50 Year Wait Continues

[rimshot]

Jim, I can easily raise and lower the head on my lt10 with one hand, maybe 15lbs. It is a good system, easy to make fast height changes, and easy to get the measurement you want on the scale.

Sounds like something fishy is going on, I know WM wouldn't allow a mill out their door that wasn't in good workng order., or knowingly make multiple mills that had a very hard to lift head.

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How can it be that yours is so easy your young boy can operate and Jim and I and others can't hardly move the head up and down on our Wood Mizer LT10.  If this were the case for as many of these things that are produced the  trouble ought to be common and easily identified and fixed.  Some production method or item has to  have been changed but everyone is stumped as to what it was.  What ever is causing this problem should be identified and fixed or this is not the same model that other owners have.         

An Lt 10 that works apparently must actually be a different model saw.  Nobody seems to know the reason why they can make what is supposed to be the same saw for years and have no problems like typ525's saw and then get 10 units in a row that fail to work  and that's not right.  The common failure needs to be identified.


My brand new LT10 is just like jim's, Harder than heck to operate the head.  I did manage to saw some timber but wore myself out for two weeks after.

rimshot 

[tyb525]

Yours and Jim's are the only two I've heard of with this problem. Have you adjusted the handle assembly that locks the head in place? That assembly has adjustment. If it is too tight, it will drag even if the clamp isn't engaged. It's a touchy adjustment to get just right. Make sure you keep that post lubed with ATF too.

My mill is about 5 years old, so maybe they changed something. It's really out of character. Someone from WM would've chimed in by now.

[Happycamper]

Jacob Mooney and crew at Woodmizer are aware of the problem and they are trying out new cylinders. I expect to hear back from them this coming week. They are doing everything they can to hep LT10 owners and I'm sure they will come up with a satisfactory solution. Everything is free to travel and the post is lubed w/ ATF. The cylinders are the problem as there is absolutely no binding anywhere on the machine.
                                     Jim

[Kansas]

There are a lot of moving parts on a bandsaw mill. There are so many things that can go wrong. I remember when we had two of the E-25 electric motors shell out. Well within the warranty period. Stuff happens. When it all goes right, you can get a lot done. And then there are the other times. Those electric motors are made by Lincoln, and are proprietary. Either we got extremely unlucky, or they just had a bad batch. As frustrating as it is, they will get it right. Bet their engineers, and yes, they have way more than one, are working overtime to figure it all out.

[rimshot]

Yours and Jim's are the only two I've heard of with this problem. Have you adjusted the handle assembly that locks the head in place? That assembly has adjustment. If it is too tight, it will drag even if the clamp isn't engaged. It's a touchy adjustment to get just right. Make sure you keep that post lubed with ATF too.

My mill is about 5 years old, so maybe they changed something. It's really out of character. Someone from WM would've chimed in by now.

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I can tell you that it is not the locking handle so far as I am concerned but your suggestion is a good one all the same.  Mayber it's the darn company who makes and supplies WM with the cylinders.  I feel also WM is being very attentive to the problem because they called me twice Friday.  I am just surprized it is so hard to find out what is this cause but like somebody said, "stuff happens."


There are more folks who have expressed problems with heavy handed operation of the motor head on the newer models of the LT10. It is not just HappyCamper and
rimshot's experience.  Other than the hard moving head this machine is a work of art and I want to keep it.  I sure hope Wood Mizer is able to pinpoint the common failure of this problem.

I can also assure you (IMHO) that it is not head allignment, white nylon bushing rubbing, cable or pulley allignment.  Everything from my perspective points at those air cylinders.  I believe WM has spotlighted the same thing and plans are to test them next week.  The head works best in mid range but try to get the last few inches moving up or down and you had better bring a boom truck.  At least that's my view.

rimshot

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[MartyParsons]

Hello,
There are two gas shocks in the LT10 saw head to help with the lifting of the saw. The guys at the WM dealer will get you fixed. I have not had any issues with the gas shocks. I know WM will get the issue resolved.
Thanks
Marty

[Will_Johnson]

Much as it pains me to say anything nice about Woodmizer...



It's worth keeping in mind two things:

1) It's extremely difficult to make and retail a mill for the price of the LT10. It's easy to say: they should do x, y or z. But the question is can they do whatever and still hit the price point that people are wanting.

2) They are clearly doing their best to make this work. I can assure you that at this point they are "underwater" on this particular sale but that their interest in their reputation and standing behind their product is at the fore.

This is the argument for buying a mill from an established company with an established reputation they are interested in maintaining.