I posted earlier that I went and looked at a WM LT30. I went back and looked at again and took some pics. Could someone tell me how the WM hyd works. This mill has a aftermarket hyd pump and valve and I am not sure how this works. It has two valves, and three functions. The pump will only run when the head comes to the front of the mill and then you move a valve lever and make a ground contact. How does the pump activate on the WM verison. This mill was a manual mill and the owner converted the mill to a hyd clamp and turn. Does the hyd verison mills run larger tires than the manual mills. The 30 I am looking at has 13" tires on it and things look close to the ground. The axle also look like it is not square to the frame. Thanks
Here are some more pics and I have some more questions. The mill has some aftermarket or home brewed debarker on it. I think it will work all right I am just wondering how safe it will be. Could someone tell me what heck are these things.
The "unsquare" axle is a Woodmizer signature. Ther is nothing wrong. The reason is that the hitch is on the mill beam and the mill beam is on one side of the mill/trailer. By canting the axle 'catywhampus" it allows the mill to trailer straight behind the towing vehicle.
Woodmizer uses electric over hydraulics. Your home design copies it "kinda".
On the factory version. the head of the mill rides up on a brass strip at the head of the mill that allows electricity from the battery on the head to reach the electrice pump motor on the bed. The Valves have a spring switch in them that make contack with a solonoid when the valve handle is raised or lowered and that actuates the hydraulic pump and pumps fluid through the valve that is open.
Having the strip on the front allows for the continuity to be broken when the head is moved toward the log. It is a safety feature that keeps someone from unclamping the log or messing with hydraulics while the mill is cutting the log. :)
Can't help you on the debarker question but the "T" shaped thingy looks to be a "toe-board" used for leveling a tapered log.
The T shaped thingy is used to hold the log ramps to the bed of the mill when in transport mode.
There should be another T shaped thingy at the other end of the bed.
Way to go Brian! :)
See there? There is always someone around here who knows. ;D :D
Hey thanks guys, now I am more informed. I am going to try and get this mill. I see that Bibby posted about the log loader now offered by WM, I'll have to get one of those.
Yeah Tom, I knew cuz I had them on my 89 LT-30.
I never used them because I never went anywhere with the mill once I got home with it.
If you look at the debarker blade picture you'll see part of the adjustable toe board attachment used to raise the small end of the log with a hand crank.
There should be one on each end of the bed too. You'll also get a glimpse of one on the other side of the T shaped thingy. :D
Plowboy as for the tire size that is correct .. the 13 inche wheels where on lt30 and the elt40 ... I have a lt40hd and it came with 13" tires ... I have since put 14's on the mill .....
I was wondering about tire size the tag on the axle said it came with 13" tires. The turner clamp looks like it might hit the ground because everything is so low. The mill is sitting in a snow bank right now so maybe it isn't so low.
Probably the deck height set up will be higher than just resting on tires.
If it's been setting on soft ground and the tires low, then it could be pretty low. Once set up, the deck height should be about 30" off the ground.
Ground clearance for the lower section of the clamping arm isn't very much under normal conditions. You should run the clamp all the way OUT or all the way IN before towing to get a much clearance as possible.
The debarker blade really needs a guard on it. Look at photos of other Woodmisers for ideas.
I would also build a box to cover the hydraulics as soon as possible.
I was thinking about fabricating a guard for the debarker. I am just worried that the debarker could bite someone sometime if it were left as is. The hyd will get converted to a WM style with more valves, I plan on adding hyd loading arms to the mill. I don't like the the valve handles sticking straight up anyway.
I hope to pick the mill up next week. When I get it home I can really go over the mill and get it tuned up and ready to run.