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LT40 Mods...Phase I complete (pics)

Started by D6c, May 20, 2017, 12:21:47 PM

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D6c

Now I think I'll turn my attention to building a pair of roller toe boards.  Probably would be ahead to just buy them from WM, but where's the fun in that?

Can anyone tell me how far above the bed rails the rollers are in the full up position?

D6c

One think I forgot to mention back up the thread.....when building closed tube frames, like the mods I was doing on this mill, it's always a good idea to drill a drain hole in the bottom of the closed frame tubes.  It's amazing how water can find its way in a tiny pinhole or around a bolt, fill the tube with water, and then freeze and swell it up.

The axle framework on this mill is made of 2 x 2 that's fully closed, except for where the mounting bolts go through.  Both tubes are swelled on one end and cracked in a couple of places.

slider

Nice work D6c.You will love the roller toe boards when you start using them.
al glenn

47sawdust

Nice work.I added the toe rollers to my mill(manual LT30),very handy to have.If someone doesn't chime in sooner I will get some measurements after work today.
Your mill should be called the born again Mizer.No offense intended to anyone for using the phrase out of context
Had a little time....top of rail to top of roller is 4¼".
Keep up the great work and thanks for taking us along.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

D6c

Quote from: 47sawdust on May 23, 2017, 05:52:16 AM
Nice work.I added the toe rollers to my mill(manual LT30),very handy to have.If someone doesn't chime in sooner I will get some measurements after work today.
Your mill should be called the born again Mizer.No offense intended to anyone for using the phrase out of context
Had a little time....top of rail to top of roller is 4¼".
Keep up the great work and thanks for taking us along.

Thanks for the measurement....a little taller than I was guessing.

Ga Mtn Man

And even at that height, sometimes not tall enough.  The taller the better.
"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.

50 Acre Jim

Nice job D6C and thank you for sharing with us.  Obviously it takes a lot of time to document all this, adding pictures, etc.  One question, why did you start with an old mill?  Couldn't you have just fabricated one out of a paper clip or something? 
Go to work?  Probably Knott.  Because I cant.

Crossroads

Very nice work! Your gonna love turning log with a 6" lever versus a 6' lever ;) I built the pineywoods log turner/clamp and powered backstops and love it. I need to beef up the clamps for the backstops though, it's seems they weren't designed to hold up to hydraulics. Also, I went with the gas engine. I extended the tongue by 3' and set the engine on it at a 45* angle then used an expired scba air tank for the hydraulic tank. The engine runs at an idle until I need power, then simply rev it up and do my thing.
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

D6c

Quote from: 50 Acre Jim on June 11, 2017, 07:31:34 AM
Nice job D6C and thank you for sharing with us.  Obviously it takes a lot of time to document all this, adding pictures, etc.  One question, why did you start with an old mill?  Couldn't you have just fabricated one out of a paper clip or something?

Kind of feels like I started from scratch...

D6c

Quote from: Crossroads on June 12, 2017, 04:41:07 AM
Very nice work! Your gonna love turning log with a 6" lever versus a 6' lever ;) I built the pineywoods log turner/clamp and powered backstops and love it. I need to beef up the clamps for the backstops though, it's seems they weren't designed to hold up to hydraulics. Also, I went with the gas engine. I extended the tongue by 3' and set the engine on it at a 45* angle then used an expired scba air tank for the hydraulic tank. The engine runs at an idle until I need power, then simply rev it up and do my thing.

Looks good Crossroads.  I've been wondering how my old style backstops are going to hold up....might have to do some mods on them if they give trouble.

Got the hyd. cylinders for the backstops and toe boards today.
I've done some CAD work to design the linkage for the backstops.  I'm only powering two of them for now until I prove it out.  If needed, I may power the other two later, but since they swing in the opposite direction I can't just hook them to the linkage.  I've sort of worked out a chain & sprocket arrangement that would drive the 2nd pair off the first...it has the chain running around opposite sides so the rotation is reversed.  Timing is critical since when the adjacent stops swing down they will hit each other unless one leads the other a little.
Toe boards are partially designed too, except for the mounting bracket.  Had to wait until I got the cylinders to be sure of the dimensions.

Work on the mill has been set aside for a while because I'm working on getting a new  tractor mounted pasture sprayer set up, but I'm already having to modify it a little bit to make it work like I want.  I'm also adding GPS mapping & a sprayer controller to the tractor so I'm having to figure that out.  Might be a steep learning curve.


Crossroads

I extended the backstops 2" to compensate for the 2" I raised the bed. I also notched the top 1" at a 45* then bent the front edge back so the logs would slide off better. The actual backstops are plenty strong, it's the upside down V shaped piece that adjusts the friction on the inside end of the tube that seems flex. With the hydraulics on them, there is no Ned for the friction to hold the stops up so, my plan is the build a new bracket with a piece of pipe to sleeve the end of the stop. I'm curious how close you can cut to the bed, now that you put the 2" lift kit on. I ended up notching the rails where the adjustment set crew is under the sliding guide roller arm. Even at that the bottom of the roller bracket hits the rails at about 1 7/8".
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

D6c

Quote from: Crossroads on June 13, 2017, 10:49:27 PM
I extended the backstops 2" to compensate for the 2" I raised the bed. I also notched the top 1" at a 45* then bent the front edge back so the logs would slide off better. The actual backstops are plenty strong, it's the upside down V shaped piece that adjusts the friction on the inside end of the tube that seems flex. With the hydraulics on them, there is no Ned for the friction to hold the stops up so, my plan is the build a new bracket with a piece of pipe to sleeve the end of the stop. I'm curious how close you can cut to the bed, now that you put the 2" lift kit on. I ended up notching the rails where the adjustment set crew is under the sliding guide roller arm. Even at that the bottom of the roller bracket hits the rails at about 1 7/8".

I made a couple of slide in extensions for the stops but I plan on making a more permanent modification.  Possibly putting an angle on like you did or maybe some rollers similar to what WM does now.
Not sure what the difference is between your guide clearance and mine....with the 2" I raised the rails I'm now able to cut down to 1" thick.  The first thing that would hit is the blade guard on the movable guide.

Crossroads

That little round low spot that I'm pointing at it the first place that hits in mine. The blade is loose in the picture, but the head is set at 2"
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

D6c

Looks like your guard hangs down quite a bit more than the one on mine.  The first thing to hit on mine is the strap that mounts the movable blade guard right under the roller.  I would think you could either modify your guard or see if you can get one more like what I have.  ('87 LT-40 Manual)



 

Crossroads

I'll get a picture from the other side. It looks like the movable arm is completely different. Mine is square tube that slides inside of another square tube like a trailer hitch receiver.
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

D6c

Yea, completely different.  This one is is a 1" solid square bar turned on edge.  The corners of the bar run in the v-rollers to slide in/out.

D6c

Here's a pic of the other side.  It works ok but is a real pain to adjust the rollers.

 


 

Darrel

That's the same as my '92 LT40. And good looking work.
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

Crossroads

With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

D6c

Haven't ever seen that style of outer guide support.....that must be an earlier design.  Doesn't look to have any way to adjust it parallel to the rails other than by adjusting the bottom carriage rollers.  Looks like it might be plenty sturdy and stable though.

Might be able to cut the blade rollers off the end of the support and weld on a different style that will give you more clearance....although that would probably require changing the fixed guide too.

Maybe get a set for a later WM saw, or something like these:  http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/tw-guide-systems-wm.html

Sure would be nice to get it so you can cut down to an inch.

Crossroads

I agree, I'd like to get down to an inch. If I lower the rollers though I would have to lower the drive wheels equally. I think I need to figure out a way to raise the arm while leaving the rollers where they are. There is a set screw with a lock nut on the under side to adjust the horizontal. It was built in late 84 so it's definitely still in the design stages lol. As it is I have been telling my customers that I can cut whatever they want until I get down to 2". So far they've all been ok with that.
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

47sawdust

Other owner's of old WM use a dedicated 2'' slab to lay on the rails,so they can saw to 1".Might not be what you want but just a thought.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

D6c

Quote from: Crossroads on June 17, 2017, 06:32:35 PM
I agree, I'd like to get down to an inch. If I lower the rollers though I would have to lower the drive wheels equally. I think I need to figure out a way to raise the arm while leaving the rollers where they are.........

Doesn't look like if would be a big job to cut that outer support tube off.  It being just a square tube you could easily make a new one and weld it back on in a higher position and the rework the roller guides.  Do the same thing to the fixed roller and you're good.  Looks like a worthwhile modification to me.  In the mean time do like 47sawdust said,  put a 2" slab under for your last cut.

Crossroads

I might try figuring out a modification to raise the support. I've used the 2" board in the past, but it seems like I always get sawdust in between or one end will bow up or down and the cut isn't very consistent. I've found it easier to just talk to the customer in advance and let them know they will be getting some 2x material and why. If they won't accept that, then I would consider shimming the last cut up.
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Larry

My old Kasco mill had the same problem.  I welded 1" square stainless steel tubing to the bunks to solve the problem.  Had to leave the tubing about an inch shorter than the bunks for something to clear.  Maybe you could do something similar.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

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