Bent debarker on the new LT50

[JVK]

Of the 30 to 40 thousand Mizer bandmills made, have any of you seen this? I was getting a little to confident with Accuset, pushed auto down for the next cut and had forgot to swing the debarker arm out away from the top of the log. My reaction time was slow, because I've never used a debarker and could'nt see it from where I was standing.

  

  

 

[backwoods sawyer]

The debarker on my mill mounts under the saw rather than over the saw so it is a bit of different style, however that didn't keep it from setting down on a log the other day, just bent the rod that the mud flap mounts on....again :-\

[Brucer]

I haven't managed to do that (yet). What I did manage to do once was to lower the head with the debarker blade hanging just over the top of the log. All I got out of it was a bent debarker blade that would carve a 3/4" kerf in the bark.

[bandmiller2]

JVK,I'am sure your not the first,give the mizer folks a call and tell them the whole story.If the factory won't come to your aid at less than full price I'd put a bar in the end of the square tube and bend it back.Check the pin for fracture cracks,every mill takes a hit once in a wile. Frank C.

[MotorSeven]

Hmmm, I kinda thought their would be a fail safe so you could not move the head until the debarker was out of the way?

[bugdust]

Hmmm, I kinda thought their would be a fail safe so you could not move the head until the debarker was out of the way?

Yep, you would think. I lowered my debarker blade on a cant sometime back but no noticable damage. Sure taught me a lesson, just hope I don't forget it.

[zopi]

Now ya scratched it...drive it like ya stole it...

[JVK]

WM Salmon Arm had never seen this happen. I wonder if the Indy guys have. I'm going to try to bend it down, either cold or with heat. If I don't get it perfectly 90 degrees, it may not track properly as it swings in and out with differant diameter logs.

The new part is only $190.00. Looks like a day killer to me and those springs might be hard to deal with. Not really sure what to do at this point.  Jim

[MartyParsons]

Hello
Part # 023641 $148.00
To remove the springs, There are two cap screws and a grease fitting (allen head at the piviot point) remove these and lift or rotate the lower arm mount up so that the debarker motor is pointing up towards the sky. This will loosen the springs. Be Safe! this is heavy! You can remove the debarker motor assembly by removing the four 5/16 bolts that hold it onto the lower arm, ( note there are upper and lower holes in the mounting plate so mark the bolt holes you remove the bolts from for reassembly) you may also need to remove the wires.
   I have seen this once before. I usually train new owners to swing the debarker assembly to the right after the end of every cut to keep this from happening. I know this do not help you now but it may prevent it in the future.
   I did not straighten the one we had bent, I would think you would need to pull the 023641 up and put a spacer on the shaft and put it back together. Then put pressure down on the assembly the opposite way that it was bent. Any weight /pressure you put on this assembly will be carried by the up down chain, gear box and everything else. So it may be less expensive and safer to just purchase the part.
I hope this is enough information. Please be safe!
Hope this was helpful.
Marty

[Brucer]

Hmmm, I kinda thought their would be a fail safe so you could not move the head until the debarker was out of the way?

But how does the fail safe "know" where the log is? I suppose you could require the debarker be all the way out to the side. Personally I like to swing it back just enough to clear the log.

Those heavy springs on the WM debarker are useful if you forget to swing the debarker clear and then back up without lowering the head. They let the debarker swing up without doing any damage. What you really don't want to do is back up this way, realize you goofed, and then move the head forward. That's as bad as lowering the debarker onto a log.

With my mill I don't think there was much chance of bending anything but the blade when I lowered the head. The 28 HP Kohler isn't that heavy. On a diesel LT50 I expect the head is heavy enough that it could bend the shaft.

I'd suggest if you replace the shaft you arrange to send the bent part back to WM head office. They may find it useful to change the design in future.

[JVK]

Thanks Marty. It was very helpful. I'll print a copy of your explanation to take to the mill when the new part arrives. $193 and change. You got me thinking Brucer, about the blade. It might be bent, so I ordered a new one just in case.

I got to thinking about this little disaster and these are my thoughts. Everyone is differant, but for me and the money I have in this mill, the orientation I got when I bought the mill could have been differant. I am not new to milling logs, but new to this particular mill. I would have gladly paid for a say 32" dia log for the orientation and donate the sawn wood for firewood or something. The log I had, produced two 2 x 6s with bark on the edges. The chain turner had no trouble rotating that baby!

Matching the 47 hp, chain turner and debarker with the right size log would have been more helpful to me. How do you get any grasp of Accuset with a couple cuts? Swinging the debarker out after the cut would have sunk in better for me on a bigger log. There is only so much time to show a new mill owner the do's and dont's and I'm not complaining. Good chance I'll pay attention to the debarker now. What's next?   Jim

[Brucer]

It never hurts to have a spare blade anyway. I once hit a rock that was embedded deep under the bark on a Douglas-Fir and it broke off 3 of the carbide teeth (they're brazed on).

What's next? Well, have you tried to saw the clamp yet? You can get a little ways into the clamp head, but your blade won't touch that vertical rod :(.

[JVK]

My thoughts exactly on the spare blade. I'm not new to cutting the mill to pieces. You should see my little manual mill.
I'm well aware of the uprights on the LT50 and since I'm such a pro I'll never touch em. Well, about six logs into the life of the new saw, I could see that the blade was going to hit the backstop, you know... new blade and all. I slowly stop the forward travel as I am bent down checking the whole thing out and touch the wrong lever and WHAM!! full blast forward and I'm putting on a new blade!