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Progress and a trailer build question for my LT-15

Started by Clean Image, March 19, 2012, 03:24:33 AM

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Clean Image

Feels good to have been able to finally set a couple of days aside and work on the LT-15...new belts, a few missing bolts and new synthetic oil and it's seems to be running great (no sawdust yet unfortunately). Had to pull all the shroud metal off the engine to get the sawdust out that was packed in the fins..I didn't want to get it too clean for fear of not wanting to get it dirty again! smiley_sun



I'd recommend to anyone considering a used mill to give it serious consideration...I listened to you guys here and focused on a good manufacturer, fortunately found a unit that didn't look beat up and after going through the manual, got a great understanding of how everything works. When I get ready to move this thing from Ca to the property in Washington, I may plan on stopping by the shop in Oregon and have them look it over before it goes into any heavy use...
Probably wouldn't have spent the time getting to know a new machine like this and was able to save a couple of thousand $$ in the process...thank you to all those who contribute!  smiley_thumbsup

On to my question...had some time to start cutting and welding on the trailer this weekend too, got the frame done for the most part and need some help with setting up the axle.
I'm using a 3500# single axle and components with 14" tires and thinking I could go two different directions with the setup.



First would be to center the mill frame on the axle and leave enough height for the carriage to clear over the top of the tires...this puts the deck around 30" above the ground and leaves me with a fairly narrow wheel base.

Second thought is to spread the tires about 12" wider and being able to drop the mill between the wheels about 4" lower with a deck height of around 26". From what I've seen posted it looks like the WM mill may even be offset on the axle? Seems this would be a more stable setup on the road, but puts that tire right in the way of operations. >:(

I've never seen how WM has set up their trailer other than their website and what you guys have posted here...maybe if someone can post a few pics of the wheels next to the frame or direct me to a few it would help.

This of course is also a perfect time to build any extras onto the trailer but since I'm not even sure what I need yet I'm going to do some more research before going to deep into that direction...

Thanks again for all the contributions, this was a bigger commitment than I had thought out (not the first time that has happened) from finding a mill, getting parts ordered for both it and the trailer and then putting it all together...I haven't even gotten to the fun part yet of cutting wood! Actually it has been a lot of fun so far and it seems like every time I come up with a question, it's already been answered sometime in the past!

Be safe out there!

Duane 



Chuck White


Nice set-up you got going there Clean Image.

When I saw the pic of the mill, I thought it was new until I read the post.

Looks like you've got a nice trailer going there too.

Good luck.

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Magicman

On the WM factory setup, the axle is not square with the sawmill frame.  The wheel on the loader side is about 4" closer to the hitch than on the operator's side.  This offset allows the sawmill to track properly when being towed.  Of course this is because the hitch is on the sawmill rail instead of centered with the entire sawmill.  I mentioned this because I do not know exactly how your towing setup will be designed.  However it is, the hitch needs to be the exact distance from each wheel.

My thoughts about height would be to design it as low to the ground as possible, with the top of the tire below the log deck.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

zopi

Offsetting the axle would do some strange things to a fifteen...

Go check out yellowhammer's Lt15 mod thread and there are a few decent pics in my album...especially if you wand curved lumber...
A little later I will go amd measure some stiff for you amd post it up...the axle shouldl be narrow, amd just aft of center, centered and square with the  tongue....the head will stow just behind the axle...you pop it into the  Idle side stow clip...which I hate...then pull the head back until it clicks into the drive side stow hole...keeps it from bouncing.  I took the pin off mine the other day, as ot was bent in the wreck, and pretty much kept me aggravated over having to pull the ramps off the mill to saw the last board....

Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

wdtik

Wow, great looking work, your shop looks huge.

I'm starting a trailer this week for a  new 15.   My thoughts
are to use 4x2x.188 tube for the trailer frame. Hopefull that will be stout
enough.

I'm useing a dead axle that will be set with pins and removed
to set the frame directly on the ground using the factory pads. A hi-lift
jack will be used to do the lifting.    A moveable mast for a winch set up will be incorporated
into subframe at mid point.
If I ever need to move off property or add hydraulics I would have to put a sprung axle on it.

Jeremy2200

I have a few pics on my profile of my 15 trailer setup. I made it all even the outriggers. I am away from my mill right now or I would go measure it for you but I know my head travels back and forth missing the top of the tire on the feed side by about 3 inches. I did move the push handle down to the bottom holes in the frame. I am in the process of putting hydraulics on my mill.(turner, clamp, powered backstops) waiting on 2 cylinders to come in off of backorder. After i get them up and going I am putting a loader arm on it, but right now I use an 8000lb Warn winch mounted on the side of the mill to roll the logs up on the mill. This is good but it is also slow bc you have to take the winch off after each load bc it wont let the head go down the rail. It is easy to get on and off just sets in a pice of square tubing and slides in and out. Let me know if you got any questions, because I know I did when i was building my trailer. Pretty much trial and error for me but it wasn't too much error.

zopi

Crap...I was supposed to measire that stuff...I will get it after work manana..
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

Clean Image

Thanks Guys for all the valuable input!

Well just what I expected...great advice! I think without all the advantages of big $$ for engineering out the bugs, I'll keep it simple...
MM and zopi said it best...centered and square with the tongue and the hitch needs to be the exact distance from each wheel. This along with whtik's thoughts on using pins on the axle, maybe I can set it up to pull the wheels off if the wheels are to much in the way.
You guys who have responded and have led the way in trailer mods for this mill have already been a great help without knowing it. If someone could tell me the deck height of their mill it sure would help.

I think it's important for me to keep in mind the intended use of this mill and that it'll be mostly for building my house and other projects...I want it portable but its not going to be hauled all over the place being set up and torn down daily. If my needs change, well that's why they make cutting torches, grinders and welders!

At this point I am enjoying the trailer build but I want to get into the sawdust! I share the warehouse with a client and I just had a guy back up his truck to the rear doors and drop off 4 - 20'/20"+ pine logs I found on CL...I may be wearing out my welcome soon!

I'm going to call the company who supplied the hubs and axles for some specs, thanks again for the help and I'll keep you posted with pics.

Duane



Clean Image

Could one of you guys with an LT-15 on a trailer tell me were your final deck height is at?

I welded up the axle and springs today and ended up at 30" from the ground...feels tall to me but with a 14" tire being 26" tall seems like there's not much choice. I have about an inch of clearance b'tween the tire and the mill as it goes by...

If this is pretty much standard then I'll leave it alone or I can set the axle between the spring and the frame and shave a few inches off, but then have to deal with the tire issue  :-\   

Thanks in advance...Duane

mometal77

A guy up my way has a 15 for sale for 5000k i was thinking about one over it is cheaper than starting off my gen set for the MD.  Cheaper I would think too.  Great Progress people have made with their mills.
Too many Assholes... not enough bullets..."I might have become a millionaire, but I chose to become a tramp!

WDH

Seems like it would be hard to turn big logs with a cant hook at 30" of height?  Mine has never been on a trailer, so I have no experience. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Magicman

My LT40 is 28".  I sometimes have to manually assist a stubborn or irregularly shaped log with no problem.  You just hook the log high and pull down, not pick up.  Of course, I'm only assisting.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

zopi

craap. forgot again. going out with mesuring tape now.
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

zopi

distance from front end of mill bed to center of axle..157 inches...working height, jacks down, and level for work 27 ish inches....width of axle center of tire to center of tire..51 inches.
if you are going to set up the mill to work at this height, as the GO or Yellowhammers mill, do not remove the axles to work...thye are part of the mill's stability...the old trailer kit put the mill on the ground to work, so it was not so top heavy with a log onboard.  the difference between sawing at shin height, vice sawing at hip height is immeasurable...waaayyy better to have it up high.
I know ypou do not plan on moving it around alot, of being quickly portable...but you are already doing the work...I would go with the GO type setup...being able to back the tractor to the mill and move it across the property to a half dozen logs is awesome..or run down the road to snatch up a big pine really quick...it is sooo much easier to haul home a truckload of 2x4 than to haul home a load of logs...

my .02...I am interested to see how she comes out!
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

YellowHammer

As Zopi said, the tire acts as an outrigger for stability as the LT15 has 70+ percent of its weight on the operator (left) side of the mill, especially with the battery hanging way out on that side.  When a monster log rolls against the left side backstops, you'll really notice the extra stability and shock absorption the tires and springs provide.  I wouldn't take them off, you wont even notice them after awhile, and they will help protect your mill. 

I was amazed how putting the mill on a trailer made it so much more comfortable to use.  The setworks was now at eye level, the hand crank was at shoulder height, and I didn't have to bend down to the ground to set the clamps a hundred times a day.  Also, with the saw way off the ground, debris, bark, etc fell through the saw frame to the ground instead of clogging things up, and I could let the sawdust just keep piling up instead of it trying to climb the side of the frame and get in the way.  I think you will really like it. 
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

MotorSeven

Duane, I know it's too late now, but a 3500lb axle is mucho overkill. A 1,000-1,500lb with 8 or 12" tires would have solved the height problem(which may or may not prove to be a problem). Mine's on the ground and reading your thread I try and envision a 30" deck...it's hard there are benefits and negatives, just like being on the ground.

You did a great job cleaning up the mill...looks great!
WoodMizer LT15 27' bed

Clean Image

Man, I'm in awe sometimes to be in the company of such greatness! Thanks guys for all the input and the effort to respond.

So this is were I think my height issue lays...the 14" tires and the need to mount the axle under the springs and not between the spring and the frame. Carriage is at 27" above ground, giving me 1" of clearance above the rubber and setting the deck at 30". Shouldn't be a problem for me since I'm 6'1" but maybe the next guy. Think I'll just keep a shovel in the tool box, dig a couple of small 4" deep trenches in front of each tire and roll it on in before setting it up.  I'm digging a hole

Great input on keeping the tires on, that answers one of those nagging ideas in the back of my head and puts it to rest. Trying to look through at some of the old posts on mod's and decide what I should do now and what can wait till I get sawing and understand what's needed...just hate to be welding over new paint after I call it done.
And yes a #3500lb axle setup may have been over kill, but WM lists their LT15-GO at #1,750lbs and I've never had over kill let me down before...

I do plan on selling this thing when I am done with it, I just don't plan on ever being done with it!   smiley_thumbsup

Thanks again!

D

homesteader shane

I just saw your post. nice mill
I went through the something when I bought my mill, It's the same size. My father is a welder and when I got the mill I had it set up on bunks and my father asked me if it would be better on a trailer and I agreed. We brain stormed over the winter and what we came up with works great and has made me mobile, I can get to a job site and be set up in 15min and the mill sets down on the ground so it easy on the back. The logs are able to be rolled up on with out much effort and the rolled around for milling all at a good height but I shorter then you. what we did is position the axle so it is between the center and the back 1/4 of the length and cut the axle so it will fit in a sleeve' then put a boat winch on the back to slide up a down.
When I get to a job site I unstrap and unpin the mill head and roll it to the back of the mill and that counter balance's the mill and make the tongue light enough to lift off the tuck and sent down on a 2X4 on the ground. Then move the mill head to the font of the mill and use the sliding hand winch to life the back end up, lifting the wheels up off the ground and then I remove the axle pins, then remove the axle with the wheels and set the whole mill back down on the ground. Then I ready to mill
I'v had the mill t\for 8 years now and done dozens of jobs and never had a problem, everything stays square and everything's legal for the road. the customers always comment on how easy it is to set up
Its vary had to explain on paper but it works good if you can look at my gallery it may help the explanation
your trailer is looking great kept up the good work and good luck

MotorSeven

Shane, that sounds like a great system, and that is thinking outside the box!
WoodMizer LT15 27' bed

zopi

that is a neat idea...sound like an old howitzer trunnion...
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

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