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Saw mill modifications

Started by ChadH, July 29, 2016, 02:39:17 AM

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ChadH

Hey guys,

Couple questions regarding Woodmizer sawmills

First, I have a 2016 LT35HDG

In the sawdust shoot there are 5 bars that go across it, I find when cedar and I cut a lot of it, that they plug up, I'm constantly stopping and unplugging it. It gets filled with strands of cedar bark and then hard pack quickly.

I didn't catch it quick enough a couple times, and filled the housings with saw dust and ruined a rubber blade wheel belt.

I've been thinking of maybe removing them. The dealer said they were installed to prevent the blade from feeding out if it broke. Maybe hitting someone. I personally have never had any stand on that side while cutting. But there's a first for everything. I don't want to do anything if I'm going to cause a major problem for safety.

Has any one else done this?



Also wondering what other mods people have had success with over the years on these machines.

And if one of you had the Woodmizer fine adjustment jack could you take a few pictures of the brackets and how they are attached and the length when retracted up. I'm looking to either buy from Woodmizer or buy my own jacks for cheap and mod myself if I can get it close.

Thanks a lot guys
Chad H
Westcoast Custom Timber

Wood-Mizer LT35 Hydraulic sawmill
Stihl 090 X2 in running order
Stihl 460 36" bar
Husqvarna 345 18" bar
Granberg Alaskan sawmill

terrifictimbersllc

I keep a scrench handy to clean them out as soon as I see them start to get clogged. Dust coming out the joint instead of the chute.  Yes cedar is bad for clogging.

Some have cut them out I haven't, they are a system check against possible severe injury.  There will be people on that side for one reason or another in spite of sawyer's control.

Here are pics of them installed you can see the mounting. Mount same as the old style ones.  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82154.msg1252612.html#msg1252612
They're not retracted in the pictures but when they are, the bottom of the foot is about 4 inches below the bottom of the top (fixed) portion.

There are many discussions here of sawmill modifications.  I searched on "mod" to find this one.  There are others. https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,7789.msg1397782.html#msg1397782
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Chuck White

Search here for additional sawmill modifications!

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,7789.0.html

Lots of reading and pics on the thread!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

rl

  cut  them out. I have lt40   2004   it  had 3 bars in it.   I cut two out real soon,left the middle one. in 800 to 1000 blades???? . 2900  hrs  I've had only one come out..18 to 24"     would not have hurt anyone.  it still plugs sometimes but not often      rl
rl

Chuck White

When I got my mill, there were no "fingers" in the sawdust chute, they had been cut out.

One day while I was sawing, I had just exited the far end of the cant and before I disengaged the blade, the blade broke and completely exited the sawdust chute.  the end of the blade closest to the mill was about 6 feet past the end of the sawdust chute! 

I never saw the blade leave the mill.

Later that day, I drilled a hole up through the blade wheel housing, near the movable sawdust chute and installed a bolt and it works quite well at catching blades!

Now, if you are "in the log", the blade isn't likely to protrude very far into the chute!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Dave Shepard

I took mine out. If you do, it's obviously at your own risk. I've had broken bands come out through the fingers anyway. I'm the sawyer, and that means I'm responsible for anyone around the mill. Everyone gets briefed on mill etiquette, and if they go somewhere they don't bring, I shut down and explain things very clearly.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Ga Mtn Man

"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

DDW_OR

Quote from: Chuck White on July 29, 2016, 06:17:45 AM
Search here for additional sawmill modifications!

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,7789.0.html

Lots of reading and pics on the thread!

here is the index that Member grouch made for that topic
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,7789.msg1397352/topicseen.html#msg1397352

it is still worth spending a day reading the 60+ pages.
"let the machines do the work"

Joe Hillmann

My family used to have a woodmizer that for some reason broke every blade before it's second sharpening.  Eventually the broken blades bent/ broke several of those fingers.  After that sometimes when the blades broke they would come shooting out of the sawdust shoot at pretty high speed.  Sometimes they would come out a foot or two and sometimes the entire blade would snake it's way out and end up 5-10 feet from the mill.

DDW_OR

Quote from: Joe Hillmann on July 29, 2016, 02:10:26 PM
My family used to have a woodmizer that for some reason broke every blade before it's second sharpening..........

what brand of blades?
how long ago?
what was the blade tension?

For me it has been TK-Ultra, within 5 years, 1,500#. only broke one blade because it was during my "Greenhorn" stage.
I am still green, just not a "Greenhorn".
have sharpened some blades 3 times.
"let the machines do the work"

ChadH

Thank you all for the feedback,

I will likely remove the fingers, I know the risk, and Im very aware about people around me, years of working with guys on a pipe crew running excavators, with men crossing all around me and in between building. that is one area I don't allow anyone to stand now. To much debris coming off the logs. I have yet to break a blade, touch wood. But the constant plugging up is driving me crazy. I wanted to make sure other have done it. I suppose I might jump off a bridge if I saw someone do it.  :D

Chad H
Westcoast Custom Timber

Wood-Mizer LT35 Hydraulic sawmill
Stihl 090 X2 in running order
Stihl 460 36" bar
Husqvarna 345 18" bar
Granberg Alaskan sawmill

boscojmb

My mill did not come with fingers in the sawdust chute. A few years ago I broke a blade. I shut the mill down and opened the guard doors. There was no blade to be found. The entire blade exited the sawdust chute and was laying on the ground about 10 feet from the mill.

I still run it without a guard on the chute, but I make sure that no one goes near that side of the mill
John B.

Log-Master LM4

ladylake

 
In 12000 hours of sawing I've  had one blade come out about 3 feet, my chute has 3 rods and when 1 broke I welded it back in place.  I would never saw without those safety rods unless I just sawed by myself.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

WH_Conley

If the wind allows me to I saw with the rubber pipe tucked behind the fuel line. Don't have to shovel near as often. I cut the fingers out years ago. Absolutely no one goes on that side of the mill when sawing. I have had a couple of blades come out a foot or 2. They usually wind up as a mess in the throat and the log. One notable experience was thee whole blade came out. We stretched a tape and found the leading end traveled 37 feet from the edge of the chute.
Bill

petefrom bearswamp

X 2 I  never let my help get by the chute outfeed.
I saw mainly Hemlock and get a lot of bark strips which clogged the chute.
My fingers have been gone since 1999, ask chuck white. Also I have been lucky to never have had a blade break when not in the log/cant but I know this obviously happens.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Joe Hillmann

The mill would have been somewhere between a 95 and 97 LT40.  I don't know what all brands they tried but I know for sure they used woodmizer and timberwolf and eventually went with the cheapest blades they could get knowing expensive blades wouldn't last any longer.  Woodmizer sent people out a couple times when it was still under warranty and at least once where we paid for it and they could never find the problem.


Quote from: DDW_OR on July 29, 2016, 03:02:17 PM
Quote from: Joe Hillmann on July 29, 2016, 02:10:26 PM
My family used to have a woodmizer that for some reason broke every blade before it's second sharpening..........

what brand of blades?
how long ago?
what was the blade tension?

For me it has been TK-Ultra, within 5 years, 1,500#. only broke one blade because it was during my "Greenhorn" stage.
I am still green, just not a "Greenhorn".
have sharpened some blades 3 times.

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