Flooring with Wood-Mizer

[skrettis]

GigaWide flooring project


After upgrading WM LT15 with this meter:

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I do perfectly saw-cuts, each time :-)



  
My best upgrade along with an extra 195cm saw-bench.  8)

[Chuck White]

Nice upgrade, and welcome to the Forestry Forum, skrettis!

[drobertson]

Nice!

[Pa Pa Jack]

OK, I'll admit I"m a dummy and a newbie. What the heck is that and what does it do?

[beenthere]

OK, I'll admit I"m a dummy and a newbie. What the heck is that and what does it do?

PPJack  Are you referring to the blade tension pressure gauge shown in the pic above?  or something else?

[Pa Pa Jack]

Being new to all of this, I had no idea what a tension pressure gauge looked like. I understand the idea behind it, but have no idea what one looks like or how you determine the correct amount of tension to use in a particular situation.

[Magicman]

Just remember that when you ask, there probably were several others wondering the same thing.  The only dumb questions on the FF are the unasked ones.  You are doing fine.   

[schmism]

ah blade tension gauge... couldnt for the life of me figure out what i was looking at ... (other than a hydrualic pressure gauge)

so do you notice the blade tension changeing as the blade ages?   how much does it change?

[Magicman]

The gauge does not measure blade tension, just the pressure needed to reach the proper tension.

The gauge allows you to adjust and consistently maintain the proper blade tension.  The pressure changes very little during the course of sawing, unless the blade starts to dull, stretches, and you start loosing pressure.  It will sometimes increase if there is a buildup of sawdust between the blade and the bandwheel.

Blade tension is a broad subject. 

[red oaks lumber]

its amazing just how much the pressure changes, thats how i gauge my blade quality and if i need to increase fluid to the blade. depending what i'm cutting the pressure will drop 500 psi through the cut. some of the material i cut i can't use water or very little so the blade heats up and stretches real fast

[Philngruvy]

Just remember that when you ask, there probably were several others wondering the same thing.  The only dumb questions on the FF are the unasked ones.  You are doing fine.   

Yep, I was one of them.  So how does it actually work.?  What is it connected to?

[Dave H.]

cool! is tht mill mobile and electric?

[Magicman]

Mine is a fairly simple arrangement.  A hand screw pushes a piston into a hydraulic fluid filled chamber.  The hydraulic pressure pushes another piston out which pushes the band wheels apart thus tightening the blade.  The gauge measures the pressure inside of the chamber.


 
This is a picture of me adding fluid to mine.  The hand screw is in the foreground and the piston is seen in the background on the right.  It is the center shiny thing.

[Philngruvy]

So is this an upgrade which can be purchased from WM or does it take a mechanical wizard (which I am not)to design and build it for the LT15?

[Magicman]

I have never seen an LT15 tensioner, but I seriously doubt that the LT40 blade tensioning mechanism could be readily adapted to an LT15. 

Let's let the OP chime in with more about his modification.

[woodmills1]

I miss the tensioner on my old 40.  The 70 has an air bladder and a flip level

[dean herring]

Does the electric have plenty of power. I am looking to get the lt15 wide electric. Are you pleased. Welcome to the forum.

[skrettis]

Does the electric have plenty of power. I am looking to get the lt15 wide electric. Are you pleased. Welcome to the forum.

Yes, I love this electric woodmizer. - On some very hard wood (like a old Birch) you have to spin up the blade fully before using it. - Then its perfect. 

[skrettis]

I have never seen an LT15 tensioner, but I seriously doubt that the LT40 blade tensioning mechanism could be readily adapted to an LT15. 

Let's let the OP chime in with more about his modification.

Magicman, I was told that this replacement tensioner where from a LT40, an that all new LT15 have this as standard, here in Scandinavia.

The price was only 140USD!!

[skrettis]

So is this an upgrade which can be purchased from WM or does it take a mechanical wizard (which I am not)to design and build it for the LT15?

It was purchased from WM.  - I guess that the part# is that you see on the picture.  You can change this yourself within 15 minutes ;D

[Magicman]

Very good.   

[customsawyer]

I miss the tensioner on my old 40.  The 70 has an air bladder and a flip level

Interesting, I will take the tensioner on the LT70 over the LT40 any day of the week. Don't make me right just makes us different.  WM has had me test several different types of tension devices for the LT 70 but I always put my flip/cam style back on. It is quick and easy to adjust just the way I like it. ;D
I like the air bag on the 70 also as I don't have to make adjustments while sawing.

[Peter Drouin]

I miss the tensioner on my old 40.  The 70 has an air bladder and a flip level

Interesting, I will take the tensioner on the LT70 over the LT40 any day of the week. Don't make me right just makes us different.  WM has had me test several different types of tension devices for the LT 70 but I always put my flip/cam style back on. It is quick and easy to adjust just the way I like it. ;D
I like the air bag on the 70 also as I don't have to make adjustments while sawing.

Where is the needle on the gage with the air bag?
And can you adjust the cam?