Wood-Mizer Mills

FeltzE · March 01, 2004, 04:43:34 AM

When I'm sawing, yes.... repeat cuts I'm leaving the blade turn during the gig back. I stop it during repositioning the log or turning or for any time over 30-40 secs.

The wisconsion 35 hp engine seems to like it much better that way (don't ask why) but it does. But it hasn't had any affect on blade life at all. I do sharpen my own blades and when I'm cutting I encounter a lot of tramp metal. I do run the blades until they develop cracks but it's only after several sharpenings usually over 10 which includes blade damage.

I would never let the blade run for extended periods without being engaged in the log as I do understand the consequences of blade fatigue.

My comparison to blade life, several yrs of operating while stopping the blade, and about 2 yrs not. I havn't seen a difference in blade life. Of course I'm not running WM .50 blades either. I'm running a .42 1.5" Lennox woodmaster C with 3/4 pitch at about 10 deg rake for all applications, Kicking my set out to the wide side. And cutting Residential recovery timber mostly, and alot of large knotty syp

Eric

FeltzE · March 01, 2004, 04:46:04 AM

Here is a load of large SYP being dropped off to cut, Stock like this is a real challange for a band blade!

Percy · March 01, 2004, 07:10:45 AM

Hey JD
a 36 incher that is strait shouldnt be a problem but positioning is critical on them biguns.
My favorite size is 18-26 inchers when working without an edger. Seems production drops a tad with them big ones. Longer to turn,square,clamp and p[osition so as the blade throat dont run out of room.

QuoteThanks for all the great tips. It sounds as if the LT40 standard hyd. with the Kolar 25 will do me just fine. I will be milling by myself at times and I can always upgrade in the future. What are the largest size trees that you all have been able to do without doing any pre-work with a chainsaw? I have many more questions about drying and stacking, but i'll save those for the other section and read the old posts first. I've spent many many hours on here already and have not even made a dent in all the info on here. Thanks, Mark

Stump Jumper · March 01, 2004, 10:08:43 AM

I bought my lt 40 super hd with the 42 hp Kubota and no remote station. Had to walk behind this machine. Realized it was to fast for me to keep up walking so I bought the seat. Now I can keep up with the machine.

Machine had a manual clutch which wasn't to bad as long as you are only doing a few 1000 bd ft at different job sites. But when we had 2 semi loads of Aspen come in I did 15,000 bd ft with a manual clutch. After that job was done I promptly ordered the autoclutch. Because my arm was awful sore and looked like a popeye arm. I do recommend the autoclutch if you get the bigger engine. My wife had a hard time pulling back the manual clutch and she loves the autoclutch.

Minnesota_boy · March 01, 2004, 11:10:31 AM

I should clarify that when I get several blades replaced from sending them to resharp, that I usuall send between 50 and 90 blades at a time. It isn't 4 or 5 per box, but 4 or 5 per 5 to 10 boxes.(10 blades to a box)

Bibbyman · March 01, 2004, 12:07:28 PM

Mary could pull the lever on our manual LT40 with 18hp Briggs just fine. When we got the 96 LT40HDG35 Super with 35hp Wisconsin engine, it was a might more difficult to pull. She couldn't just stand and pull it, she had to lock her arm and buckle her knee to get the drop on it. After a bit, her forearm started to look like Popeye's also.

We've only had one minor problem with our Auto-clutch - had to wipe the dust from under the two proximity sensors that detect the "up" and "down" position.

Getting all the linkage into adjustment when the main belt needs adjustment is bet of a struggle. I've learned to unbolt the motor and schooch it over a 1/16" of an inch and retighten - repeat as required. Probably a little easier to do with a motor than with an engine.

lord_kenwolf · March 01, 2004, 05:24:20 PM

i have a question i was wondering if you people might be able to answer. we are looking into getting a band mill to replace our old #1 lane mill. we have been getting a lot of info on the different brands. timberking says that a cantilever head like on woodmizers will wobble, twist, and come out of plumb really easy. is this true ? or are they just filling me full of bull.

FeltzE · March 01, 2004, 05:34:05 PM

I've had my saw since the fall of 96 and it still cuts true, everything is adjustable if you did somehow wack it out of alignment but you would have to wack it to get it out of alignment.

Besides if you think it's going to wobble put a log on it like this to keep if from blowing away. ;D

isawlogs · March 01, 2004, 06:04:16 PM

timberking says that a cantilever head like on woodmizers will wobble, twist, and come out of plumb really easy

I have 4500hrs on my LT40HD 24 hp onan and it has yet to do that.....and I've not herd it from any of the orange mill owners .... Would like to know where they get there info....

Bibbyman · March 01, 2004, 06:31:15 PM

Good-Lord - welcome to the Forestry Forum.

The Wood-Mizer cantilever head and single rail frame design works. The proof is in millions upon millions of board feet of lumber sawn on 30,000 mills all around the world.

Percy · March 01, 2004, 07:23:22 PM

QuoteI've had my saw since the fall of 96 and it still cuts true, everything is adjustable if you did somehow wack it out of alignment but you would have to wack it to get it out of alignment.

Besides if you think it's going to wobble put a log on it like this to keep if from blowing away. ;D

Heya Eric
Thats a spittin image of my old mill,a 96 with that heavy Wisconsin. I loved that motor. Cold blooded as a lawyer but warmed up, she cut good. The motor on my old mill has well over 4000 hours on it with no rebuild. The ad said "Exeed Expectations" they were right. ;D ;D

ARKANSAWYER · March 01, 2004, 08:43:21 PM

I heard them words about the Mizers not cutting true as well. You can lift the out side of the head up about an inch. Hit the machine with a skidder while sawing and it will wobble but you do not notice it on the board. I have dragged mine pert near 30,000 miles and some of them in 4x4 up creeks and sawed close to 1 million bdft with it. But I will bet a weeks earnings I can set up on a hill way out of level and saw a 0.30 thick board off of a oak cant. I did notice that several 4 poster mills come with a string so that you can level the frame before you saw. :

I can just drop the 4 center legs and never unhook from the truck and saw logs on mine and the boards will all be true.
I have sawed logs as large as 42 inches on mine. One trick to large logs is to load them butt first on the mill. That way if the head will not clear you are not stuck 3/4 ways through the log. Also if you blow a log with black powder it should be close to the loading arms as half moon logs do not roll very well. ;)
ARKANSAWYER

MM · March 01, 2004, 09:30:02 PM

OH MY. What a can of worms. I don't have to say much. just look to the left at my orange "wm" ;D

Bibbyman · March 02, 2004, 03:51:43 AM

Good to see you back on the Sawmills Forum..

What'ya been up to?

Kirk_Allen · March 02, 2004, 06:43:08 AM

I too heard the stories about WM mills.

I would encourage those that are investigating mills to always ask two questions when your told something from a sales person.

Says Who?
With What Proof?

We apply those two questions in our fire business. Its real easy for people to say things. Its real hard for them to prove it!

If a competitor of WM says it wobbles and comes out of plumb then simply make them prove that.

If it were true, they would have multi page colored brochures pointing it out to the world.

I bet all would agree that if a company spends time badmouthing their competition then they have something to worry about. No one likes badmouth salespeople......from ANY company.

I have to say, on numerous occasions I have tried to get WM to give me their scoop on other companies blades, mills etc and not a single time did they badmouth. They simply explained how and why their product is what it is. Being in sales, I appreciate that more than you can imagine.

I have never used anything othe than a WM so I cant speak on other brands. My LT40HDG25 has been a true pleasure to operate and work on. Although it has needed very minor work, it was simple and all my questions were answered in the manuals.

I want a Super but sometimes I have to regroup and evaluate my "true" production needs. I have no problem keeping a tailman busy but if I dont have one, I cant keep up with the mills capabilities. Thus, I think I will be using this mill for quite some time.

D._Frederick · March 02, 2004, 08:02:06 AM

Isawlogs,

I am interested in your secret of how/what you did to get 4500 hours of run time on an Onan engine? Most of them around here blow long before that many hours.

FeltzE · March 02, 2004, 02:18:22 PM

Well to keep that saw from sagging under the weight... Not ... had to whittle it down a bit

Had to knaw it down to people handlable size though...

That saw has had logs dropped on it help has bumped it loaded and unloaded with the loader, they have tipped the forks to dump logs on the ground while I was sawing slamming into the sawmill, the rig rocks and settles right back to norm without even a wave in the cut.

isawlogs · March 02, 2004, 04:15:56 PM

D. Federick
   Change oil and filter every 50 hrs as recomended by manufacturer. Clean air filter daily , the only part of that is atached to the engin that I have changed since I bought it in 93 is the starter....
  I have not heard of any around hear blowing up , I've seen a few with over 7500 hrs on them .
  A lot of the air compressers and welders that we used on construction had the same motor and never had a prbleme with them....

Bibbyman · March 02, 2004, 07:02:49 PM

My old Uncle Ed would always start a story with "I never knowed the man to tell a lie."

Anyway, I know a fellow that is on his third Wood-Mizer. He told me (And I have no reason to doubt him) that when he sold his second mill it had over 6,000 hours on the 24 hp Onan. He added it had never required any major work and still ran as strong as new. He replaced the mill in 95 or 96 with a new LT40 again with 24hp Onan and I think he told me he has over 2000 hours on it.

I replaced the 18 B&S on our first mill with a 20hp Onan. At about 800 hours the piston broke or burnt a hole in it or something drastic happened. In any case, it lost all compression on one side.

Don't know this to be the case, but Onan was bought out by Cummins(?) some time back and they moved the manufacturing of the Onan engines to Canada. The engine I had was bought through northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company and was made in Canada.

MM · March 03, 2004, 08:49:48 AM

I've been busy! Not much wood sawing. It's slowed down here for me. That's ok. I've got my dozer in small pieces. Lot's to do.

SawInIt CA · March 03, 2004, 11:45:49 AM

Mark,

If you would like to see a lt 40 super in action I am 60 miles east of Sacramento on I 80. Feel free to call me as well if you have any un answered questions

Dave
530 389 8669