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Timber Wolf Products

Started by shopteacher, April 24, 2003, 02:32:27 PM

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shopteacher

Has anybody changed their blade guides to the Timber Wolf guide system? I've been contemplating the purchase of a set to upgrade the original woodmizer guides on my LT40.  They seem quite pricy and I was wondering if they are worth the investment.  I was also thinking of going to their urethane belts. Any coments would be appreciated with respects to them also. Lastly, they recommend changing the engine drive pulley to a 4 1/4" to increase SFPM to 5600. Has anybody done that and has it improved performance. Thanks
GC
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

Fla._Deadheader

When I built my mill, I made a set like Suffolk. Problem I had was, The back bearing for the blade to ride against, got a buildup of sawdust and stopped turning. I cut a groove in it with the blade. I replaced it, and again, same thing. I used motor quality bearings. I bought a set of Cook's, from Solidwoods, on this forum, and they work great. I use Suffolk blades. They work great and not NEAR the tension as WM blades. I have trailer tire bandwheels, so, can't help with the urethane belt question.
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Neil_B

Shopteacher,
can't help you on the guides or the belts but I changed my drive pulley from a 19" to 16" to come closer to 5600+ speed. Working nicely now. I couldn't change the motor pulley as it is attached to a centrifugal clutch and didn't feel like replacing it at this point. The 19" pulley was cracked so it made sense to change it out ;D. I also bought Viking blades which I have heard are the Canadian equivalent of Suffolks. Working good so far but I myself am just getting started.
Timberwolf / TimberPro sawmill, Woodmizer edger, both with Kubota diesels. '92 Massey Ferguson 50H backhoe, '92 Ford F450 with 14' dump/ flatbed and of course an '88 GMC 3500 pickup.

biziedizie

New_Sawyer next time you pick up some of them Viking blades can you ask them if they know of a supplier here in B.C. I'm trying every brand to see which ones work the best on which wood. I bought a box of different blades from ohsoloco and they will be here in the am and I can't wait to try them out.
 
  Glad to here things are getting better for you!

     Steve

Tom

I have only a few rules that I guide myself by and sometimes it is difficult.  Here are three.

!. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
2. Give the manufacturer the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the design of his mill.
3. Just because someone else says they have a better mousetrap doesn't mean that they do.

Suffolk has good stuff but they are also pretty hard-sell.  They have convinced people that their stuff is better and sometimes perhaps it is.  I've run a WoodMizer for a lot of years and have not had a reason to "re-design" it.  They not only have a good blade guide system but are copied.

V Belts have been used for quite some time now and they work. Some folks swear that they have to be loose and some swear that they have to be tight.  I've run them both ways and found that Wood Mizer wasn't wrong when they put loose belts on the wheels. Of those heavier used mills that I know about who have used Urethane, the operators weren't overly impressed with them. Suffolk thinks they're good and Cook uses/used urethane molded into a V pulley but not many manufacturers have thought enough about it to swap.

Some of the reasons for using the parts that most of these manufacturers of sawmills use is the ease of replacement.  If you are on the road and need a part right now then it had better be an over-the-counter product.  Time is money when you have a customer and labor waiting.

One should think about where a third party is coming from when he says you, your machine or your machines manufacturer are wrong.  My first inclination is to think, "This guy's trying to sell parts"

Give your original equipment a chance until you reach the point that you are better than it is.......then you'll know enough to change it.

I don't mean that to sound like you aren't intimate with your mill but for someone else to call their part an upgrade deserves a little study. :)

Neil_B

Hey Steve,
I'll try and find the number of the guy I got the blades from. Not sure if he'll be able to give us a name in BC or not but he may deliver out there.
Timberwolf / TimberPro sawmill, Woodmizer edger, both with Kubota diesels. '92 Massey Ferguson 50H backhoe, '92 Ford F450 with 14' dump/ flatbed and of course an '88 GMC 3500 pickup.

ohsoloco

I have to agree with Tom about some places really pushing their product.  I called for a free blade from one company already mentioned, and listened to the guy read a nice speech to me about how their blades are the best.  Unfortunately, I can't say, because I wasn't very far into that blade when I hit metal  :(    Not too long ago I bought a box of Munksforsaager (sp?) blades to try out.  They're silicon steel, and I don't have much experience with them....and I've only tried one of the blades so far when I was cutting up my larch timbers.  

I would have to say that bizie has the right idea of just trying out as many blades as possible to see which ones work best for you.   Some places will send you a free one to try out.  Free is good  ;D   Bizie, I hope you get your blades today and make some sawdust  8)

ohsoloco

Shoot, this thread was about blade guides, wasn't it?   ::)

Weekend_Sawyer

 Free is worth savin up for!
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

cut2size

On my older lt40 manual mill, I replaced the woodmizer blade guides with the suffolk brand.  They told me that I had to use the urethane tires and 50/50 chainbar lube and kerosene to lubricate.  It was a simple changeover and I have been happy with the results.  Like deadheader said, the horizontal bearing does get a ring from the the blade contact, but can be exchanged with one of the vertical bearings when it is too worn.  When I was considering replacing the blade guides, woodmizer came out with the ceramic bottomed guides,  Woodmizer's guides were $100 cheaper but needed some welding to install.  I looked at them favorably until I saw them first hand.  A friend had woodmizer install them and the ceramic guide fell out on the way home.  At $45 a guide that was too expensive.
I have about 800 hours on the suffolk guides and might install a set on my other woodmizer if the guides need replacing.  The 50/50 mixture is the best way to keep blades free of sap.  I cut a lot of white pine and water won't keep the blades clean enough.  I put my blades from my other woodmizer on the old one to clean before sharpening.
As far as their blades, I got one to try and cut 600 bd feet of hickory and sugar maple that had been down for over a year.  The blade cut flawlessly until I forgot to raise it gigging back and bent the blade.  Very unforgiving blades.  I usually use the monksford blades.  They are $8 cheaper than timberwolf and very similar in construction and sharpness.  Woodmizer blades get more sharpenings per blade, but don't seem as sharp from the manufactor or the sharpener.
HTH,
David
cut2size

DextorDee

Has anybody changed the blade guide bearings on a Turner mill??
I looked at the Suffolk and the Cooks but have no idea whats
involved in the change over .???
thanx
ken
Ken
KI4BMW
North East Georgia

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