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My Largest Band Saw, The Wood-Mizer LT40 HD Portable

Review by TreeBones posted 680 days ago 4379 views 0 times favorited 11 comments Add to Favorites Watch
My Largest Band Saw, The Wood-Mizer LT40 HD Portable My Largest Band Saw, The Wood-Mizer LT40 HD Portable My Largest Band Saw, The Wood-Mizer LT40 HD Portable Click the pictures to enlarge them

After twelve years of use I can say this is a first class band saw. I have put mine through the test. The largest log I put on it was a 48” diameter, 26’ long Redwood that weighed over 17,000 pounds. Wish I took photos of this one. I cut over 80,000 bdft on that one job. The throat is 28” and with logs placed perfectly it can cut slabs this wide. Breakdowns have been essentially non existent and maintenance requirements are minimal, blades, roller guides and belts are the common replacement parts. I replaced the engine with a Kohler 25 HPG when the original Onan 24 HPG wore out after 850,000 bdft. The accuracy is such that I can cut a 20’ sheet of 1/8’ veneer with ease, as long as the blade is kept sharp. A dull blade is the leading cause of most all problems you may hear about. I run a 1-1/4” wide blade with a 9 degree hook. It trailers well and I have had it on some narrow, steep dirt roads with plenty of switch backs and even places where there are no roads. Production rate is as Wood-Mizer advertises, 2,000 bdft of 1” X 12” a day as long as the logs are around 30” diameter and at least 16’ long, its a real work out but can be done by one person in 8 hours. The LT40HD has a hydraulic loader and turner. They make many larger and smaller mills with different features. I will always give this band saw mill the highest recommendation. You can find more details on my web site.

I wanted to add an update. Recently I have been working as a sawyer for another sawmill service who is running a 2000 model LT40 Super Hydraulic with set works, diesel engine and debarker. This saw has several upgrades from my saw and I have found this brings more maintenance and break down issues. To summarize; the more add ons you have the more maintenance and potential down time you may have, caused by break down issues. Sometimes simple can be better. My new experience may be influenced partly by the lack of regular maintenance and repairs of this particular mill.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

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TreeBones

1557 posts in 917 days



11 comments so far

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9521 posts in 882 days


posted 680 days ago

Now that’s a bandsaw!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3037 posts in 915 days


posted 680 days ago

Nice machine Ron.
How do you handle pitch build up on a production tool like that?

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View TreeBones's profile

TreeBones

1557 posts in 917 days


posted 680 days ago

I use water to keep the blade clean and cool, around 10 gallons an hour. Some operators will add soap, pinesol or similar additives to the watter to help but for me water works just fine.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

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RobS

1243 posts in 1200 days


posted 680 days ago

Impressive operation. Thanks for explaining.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View Obi's profile

Obi

2191 posts in 1131 days


posted 680 days ago

I should be up there within the next month to do this small burl. I’ll call you or e-mail you.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11335 posts in 768 days


posted 679 days ago

Quite the bandsaw. I like the pic with the rainbow.

View RobG's profile

RobG

71 posts in 716 days


posted 678 days ago

That is a very sweet operation. Thanks for sharing. Maybe one of these days I can park one of those out behind my shop!!

-- Woodworking is Life. Anything before or after is just waiting.--S. McQueen sort of

View Tomcat1066's profile

Tomcat1066

776 posts in 690 days


posted 675 days ago

NICE! I definitely need to find someone with one of those! The place I’m moving to has an oak tree that really needs to come down, but I’d like to find someone who can turn it into lumber for me to build with.

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

View Mark A. DeCou's profile

Mark A. DeCou

1537 posts in 1299 days


posted 674 days ago

Oh, would I love to have one of these babies….......or you as a neighbor. Either would work.

Thanks for the writeup, I’m still saving my pennies, and when the kids are out of college, maybe then. I have about 16 years to go.

thanks for writing this up.

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

7035 posts in 1193 days


posted 672 days ago

Thanks for this review.

I watched a demo of this saw at an logging show quite a few years ago, when it first came out.

The inventor of it was the demonstrator. I’ve always wanted one.

At the time it a little under $1500.

A little to much for my wallet.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View fred4999's profile

fred4999

77 posts in 378 days


posted 119 days ago

Hello again Treebones,

I too have a Wood-Mizer LT40HDG24 that I bought new in 1997. I cannot say enough about the mill and the folks at Wood-Mizer. It is a great machine. What few things that needed fixing I was able to do it myself in the middle of the woods with some occaisional troubleshooting tech (at no cost) help from Wood-Mizer.

I agree about keeping it simple, if I were to buy a new one, it would be basically the same machine.

-- Fred, Georgia

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