rail, you can start using bolts to pull it together more:



In the kit comes a part they call a yoke that goes around the light and it has two long bolts that use 3/4" wrenches to tighten up.



This pulls the bed up to the mill. But you have to be careful not to pull it up too much at first.

Here you can see that the new pins have helped to align the top rail and the bottom rail very nicely:



Next you have to add the brace rail that goes between the bed extension and the mill:



You'll see on the brace rail a spot for an outrigger. And they wanted you to unhook the bed extension out rigger and mount the rail to that spot and move the out rigger to the brace rail.
I had a welding shop make up a plate and had it welded onto the side of my bed extension so that I didn't have to do this swap with my outrigger.

The company had never sold a bed extension to a owner of a LT30 to my knowledge at that time, so they didn't have the right plate on the other end of the brace for my mill:

On LT40's there is an outrigger on this part of the mill frame and they wanted me to take that outrigger off and put it onto the brace bar on that end as well.

Well I didn't have an outrigger there. So I had the welding shop make up another plate and had it welded onto my frame where it is now:



Each plate uses four bolts like an outrigger, and they all tighten up with 9/16" wrenches.

This stops the bed extension from being pulled towards the log side of the mill when you tighten up the yoke bolts.

With my yard being a dirt yard and no black top or concrete the challenge here is to get the table level. I know when it's level by the gap between the bottom two rails is gone.
Sometimes I have to shim up the leg of the bed extension to get the gap to close up.
That means I have to lift the bed extension up.
I sometimes use a jack. Or this time I used my pony sawhorse and a length of pipe for a lever and lifted the bed up until I could pound in a shim under the bottom of the support leg.



When it up tight then the yoke bolts hold it there.

Next you remount the tail stop and using another length of chain that comes in the kit, and another master link to join the two chains together you put it all back together again:



And tighten up the chain tension.

When it's all done it looks good:



The test to make sure it will cut straight is to move the mill head over the seam and if the blade doesn't rock or jump up or down then the rails are aligned and it just slides over real nice and smooth.

I may load a long log just to see how it will cut, Monday.

I am very happy with the way the pins have helped me to align the mill and bed extension.

All my thanks go to slingshot for loaning me the jig.

Who wants it next?

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

pineywoods

How would you like to attempt that job without slingshot's jig ? I built my own from his pics. Coming soon, adjustable feet for the legs on the extension, just stay tuned...
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

bugdust

Hey Jim, great job. If someone can't follow your instructions better call the factory guy in. Thanks for sharing.
Since I retired I really like work: It fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.

customsawyer

Nice work. The block that fits into the main beam is a little different on the newer models but the principal is much the same. The pins on the newer models rounded just a bit to make the start of the hook up a touch easier. I would also recommend going to a grade 8 bolt as they take the corrosion much better that comes from the hardwood sawdust.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

Jim_Rogers

I will probably take your advice and upgrade the pins.

When I do I'll bevel the ends a little more to make them slid into the holes a little easier.

Overall it works good, at least I think so.

I did use the pipe and pony sawhorse more then once to get them to line up.
And I used the set screw a little to help also, but I don't have to rely on them for the centering of the rails any more.

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

Jim Rogers

PS. and I couldn't have done it with out the jig. And it was good that you could make your own.
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

eastberkshirecustoms

Very nice write-up Jim and good to know info. I've got my eye on an old WM sitting in the weeds for several years now. I've been thinking about making a 'move' on it before it goes for scrap, or rots to the ground. I just hate to see equipment waste away.  Do all the mizers use 3/16" main frame tubing or just the LT30'S? Maybe I can join the salmon orange club, though I need another project like a hole in the head....

Jim_Rogers

Quote from: eastberkshirecustoms on April 15, 2012, 01:07:40 PM
Do all the mizers use 3/16" main frame tubing or just the LT30'S?

I don't know for sure. But I would say that they are all the same.
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Slingshot


      Looks good, Jim, glad you could use the jig. Hope  someone else can
get some use out of it also.

_________________________--
Charles   sling_shot



Magicman

Very nice Jim.  I am sure that I will never need it, but it's still good to know and your tutorial was excellent.  You will have to use a chop saw or a side grinder to cut those grade 8 bolts. 
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

MotorSeven

Jim, that is a great write up with pic's...good job!
WoodMizer LT15 27' bed

woodyone.john

Coming soon, adjustable feet for the legs on the extension, just stay tuned...

piney any thing you put up has been good ,now i wont be able to sleep until i get to see your adjustable legs smiley_hydrogen woops now the clock is running backwards
Saw millers are just carpenters with bigger bits of wood

opticsguy

I am a little confused, why is it so complicated to add an extension?   On my saw it is a simple slide on and bolting proceedure.  I thought all saws allowed this.
TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

Jim_Rogers

With the original bed extension kit you had to install the steel block and then use all the set screws around the rim of the bed extension to adjust the alignment of the beds to get them to match up perfectly.



In the above picture you can see the set screws. There are two at the top and two at the bottom one on each side, and one at the top and one at the bottom for adjusting the vertical.

Now, the instructions say to do this on a concrete pad or a black top driveway. Well, I don't have a concrete pad or a black top driveway. I have a gravel yard. And that makes it a little more difficult to get the mill and bed extension to line up, and stay lined up.

And after you have them all aligned and you put a 2000 lbs (or heavier) log on the frame and roll it over a few times, things can change.
The holes that the two bolts go through to attach the steel block are larger then the bolts so there can be some shift there.
The legs can get pushed down into the gravel some if it's soft or wet. There can be some shift there.
And it goes on and on with "there can be some shift there"..... it would take at least a couple of logs being milled to get everything to "stop" shifting around and settle down. And you have to adjust these set screws every time something shifts or the beam won't be true to the end.

With the new pins, hopefully, there will be a lot less "shifting around" going on.

That is why I wanted to modify my mill to be like "new" mills that are being sold.

As Hans Solo said to Luke Skywalker: "I souped it up myself" :o
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Stephen1

Quote from: opticsguy on April 17, 2012, 11:07:10 AM
I am a little confused, why is it so complicated to add an extension?   On my saw it is a simple slide on and bolting proceedure.  I thought all saws allowed this.
The older saws did not have the pin alignment, I can attest to what Jim is saying about shifting when a big log is put on. I was aligning my extension at least twice a day as the frost came out of the ground, as I was not on concrete or blacktop or gravel, just a dirt floor. Also the rolling of the square timbers I was milling was a brutal shock to the whole piece of equipment.

Jim....My hand is up for the  for the JIG, me next ...me next ;D
my daughter is in school in Midland Michigan, so that will make shipping or mailing it easier than shipping it over the border to the great white north.
I will gladly pay for the shipping.
Stephen
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Jim_Rogers

Pm me her address and let her know that I'm sending you a small package.
And you can use it as I did and then, if you wish, you can send it on again.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

pineywoods

Jim, while you are making the improvements to the bed extension, make up 4 of these. Solves the problem of the legs moving around and jumping off wood shims and wedges. A 4 inch long piece of 5/8 threaded rod, one 4X4 piece of scrap metal, 2 5/8 nuts and flat washers.



 



 
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

Jim_Rogers

pineywoods:
thanks for that idea and pictures.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

bandmiller2

If it can be done it will be done,good job Jim. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Dave Shepard

I'm going to be adding a BX12 to my BX24 soon, and my extension was not drilled on both ends from the factory. I've got a friend making a drilling jig right now. The factory hole on mills that are drilled is .500". If you drill your mill this size, then you will be able to use the newer extensions, as well as buy the proper tapered pins from Wood Mizer. From what I'm told, all BXs are drilled both ends now. The rails are case hardened, so you can drill the middle easily.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

GAB

Quote from: Dave Shepard on July 19, 2015, 10:45:37 AM
I'm going to be adding a BX12 to my BX24 soon, and my extension was not drilled on both ends from the factory. I've got a friend making a drilling jig right now. The factory hole on mills that are drilled is .500". If you drill your mill this size, then you will be able to use the newer extensions, as well as buy the proper tapered pins from Wood Mizer. From what I'm told, all BXs are drilled both ends now. The rails are case hardened, so you can drill the middle easily.

Dave:
I suggest that you grind a flat spot the entire length on the side of your pins before you install them as alignment pins are very tight fitting.  This will allow for air to escape or get in as you install or remove them.  Also the flat spot would allow a place to get penetrating oil to get in.
Again, just a suggestion.  I didn't and one pin is stuck in the extension and the other is stuck in the mill.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Dave Shepard

The pins are different diameters on each end. I think they are designed to stay in the extension, which is logical, but I also have one in the mill and one in the extension.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Andries

Dave - when I built my two extensions, I worked up a drill bit guide to centre the holes to the rails.

Quote from: Dave Shepard on July 19, 2015, 10:45:37 AM
I'm going to be adding a BX12 to my BX24 soon, and my extension was not drilled on both ends from the factory. I've got a friend making a drilling jig right now.
I used cut-off Sched 8 bolt shanks for the pins, and cut them for length so that they would 'float' in the holes. Two 3/4" holes = pin 1 1/4" A dab of No-Seize on them before they went in will keep them mobile.

Send me a PM if you'd like to borrow my jig - it's small and shipping wouldn't take long.
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

flatrock58

Dave, I wanted to see where the drilling jig went?  I would like to drill mine and it would come in handy if I could borrow it.  I have a 6' extension that came with my mill and has never been used by me or the original owner.
2001 LT40 Super Kubota 42
6' extension
resaw attachment
CBN Sharpener
Cooks Dual Tooth Setter
Solar Kiln

pineywoods

Member slingshot came up with a simple, easily built jig for drilling the ends of the rails. I built one and used it to drill the rails on 4 mills and 1 extension. A search should find it, or there are pics in his gallery,,
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

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