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Lathe-Mizer

Started by Octoman, September 23, 2005, 08:58:26 AM

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Bibbyman

They say it'll work on the LT15. At the show they were running it on the new LT28 with an 18 hp engine.  I think it had plenty of power.  But they put on a .055 blade and it cut better.  The thinner blade would tend to ride over the knots.

I'm not sure how a .055 blade would work on an LT15.  It'd fit and turn just the same as any other blade but may need more hp to pull the heavier cut.  I'm guessing, but I'd bet the .055 blade would work ok for turning but you wouldn't want to use it for regular sawing.

As for the walnut, I'll need to get some sand paper.  I've done some work with a rasp and found that once it's turned, you can take a rasp and run it length wise (while not turning) and knock off a lot of the rough saw marks.  Better than turning the log and holding the rasp on it rasping with the sawmarks.

I'm thinking a big honkin' rasp (I've got a couple horse hoof rasps around some place) and then heavy sand paper on a belt sander then lighter grit sandpaper while it's turning.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Cedarman

Will the swing bladers want to adapt this for their thick blade? What is the potential there?
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Bibbyman

Quote from: Cedarman on September 25, 2005, 09:04:21 PM
Will the swing bladers want to adapt this for their thick blade? What is the potential there?

I'm trying to picture how it'd work with a swing blade.  If you could get the blade in the cross cut direction and then move it down the log,  it'd probably work just fine.  But I don't know about turning it into the side of the blade.

Back when I first saw the Lathe-Master,  I asked if they were going to market it to owners of other brand mills.  I don't think they had thought about that possability yet.  I don't know what their decision is on that.  I don't see why it wouldn't work on any band mill.  You'd probably have to do something a little different on the bolting down and head stoping.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

SawDust_Studios

Bib,

I'm really anxious to hear how long it takes to round a log.  How small will it do. I have a machine the will do 6' long by 10" into barely twists, rope, etc.  The only problem is it take forever to round with the router bit.  Just curious if this would be an option and how these would dry.

Dave
Making Sawdust on a Woodmizer LT40SHD CAT 51 /WM Twin Blade Edger and WM DH Kiln

Ianab

Quote from: Cedarman on September 25, 2005, 09:04:21 PM
Will the swing bladers want to adapt this for their thick blade? What is the potential there?

I've seen a similar rig made by Lucas at the NZ Fieldays. It was a completely free standing jig that a small log could be mounted on and rotated for cutting into octagons. It would work with any swingblade of course but I'm not sure if there was demand for it locally as I've not seen it the last couple of years.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Bibbyman

Quote from: Ianab on September 26, 2005, 02:38:55 AM
Quote from: Cedarman on September 25, 2005, 09:04:21 PM
Will the swing bladers want to adapt this for their thick blade? What is the potential there?

I've seen a similar rig made by Lucas at the NZ Fieldays. It was a completely free standing jig that a small log could be mounted on and rotated for cutting into octagons. It would work with any swingblade of course but I'm not sure if there was demand for it locally as I've not seen it the last couple of years.

Ian

The problem I see with using this exact unit on a swig blade is that the head stock is not constructed with the idea of a blade passing by or over it.   The band blade is stopped before it reaches it by the block that's bolted onto the rail.  I'm sure there would be a way to block the travel of the swing blade too but not enough room from between the end of the log to the head stock to accommodate the arc of the round blade.



Now if one were designed to just index and not turn,  then that would work.  To design one to turn and have room to saw over or past would require some kind of gear drive instead of the direct pulley system used here.

I've been avoiding the question of how long it takes because we don't have that much experience with it yet.  We were planning to take it off the mill in the morning and get some sawing done.  So hang in there.  I'll try to get back with it and try timing processing a log.

If  you're just wanting to turn it into an octigon to then put on a real lathe to finish and add detail,  then it only takes a couple of minutes to index and cut 8 flats (not counting the time to mount it in the lathe and take it out).  It's the turning it round that we don't have a good handle on.  We keep getting better and faster each time but it's still slow going.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Ianab

Yes, it's a very different beast....

I found the pics of the Lucas jig, it's all manual but it's all down out of the way of the mill.





It's not designed to spin the log while cutting, it's just manually turned to the next index notch to cut each of the 8 sides.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

inspectorwoody

Nice pics Bibbyman  :)

That new toy sure is neat  ;D

Bibbyman



Mary and I were workin' like dowgs this morning trying to get a bunch of hard maple sawed up before it went bad.   We were sawing on a nice plump 8' log when help showed up.  Cedarman dropped in for a visit on his way to Oklahoma. He helped pull about a dozen 8/4 boards and then gave out on us.  Cedar is a lot lighter than hard maple!



He felt a lot more comfortable working with cedar so we put the Lathe-Mizer on the mill and chucked up an 8' log. Now he was happy.



I put him to work indexing the lathe as Mary sawed out the 8 flats.



Cedarman examines cedar log Mary turned for him on the Lathe-Mizer and it passed inspection.  He was impressed.

He left soon after this last picture was taken for Oklahoma with more wheels spinning than the ones on his truck.

He said he'd check into the Forum when he got there.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Furby

Looks like somebody will end up with a new toy eh? ;D

Bibbyman

Quote from: Furby on October 02, 2005, 09:12:16 PM
Looks like somebody will end up with a new toy eh? ;D

Yep,  I think we got serial #1 - if it had a serial number... :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Bibbyman



A friend sent me a picture of Burl Thatcher setting in one of the chairs he made from parts made on the Lathe-Mizer at the Paul Bunyan show.  Anyone at Bunyan see the Lathe-Mizer demo?

Burl is an engineer at Wood-Mizer.  I know he did a lot of design work on the new LT10 and the Lathe-Mizer.  He also worked out the details of the four powered back support retrofit.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Ohio_Bill

I did see the demo and they had it mounted on a LT 40 manual. Burl was busy all weekend sawing and making tenons with a router and jig . He made good looking and good smelling furniture.


Bill
Bill
USAF Veteran  C141 Loadmaster
LT 40 HDD42-RA   , Allis Chalmers I 500 Forklift , Allis Chalmers 840 Loader , International 4300 , Zetor 6245 Tractor – Loader ,Bob Cat 763 , Riehl Steel Edger

Faron

Is anyone making porch posts with a Lathemizer yet?   I'm thinking about cedar, or maybe osage orange or ??  My concern is the posts cracking after drying.  Will just sealing the ends slow drying down enough to prevent this, or is it even a problem with cedar?  The new extension makes me more interested in this tool. 
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Bibbyman

We've made a few cedar posts about 6 months ago and none show any sign of cracking if they didn't already have a crack in them already.  We've made one sample out of cherry and another out of walnut and they have cracked some as expected.   

I don't know about osage orange but I'd expect it to crack when drying.  End sealing won't help as the outside is exposed to air.  Maybe if you put some kind of oil or UV sealer on it as soon as it's turned?  I talked to one guy that made open beams out of oak and painted them with polyuethane as soon as the service was dry.  He said they didn't crack.  But they are in the basement of his house so they probably dried real slow.

P.S.  Did you notice that WM now has a 4' extension section for their Lathe-Mizer? 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Faron

Thanks, Bib.  The extensions are what got me thinking about this again.  Do you see yours as a useful addition to your mill, now that you have had it a while?  I was thinking of adding custom porch posts to our flooring and trim line.  So I wouldn't be using it on an everyday basis, but filling an order now and then.  In my immediate area nicer cedars are usually found along driveways or graveyards, and aren't cut unless they go bad.  Cedarman is running full bore a few miles east of me, so surely I can find a few dozen good cedars once in a while, if I just look around.  I'm wondering about making some out of poplar, and after drying a few days painting them with a primer to slow down the process.  Does anyone know if packing them in insulation or straw will slow down drying enough to avoid cracking?  Maybe storing in a cool barn might help?
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Cedarman

I would experiment with making a few out of green wood and putting them in the shade.  Also make a few out of dried logs.  I think you are going to get most checking out of green logs. I would expect 1/16 cracks in the dry ones.  Also make a few out dry logs and coat them with sanding sealer, that may prevent all cracking.

Are you going to sand these down to make them super smooth?

If you want to try some different logs, we have both green and dry logs on hand.
Richard
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Faron

Cedarman, Yes, I'd need to sand them down smooth for most jobs, I'd think.  The posts I need for my own house will have to be, anyway.  A lot of these would be painted posts.  It would kind of be a shame to paint cedar posts.  Indeed, will cedar paint very well?  what with the oils and the color variations....?  I don't think I have tried to paint it, or even thought about it before.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Ben Franklin

Cedarman

ERC paints well as far as I know.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

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