Last Call (I hope)

Dogwood Heart · February 09, 2023, 09:09:29 AM

It's been a while. The sawmilling part of my life is elbowing its way back to center stage hopefully. The family farm seems to finally spooled up somewhat and I can cut wood again. I ordered a LT40 Wide a year and half ago with the 38hp gas engine, +2 hyd side supports, debarker, lube mizer, and high-performance blade guides. I plan on getting the fine adjust outriggers down the road. Is there anything that I should call and add? The "NEW" build date is Feb 17th, I'm 81 weeks into a 63 week lead time. My father has expressed interest in mobile sawing when he retires in couple of years, and I am already starting to get jobs here and there through word of mouth. I have been sawing with a lt15 for a couple years now and know hydraulics is a new ball game entirely.
Any insight would be appreciated.

Magicman · February 09, 2023, 09:48:48 AM

Personally, I would try to get the FAO's now rather than later. The front end cost is $1195, but I would expect the add on cost would be much more because you would then be discarding the originals.

I would at least ask.

WV Sawmiller · February 09, 2023, 09:52:44 AM

MM beat me to the suggestion again on FAOs being cheaper if included rather than added.

You look to be about 3 hours from me. Good luck and enjoy the new mill.

Crossroads · February 09, 2023, 10:09:17 AM

Yes the FAO's will cost about 30% more to install them yourself later as opposed to WM installing them now.

John S · February 09, 2023, 10:15:16 AM

I have the same mill. FAOs definitely if you will be transporting and Accuset2. Once you get used to the Accuset over the Simpleset you will be glad you have it. I have had both and highly recommend the Accuset.

terrifictimbersllc · February 09, 2023, 02:14:35 PM

The reason the FAOs cost so much more afterwards is because on a new mill you're paying for a whole set of the standard jacks.

Bruno of NH · February 09, 2023, 04:06:15 PM

Get the upgraded jacks

Bruno of NH · February 09, 2023, 04:12:40 PM

The debarker on my 2019 lt 40 wide wasn't worth the money.
It's down more than working and is not good on small logs or big logs.
When Woodmizer did my service this summer one of the techs asked me did you put the debarker on.
I said no it was factory he gave me a funny look and quickly changed the subject.
So I would say something is sub par with mine and they want to hide it.
When you have ice cover logs like I have this week it would be nice to have a working debarker.

will49766 · February 09, 2023, 05:48:45 PM

Get the FAO's now. I have the same mill you are getting minus the high performance blade guides. I made the decision after the mill was completed at the factory. Make the decision now and let the factory install them. This is the item I dragged my feet on and Indy had to install them, which lead to a mishap... They made it worth my while though because they gave me over 3k off the mill total. I am very surprised now how much this same mill has gone up in price. I made a spreadsheet of how much I paid in 2018 compared to prices now and it's 10k+ more now overall. Unbelievable! Make sure to ask for the FAO locks. I don't think they were a thing when I bought my mill, but I may be wrong. I am going to order a set I think.

Dogwood Heart · February 10, 2023, 07:30:28 AM

Mixed news, I called WoodMizer after work yesterday and was told that the mill had started the build line early, and it was too late to add FAO. On the one hand it means that my mill has actually materialized, on the other I will have to pay a little more for the FAOs. Thank you for the insight and advice.

Magicman · February 10, 2023, 07:43:18 AM

Based on my experience when you do upgrade to FAO's, I would only get the front 3 that are under the rail. I would omit the tail end and the two under the loader side.

MattM · February 10, 2023, 07:49:43 AM

Another option would be to get the 5000lb square top handle trailer jacks I just put 6 on my Lt35 for 240$CAD.... The FAOs would have cost me 1900CAD when bought with the mill.

It's a few hours work modifying them if you want to do a good job of it but they're quick to setup. I know some guys put nuts on the top to wind them down but I just left the handles on. It takes me about 3 minutes to level the mill and I don't have to move the head back and forth to do it.

Bruno of NH · February 10, 2023, 09:39:32 AM

Is it to late to cancel the debarker ?

Bruno of NH · February 10, 2023, 09:59:11 AM

Or ask them to install it right or the correct one.

John S · February 10, 2023, 10:09:14 AM

My debarker kept tripping the circuit breaker when I first got this mill in 2018. Viewing down from the top, it was rotating clockwise. After a few calls to WM, they sent me a kit to reverse the rotation to CCW with a new arbor. Flip the blade and in 5 years it has tripped only a few times, instead of a few times a day. I have no idea how the current debarkers rotate.
I would tell them to wait until the FAOs are available before taking delivery. It doesn't make any sense that they can't make that change, unless they are out of stock.

will49766 · February 10, 2023, 12:06:55 PM

My sales person was able to get it done after the factory was finished and the mill was delivered to Indy. This is a minor change and I think if you insisted that they would do it afterwards. It would save you quite a bit if you could talk them into doing it. Plus the FAOs make set-up much easier. They installed all six of them just before I took delivery of my mill. It will cost much more to do it down the road. The other thing I wish I would have gotten is the Accuset II setworks. I plan to do this upgrade myself at some point. You will love this mill. It's a very well thought out machine and very well built.

Old Greenhorn · February 10, 2023, 01:21:30 PM

Don't cancel the debarker. Bruno I know yours never worked right and boy oh boy do I understand the frustration with that. When I started running the LT50 wide (2018 ) I run now we were having a lot of issues with it and the breaker tripping constantly. With my millwright and machine design background, it drove me crazy and I set to figuring it out. What I learned was WM has a ton of revisions in this design over a short period. I am not sure if they have it nailed yet. We had to replace the swing motor with one that had an electric brake (warranty) but we still had issues. I looked at the geometry of how the blade was approaching the log and realized it was being sucked or driven into the log because of the direction of rotation. It was turning CCW if you looked down from the top and would throw the chips back toward the operator, another thing I found distracting when a piece of bark would fly past my ear or sometimes find a target.
So I talked the WM and they agreed this was an issue and depended on the swing arm revision and other changes in the design. They said I could swap rotation if I liked, so I did make it go CW and WALA! no more breaker trips beyond what should be normal (once or twice a week, or less). The other trick was learning how to bring it into the log gently and not slam it in. I pulse the swing control until it is very close, then move it into the log. Better yet get the blade in the right place so it picks right up on the log as it enters.

Now I know what I've done is exactly the opposite of what John did above and I have read on FF similar posts where the writers were saying a different direction solved their problem. It made no sense to me UNTIL I realized all the different arm designs for wide verses standard as well as the various revision arms. So yeah, folks with the same machine, but different arms can have opposite results. I think that may be missed by a lot of folks. We think we all have the same machine, but really, with the debarker your mileage WILL vary.

The debarker has run great for 15 months or so, still using the original breaker and all, since I did that work. Well, up until last week. I'll post that tonight in the daily carnage thread. For now I'll just say I have a major repair job coming up when the parts come in.

Magicman · February 10, 2023, 01:36:32 PM

I agree with NOT canceling the Debarker.

I am not familiar with the different revisions that have taken place with the "wide" models, but I would hate to not have a Debarker. Looking down from the top mine turns CCW so it is always "climbing out" of the cut and throwing the debris toward the blade. Sure, I had reservations about this when I got the sawmill but I have never seen that it matters. The only time that I will trip the breaker is when I get it fouled up with a knot or something that stops the rotation.

Bruno of NH · February 10, 2023, 01:47:49 PM

I'm taking mine off this weekend
I have had enough
I'm going to hang it over the entry door to the mill both and make it a light fixture
My customers will think it's cool

Peter Drouin · February 10, 2023, 10:58:00 PM

Mine turns ccw too, Only jams hitting a branch stub out 4". :D
Not too often with my fast finger making it go in and out around the stub. ;D My mill has a seat, so I have to watch out for flying things coming at me. ;)

Dogwood Heart · February 12, 2023, 12:29:40 PM

Update, the factory was able to add the FAOs to the mill. It was $200 cheaper putting them on at the factory. Now the waiting game has entered the final mile. Sold my LT15 this weekend suddenly and starting to look at my loan options for the rest when the new mill arrives. In a little bit of a pickle since I was halfway through my last job and not 100% on if the new one will beat the buzzer (Mid-March). The customer is flexible and understanding, I just don't want to keep him waiting. I'll talk to Wood Mizer tomorrow and see if there are any holes in my plans. Who knows the new owner may have a order on the horizen if need be.