Has anyone added their own hydraulics to their mill?

[Whitetail_Addict]

I have a WM LT28 and so far have been using my JD4520 with forks on the FEL to load logs onto the mill.  Sometimes I get REALLY big logs that I can't lift with the tractor so I use the ramps and an electric winch I mounted on the mill in place of the manual hand crank winch.  Of course if I'm sawing at a customer's place I use the winch and loading ramps all the time.  Soooo... does anyone know if WoodMizer offers any sort of upgrade that would allow me to add hydraulic loading arms to my mill?  If not has anyone had any luck building their own?  I think the loading arms would be about all I dare to tackle.  Hydraulic log turning, clamping, etc. would probably be a bit much.

[fishpharmer]

Woodbowl, Pineywoods, Sdunston, and gator gar have added hydraulics to WM mills.
Probably others too that I can't think of.  Lots of good info on this forum.  Have you tried searching for homemade hydraulics?

[pineywoods]

White-tail you are fairly new here, and obviously haven't gotten into reading old back posts, so here goes. I have added hydraulics to 3 LT-40's. No loader, a log turner and hydraulic
clamp are much more useful. There's a post here with pics, descriptions, and detailed drawings. Works on lt28 also , would easily adapt to other mills. Gator gar and jrkimroxie that I know of, maybe more have duplicated this setup.
click here  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,39860.msg573196.html#msg573196

Cost can vary all over the place depending on how good a scrounger you are. The last one I did used all new parts, turner, clamp, toe roller and power backstops ran about a thousand bucks.

[Whitetail_Addict]

Great.  Thanks guys.  I appreciate your help.

[KingTimber]

Its just iron.
Cold roll steel is acurate enough to make pivot bearings with. Keyways can be cut with a sharp drillbit, and a 4 inch grinder. Steady hands required. Gear tracks can be replicated using a heavy roller chain carefully welded to a piece of square stock. Everything else you can purchase from northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company. The price of scrap iron shot up and sent alot of old stuff to the promise land. But there should be some kind of equipment somewhere that they pillaged the engine out of for a buldozer or skidder. Say a combine or harvester, street sweeper, trash packer that will have a bunch of hydraulid valves rams and such. That old iron doesn't care what it doing it just wants to do something.
Have fun and wear your safety glasses.
Two eyes make for more accurate cuts.

[gator gar]

I love my turner and clamp. It makes short work out of those big logs. I had battery issues with my 12 volt DC system last week. I replaced that great big Bulldozer battery, with a deep cycle battery and all is well in the neighborhood. That big battery wouldn't last a half a day. The deep cycle, just keeps on trucking.

[pineywoods]

Just to give you some ideas, My first hydraulic system was built from an old truck tire changer plus a few pieces of scrap metal. I'm still using the electric motor and pump from the tire changer. The control valves and rams have all been slowly changed out because they leaked and were so old I couldn't find rebuild kits. On my first one (1 of 3) I spent about $200 mostly for hoses and fittings.

[jrkimroxie]

Today was my 1st try with the PINEYWOODS turner/clamp project, much improved over a 4' cant hook!!!! Lotta learning to do on the controlls but that won't be too hard on the back. Made a couple videos but appearently I'm using the wrong file type cause I can't post them on this site. Soon as I get it figured out I'll post them.

[sdunston]

Just go to my pic gallery and there is some pic's there,It works good just wish I had added hyd-backstops(thats next)
Sam

[Swede]

Loader




Tool for turning and clamping, two levels needed.



5 Hydraulic log stops lifted by chains fastened in lower end. You can also see how to lift the small end of a log.

Most hydraulic on Amerika-Sågen was "Swede added".

Swede.

[Norm]

To show a video download it to youtube and put the link in your post.

[red]

Really Big logs

just my opinion but those logs should be as short a can be
or just not go on an LT 28

Safety is one of my friends and I have learned Fear is a real
good things at times

When I was helping out at a farm that had an LT 70
I used to flip logs on a case 1845 skid steer
thinking it was fun to knock the bark off and that I could
always get out of the way by backing up so one day a log stood up
and came right at me and as I was backing up I hit another log behind me
it all worked out but  my flipping logs for Fun  was over

that was in 2005 right about the time of the sawmill shoot out in Ohio

here on the forum we lost a member
who was picking up a log  ....Parbuckling ?

long story but the suburban e brake cable broke
the truck trailer  moved forward  the log  came back down and Killed Him
I dont mean to hijack your thread  but again my opioion keep the Monsters off
the LT 28    ..... please

[bandmiller2]

Whitetail, loading logs with forks is usally not good practice its just a matter of time before something gets bent or broken.For my bandmill I made up two super duty saw horses same hight as the mill,sort of A portable log deck.I can load 4 or5 logs on the horses with the forks, then roll on the mill as needed.Also have found hydraulic log turner and clamp far more usefull than A log loader.As mentioned theirs scads of onfo on this subject in past posts. Frank C.

[Whitetail_Addict]

Thanks again for the input fellas.  I contacted WoodMizer and they do not offer any sort of hydraulic package upgrade for the LT28 which seems like poor planning/designing to me.  The WM tech highly recommended that I do not make any modifications to the mill until after the warranty runs out.  I sure would like to be able to upgrade my existing mill instead of investing TWICE as much money up front.  Oh well. Maybe I'm wrong but the frame sure looks the same as the LT40s... 

I've been looking at the LT35 but am reluctant to trade up because I'm still wondering what the 35 is missing or what they skimped on in order to keep the price so far below the LT40 hydraulic model.  I haven't had time to research the two models enough to figure it out. 

You guys are probably right in that hydraulic log turning and clamping would be more useful than loading.  From a time standpoint I'm sure I spend far more time turning and clamping multiple times per log than the few minutes it takes to load the log - ONCE. 

I guess because of the warranty on the mill I will have some time before I tackle a hydraulic mod unless... I just trade the 28 in and buy a hydraulic model :D :D :D

[bandmiller2]

Whitetail,don't give up just yet the Pineywoods turner/clamp can be made into a unit that fits between the ways with only a minimum of tapped bolt holes,same with the hydraulics.In the almost non existing chance you have to take it to mizer for warranty just remove the turner.Of course if the factory reads this I've blown your cover.Frank C.

[gator gar]

Whitetail, loading logs with forks is usally not good practice its just a matter of time before something gets bent or broke.

This is a true statement. I put the log turner on mine(hydraulic) but haven't put the hydraulic loader on it , yet.  my mill is loaded with a huge forked loader, on rubber wheels, my flitches and slabs are picked up by the same loader. If I'm not the one driving it, sometimes I cringe when one of the other guys comes to pick up the ties off my mill or loads a log on my mill. Not because they don't know how to drive it, it is because it is real easy to make a small mistake and do some damage real quick. Those big forked loaders are very unforgiving. They'll flip that mill over like a pancake.

I always keep my head rig to the front of the mill and down as low as possible when loading logs That way if the mill shakes when a log rolls to the back stops as it is being loaded, it has less tendency to damage the mast. As far as big logs go.....I have cut some big oaks, that you can get 4 ties out of, easy. that LT 28 won't take the abuse the bigger mills will, but if you are careful, it'll do what you need it to do, I promise.

There seems to be a difference on the frames of the 28 and the bigger mills. It's hard to tell, until you get to looking at it and measuring for the loader hydraulics. It can be done, but, it'll take a little more fabricating to squeeze that loader arm in next to that tire.  Then you have to reposition your head rig further to the back for travel and mount the resting arm back there too.

[sdunston]

Its a tuff thing to get WM to do any upgrades,Lets face it they are set up to sell mills and they have a great product. When I did my hyd upgrade on my LT28 I was going to add a log loader,powered back stops and toeboards but wanted to try the 2plane clamp and log roller first. After almost 8 months of use if I did it all over I would just have added the 2plane clamp. Why? most of the logs I saw are no larger than 20'', With the back stops up I can turn them with ease, and even a 60'' cant hook is easy, The thing I wanted to do away with was all those trips around the mill to set the log clamp and this was done without a lot of work. One thing to remember is that a LT28 is a entery level mill you are still limited to the size of log you can saw and the hp, the LT35 is also entery level but with some very great add-on's. For now the LT28 that I have is making a little money, I am learning how to saw and I and knowing what to buy in the next mill I buy and it will be a WM. My next upgrade is going to be power up&dwn and will have a simpleset. PS will post the entire up grade
thanks Sam

[pineywoods]

Just for the record, I have never seen any need for a log loader. I load with forks on a big tractor, but I never roll a log off the forks onto the mill bunks. That's a sure way to bend something. The forks on my loader are spaced so they will fit down between the bunks on the mill. Just drive forward until the log is over the bunks, then gently lower the forks until the log rests on the bunks.  Granted, the knowledge that if I bend something, I'm the one who has to fix it, does instill a little caution.. ;D

[wannasaw]

This is a great thread and thanks to all for the input. First, I thought the frame was identical on LT28 and up mills but I have the same notion as Gator that there is limited space for the loader arm on the 28 it looks like it could be done. Second when loading logs on my 28 with a tractor we use a log clamp/dog attached to the tractor by choker, this is smooth and easy on eveything...am I missing something? Also thanks for reafirming that turner and toeboards is where I seem to be wasting too much time. Iv'e already had both lifters replaced with new turned ones from lifting too high and too much weight. MJ

[Whitetail_Addict]

Pineywoods I load logs the same way.  My JD4520 has a set of forks on the loader that I use to "place" logs on the mill.  Sometimes my father helps me.... I cringe every time he gets on the tractor.   :D
These are usually less than 20" logs.  Anything bigger than that and the tractor won't pick it so I use the electric winch and ramps.  My original question about adding hydraulics came up because the winch is soooooooo slow rolling the logs onto the mill.  Plus it would require multiple trips to and from a customer's property to haul the mill and the tractor.