Found something odd on my LT35 today,

[123maxbars]

Well for the past few weeks i have been having issues sawing on my LT35 (LT28 then upgraded and had no issues sawing on the LT28). Today while putting on a new blade I noticed a small block of wood mounted inside the housing that the blade goes into. The wood was directly below the exhaust on the kohler engine but was inside where the blade tracks. The only way to notice the wood was to bend down and look up where the blade tracks, it was not visible with just the doors open.  I thought at first it was scrap that got lodged in there somehow. After looking at it further it was screwed in and had two screws outside of the housing that pretty much had it bolted into the frame. I noticed it was black on the bottom where the blade had been rubbing up against it constantly. I unscrewed the screws and took the wood out. I then cut about 100 feet of pine and had no trouble in my sawing like I had been having leading up to this find. Right now I’m not sure why that block of wood (probably 1in thick and 4in wide) was bolted in there like that, but it apparently was having a huge effect on my sawing. Anyone else ever see this on their woodmizer? Maybe it was attached for shipping purposes or something?

[POSTONLT40HD]

Good post. Makes me wonder now???

[caveman]

Our lt 28 has the same block of wood.  I assumed that it was there for a reason but I do not remember reading about it in the manual.  The mill cuts well.  Caveman

[zopi]

I believe it is there to keep the blade from smacking the housing if it rides off...sacrificial piece..I recall reading something about that on this very forum a few yrs back...

[WDH]

There is a similar block of wood on my LT15.

[Magicman]

If I am following you, it sounds like an anti-vibration "damper" between the blade wheels.  This keeps the blade from oscillating and prevents premature metal fatigue.

Post a picture or maybe Marty Parsons will pick this up.

[123maxbars]

I appreciate the replies. This block of wood was causing my blade not to run at the fastest speed possible. The blade was rubbing against the wood which I think caused my sawing problems I have had lately. I think my blade was running slow due to rubbing on the wood causing my cuts to be wavy and in accurate. Sawed for three hours today after removing the object and the LT35 saws perfectly. 

[Magicman]

I have never seen an LT35, but if it is what I described, it should not contact the blade, but should be adjusted about 1/16th inch away from the stopped blade.  It should only contact the blade to stop any blade oscillation.

[Magicman]

I see that Magic Smoke is on here.  Maybe he will pick it up.

[Magic Smoke]

You are exactly right Magicman.

[Magic Smoke]

Although I think the wooden blocks are fixed now, as compared to the set screws used on some mills.

[Magicman]

123maxbars, I would trim or adjust that block so that the tightened blade is about 1/16' from the block.  It is there to prevent premature blade failure.

[Bill Gaiche]

I agree. I added one from oak to mine. Its so the blade does not bounce up and down when running. When blade is tight there should be at least 1/16" clearense. There is no reason the block would make the mill cut bad or pull down the engine if the clearense is there. bg

[Chuck White]

It operates on the same principle as the plastic/nylon bearing in the bottom of the blade housing on the LT40's.

Follow the suggestions already given and just sand a little bit of it off, so that you have between 1/16 - 1/8" clearance when the blade is tightened to your desired tension.

[pineywoods]

123, that block of wood serves a very critical purpose. It's there to dampen out blade flutter. without it, you will break blades like crazy, as well as some other not-so-desireable things. If the blade has been rubbing hard on it, you have some other more serious problem.

[ladylake]

 My B20 doesn't have a wood block to stop flutter and I have lots of blades sharpened down to 1" wide without breaking but WM blades a little longer and running loose belts which might cause more flutter.   Steve

[r.man]

I do wonder why this problem happened so recently on a used saw that had been running well. Has the block moved or has the blade managed to shift due to a wheel bearing or something in the main adjustment. Moving the block and fixing the problem points you in the right direction but I expect it fixed the symptom not the problem.

[Magicman]

There is nothing to adjust where this block is located.  If it was a bearing problem, the blade would not properly track or stay on.

Sometimes mill/blade vibration is caused by simple things like a piece of bark, etc. tightly wedged into a blade guide groove.  Always check and clean these grooves at blade changes.

[YellowHammer]

I checked my LT-40, it has a threaded metal stud that is about a quarter inch from the blade, no wooden block or piece of plastic.  I may replace it with a wooden block because I don't like the idea of my blade bouncing into a metal stud to stop vibration.  I am guessing I should also adjust the stud closer to the blade, anyway.  Any thoughts? 

Thanks,
YH
 

[Chuck White]

I checked my LT-40, it has a threaded metal stud that is about a quarter inch from the blade, no wooden block or piece of plastic.  I may replace it with a wooden block because I don't like the idea of my blade bouncing into a metal stud to stop vibration.  I am guessing I should also adjust the stud closer to the blade, anyway.  Any thoughts? 

Thanks,
YH

YH, check it out, that stud isn't metal, it's nylon!

It should be adjusted to between 1/16 & 1/8 inch.

Chuck