Pictures of my LT-30 with extension I built for sawing 21' logs

[Slingshot]

   I built a 4-1/2 foot extension for my LT-30 so I can saw up to 21 feet.  Built it with everything I
already had except a 9 foot section of 1 inch cold rolled steel for the rails and a few bolts. The steel
supplier here didn't stock the 4X8 inch tubing I needed for the main beam and I would have had to
pay over $200.00 for a special order 20 foot piece so I welded 2 pieces of 4 inch angle and made a
4X8 inch channel. I rigged up a jig for drilling true centered holes in the mill rails and new bar for rails
and used 5/16 grade 5 bolts with head removed for allignment pins. There are pictures of the way I
connected the extension. It is all bolted on so it can be removed and the mill returned to original
except for 5 holes I driled at the end of main beam. 4 to re-locate small bunk and 1 for a support
bracket. And I welded 2 short pieces of angle inside main beam for drawing the sections together.

Here is the almost finished job.

I I relocated the small bunk to the end of main beam and added another bunk in it's place.





The new addition is supported by the mill bed so it won't have to be removed for moving the mill or
transporting












The mill head rolls onto the new rails like on the original








The jig I used to hold bit for driling holes for pins




























angles inside beam with nuts welded on back side for 5/8 inch bolts




steel plate goes inside and bolted for support




5/8 inch bolts draws it up tight
















______________________________
Charles    

[redbeard]

Very nice fabrication work, That wasn't your first rodeo, Good job!

[Coon]

That job looks top notch mate.  ;D  I reckon she'll do the trick.  :D

[fishpharmer]

Very nicely done slingshot.  Good of you to share iit.

I see hydraulics in your future if you don't already  have some on your mill.

[Chuck White]

Very nice job.  Professional all the way!

[fred in montana]

Very impressive

[terrifictimbersllc]

Takes me 2 whole sticks to weld on a new fender mount and i'm not posting pictures of that  :( :(  .  Couldn't tell for a while in the pictures where the new work was until I noticed the new orange vs. the old orange.  Outstanding job!

[barbender]

Top notch all the way!

[Slingshot]

Thanks for the comments. Kinda fun building it. I'm thinking of still finding a section of the
4X8 rectangular tubing like the main beam and using it where I used the fabricated Channel
which can be unbolted and replaced. Then use the 4X8 channel section and make a stand-alone,
  bolt-on extension for logs to 24 feet if the need arises.
    Here is a picture of the addition with primer. I removed the jack stand and bolted the new
section where it was bolted on. I will weld on a plate to bolt on the jack stand where it is in this
picture and another at the end for a screw jack.

 



 




________________________-
Charles   

[fishpharmer]

I like that idea. 

What about hydraulics?

[pineywoods]

Very nice, well thought out. I like the jig. I've thought about making a 12 footer, but thinkin about it as far as I ever got.

[Bro. Noble]

My hat is off to you 8)

I admire top craftmanship of all kinds

[Burlkraft]

Great Job!    8) 8)

[isawlogs]

Good job , well done 

[StephenRice]

Very nice work!

[Jim_Rogers]

Charles:

I have a six foot bed extension that I bought from WM before they invented the pin set up to line up the two sections.

Would you rent that drill holder to me so that I could drill mine out?

I've talked to WM Maine about getting the pins but I didn't have a method to drill the holes.

I would pay for the shipping from you to me, rent and sent it back to you when done.....

[Slingshot]

   Jim Rogers; I'll be glad to let you have this drilling jig. But no renting it. I made it from parts I had
laying around and don't have anything invested in it. The tubing is aircraft aluminum that fits snugly
on the 1 inch rails and built up inside with spacers and washers with smaller holes than regular hardware
washers. Just something to hold the drill bit on a level plane with the rail. PM me or E-mail to get an
address and I will send it to you. You don't need to send  it back. I don't know what size pins Woodmizer
uses but this jig is set up for 5/16. I used 5/16 grade 5 bolts, cut the head off and cut to length. If you
need for larger diameter pins you can drill the washers to fit. The holes were 1/4 inch so I drilled a 1/4 inch
hole to start then drilled the washers to 5/16 with a drill press. I also used a center punch through the
jig before drilling.

 




__________________________
Charles

[Magicman]

And the spirit of the FF is very much alive and well.  Congratulations on your project and your thoughtfulness to provide others with the details of your craftsmanship, and willingness to help others.   

[Jim_Rogers]

I received the jig in the mail the other day, while I was away in VT.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, very much.
I opened it yesterday, and showed it to my friend this morning.

We should be able to use this to improve my alignment of my 6' bed extension to the sawmill frame, once and for all.

I plan on getting some bolts and several bits just in case one bit doesn't do the whole job.

What length bolt should I get and what depth hole did you drill in each?

I have it all bolted up right now, but in a week or so, I have to go do a portable sawing job on site, and my thoughts were to bore the holds and prepare the bolts before I put it all back together again, with photos of course.

Jim Rogers

[Slingshot]

   Jim, you're welcome. Glad you liked the system enough to want to use it. That is the only
way I could think up to drill a straight hole in the center of the rails already welded onto
the saw.
   As I stated, the jig is drilled for 5/16 bolts and I used a 5/16 diameter center punch through
the jig to make it easier to center the bit for starting. (picture in post above) The grade 5 bolts are tough, grade 8 even tougher, and I think plenty strong for this use. Bolts 3 or 3&1/2 inch long will give you a 2 inch pin
after cutting the head and threads off, and I drilled the holes 1 inch, or a little less, deep.


______________________
Charles

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for listing the sizes and depth of the hole.....

[pineywoods]

Slingshot, you just solved a real sticky problem for me. Friend of mine has an LT40 super with a 6 ft bed extension. He has never been able to keep the extension aligned to the mill. Big long heavy logs and a large forklift keep shifting things. I had thought of alignment pins, but never could figure out a way to drill the holes accurately. You did, and I copied your jig. Thanks. Couldn't find a piece of tubing with exactly 1 inch bore, so I chucked a smaller piece in the lathe and bored it out to 1 inch + .001. I pressed a 1.5 inch long solid metal plug in one end and drilled that out to 3/8. Cut the slot with a milling machine. OK, it's way overbuilt, like you, I used what I had handy. here's some pics






and the end result








pins are made from 3/8 grade 5 bolts..

[Jasperfield]

Slingshot,

If you hadn't told us different, and posted the photo's, I'd say Wood-Mizer built that extension.

Very impressive work!

[bandmiller2]

Backyard engineers are what built this country,a hearty well done slingshot.Frank C.

[Slingshot]

Thanks for the comments.

Sturdy little jig you built, pineywoods.

Maybe Woodmizer could come up with something like that to include
with the sale of extensions to owners of older mills?



___________________
Charles