Author Topic: LT25 effort to raise the head (Read 744 times)

AnthonyW · « **on:** January 12, 2020, 09:16:45 AM »

To the Wood-Mizer LT25 (and similar) owners out there, how much effort does it take to crank you head up?

During a recent phone call to Wood-Mizer about the Orange Book price of a used mill listed, I mentioned how much effort it takes to raise my head. The representative seemed shocked. As it was not the correct time (and I don't think the correct person) to delve into it further, I will call back later to tech support. In the meantime I'm trying to determine how much effort (torque) it should take to raise the head.

randy d · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2020, 09:22:52 AM »

Can't say on a lt25 but on my lt28 it works with very little effort my wife has no trouble to raise our mill. Randy

AnthonyW · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2020, 06:52:27 PM »

Any ideas on where I should start looking? I have removed and checked the bearings in the upper and lower sprockets as well as the three on the head.

kelLOGg · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2020, 08:13:54 PM »

If you want to motorize your lift this link might help

Power up and down in Sawmills and Milling

69bronco · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2020, 06:58:38 AM »

Anthony, I can attest to the weight of the 25 head. Especially when your in big wood and have to do some serious cranking. I was having some shoulder issues last year and decided to do a Piney mod using garage door springs. Wish I would have done it 15 years ago! PM me if I can help, I'll look if I have any pics. it was a simple mod and I don't think I put $100 in it.

AnthonyW · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2020, 02:17:50 PM »

Quote from: kelLOGg on January 14, 2020, 08:13:54 PM

If you want to motorize your lift this link might help

Power up and down in Sawmills and Milling

Wish some pics had been posted on their solutions. There was a reference to a method you had (see link post #23) to calculate torque. But also, no details. Can you enlighten me on it now?

47sawdust · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2020, 02:38:52 PM »

anthony,
I think you have been at this a while.I would suggest contacting Marty Parsons.I don't know what the difference is between the LT25 and say my '97 LT30.I have power up/down on my mill.I could copy my parts diagram for mine and you could order the appropriate parts.Don't know if you want to go that route or not.
Just got off the phone with WM Indy and they felt it is doable,in a Johnny Cash ("One piece at a time"),sorta of way.
After looking at my parts manual and your mill the conversion looks complicated and expensive.69bronco has the simplest fix.

kelLOGg · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2020, 05:49:34 PM »

Quote from: AnthonyW on January 15, 2020, 02:17:50 PM

Quote from: kelLOGg on January 14, 2020, 08:13:54 PM
If you want to motorize your lift this link might help

Power up and down in Sawmills and Milling
Wish some pics had been posted on their solutions. There was a reference to a method you had (see link post #23) to calculate torque. But also, no details. Can you enlighten me on it now?

If I understand correctly post #22 has the details. You have to click on "Expand Quote".

AnthonyW · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2020, 04:28:33 PM »

Ahh. I see it now. I think I already did that. A note in my notes says 115-120 in-lbs to break and move. Based on that post, my torque is much higher. Almost double. That tells me there is something wrong. I have been thinking on this a while, but thinking it is the way it is supposed to be. I forgot about my previous posts (sorry). Lately I have been getting a different feeling. That is just too much effort. I don't know many people that could do that for more than a few hours. I can get in 1 day for 3-4 hours per week. I need to be able to do more in a day and be able to do both days without being totally toasted by raising the head.

I have a solution in mind for a power lift, but I should fix what's broken rather than patch around it. I have a call into Woodmizer tech. Hopefully they have some ideas where to look or what to look at.

kelLOGg · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2020, 06:41:25 AM »

That's a lotta torque - wear anybody down doing a day of sawing. Something's binding and stuck. My crank handle requires 5 lbs of force to start rotation and being at a 6" radius is only 30 inch-lbs. Be interesting to hear what the tech says.

AnthonyW · « **Reply #10 on:** January 17, 2020, 06:50:41 AM »

Quote from: kelLOGg on January 17, 2020, 06:41:25 AM

That's a lotta torque - wear anybody down doing a day of sawing. Something's binding and stuck. My crank handle requires 5 lbs of force to start rotation and being at a 6" radius is only 30 inch-lbs. Be interesting to hear what the tech says.

That's exactly what I was thinking (lots of torque). Binding possibly, but where. There is just the mast and the 6 pads. It is not a really complex system.

47sawdust · « **Reply #11 on:** January 17, 2020, 07:31:51 AM »

Anthony,You say you have 6 mast pads,my manual says there are 8.Is it possible that you are missing some hardware?
As mentioned my mill is an LT30,perhaps yours is configured differently.

AnthonyW · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2020, 04:21:28 PM »

Quote from: 47sawdust on January 17, 2020, 07:31:51 AM

Anthony,You say you have 6 mast pads,my manual says there are 8.Is it possible that you are missing some hardware?
As mentioned my mill is an LT30,perhaps yours is configured differently.

Allow me to clarify, 6 pairs.
The manual from Woodmizer says there are six pairs. There are six pairs on the mill. The IPL online at Woodmizer, says there are now only 4 pairs (the middle two pairs were removed due to lack of doing anything).

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