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WM felt strip question

Started by Jim_Rogers, December 30, 2013, 06:07:08 PM

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Bru

Jim:  after doing some shopping around, I recently got some felt from Duro Felt. Reasonably priced, free shipping, and arrived 2 business days after order.  Take a look at the felt specs chart--you'll probably want F-1, rather than F-5, due to the higher density and durability.  Check all the dimensions of your original pads betore ordering.  Also check their remainders / specials page.

Jim_Rogers

Thanks again for all your suggestions and advice.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Brucer

I buy replacement felts from Wood-Mizer. I bend the tabs straight and punch holes through the new felt before installing it. I also use a punch and an anvil to bend that tabs back nice and tight. I had to replace the metal piece after my third replacement. Don't know why I never thought of pop rivets ::).

Just pressing the felt onto the metal tabs didn't work. The tabs didn't penetrate far enough and the felt kept working loose.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Rockn H

I used pop rivets too.   It's been several years now and no problems.   I probably don't oil my felt as often as I should, because I "paint" the entire rail with ATF daily.   I do make sure the plastic scrapers are in contact and working.  When they get worn, I replace them with pieces cut out of the ATF bottles.  The plastic actually lasts a while. :)

Philngruvy

I have an LT 15 and the felt came off in all locations.  It appeared to be glued on with silicon adhesive.  I got new felt at Ace Hardware.  It is used to weatherproof doors and windows.  I used double sided tape to put it back on the metal guards after thoroughly cleaning the metal.  This fix seems to be working well so far.
LT 15 18G
Bobcat 751

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on January 01, 2014, 02:16:04 PM
It would help you too if you think about something else you may need from WM also.
The shipping on the felt pad maybe the same price as the pad. Y'all may want to get a couple of belts with the pad or a little something else.
Going to get some extra pads and try aluminum pop rivets next time maybe with a nylon washer against the pad.  Shouldn't hurt anything.   Poston for the winter I think you could use some felt and gorilla glue on your tummy there in your picture.  :D
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: taw6243 on December 31, 2013, 11:01:37 PM
Four years ago I eliminated the plastic wipers and made a set of steel ones out of a worn out 12 inch miter saw blade. I took the plastic ones and laid them on the blade so that the center hole of the miter saw blade lined up with the rail shape of the rail wipers, traced their shape on the steel then cut out a set of wipers that are the exact profile of the original rail wipers. These wipers (scrapers I call them now) do not wear out and scrape the rail perfectly clean, just every once in a while adjust them down tight to the rail.( at first when adjusted tight down to the rail they make a sound like fingernails on a chaulk board, it goes away) You may need to adjust profile slightly with a file.
I also eliminated using the felt that came with the mill originally and replaced it with gray colored scrubby pad material it's like what you scrub pots and pans with. I came across the courser gray color pad in the dumpster of the roofing company across the street, they use it when they scrub the seams of the rubber sheets before they glue weld them together. It is extra new pads they throw away. (I admit it I am a dumpster diver) as they say one man's trash is another man's treasure. Anyway, the way I reinstall the scrubby pad is to heat the cover with a propane torch and put a layer of hot melt glue stick on the inside then quickly place three equally spaced pads on the rail and press the hot melt glue coated cover on top then bolt in place. Works like a charm. If you use your sawmill very often you never need to use any lube on your rail and the rail stays polished to a mirror finish. Like I said four years this is what I've used. When you need to replace the worn out scubby pads just take the cover off and heat the top outside of cover with a propane torch and pull the old pads off add more hot melt and install new ones again. they last a really long time. I think you can get the gray pad at an autobody paint supply store. It's a little messing around but I like it a lot better than the felt and oil system, my rail never looks rusty, it stays shinny and clean.

Tim
I thought the purpose of the pad and ATF on the rail was to lubricate the roller/rail contact point, so as to reduce rail wear. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on January 02, 2014, 02:48:39 PM

I thought the purpose of the pad and ATF on the rail was to lubricate the roller/rail contact point, so as to reduce rail wear.

To reduce roller wear mainly.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

gfadvm

Taw, What a great suggestion! I'm on it as soon as it warms up above freezing. Thanks!

Peter Drouin

Making them out of steel IS a good idea. 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Chuck White

Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on January 02, 2014, 02:48:39 PM

I thought the purpose of the pad and ATF on the rail was to lubricate the roller/rail contact point, so as to reduce rail wear.


I thought the purpose was to clean the rail and prevent build-up so the sawhead would travel down the rail smoothly!
~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!

gfadvm

I replaced those missing felt wipers with green Scotch Brite pads doubled and attached with pop rivets today as suggested on this forum. Very quick and easy. Soaked with ATF and good to go.
Now to see how well they last....

Chuck White

Quote from: gfadvm on January 03, 2014, 10:14:32 PM
I replaced those missing felt wipers with green Scotch Brite pads doubled and attached with pop rivets today as suggested on this forum. Very quick and easy. Soaked with ATF and good to go.
Now to see how well they last....


The Scotch Brite pads will probably work fine, but I wouldn't put a lot of down pressure on them because they are abrasive!

Just sayin'!
~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!

taw6243

Hi Chuck,
Not trying to contradict you but here's my experience with the rail.
I tried one time to cut off a log end while the log was on my LT40. I overcut thru the log and hit the round way rail of my mill. I had no idea that the rail was that hard... as I was expecting the worst, maybe seeing a chunk out of my rail.  :o . Ya right the rail just laughed at the oregon chain tooth that it took off my 372 husky chain, not a mark on the rail. I don't think scotch bright will touch it. Might as well try to scratch the rail with my fingernail.

Tim

http://www.shop3m.com/scotch-brite-extra-heavy-duty-pot-n-pan-handler-88-3-5-in-x-5-in.html?WT.ac=US_EnterpriseCatalog_61500015153
4500 hours on my 2004 LT40HDG28, CBN sharpener and auto setter, 25" woodmaster planer with 9'auto leveling bed and trac vac chip handling system, 1998 L3010 kubota, 2010 L3200 kubota Festool TS75 rail saw with 42", 75" and 106" rails.

jamesamd

Use UHMW polyethelyne,never look back ;)

Jim
All that is gold does not glitter,not all those that wander are lost.....

taw6243


"Use UHMW polyethelyne,never look back

Jim"


What do I use it for?

Tim
4500 hours on my 2004 LT40HDG28, CBN sharpener and auto setter, 25" woodmaster planer with 9'auto leveling bed and trac vac chip handling system, 1998 L3010 kubota, 2010 L3200 kubota Festool TS75 rail saw with 42", 75" and 106" rails.

isawlogs

 I am guessing here, but as scrappers
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Rockn H

I don't know about the newer mills, but the rail on my '91 will and has worn.   My top rail has a flat spot worn on each side where the guides ride.  Luckily I saw a lot of longer logs so the flat spots run the entire length of the rail and don't cause a problem.  I wouldn't want to use anything that would speed up wear to the rail.   Normal use will cause enough wear on it's on over the years.   

I've always been under the impression that the ATF and the scrapers were to keep sawdust from building up on the rail and acting like a wheel chock when the guide rollers hit it.   Without the felt keeping the rail lubed with ATF so that sawdust doesn't stick as bad and wiping it clean at the same time along with the scrapers clearing excess sawdust and debris before it gets to the guide rollers, you'll get a layer of sawdust pressed to the rail be the rollers.  As the pressed layer of sawdust builds up it will move the head out of alignment with the bed rails and eventually cause the rollers to bind and possibly damage the guide rollers. 

Ga Mtn Man

By "guide rollers" do you mean cam rollers?
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

isawlogs

I have a '93 and have flat spots along the rails where the rollers ride,  after a million and a half board feet. I would not use anything other then the felt pad with some kind of oil soaked in it. I use penetratring oil, when out sawing, I don't carry any atf, I squirt it down at the time I put some on the mast. Works for me.
  as far as the cost goes I get mine through Woodmizer when oredering blades or other things, just stick it in with something else.
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Rockn H

Quote from: Ga Mtn Man on January 06, 2014, 09:30:06 AM
By "guide rollers" do you mean cam rollers?

I think they are called "track rollers" in the manual for my '91.

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