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Question for the Wood Mizer owners

Started by delvis, October 03, 2014, 07:27:53 PM

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delvis

Hello again folks,

I haven't posted for while because to be honest we have been sawing our butts off.  The later into the year we get the more people want to saw lumber out.  We've had some nice jobs and I am starting to appreciate the small jobs that pay by the hour plus mileage.

When I saw I get a build up of sawdust on top of the top track oiler cover.  It builds up over several logs until it gets high enough that the saw head pushes down on it when cutting 1" off the deck and can actually slow the feed down unless I stop before making that last cut and brush the sawdust off.

Here is my question:  Has anyone come up with a clever way of keeping the sawdust off here so they don't have to stop sawing and get under that suspended load just to brush the sawdust out every few logs?

What I am running through my head right now is mounting a 12 volt high cfm squirrel cage blower to the saw head that I can turn on and off when I wish to to blow the sawdust out of there when it builds up.  The hardest part is probably finding enough room to mount it because WM has done such a great job making everything tight fitting and compact that there isn't a lot of extra room for add on stuff like this.  Lol.  Try finding a suitable, out of the way, place to mount a fire extinguisher on the mill and you'll see what I mean.

The other option involves the same type of fan as well but mounting it inside the hydraulic box and piping it so the air will reach the sawdust if the head is all the way back to the operator.  That actually would be much easier as far as wiring because the fan would not have to go back and forth with the head.

Any thoughts?
If I never saw another board I will at least die happy having spent the last few years working with my dad!

47sawdust

I use a leaf blower to keep the mill clean as I saw.This might not address your problem but it works for me.My old Kasco mill had 4 acme threads the head went up and down on.If I didn't keep them clean I couldn't saw down to my minimum thickness.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Delvis......now don't holler at me..... :)

But I think a lot of times some people spend to much time trying to add this and add that.
Leave it alone.
Do what I do....just take your hand and brush the sawdust away when it piles up.
Its free and you don't waste a bit of time.  ;)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

terrifictimbersllc

Leafblower about every hour and at every blade change.  Where you're saying just brush it off with your hand if basically clean otherwise .  Blowing off rest of mill while looking for sticks and bark that could interfere with hydraulic line movement a good idea too.
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

Ga Mtn Man

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on October 03, 2014, 08:18:08 PM
Delvis......now don't holler at me..... :)

But I think a lot of times some people spend to much time trying to add this and add that.
Leave it alone.
Do what I do....just take your hand and brush the sawdust away when it piles up.
Its free and you don't waste a bit of time.  ;)
I resemble that remark! (and proud of it ;D)
"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.

Brad_bb

I was just sawing my second log this morning since getting my mill.  I was wishing I had an air hose to blow off the mill after I finish.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

GDinMaine

I brush the sawdust out of that area every second or third log.  I always do it after I raise the blade to make the opening cut on the next log.  Takes 10 seconds.
It's the going that counts not the distance!

WM LT-40HD-D42

delvis

I hear what you're all saying and I agree with you.  I brush the sawdust out as I need to.  I just get tired of reaching in under the head with all that weight above me waiting to crash down and kill me.  Too many years working in a factory I guess.

Poston, I'm too laid back to yell at someone for offering a simple solution!  I will say this though:  Don't be afraid to take the few things about your equipment you're not crazy about and modify, replace, or remove them to suit your needs.  The very first thing we did with our brand new WM mill after we got it was bypass the power strip that limits where you can have the head and still be able to run the hydraulics.  I can run everything no matter where the head is now, as I should be able to.

We do own a leaf blower that gets used after every day of sawing.  I highly encourage anyone that saws to invest in a nice leaf blower and get all the sawdust off your mill every evening.  Especially around the engine area.  In fact, we use our leaf blower to make sure the engine is nice and cool before we leave the mill and head for home.  I rest a little easier knowing I have done what I can to try and prevent a fire.

If I decide to mount a blower and it works the way I want it to, I will post pictures so people can see.  I'm still milling around the idea of putting together a video series as well.  Get it?  Milling around.  Ha ha, I kill me.
If I never saw another board I will at least die happy having spent the last few years working with my dad!

YellowHammer

I've never had the problem, but I use a dust collection system hooked up to the dust chute and have never (or at least as far back as I can remember) had to clean the dust off the track cover because it interfered with the saw head. I do blow it off every few days (or weeks) just because I have an air hose nearby and use it to generally clean up the mill.  I suspect the dust collector is the difference, however since you are sawing portable, then this may not be useful to you.
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

backwoods sawyer

squarel cage fan don't push that much air. Air compresor with holding tank different story.

compresor can run off the front of the motor on a kabota.

I don't worry about the build up there to much, just brush it off as needed, I am in the area when pulling tailing anyway.
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

Chuck White

I've thought about mounting a fan just for that reason, but just haven't found a suitable mounting position.

I use my leaf blower whenever I get much of a build-up, only takes a minute.
~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!

Sheepkeeper

Quote from: delvis on October 03, 2014, 09:47:53 PM
The very first thing we did with our brand new WM mill after we got it was bypass the power strip that limits where you can have the head and still be able to run the hydraulics.  I can run everything no matter where the head is now, as I should be able to.

Would you mind sharing how you did that? Inquiring minds want to know.
The hurry-er I go the behind-er I get.

Chuck White

There have been several threads posted here on the FF about a mod to allow hydraulic control no matter where the sawhead is.

Probably the easiest would be to add a cable, connected to the powerstrip and to the hot contact lead and run it inside the catipillar track that houses the other lines, but I've heard of others adding additional power strips and then connecting them to each other so you'd have one long continuous power strip.
~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!

YellowHammer

Quote from: Chuck White on October 04, 2014, 07:30:10 AM
Probably the easiest would be to add a cable, connected to the powerstrip and to the hot contact lead and run it inside the catipillar track that houses the other lines
smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
Adding electrical cables to allow hydraulic function anywhere the head is along the track, and at any time, is a triple thumbs up modification.  It has added a significant increase in sawing productivity for me.
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

GAB

Quote from: delvis on October 03, 2014, 09:47:53 PM
I hear what you're all saying and I agree with you.  I brush the sawdust out as I need to.  I just get tired of reaching in under the head with all that weight above me waiting to crash down and kill me.  Too many years working in a factory I guess.

To minimize the reaching under the head I use, as needed, a 7" bench brush.  Harbor Freight has the on sale this month for $1.99 (page 21).  At that price you can buy a years worth for not a whole lot, and the maintenance on them is easy.
Gerald
 
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

FarmingSawyer

How about a paint brush on a stick....?

I never have this problem with mill unless a thick chunk a fir bark lands in the wrong spot.

Do WM sales people wear Orange coveralls? It criminal what you guys have to do
To make these expensive things work well....😜
Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

Sawyer697

I have always just brushed it off with my hand as I go by, But I did add a small paint brush on the Cam roller cover, where it would brush the saw dust of the inside of the rail as the mill goes down the track. Works great!  8)
1997 LTHD40G24 WM Mill. 640 Bobcat. 555 ford Backhoe, Husky 365XP
40 Acres Foresty
Custom Sawing in Geauga and Lake County
Build my own solar kiln
Build Furniture, Out Buildings
Bee Keeper, Love My Lord

Dave Shepard

It's only a problem when sawing your last cut at 1". If there is too much there, it will eventually crush the battery box lid.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dave Shepard

Quote from: FarmingSawyer on October 04, 2014, 09:12:48 AM
How about a paint brush on a stick....?

I never have this problem with mill unless a thick chunk a fir bark lands in the wrong spot.

Do WM sales people wear Orange coveralls? It criminal what you guys have to do
To make these expensive things work well....😜

And what color coveralls does the Thomas salesman wear?  :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

hunz

I myself think I get a little paranoid about keeping the track area clean of debris. One thing i'm finding is that I think my paranoia isn't reality of how it affects my quality of cut or accuracy. These mills are made to work, and keep on working with sawdust in every crevice of mill and operator.

Because this is a post about a WM issue I won't throw the ball back and forth with the Thomas guy......to me, any manufacturer that is willing to go head to head with their competition every year(sawmill shootout), and come out on top every year in their respective class is what sold me. You can't fake real world results. Let's leave the manufacturer "opinions" out of it. After all, I'd rather have on blaze orange to double as my hunting gear, than look like a wannabe John Deere tractor :D
Dream as if you'll saw forever; saw as if you'll die today.



2006 Woodmizer LT40D51RA, Husqvarna 372xp, Takeuchi TL140

delvis

Quote from: Sheepkeeper on October 04, 2014, 07:02:37 AM
Quote from: delvis on October 03, 2014, 09:47:53 PM
The very first thing we did with our brand new WM mill after we got it was bypass the power strip that limits where you can have the head and still be able to run the hydraulics.  I can run everything no matter where the head is now, as I should be able to.

Would you mind sharing how you did that? Inquiring minds want to know.

We bypassed the power strip altogether and ran welding cable from the battery box all the way along the caterpillar and back to the lead connected to the strip.  I am sure that WM intended the power strip to be a safety feature, but I can't see where it is less safe to have it the way we have it now.  It's especially helpful when loading 8 to 12 foot logs to have the head at the other end of the mill so I can better see to line the log up for cutting with the taper etc.  It also comes in handy those few times that I have started a cut only to realize I have a log post a little too high and want to lower it.  Just make sure you use a good heavy gauge cable like welding lead to ensure all the power is going where you need it.  This idea came from a fellow sawyer who has had a WM for years.  After he told us how much better it was, we decided to make this mod within a week of buying the mill.

Another thing I highly recommend for any new WM owners is to cut the little fingers out of the sawdust chute.  They may have been designed to stop a broken blade from trying to 'shoot-the-chute' but those things are perfect for catching a piece of bark and blocking the flow of sawdust.
If I never saw another board I will at least die happy having spent the last few years working with my dad!

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