Woodmizer Autoclutch - useful?

[Magicman]

You guys put up a good argument.   ;D  Maybe one should be in my future, we will see.   

[bandmiller2]

Thanks Dave,I don't recall that auto clutch unit on the LT-70 I ran probably not used on a electric mills. Frank C.

[barbender]

One member, I don't remember who, modded his manual clutch with some truck hood springs, they took up some of the weight and made the lever easier to throw. And, the brake still worked fine. You don't need all of that weight to make the brake work.

[customsawyer]

I did the springs with my old LT40 way back when. It helps a lot especially since I was running the 42 hp diesel. I never had any troubles with the brake.

[pineywoods]

Here's the original post on the "JP clutch" Works good, simple and cheap.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,22216.msg316191.html#msg316191

[barbender]

Thanks Piney, that's the one ;)

[Magicman]

You guys are "messin" wid my head. 

[barbender]

Why Magic, are you thinking a spring mod might do the trick ???

[WoodenHead]

I'm moving forward with the autoclutch option.  In the link that Piney provided was one comment by Tom that rings with me a bit.  The spring mod is good and certainly helps, but it is the repetitive motion that can do the most damage.  It was also interesting that Brucer got a sore thumb from flicking the autoclutch switch.  ;)   

[Brucer]

That was kind of funny, actually. The base of my thumb got very sore & stiff -- tendinitis, in other words.

When I think back, I pulled my mill out of the timber-framers yard where I had been sawing, took it home to install the autoclutch, and then went off to a 6-day portable job. The portable job was all 1" and 2" lumber, with a full time helper. I was engaging the clutch a whole lot more than I did in the timber-frame yard.

The sore thumb settled down pretty quickly and hasn't been an issue for the last 6-1/2 years.

[delvis]

We love the auto clutch feature, just keep an eye on your belt tensions and there shouldn't be any real issues.