Homemade board return for older WM... Do I need a larger feed motor?

woodrat · July 08, 2020, 10:26:11 PM

So, I'm in the midst of replacing rusted and worn out things, and I'm looking at needing to replace my feed motor bracket due to rust damage, and might have to replace the motor, too, if I can't get the rusted up sheave off of it.

I was wondering, for those of you who have retrofitted or backyard engineered a board return to an older WM, did you need to bump up the size and power of the feed motor at all?

Now would be the time, since I have to replace a bunch of that stuff anyway.

Thanks!

47sawdust · July 09, 2020, 05:53:08 AM

A call to WM will answer your question.The short answer is , Yes.

Brucer · July 12, 2020, 07:44:05 PM

I added a dragback from an LT40 Super to my2006 LT40 hydraulic mill. "The book" said you shouldn't drag back more than an 8', 1x with that mill. I kind of ignored the book and just kept on dragging back whatever I was sawing. After I'd added 12' of extensions I was dragging back 30' slabs

.

The trick was to always keep the drive belt tight. And yes, I go through a lot more belts than before I installed the dragback.