Picked this badly neglected mill up the other week. So sad that it has been left out in the elements, maybe most of its life. Hardly done any milling - 77.6 hours to be precise. Engine was seized. 1.5l of water in the sump. Put in many hours to repair. Manage to get the engine unseized. Will update more when I get a chance.
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Hopefully the price was right? Might take a few $ and time to get it back into shape, but if all the main bits are intact, then even a dodgy engine is replaceable.
Hopefully you will have it back up and sawing nice straight lumber.
Keep us posted
Wow!
I'd say just the price difference between 2013 and 2023 gives you quite some room to play.
It'll be worth it. I got my mill from a guy who hardly used it then let it sit outside for 10 years. The tower that holds the gas struts was seized and mice filled the engine housing with nests but after some work I've milled several thousand BF and continue to make upgrades to it along the way.
Good luck
Keep the pics coming. I'd say you are going to make out ok with that. The bones are good.
Looks like a great project. Looking forward to seeing the progress and lumber coming off!
There's a very expensive Mighty Mite for sale North of the Adirondacks.
It has also been sorely neglected. Very sad to see.
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Thanks all for your feedback.
A few more photos to update the progress and show the condition.
The saw head has been separated from the engine, pump, tank, & the 4 post frame so we can clean up and repair all the rust & repaint.
Notice the bent log loader bracket? No log loader arms etc with the mill so we will likely fabricate something as the freight cost from Timberking was very high.
All the chains were rusted solid so all will be replaced.
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Wow, what a project! I'd be soaking all of those chains in a drum of ATF, I bet they'll come back to life.
I was going to make the same ATF suggestion , until I got to the previous post. :D :D :D Yer going to have a great mill when completed. :)
Quote from: barbender on January 11, 2024, 10:09:00 AMow, what a project! I'd be soaking all of those chains in a drum of ATF, I bet they'll come back to life.
That is exactly what we did with the chain on the LT-30 we recently acquired. Loosened it up considerably.
On my LT40 all the chains get soaked in ATF and brought them back from a semi seized state. But most the chains on this one are a bit far gone & besides already broken from the previous guy trying to move things without a decent soak first.
I'm thinking to forget the log loaders and fabricate a log loading deck ran off the loader hydraulics.
Great looking project, this will be very rewarding to saw on this machine when you get her up and running! Like the idea of the log deck, I think that is the way I would go as well. Good luck on the project I look forward to seeing her doing what she was meant to do.
I hope you can salvage the Kubota, that's about as good of an engine as you'll find in that size.
New chains generally should get new sprockets unless they are in new condition.
Quote from: Magicman on January 11, 2024, 08:21:25 PM
New chains generally should get new sprockets unless they are in new condition.
Good idea when due to wear as the new chain will not match the tooth spacing on the old sprockets. In this case only 77.6 hours on the mill & the chains have failed due to excessive rust. The sprockets have surface rust but no wear.
The guy that had it before must have died to let it that bad.
Quote from: thegoodlife on January 12, 2024, 04:13:21 AMThe sprockets have surface rust but no wear.
Yes, you should be "good to go" with your sprockets. ATF is your friend, but let me add that a 50-50 mix of ATF and Acetone will do wonders as a penetrate when you are needing large batches.
That's quite a project. It amazes me how such a useful machine can be let go so far. I know of about 6 mills sitting in the condition of yours or worse. Tried to strike deals on several of them to no avail.
One plus to rebuilding a let go machine be it a sawmill or something else you get real familiar with how they work and what to keep an eye on once they're up and running. Something that's worth a lot to me.
Sawmills seem especially prone to this level of neglect, for some reason.
I agree
Quote from: Magicman on January 12, 2024, 09:05:20 AM
Quote from: thegoodlife on January 12, 2024, 04:13:21 AMThe sprockets have surface rust but no wear.
Yes, you should be "good to go" with your sprockets. ATF is your friend, but let me add that a 50-50 mix of ATF and Acetone will do wonders as a penetrate when you are needing large batches.
I've never tried ATF & acetone but have used ATF & Diesel in a 50-50 mix. You've got me interested in trying some - thank you
Whats going on with that asv rc100 in the background
I've had really good results with stuff I could fit in a jar with ATF and run it through my ultrasonic cleaner.
Quote from: Rocks4U on January 12, 2024, 07:30:45 PM
Whats going on with that asv rc100 in the background
Replacing all the hubs, wheels, & sprocket rollers.
As can be seen in photos below the old hubs are totally worn.
Waiting on parts from Oz & have chosen to go with aftermarket grease filled hubs & solid aluminium wheels.
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Quote from: chickenchaser on January 10, 2024, 06:38:51 AM
Wow!
I'd say just the price difference between 2013 and 2023 gives you quite some room to play.
Out of interest sake does anyone remember the 2013 price?
Quote from: thegoodlife on January 11, 2024, 02:49:16 PM
On my LT40 all the chains get soaked in ATF and brought them back from a semi seized state. But most the chains on this one are a bit far gone & besides already broken from the previous guy trying to move things without a decent soak first.
I'm thinking to forget the log loaders and fabricate a log loading deck ran off the loader hydraulics.
Has anyone ran a log deck off the TK log loader hydraulics?
Quote from: Peter Drouin on January 12, 2024, 06:51:03 AM
The guy that had it before must have died to let it that bad.
I am not 100% sure if this is the case but most likely.
Quote from: barbender on January 11, 2024, 04:20:57 PM
I hope you can salvage the Kubota, that's about as good of an engine as you'll find in that size.
We will run it again & get up to temperature if the oil pressure stays up. Drain the oil & then have a good look inside the sump. Possibly the oil pickup is getting blocked by sludge or scale or something.
It was real surprising that she fired up after how stuck she was. Seems to run real smooth too.
Quote from: newoodguy78 on January 12, 2024, 11:29:18 AM
That's quite a project. It amazes me how such a useful machine can be let go so far. I know of about 6 mills sitting in the condition of yours or worse. Tried to strike deals on several of them to no avail.
One plus to rebuilding a let go machine be it a sawmill or something else you get real familiar with how they work and what to keep an eye on once they're up and running. Something that's worth a lot to me.
I totally agree. For me knowing the mechanics helps me to know how to use it properly. Of course helps to diagnose issues & maintain her too.
Quote from: barbender on January 12, 2024, 01:22:52 PM
Sawmills seem especially prone to this level of neglect, for some reason.
My LT40 had been left standing for many years. But it had a lot more than 77.6 hours on her before getting parked up.
Quote from: chet on January 12, 2024, 08:13:16 PM
I've had really good results with stuff I could fit in a jar with ATF and run it through my ultrasonic cleaner.
Wonder what the largest size jar & ultrasonic cleaner we can get?:)
A diesel engine is amazingly resilient. Still, if it is at all accessible I would pull the oil pan so you can see the oil sump and screen. And also pull the valve covers off and have a look. That is way too valuable of an engine to wing it, IMO.
Rubber wheels better then alluminum unless you in ruff stuff also they have double bearing and double sealed that are greased check out vine and branch out of California they have aftermarket stuff for this machine that is upgraded and really good. Like out board bearing that is greasable.. I have the same machine and have pretty much rebuilt it from the ground up if you need any help with anything
Quote from: barbender on January 13, 2024, 06:00:05 PM
A diesel engine is amazingly resilient. Still, if it is at all accessible I would pull the oil pan so you can see the oil sump and screen. And also pull the valve covers off and have a look. That is way too valuable of an engine to wing it, IMO.
I agree 100%. I will not take risks with the engine. More than likely the pan & tappet cover will come off.
Quote from: Rocks4U on January 13, 2024, 06:34:39 PM
Rubber wheels better then alluminum unless you in ruff stuff also they have double bearing and double sealed that are greased check out vine and branch out of California they have aftermarket stuff for this machine that is upgraded and really good. Like out board bearing that is greasable.. I have the same machine and have pretty much rebuilt it from the ground up if you need any help with anything
Thanks for the offer for the ASV RC100 undercarriage. The aftermarket parts are already on the way so a bit late to change now. Why do you say rubber is better? Most of our rubber tyres are chopped out.
I had aluminum ones before and they wore really quick and was constantly having to increase track tension that company told me about the rubber ones and have been much better and alot smoother ride
Also there is a mount bolt on your hydraulic pumps if it breaks it wears your coupler and tandem pump shaft out so I would recommend changing it.its like 10 bucks to change versus 10 grand for coupler and tandem pump
A friend left his IH tractor set outside till the motor stuck. I helped him put diesel in the cylinders to break it loose, and he knew a guy that worked with junk who said put some brake fluid in the cylinders, and sure enough the added brake fluid helped. Said some type oil in the brake fluid really cuts through the rust.
Quote from: Rocks4U on January 16, 2024, 05:18:21 PM
I had aluminum ones before and they wore really quick and was constantly having to increase track tension that company told me about the rubber ones and have been much better and alot smoother ride
What sort of ground are you tracking the ASV through?
Yup I was going to post just about what newoodguy78 said, by the time you finish this mill up and get it sawing you'll know every bit of it. Lots of work but the end result in a nice mill and the knowledge you'll gain is a good deal.
Quote from: Peter Drouin on January 12, 2024, 06:51:03 AM
The guy that had it before must have died to let it that bad.
Hope not Pete. Maybe he inherited a pile of cash and went to live on a beach somewheres. :D
I bought my mill 3 months ago and its STILL not under a roof. I'm disappointed in myself for that but I been pretty busy and the weather has been worse than usual for these months around here. That's not a good excuse though.
I do have a new tarp wrapped around the motor, a second tarp wrapped around the whole head and then a third tied over most of the mill. But I cant wait to get it under real cover.
If ya got yer mill wrapped up in tarps, it may not be a bad idea ta check to see if mice have taken up residence before they can do any damage.
Chet they already did. The motor was full of mice when I bought it and I had to do a lot or rewiring to even get her started. They made a heck of a mess. Only defense I have now is its parked between two barns and there is maybe a dozen barn cats, or more I can never quite count them, roaming around those buildings. The rodent population is low and nervous. But I keep checking. Hate mice. They can be as destructive as rats.
Quote from: chet on January 21, 2024, 09:29:15 AM
If ya got yer mill wrapped up in tarps, it may not be a bad idea ta check to see if mice have taken up residence before they can do any damage.
Here in Northland NZ if we wrap equipment in tarps the trapped moisture becomes a big rust issue. If I have to resort to tarps I tend to make a roof only and not cover the sides. Then the wind & sun destroys the tarps in a few months anyhow.
Quote from: Rocks4U on January 16, 2024, 05:24:11 PMAlso there is a mount bolt on your hydraulic pumps if it breaks it wears your coupler and tandem pump shaft out so I would recommend changing it.its like 10 bucks to change versus 10 grand for coupler and tandem pump
Have you got more specific details to help me find this mount bolt/s?
Thanks
Lift the cab up and center under the hydraulic resvoir its a 1/2" bolt thats about 8inches long goes from a mount on your second hydraulic pump at a angle to a bracket bolt on the back of the engine. They have a upgraded mount that I recommend getting that is suppose to correct issue I have it and haven't had a problem since.
Quote from: Rocks4U on January 30, 2024, 08:26:07 AMLift the cab up and center under the hydraulic resvoir its a 1/2" bolt thats about 8inches long goes from a mount on your second hydraulic pump at a angle to a bracket bolt on the back of the engine. They have a upgraded mount that I recommend getting that is suppose to correct issue I have it and haven't had a problem since.
Found the 8" long bolt thanks. Will have a good look at it later. Have you got any details on the upgraded mount?
Wow, to my untrained eye, that mill looks like it was neglected as much when it was working as when it was set up. I haven't seen that much wear on mills with several hundred hours on them, much less 77!!
I bet you get it whipped back in shape. It will be a beast when you get done!
Good luck.
Quote from: DocGP on February 08, 2024, 02:47:24 PMWow, to my untrained eye, that mill looks like it was neglected as much when it was working as when it was set up. I haven't seen that much wear on mills with several hundred hours on them, much less 77!!
I bet you get it whipped back in shape. It will be a beast when you get done!
Good luck.
It doesn't have much wear. When I first powered up the hour meter I thought it read 776 hours. That had me puzzled as it has nearly no wear to indicate that sort of hours.
We have done some needle scaling on the bad rust on the 1/4"? thick plate the engine, pump, & hydraulic tank are mounted to. Have decided to halt on that area for now as there is not much steel left. May replace the whole plate. But will clean up rust around the saw head frame first and then decide.
Photos to come later.
Quote from: barbender on January 13, 2024, 06:00:05 PMA diesel engine is amazingly resilient. Still, if it is at all accessible I would pull the oil pan so you can see the oil sump and screen. And also pull the valve covers off and have a look. That is way too valuable of an engine to wing it, IMO.
We pulled the sump the other day. Sorry I was not there so have no photos. Apparently the sump had no signs of rust, the oil was fairly clean, & the oil pickup had a layer of sludge on it. Removed pickup, cleaned everything, replaced pickup oring, and glued sump back on again.
Was a surprise to have so many M10 bolts holding the sump on. Obviously block is used for other industrial uses.
Has anyone retrofitted an idler for the drive belt?
I think this would be a huge improvement on this mill. We will likely need to fabricate a new base plate due to major rust so would not be too hard to include a new mount for the tensioner. Would be happy to use TK parts if they will sell them to me or fabricate from scratch.
Any tips, especially from experience?
Thanks
I wouldn't see why TK would not supply you with what ever you need for the restoration.