Anyone have trouble with canterlever head

[timbuck2]

I could echo Tazz's question, have had a Kasco 4 post for 20yrs+ and not hardly any maintenence, saws accurate, but is hand turn and slow 16hp.   Want to upgrade to a  much larger WM or TK.   So my question is how much time do you WM guys put in keeping your mill adjusted etc.?  (TK too since I never ran one)

[wwsjr]

I spent about 1 hr at 50 hrs operation, maybe 2 1/2 hrs at 250 hrs unless I find a big problem on my WM LT40 Super with remote,debarker, lubemizer. I have mill factory aligned by WM tech on site once a year. If I stick to the 50 hr and 250 hr schedule I seldom make any adjustments in between. I use the mill manual maintenance list with recommended tasks on each interval.

Willie

[Bibbyman]

I check the adjustments when I change out the blade guide rollers or head cam bearings.  Other than that, I just twink it now and then when I see something not right.

We were sawing the other day and Mary complained that some boards were coming out a little thinner on one side.  I knew they were and knew why but it wasn't enough to cause a problem sawing 4/4 flooring lumber.  But, since she mentioned it,  I got out my tools and checked the idle side blade guide assembly.  I knew it was pointing the blade down a little.  It gets knocked pretty hard at times running into knots and such on the off side. 

After I made the adjustment, it seemed I could saw a bit faster.  I checked a couple of boards coming off and the resulting cant and they were right on. 

This was just a slight adjustment to the guide roller assembly.  I don't remember the last time I actually had to align anything on the head.  We have over 5,000 hours on this mill.





Here is a picture of how I check the blade level.  This is before adjusting.





This is after adjusting.

[Dave Shepard]

Is that in the Tips and Tricks thread Bibby? That's way easier than moving the head back and forth to measure the ends of the LTBGAT

[Bibbyman]

Is that in the Tips and Tricks thread Bibby? That's way easier than moving the head back and forth to measure the ends of the LTBGAT

Here is a link to that topic..

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,19439.0.html

[timbuck2]

ok, Bibbyman, what ya got there?   A straight edge, and I'm guessing, a little clip to the blade, against the level?   My Kasco goes like this, if the bed is level,( I do it once a year with a transit)  then I just measure blade to bed, both sides.  Adjust guides to fit.   Nice concept tho, I'm trying to figure out if that would help me.  But then again I don't have an accuracy problem, just a slow as death problem, hahahaha.   Serious about up-grade tho' big WM or TK is the ?   Oh yeah I don't move the mill.

[Bibbyman]

This tool helps check the blade to see if its running level - not how far the blade is above the bed.  For that I just park the head where the blade is over a bunk and measure one side next to the guide and then the other side.

[GF]

I built a small jig to hold a straightedge against the blade to level it with the sawmill bed.  Its a piece of square tubing with one of the four side cut out.   I then drilled a hole on top welded a nut over the hole and then inserted a bolt.  Next I cut two slots on each side for the straight edge to slide through.   When you tighten the bolt it will tighten the blade flat against the straightedge.

GF

[5quarter]

Thats a pretty dull blade there in the illustration...might be time to put on a new one. :D :D

exellent idea, by the way.

[GF]

Didnt want to spend the time to draw the teeth.   Actually the blade is spinning so fast you cant see the teeth

[Brucer]

I don't compete on price, I compete on quality. Square timbers, no wane, no wavy surfaces. The cantilever head hasn't given me any problem.

I spend and hour every 50 hours of operation greasing things and checking for loose bolts. Half a day every 100 hours greasing, changing oil & filters, belt tensions, etc. At the start of every season I check the alignment and adjust as needed.

At 1800 hours I had to change a guide roller bearing so I did the complete alignment procedure on the mill. Took me a day, but it was the first time I'd done it.

Look after your mill and it will look after you.