Brand new mill, brand new 'sawyers' updated w/ pics!

[Dave Shepard]

Thanks for the pics! Looks like you have some really nice white pine in your area. We've got some here, but nobody is cutting much of it.

[Jim_Rogers]

Have knowledge to share ....will travel........

Great pictures Piston and Littleguy.......

[WDH]

What a story!

I did not find the Forum until 5 years after I started sawing, so I had to learn most lessons the hard way without a mentor, and I am still learning more lessons the hard way  .

[Jim_Rogers]

Those rails you put the logs on are commonly called a Log Deck.  A "live Deck" would have a motor that would move the logs forward toward the mill.  Some call them a Ramp, and I've heard other terms as well.

The old timer who taught me saw-milling called them log bunks......and he had a flat chain on top of his with a hydraulic powered gear motor to move the chain and he called that a "live bunk"....
The chain was held in place by two pieces of angle iron. I think his was somewhat home made.

[Jim_Rogers]

I wrote a story and posted it here somewhere, I'll have to go and fine it and insert a link, but the story is called something like "planning your last cut first".....
It is how I figure out where to start milling a log in order to end up in the right place to make boxed heart timbers for timber framing.

One thing we noticed as we were trying to make timbers, was that the scale wheel on the LT15 didn't seem to match up to the standard ruler mounted on the frame.

We reviewed the alignment section of his manual to see if there was some way to set the scale wheel so that when he was 1" above the metal log rails the wheel would be at a one inch mark. But it didn't seem to work out to get that wheel turned to that spot.
On my mill, as I thought most WM mills had, is a 4/4 sliding scale ruler. The LT15 doesn't have a sliding 4/4 scale ruler. Seemed odd for sure.

We weren't sure if the scale wheel was installed correctly or not. It has been setup by the staff at the Maine outlet, but we did notice that there was at least one thing not installed correctly.
The sawdust deflection chute was on inside out. And we reversed it just before I showed them how I hang a bucket on my mill to catch the sawdust.

Here is a shot of my mill, and me, on a job site from a few years ago.
You can see the bucket hanging from a hook on the white PVC 22.5° elbow.
This works good if you have enough ground clearance.



We didn't get low enough the other day to see if their bucket would drag on the ground, as they didn't have a hook setup yet on their mill.

I know some of you will think this bucket idea is a complete waste of time, but while the mill is cutting you don't have anything to do if the lumber is already moved off the log/mill. So this time is when I sometimes change the bucket and dump out the sawdust, instead of when at the end of a cut.

However with the LT15 being powered by hand then it may make sense for them to dump the bucket, if they choose to use one, at the end of a cut. Or the off bearer can do it.
I did mention to them that it is important to be aware that if the blade breaks the blade can come out the sawdust chute and to never put you hand into the sawdust as it is coming out:



And this is what it did to my PVC elbow:



I think I posted a story about this here somewhere as well......

Hopefully that will not happen to someone's hand.....

Jim Rogers

[Bear]

Great post Piston, you sure can tell a good story. 

[Don K]

If I remember correctly on my LT 15 the 1 inch mark on the scale and the increment wheel were set from the factory for 7/8 " cuts. I had a 4/4 magnetic strip that cane with the mill that I would use for true 1 " cuts.

Don

[Piston]

I wrote a story and posted it here somewhere, I'll have to go and fine it and insert a link, but the story is called something like "planning your last cut first".....

This should be it....but if not it's still a good read.
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,4957.msg66603.html#msg66603


Does anyone have any information on the scale of the LT-15?  I'm wondering if there is another 'aftermarket' scale I could buy that accounts for the kerf thickness?  Something like a magnetic one mentioned earlier.
After reading Jim's thread, that sliding scale sure does look helpful....

[Jim_Rogers]

I may have another scale on hand...... We'd have to fashion a way to mount it but it would work for sure if we could..... I'll look around the shop tomorrow if I get a chance.....

[WDH]

You should be able to order the magnetic scale from Woodmizer.

[Thelittleguy]

I just want to send my thanks out there as well to Jim and Frank. You guys taught us so much and we are very much thankful for having our crash course to help us out. I feel in the Forum tradition they helped out us new guys and I want to let the rest of the guys out there know that I'm more then willing to help anyone as well, and with some young blood still in me I'm good for a day or two of hard work at least. Like anything else I feel the more I'm around Milling the better I will be at it and the more I will learn myself.  Thanks again for all the help guys and Piston for taking care of the story telling and pictures..

[DWM II]

Great thread, but I have bad news......Yall are ruined like the rest of us now! Welcome to the forum and have fun.

[moonhill]

Hey, nice.  It look like an extension is in order by the looks of that looong log.  There is only one thing worse than a short ugly log, that is big ugly log, with basketball size knots.   

As I read some of Jim R's post I can hear him talking. 

Tim

[customsawyer]

I don't think that bucket idea would work for me.

[Piston]

You should be able to order the magnetic scale from Woodmizer.

Got it! Just in case any other owners are interested, here is the info...
Part number 016275
Price:  11.50

[Jim_Rogers]

Is it a 4 quarter scale?

[Piston]

Is it a 4 quarter scale?

Yes Sir....
Although I haven't gotten it in the mail yet, but supposedly it is according to the rep I spoke with.

[WDH]

The scale has 8/4, 6/4, and 4/4 graduations.

[VT-Woodchuck]

I bought my LT15 after it had been used as a demo at a local fair.  I figured that it would be set up correctly if they were demo-ing it for 4 days. As set up, my scale is set so that the bottom board is 1". I learned and wrote the numbers on the cross rail as a double check. To end up with 4/4 stock, I cut at 1 1/8, 2 1/4, 3 3/8, 4 1/2, etc. Once you find a starting point, say 9", the next cut is 1/2 turn of the handle on the circular scale plus two notches. The magnetic scale can also be used, but for 4/4 I find it no easier.
The only problem I found was that the tension adjustment was not correct according to the manual. It was okay when I was cutting green hemlock but a dry maple cant broke a blade. After adjusting the tension correctly, I have not had a problem.
I put her to bed today as the snow is too deep to continue. Alas, bored until spring! 

[Planman1954]

OK, I am now an official member of the forum. I discovered today what the log posts do to you blade when they try to resist one another. It's not a nice sound. The blade came out with less teeth than that Italian prime minister guy.

It was not on purpose. I had just done the final cut on a log, and gave the mill a little push to pass the log end. Uh-oh, that post at the other end was just high enough to touch the blade. Woops.

Planman