WM Diesel upgrade worth the cost??

Ga Mtn Man · August 25, 2016, 09:29:45 AM

What model engine is the 36 HP Yanmar that WM currently uses?

petefrom bearswamp · August 25, 2016, 05:11:42 PM

Regarding the LT 50 with the vertical side supports, my neighbor (who I cant figure out for the life of me why he is not on here) has one and he says the vertical doesnt have the capability of upgrading to close supports for a sawing shorter logs.
Granted this doesnt happen often but it is a plus.
Chain turner is definitely a plus.
He has been sawing since about 1983, portable and has lots of work..

Dave Shepard · August 25, 2016, 05:23:09 PM

I thought you could get flip up manual backstops for the middle on 50 and 70?

I vote diesel. No fuel, carb, or ignition issues. Yes diesel can gel or get water in it, but that can be controlled, not like the issues with ethanol fuels.

petefrom bearswamp · August 25, 2016, 05:29:36 PM

Dave my neighbor told me no upgrade is available according to WM.
My only concern is with my Perkapillar.
why does it need a crankshaft support bearing?
Other that that issue what I love is, lots of power and I only have to fill up every other day.

Seavee · August 25, 2016, 05:47:02 PM

My lt50 has the vertical stops and the close flip stops like the lt40. They are manual but that is ok as I hate the short stuff. One thing for sure is I am glad I got the 47hp diesel. I posted the question to the forum on if I should get the smaller diesel or the 47hp. All I can say is thanks to everyone that said 47hp!

4x4American · August 25, 2016, 09:07:02 PM

Quote from: Ga Mtn Man on August 25, 2016, 09:29:45 AM
What model engine is the 36 HP Yanmar that WM currently uses?

Off the top of my head, mine is a 3TNV88

Bandmill Bandit · August 25, 2016, 11:36:50 PM

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on August 25, 2016, 05:29:36 PM

My only concern is with my Perkapillar.
why does it need a crankshaft support bearing?

Perkins engines, while a good engine, were never Cat engines. They had a number of "half finished" systems that made for annoying problems, MOST of which Cat fixed in the take over that filled a niche that cat had few options for. One issue they didn't (couldn't) fix was the crankshaft journal size/width in the I4 and I6, which would have required a complete new block. The main bearings on the Perkapillar are a bit too narrow to take much side thrust.

That is why it is a good idea to add the Woodmizer end shaft bearing kit. It is the fence at the top of the cliff rather than the ambulance in the valley.

scully · August 26, 2016, 06:59:04 AM

I have run a good many LT 40's in every configuration . I own a Kabota super and I can tell you I will never go back ! The LT50 is a beautiful mill ,in paticular the vertical back supports and chain turner . The Yanmars are the best running engines I know of and seem to run clean without any residue build up on the engine after time . The yanmar on the 40 is smaller than my Kabota but will out perform it hands down . I recomend that if you do upgrade get the command center mill not a walk . Your cut rate will be crazy fast and walking all day on a job will wear you out ! You only live once ! I would go for the whole shot !

Luke_Eames · August 26, 2016, 08:16:31 AM

Thanks again for all the replies! Like I said I haven't worked much with diesel but that appears to be the way to go. The new edger comes this fall, which now will be a diesel, and the new mill comes spring/early summer. As we build up, I'm now looking up diesel generators and I can't believe the hours and efficiency they're getting. The 14,000 watt Isuzu is rated for 30,000 hours... or 8 hours a day, 7 days a week... for 10 years... 1 gallon an hour if fully loaded, or a half gallon on a half load. Crazy stuff. Thanks again for all the recommendations! 8)

Dave Shepard · August 26, 2016, 12:38:15 PM

I know a guy who works on marine diesels that had a Kubota gen set come in for running rough. He put new injectors in it and tuned it up and put it back in service. It had over 48,000 hours on it.

Bandmill Bandit · August 26, 2016, 01:51:47 PM

I have seen few I6 150 to 200 HP JD, IH, Cummins and Cat diesels that run irrigation pumps or gensets that have as high as 50 ish thousand PLUS hours on them to first rebuild.

30 to 40 K hours to first rebuild is not uncommon and when the rebuild is done properly they will do that many hours again.

The natural gas versions of those engines get the high hours on the bottom end but the heads will need service about every 10K to 15K hours running on NG.

Brucer · August 26, 2016, 05:09:26 PM

The fuel cap on my old Cat D7 had these words cast into the top:

Buy clean fuel
Keep it clean

Follow that advice, change your oil and your filters when then manual tells you to, and you know 90% of what you need to know about a diesel.

Mind you, running the fuel tank empty is not a great idea either, unless you want to learn all about priming your fuel system. Not nearly as forgiving as a gas engine.

xlogger · August 27, 2016, 05:57:14 AM

To change the subject just a little, on my gas is seem like it burns just as much gas running by myself or with a helper. With the helper it runs hard without slowing down much and by myself I turn it down while unloading and putting logs on loader.
But I do vote diesel by far, my gas engine is a burner.

porcupine · August 27, 2016, 08:51:56 AM

Would you buy a farm tractor or skidder with a gas engine?

My 47hp LT50 sips fuel....I don't even think about it.

Pushing through tough logs, it doesn't skip a beat.

4x4American · August 27, 2016, 08:55:02 AM

Would you buy an elephant with a gas engine? No way! So why buy a sawmill with one?

Percy · August 27, 2016, 11:33:17 AM

Quote from: 4x4American on August 27, 2016, 08:55:02 AM
Would you buy an elephant with a gas engine? No way! So why buy a sawmill with one?

Electric elephants are the way to go ;D

Walnut Beast · January 26, 2022, 07:22:15 AM

Does anybody know the torque on the 35.9 Diesel. Thanks

boonesyard · January 26, 2022, 11:53:40 AM

The chart shows 120 Nm (Newton metres) of torque at 1800 rpm. For us foot pound folks, 1 Nm = .738 lb/ft. which equates to 88.56 lb/ft at 1800 rpm.

What I thought was interesting, is this engine has a flat torque curve, only varying about 15lb/ft from 1200 rpm through 2800 rpm. Pretty good puller

Walnut Beast · January 26, 2022, 05:19:00 PM

Thanks for the information 👍

OH logger · January 27, 2022, 07:33:32 AM

A diesel or natural gas generator were brought up so I'll ask the question I've always had. Would it be smart or feasible to have a generator to run your electric sawmill, edger and anything else you may need? Only one engine to maintain and it stays outside the shed as does the noise and fumes. Or is that a dumb idea? I've got natural gas at my future mill site or a diesel generator would be an option. But maybe an expensive one I dont know never looked in to it

stavebuyer · January 27, 2022, 09:59:27 AM

Quote from: OH logger on January 27, 2022, 07:33:32 AM
A diesel or natural gas generator were brought up so I'll ask the question I've always had. Would it be smart or feasible to have a generator to run your electric sawmill, edger and anything else you may need? Only one engine to maintain and it stays outside the shed as does the noise and fumes. Or is that a dumb idea? I've got natural gas at my future mill site or a diesel generator would be an option. But maybe an expensive one I dont know never looked in to it

Good option if three phase isn't available. Many small circle mills are run that way.

Dave Shepard · January 27, 2022, 02:07:13 PM

That would be my ideal scenario. I may try to get one of my gensets setup to run my edger and a few other things around the mill this year.

Magicman · January 27, 2022, 07:02:40 PM

I seriously doubt that you can generate power and compete with the grid on cost.

I do know that "whole house" emergency generators will cost more in a week than a month's grid power.

SawyerTed · January 27, 2022, 07:28:17 PM

I've been down this road in recent months. I'm getting ready to install two more 3 phase machines and have quotes on my desk. Your mileage may vary but this is my situation.

If 3 phase power is required, the construction costs are cost prohibitive for many. That's especially true for a part time business that has to build new 3 phase service.

We had to contribute "customer aid in construction" to get a new service including the transformer, $9,500 up front. From there the cost to the motor starter and machine was nearly $40,000 to the electrical contractor.

Commercial 3 phase power isn't billed like residential power. The billing has a high percentage based on start up amperage draw - in other words that brief time the highest power consumption occurs is weighted heavily in the billing. Ever wonder why some companies start operating at odd hours or rarely shutdown? It is to avoid startup during peak consumption on the grid when commercial rates are highest.

One 800 amp service costs $1,500 per month. That's running 10-12 hours 5 days per week for 20 days.

A generator can be a viable alternative for part time operations. Not so much for a business that may run 10 or more hours 5 or 6 days per week.

Dave Shepard · January 27, 2022, 07:42:04 PM

That's pretty much the deal. If you are using it on a continuous basis, it works. In my case, it simply isn't available, and would be cost prohibitive in an intermittent use scenario. Using a genset I know exactly what my cost per hour is for juice, and it only costs me when I use it. I think Ron Wenrich was running a full time operation on a genset.