Sawmill maintenance – how to’s and tips.

[Hilltop366]

We were sawing yesterday when we heard some rattling noise in the head.

:D :D :D.......Sorry I have a twisted mind.

[paul case]

that rattling noise in the head happens to me sometimes even when i am not at the sawmill.  pc

[Bibbyman]

Errrr.....  We started sawing this morning and the rattling in my head – well, the head on the mill – was still there and getting worse.  I wanted bad to finish that bundle but about half way through something had to be done.  We stopped and pulled the covers.  Mary right off spotted a cut in the drive side B57 belt.  It wasn't very old but, like they say,  "The good die young."





At least we had more B57 belts so the down time was minimal.  And my head does not rattle now.   ;D

Another none on changing out the main belt.  Yesterday when I got it installed,  I went ahead and tensioned up the blade and ran the belt a couple of minutes for it to warm up and to limber up.   Then I adjusted it again.

Today I sawed as much as I could without using the clutch – just let the blade run.   Often a new belt will burn when the motor is clutched.  I wanted it to get some break-in time before using the clutch for any extended time.  This is especially a problem with LT40s with E25 motor as the motor does not idle down to a low RPM like an engine.

Also....  A drive belt (at least on the LT40) will rattle, jump and burn more with the shields removed than with the shields in place.  The shields help "shape" the belt and help it "hump up" over the motor drive pulley.

[Magicman]

On this Cypress and White Oak job, I had a lower cam follower to start seizing up.  I squirted some ATF and then some
SAE 90 on top of it and finished out the day.  Well, I was down with a sore jaw and shoulder last week, but the cam followers came in from WM so today was the day.  Of course, I'll replace all four.  The good ones, I'll use on my operator's seat as needed.

First order of business is to prop the sawhead up with a 4X4 to relieve tension on the lower cam follower brackets.  I'll remove them one at the time.  That way, if something "bad" happens, the saw head is still supported.



Saw head supported with a 4X4.
WM always says to remove the battery cable before working.  Since my SuperHydraulic has the power solenoid, everything is OK if the key is turned off.



Contactor removed.  Everything is OK IF the key is turned off.



Now, replace the two 225 amp fuses and turn the key off.   :-[



The first cam follower bracket is removed.



And now with two new cam followers, it's time to reinstall it.



This was the bad boy that got ATF and SAE 90 to finish the day



All four cam followers are now replaced and the brackets in place.

Now the horizontal and vertical cam followers have to be adjusted for correct tolerance.  After these adjustments are made, the blade guides have to be adjusted and aligned.



I had previously verified that the bed on my mill was level, so I could now use Bibbyman's suggestion for aligning my blade guides.  This is one of the 1½" aluminum square tubes that I use to align my side supports.  It also works great for blade guide alignment.

The replacement took about 1½ hours.  I had previously replaced my top units, but not the lower ones.  I sawed two White Oak logs this afternoon.  I'm going to recheck all of the alignments before I start sawing tomorrow.

[WH_Conley]

As a cheap version of the story, and, I am cheap. Every 2-300 hrs, take the bearings off and drop them in a can of ATF. Course you are going to have to have a spare set of bearings. Only need to replace when they get a groove wore in the face of the bearing.

[northwoods1]

Hi Bibbyman how do you check the tension on the belt? How often do you find you need to re-check that tension ???

[paul case]

i was kind of wondering how many hours you get out of those b57's and the drive belts?  pc

[sparks]

If you rotate the B57 belts every 50 hours you can usually get 350 to 400 hrs

If you check/adjust the drive belt every 50 hrs you can usually get 750 to 800 hrs

[Brucer]

If you rotate the B57 belts every 50 hours you can usually get 350 to 400 hrs

That about fits with what I'm getting.

If you check/adjust the drive belt every 50 hrs you can usually get 750 to 800 hrs

??? ??? 1700 hours and counting for me. Mind you, that's with a 28 HP gas engine. I'd expect more wear on a big diesel or electric machine.

[paul case]

i had 350 hrs on the band wheel belts when i   had to change a wheel. the other one has 380hrs on it and not even half worn out. pc

[Chuck White]

Another point I found out about early this fall.

My WM B-57's were getting down close to the wheels and I only had around 8,000 bf scheduled to be sawn before the mill was done for the year, so I picked up a pair of B-57's at the Auto Parts store and installed them.

When I put the mill in the garage for the winter, I noticed that the B-57's were really getting ragged on the surface that contacts the band.

So, I now know that the Auto Parts belts will get you by, but won't last near as long as the ones from Wood-Mizer.

[Peter Drouin]

Hi Chuck White , Yes WM has good year make the b-57s  for the mills ,I keep extra belts ,switches air and oil filters too, all wm parts, they keep me working and I keep them working , just the way I am pete 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Magicman]

I agree.  Dance with the one that brought you.   

[ljmathias]

Magic's finally gone round the bend, dancing with his sawmill.  What's next?  Flying to the stars? Yeah, well, sometimes I SEE stars when working on the mill, but I think there's another cause for that...

Lj

[Magicman]

Yup, that old gal has been around the block a few times also.   8)

[terrifictimbersllc]

Magic's finally gone round the bend, dancing with his sawmill.  What's next?  Flying to the stars? Yeah, well, sometimes I SEE stars when working on the mill, but I think there's another cause for that...

Lj

Like when I hit my head on the blade guide arm or the idle side wheel cover...where'd that come from... Wonder if I can still saw straight... Good, customer didn't notice 8) 8)...gotta just keep moving  8) 8)

[pnyberg]

Like when I hit my head on the blade guide arm...

Oh man, I wish I could teach myself not to do that.  Ouch.

--Peter

[Don K]

Ouch is right. :-\ :D

Don

[Magicman]

I have head prints on everything that sticks out on the mill and some that don't.  That old "pith type" helmet that I wear in the Summer months surely helps.  It I got a new one Tuesday afternoon.  Ouch.

[Bibbyman]

Time for a change. The old rollers were more than worn out. 



The new rollers measured 1.983. They are a full 1/10" larger than the worn out rollers.



I use to struggle with adjusting the guide blocks on the mill. Then it came to me - duh! - It only takes a few seconds to remove a 9/16" hex head bolt to pull them off. Then they can be cleaned up and put in a bench vice and adjustment screws broken loose. I wire brushed, picked clean both guide block assemblies and put them in a coffee can with diesel fuel to soak. 

[Bibbyman]

Here is the cleaned and soaked guide block assembly in the bench vice.  It's not got a chance to get away now.  Be sure to break loose all the locking screws before trying to work the top and bottom adjustment bolts.

The tool that comes with the Wood-Mizer guides only works when the guides are new.  When they have been used for any time and look like the picture posted above, this tool is useless.  But don't throw it away, once the adjustment bolts are broke loose and threads freed up with RustReaper, then the tool is needed to make final adjustments.



I've found about anything else works better than the supplied tool.  This time I used a heavy washer.  With the allen-head screw removed, it nests down in the slot rather well.  Use any kind of spanner through the hole and the adjustment bolt will break lose.

I guess I should have got an "after" picture of the mounted guide block and new guide rollers but after a day's sawing, they'll look like the "before" again.

[customdave]

Hey thats a good tip , Thankyou sir, I will try to remember this one!!

                                      Dave

[backwoods sawyer]

I keep that little tool in the tool box just in case but have been thankful that once the guide blocks are adjusted correctly that they seem to stay that way so I have not had to use the tool in the field. Be sure to tighten that long thin screw down real good as it did work loose the first time around on me. It dose not need to be overly tight just good and snug.

[Magicman]

I would consider using those guide blocks it they didn't encroach on the throat width.  I can't bring myself to loose that inch+.   :-\

[barbender]

I've spent the last few days finally doing some maintainence on my mill. I had an alternator belt come apart, and by the time I got a new one back on I had went through a few other "items" I hadn't intended. First, I had to fish the alternator belts under the main drive belt. It was just a little to tight to do that, so I tried to release the tension with the belt adjustment turnbuckle. It was froze up, I removed it and proceeded to break one side off. The left hand threads, of course. That took all the fun out of my day. >:( I finally got that fixed, but while working on it I noticed one of the cluth linkages was REALLY stiff, and I figured that's what was causing my horrid clutch lever movement. I finally got that off, it was gummed up bad, I think the previous owner was spraying white lithium grease on it, theres grease overspray around the pin. I'm glad I drove a long ways to pick this mill up, I think I want to beat that guy up : Anyhow, cleaned out the two pins in the clutch lever, now my clutch lever works really nice. That leads up to question #1- My Woodmizer manual says to adjust the brake band, with the clutch engaged slide the brake band down till it is just making contact with the brake hub and retighten. With the drive belt correctly adjusted, this makes for a nice short throw on the clutch lever. The problem is it is not providing enough movement to return my engine throttle to idle. I had to loosen the brake strap up considerably to make the throttle function correctly, so much that it makes the lever difficult to throw and the brake takes a bit long to stop the band. I have the 40 HP Lombardini engine, BTW. It just seems like I am missing something. Now, Question #2. My chain for the head raise/lower rubs on the metal gaurd where it exits the top of the head,  it looks like it even touches the head frame occasionally. I see the top sets of idler sprockets next to the gear reducer are out of alignment, I tried tightening them up but it didn't accomplish much. I don't see how this arrangement is supposed to stay true, I'd get it all squared up, but as soon as I'd raise the head the bolt they are on just flexes off to the side. Again, I may be missing something, but I don't see  how you can hang the weight of the whole head off of a cntilevered bolt and not have it rack, seems kind of rinkydink :(