Wood-Mizer LT-15

[Kevin]

I was wondering if anyone on here has an LT-15, I`m considering purchasing one this fall?
I had an opportunity to try one about a month ago and I was pretty impressed with it.

[Tom]

Kevin,

I have a friend who has an LT15 and he loves it.  He doesn't cut much in the way of production but it keeps him in cabinet wood and that's what he wanted.

His original installation was at ground level but it didn't take but a few months before he reset it up on beams so that the bed would be a little above knee high.  There was just too much bending over.

[Kevin]

Tom, how does he get the logs up onto the mill?

[Tom]

He built a two log deck that he puts logs on with his tractor.  It acts like a railroad track and slopes a bit toward the mill.  He chocks the 2nd one and lets the 1st roll onto the mill.  It's not too steep and requires a little push sometimes.  He loads 10 or 15 logs at a time which keeps him busy long enough that he will welcome a break.

[Ron Wenrich]

I used to run a hand mill where we put hickory poles running up to the mill.  Since the bark was off the poles, this allowed me to slide some pretty big logs that were too ugly to roll.  A little diesel really made them move.  We could put almost a trailerload on their, but we had a grapple.

One thing that was real handy was a set of rollers at the carriage end of the poles.  These were mounted so you could flip them up or down, when you wanted to turn logs.

To turn the log, we simply pulled the log off the headblocks and onto the rollers.  The log slid back onto the carriage.  As fast as a log turner.  Acted pretty much like downturns.

Unfortunately, I don't think they would work with a Woodmizer or any mill like it.

[Tom]

Kevin,

I had a brainstorm in the truck today.  You couldn't do this in Florida because we haven't got any hills big enuff.  You would need one about knee high anyway.

Set the LT15 up so that the operator side is on the downhill side and the logs at the top of the hill.  The logs would be at mill level and you would be at knee level and plenty of room for the sawdust to go.

I'm so smart sometimes I scare myself :D

[Kevin]

Tom, would  this little hill be high enough?  :-/

[Tom]

HOLY MACKERAL ANDY !.........where'de you get that thing?  Fella would get a nose bleed trying to saw next to one of those.  

Is that actually the top or does it keep on going?

I'de send you a picture of ours but I don't know where it is............the hill I mean. ;D

[Kevin]

That isn`t quite the top, the top was snow covered.
That was out in northern British Columbia. It was about a 45 degree incline with huge trees and a very thick canopy with very little undergrowth.
I remember marking a tree,  walking up to it,  leaning up against it with my pack for a rest then I would move on to the next one until we finally reached a plateau where we had to crawl on our bellies through thick brush for about a hundred yards or so.
We camped on the plateau and hunted the snow caps and the shale draws during the day.
A HUGE moose came crashing through that night bringing down poplar trees by straddling them then it would browse on the tops.

[rcolmansr60]

I just purchased a Norwood Lumbermate 2000. I am very pleased with it. As I look at the sawdust pile on the opposite side of the mill from where I walk to cut I thought, if only  I had paid a $1000 more for a Wood mizer LT-15 I would be wadeing through the sawdust every time I did a cut.  :D  I am not familiar with other points with the wood mizer but that looks like a bad design to me.    Dick

[Kevin]

Dick;
Welcome to Timber Buyers.
The sawdust pile is something I considered but regardless of whether it throws it on your side or the loading side it`s going to be a problem with either machine after awhile.
Is there a specific design feature don`t you like with the LT-15?
I have heard conflicting stories about the L-2000 from people who own and operate them but I can`t remember ever hearing a bad word about the LT-15 from anyone that owns one.
I`ve been to both dealers and have seen both units up close and had the opportunity to try the LT-15 this past Spring and I was impressed with it but my experience is limited.
I hope you can throw some pictures together of your operation and post them for us.

[rcolmansr60]

 I don't have any pictures yet. OK so I shot many with no film in the camera :D Just shows you you don't have to be too bright to put together and operate a Norwood mill. As far as the saw dust goes The operator walks on the same side as you load the log from so it isn't a problem. I only saw one person that complained about the Norwood. I know of some that operated a LT-15 and prefer the Lumbermate. As I said I haven't seen the LT-15 so can't say its bad. I had a log, 16" x 10', on a hill get away from me roll down and move the L-2000 over a foot off the pads............. Just jacked it up put it back and checked it out with a string and level and all was true. One other thing for me I drove to NY and picked it up so I saved on the shipping too.
Best of luck    Dick

[Kevin]

Hey Dick;
If that had been the LT-15  the mill would have remained stationary and the log would have advanced up and onto the bed waiting to be milled upon your descent from the hill. :D
How many logs have you put through your mill?
Did you get the trailer package?

[rcolmansr60]

I have only about 3000 bd ft so far. needed to get enough to put a new roof and side on an OLD barn. Now that those are drying I am doing other work on the barn. Yes I did get the trailer package, my wife thought it looked neat in the video. The log hit the end of the mill that has the lift so that is what I used to lift it back up and reposition it. If you go to  http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1331114  you can see Bobs in action

[Kevin]

I have Roberts pictures posted on my web site, I know he`s a die hard Lumbermate fan.
He`s having way too much fun with that mill !