Page 1
® Wood-Mizer Sawmill Safety, Setup, Operation & Maintenance Manual LT15 G13 rev. B4.00 LT15 E11 rev. B4.00 LT15 D10 rev. B4.00 Safety is our #1 concern! Read and understand all safety information and instructions before operating, setting up or maintaining this machine.
Page 2
+48-63-2610233 or +48-3912-1319. From the continental U.S., call our toll-free Parts hotline at 1-800-448-7881. Please have the vehicle identification number and your cus- tomer number ready when you call. Wood-Mizer will accept these methods of payment: Visa, Mastercard, or Select Purchase...
Page 3
Sawmill and Customer Identification Each Wood-Mizer LT15 sawmill is identified with a revision and VIN numbers. The VIN number contains the month, year and place of manufacture, the base model and the engine/motor configuration. The revision number helps identify the exact design of the equipment.
Page 7
It is always the owner's responsibility to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations regarding the ownership and operation of your Wood-Mizer sawmill. All Wood-Mizer mill owners are encouraged to become thoroughly familiar with these applicable laws and comply with them fully while using the mill.
Safety & General Information Blade Handling Blade Handling DANGER! Always disengage the blade and shut off the sawmill engine before changing the blade. Failure to do so will result in serious injury. WARNING! Always wear gloves and eye protection when handling bandsaw blades.
Safety & General Information Sawmill Operation Sawmill Operation DANGER! Make sure all guards and covers are in place and secured before operating or towing the sawmill. Failure to do so may result in serious injury. DANGER! Be sure the blade housing and pulley covers are in place and secured.
Page 10
Safety & General Information Sawmill Operation result in machine damage. CAUTION! Before loading a log, be sure the cutting head is moved far enough forward so the log does not hit it. Failure to do so may result in machine damage. CAUTION! Do not try to force the saw head beyond its upper and lower travel limits.
Safety & General Information Sawmill Maintenance Sawmill Maintenance WARNING! Always secure the cutting head with a chain or a brace before adjusting the up/down chain. The cutting head may fall, causing severe injury or death. WARNING! Always secure the cutting head with a chain or a brace before adjusting the mast pads.
Page 12
Safety & General Information Sawmill Maintenance Pictogram decals used to warn the user about danger in the LT15: Carefully read operator’s manual before handling the machine. Observe instructions and safety rules when operating Stay clear of hot surfaces Do not open or remove safety shields while engine is running Do not open or remove safety shields while engine is running...
Browning belts only. Blade Sizes See Table 1-2. Wood-Mizer TRU•SHARP™ offers three types of blades to provide effi- cient sawing for all models of sawmills. The engine/motor size of your sawmill and the type of wood you saw should determine which blade you choose for optimum perfor- mance.
Safety & General Information Cutting Capacity Cutting Capacity See Table 1-3. The log size capacities of the LT15 sawmills are listed below. Max. Max. Diameter Length LT15 28” (71 cm) 18’ (5,4 m) LT15/2 28” (71 cm) 11,5’ (3,5 m) TABLE 1-3 Each additional bed frame segment adds approximately 195 cm ( 6’...
Safety & General Information Overall Dimensions Overall Dimensions See Figure 1-1. The overall dimensions of the LT15 sawmills are shown below. 2212 mm 1995 mm 1804 mm 2305 mm 1980 mm 6235 mm LT15 15B001B 4246 mm LT15/2 FIG. 1-1 Safety &...
Safety & General Information Components 1.10 Components See Figure 1-2. The major components of the Wood-Mizer LT15 are shown below. Water Tank Bed Rail Log Clamp Power Supply Saw Head Outer Blade Guide Arm Knob Bed Frame Blade Guide Rollers Up/Down &...
Safety & General Information Electrical Information 1.11 Electrical Information See Figure 1-3. The electrical symbol diagram of the LT15 equipped with the E11 electric motor is shown below. 15E11P2 FIG. 1-3 Limit Switches: DS1 and DS2 - located on the blade guards, LS1 - activated by the hand grip Safety &...
Page 18
Safety & General Information Electrical Information See Table 1-6. The electrical component list is listed below Mfg. Part No. Manufacturer Wood-Mizer Description Part # GZ1 M21 SCHNEIDER Switch, Motor On/Off C60N 24395 SCHNEIDER Switch ABB OT32E3 Disconnector TMA 63 Transformer, 240/380/415-24V...
Sawmill Assembly Frame Assembly SECTION 2 SAWMILL ASSEMBLY Frame Assembly 1. Bolt four leg brackets to each bed section. Use two hex head bolts and lock nuts to secure each leg bracket to the bed section. Be sure the nut on the bracket faces up. Thread a leg into each bracket.
Page 20
Sawmill Assembly Frame Assembly 2. Lay the frame sections end-to-end so the track portion of each section is on the same side. Slide the sections together and secure with four hex head bolts and nylon lock nuts. See Figure 2-2. M10 X 25 Hex Head 10.2 Split Lock Washer M10 X 115...
Sawmill Assembly Frame Leg Adjustment Frame Leg Adjustment 1. Place a foot plate under each bed leg. 2. Use the leg wrench to adjust each leg until the nut is approximately 1 inch below the top of the bed tube. See Figure 2-3.
Sawmill Assembly Saw Carriage Assembly Saw Carriage Assembly 1. Position the saw head carriage at the end of the bed frame assembly. Carefully slide the saw head carriage rollers onto the bed frame track. Keep the carriage square to the bed to avoid putting the track rollers in a bind.
Sawmill Assembly Feed Rope Assembly Feed Rope Assembly 1. Install a feed rope mounting bracket at each end of the bed assembly using a hex head bolt and nylon lock nut. Be sure to use the brackets so they are angled toward the end of the frames as shown.
Page 24
Sawmill Assembly Feed Rope Assembly 2. Tie a knot in one end of the feed rope. Slip the knotted end of the rope into the front rope mount plate. Route the rope between the saw head carriage and bed frame tube. See Figure 2-6.
Page 25
Sawmill Assembly Feed Rope Assembly 4. Loop the rope around the feed crank spool three times and route back down to the lower feed pulley. See Figure 2-8. 15B004 FIG. 2-8 5. Route the rope around the outer groove of the lower feed pulley. See Figure 2-9.
Page 26
Sawmill Assembly Feed Rope Assembly 6. Route the rope to the rear mounting bracket. Tie a knot in the end of the rope and insert into the mounting bracket. Position the knot in the rope so when installed to the rear bracket, the rope is tight.
Sawmill Assembly Engine Assembly Engine Assembly 1. Place the engine assembly in place on the saw head. Align the holes in the engine mount plate with the engine mounting bolts. Do not tighten the bolts until the drive belt is installed and properly tensioned.
Page 28
Sawmill Assembly Engine Assembly See Figure 2-12. Tighten the screws with the torgue as shown on the figure below. FIG. 2-12 2-10 15doc120103 Sawmill Assembly...
Sawmill Assembly Auxiliary Bed Rail Auxiliary Bed Rail Install the auxiliary bed rail to the front bed frame section. A set of mounting holes is pro- vided between the two bed rails. Remove the existing bolt and lock nut that secures the track at this position.
Page 31
Setup & Operation Sawmill Setup SECTION 3 SETUP & OPERATION Sawmill Setup NOTE: The following setup procedure should be performed whenever the sawmill is moved or reassembled. If sawing problems occur and misalignment is suspected, SECTION 6 for complete alignment instructions. 1.
Setup & Operation Sawmill Setup 4. Repeat the bed rail adjustment with the string at the other side of the sawmill frame. 5. Install a blade (See Section 3.2 through Section 3.4) and move the saw carriage until the blade is positioned over the front bed rail. 6.
Setup & Operation Replacing The Blade Replacing The Blade DANGER! Always disengage the blade and shut off the sawmill engine before changing the blade. Failure to do so will result in serious injury. WARNING! Always wear gloves and eye protection when handling bandsaw blades.
Setup & Operation Tensioning The Blade Tensioning The Blade See Figure 3-3. Turn the blade tension handle clockwise to compress the rubber spring and tension the blade. Check the blade tension occasionally when adjusting the cant con- trol or while cutting. As the blade and belts heat up and stretch, the blade tension will change.
Setup & Operation Tracking The Blade Tracking The Blade 1. Make sure the blade housing covers are closed and all persons are clear of the blade. 2. Start the engine (or motor). 3. Pull lightly on the clutch handle, rotating the blade until the blade positions itself on the wheels.
Page 36
Setup & Operation Tracking The Blade See Figure 3-5. To adjust where the blade travels on the blade wheels, use the cant con- trol handle. Cant Control Handle 15B017 FIG. 3-5 If the blade is too far out, back the blade onto the wheel by turning the cant control coun- terclockwise.
Setup & Operation Starting The Engine Starting The Engine See the appropriate manual supplied with your specific engine configuration for starting and operating instructions. DANGER! Make sure all guards and covers are in place and secured before operating the sawmill. Failure to do so may result in serious injury.
Setup & Operation Loading, Turning, And Clamping Logs Loading, Turning, And Clamping Logs To Load Logs 1. Move the saw carriage to the front end of the frame. CAUTION! Before loading a log, be sure the cutting head is moved far enough forward so the log does not hit it. Failure to do so may result in machine damage.
Page 39
Setup & Operation Loading, Turning, And Clamping Logs 5. Position the log at the foot of the ramps. 6. Use a cant hook to roll the log up the ramps and onto the sawmill bed. Position the log against the side supports. 7.
Page 40
Setup & Operation Loading, Turning, And Clamping Logs To Clamp Logs 1. Position the clamps against the log, far enough down so they are below your first few cuts. Turn the clamp screws in so they move the log firmly against the side supports. See Figure 3-7.
Page 41
Setup & Operation Loading, Turning, And Clamping Logs To Level A Tapered Log Use shims or the optional wedge to raise either end of a tapered log, if desired. Shim one end of the log until the heart of the log measures the same distance from the bed rails at each end of the log.
Setup & Operation Up/Down Operation Up/Down Operation 1. Install a blade, if needed, and check for correct blade tension. (See Section 3.3). Set the cutting head to the desired height. (The blade height scale shows the height of the blade above the bed rails.) See Figure 3-8.
Setup & Operation Blade Guide Arm Operation Blade Guide Arm Operation 1. Look down the length of the log to see its maximum width. The outer blade guide should be adjusted to clear the widest section of the log by less than 1" (25.4 mm). 2.
Setup & Operation Blade Drive Operation Blade Drive Operation DANGER! Make sure all guards and covers are in place and secured before operating the sawmill. Failure to do so may result in serious injury. Be sure the blade housing and pulley covers are in place and secure.
Page 45
Setup & Operation Blade Drive Operation 4. To engage the blade, press the safety grip with your left hand and hold it down. Then press the START button located on the electric control box. This starts the motor engaged with the drive mechanism. Keep the safety grip pressed all the time the blade is driven in order to prevent the sawmill operator from getting to the path of the blade.
Page 46
Setup & Operation Blade Drive Operation 4. To engage the blade, press the safety grip with your left hand and hold it down. Then turn the tensioner handle counterclockwise until it locks in the up position. This engages the drive mechanism and increases the engine speed to full throttle. Keep the safety grip pressed all the time the tensioner is engaged and the blade is driven in order to prevent the sawmill operator from getting to the path of the blade.
Setup & Operation Feed Operation 3.10 Feed Operation The feed system includes a hand crank to move the carriage forward or backward. The speed at which the carriage travels forward depends on how fast you turn the feed crank. 1. To move the carriage forward, push the crank handle in to engage the screw heads and rotate the feed crank clockwise.
3.11 Cutting The Log The following steps guide you through normal operation of the Wood-Mizer sawmill. 1. Once the log is placed where you want it and clamped firmly, position the blade close to the end of the log.
Page 49
Setup & Operation Cutting The Log 9. Remove the wedge if it was used. Remove the clamps and turn the log 90 or 180 degrees. Make sure the flat on the log is placed flat against side supports if turned 90 degrees.
Setup & Operation Edging 3.12 Edging The following steps guide you through edging boards on the Wood-Mizer sawmill. 1. Raise the side supports to 1/2 the height of the flitches, or the boards that need to be edged. 2. Stack the flitches on edge against the side supports.
Setup & Operation Blade Height Scale 3.13 Blade Height Scale See Figure 3-13. The blade height scale is attached to the carriage head frame. It includes: a blade height indicator an inch scale Inch Scale Blade Height Indicator 150028 FIG. 3-13 The Inch Scale The horizontal red line on the blade height indicator shows how many inches the bottom of the blade is above the bed of the mill.
Setup & Operation Water Lube Operation 3.14 Water Lube Operation The optional Water Lube System keeps the blade clean. Water flows from a 5-gallon (18.9 liter) bottle through a hose to the blade guide where the blade enters the log. A valve in the bottle cap controls the amount of water flow.
Page 53
Setup & Operation Water Lube Operation See Figure 3-15. Open the valve on the water bottle to start water flow to the blade. Turn valve counterclockwise to open; Clockwise to close 3H0129 FIG. 3-15 Not all types of wood require the use of the Water Lube System. When it is needed, use just enough water to keep the blade clean.
Setup & Operation Transporting the Sawmill 3.15 Transporting the Sawmill The assembled sawmill can be transported in an appropriately equipped pickup truck: 1. Adjust the saw head up just far enough so it will clear the sides of your truck bed when loaded.
Page 55
Setup & Operation Transporting the Sawmill 7. Use two people to lift the end of the mill still on the ground and slide the sawmill into the truck bed. WARNING! Keep all persons out of the path of the saw head while loading and unloading the sawmill.
Page 57
Wood-Mizer LT15 Short Interval Maintenance Schedule (Check engine and option manuals for additional maintenance procedures) PROCEDURE MANUAL REFERENCE EVERY BLADE CHANGE SEE SECTION 4.2 Check Blade Guide Roller Performance SEE SECTION 4.2 Remove Excess Sawdust From Blade Wheel Housings And Sawdust Chute EVERY 8 HOURS SEE SECTION 4.3...
Page 59
WOOD-MIZER LT15 MAINTENANCE LOG (Check Engine And Option Manuals For Additional Maintenance Procedures) PROCEDURE MANUAL TOTAL HOURS OF OPERATION REFERENCE FILL IN THE DATE AND THE MACHINE HOURS AS YOU PERFORM EACH PROCEDURE. A SHADED BOX INDICATES MAINTENANCE IS NOT NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
Page 60
WOOD-MIZER LT15 MAINTENANCE LOG (Check Engine And Option Manuals For Additional Maintenance Procedures) PROCEDURE MANUAL TOTAL HOURS OF OPERATION REFERENCE FILL IN THE DATE AND THE MACHINE HOURS AS YOU PERFORM EACH PROCEDURE. A SHADED BOX INDICATES MAINTENANCE IS NOT NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
Page 61
WOOD-MIZER LT15 MAINTENANCE LOG (Check Engine And Option Manuals For Additional Maintenance Procedures) PROCEDURE MANUAL TOTAL HOURS OF OPERATION REFERENCE FILL IN THE DATE AND THE MACHINE HOURS AS YOU PERFORM EACH PROCEDURE. A SHADED BOX INDICATES MAINTENANCE IS NOT NEEDED AT THIS TIME.
Maintenance Wear Life SECTION 4 MAINTENANCE This section lists the maintenance procedures that need to be performed. The Short Interval Maintenance Schedule lists procedures that need to be performed every 4, 8 or 25 hours.The Maintenance Log lists procedures that need to be performed every 50, 100, 200, or 1000 hours.
Maintenance Carriage Track & Rollers Carriage Track & Rollers See Figure 4-1. 1. Clean the track rails to remove any sawdust and sap buildup every eight hours of opera- tion. 2. Remove sawdust from the track roller housings. Remove the track roller housing covers and brush any sawdust buildup from the housings.
Maintenance Miscellaneous Lubrication Miscellaneous Lubrication 1. Oil all chains with Dexron III ATF every fifty hours of operation. CAUTION! Do not use chain lube. It causes sawdust buildup in chain links. 2. Lubricate the tensioner screw with a NLGI No. 2 grade lithium grease as needed. See Figure 4-2.
Maintenance Blade Wheel Belts Blade Wheel Belts 1. Rotate the blade wheel belts and check them for wear. Rotating the belts every 50 hours will give you longer belt life. Replace belts as necessary. Use only B57 belts manufac- tured by Goodyear or Browning. 2.
1. Check the drive belt tension after the first 20 hours, and every 50 hours thereafter. Drive belt adjustment differs according to the specified motor or engine. See the Wood-Mizer Motor or Engine Option manual supplied with your mill for specific adjustment instruc- tions.
Page 69
Troubleshooting Guide Sawing Problems SECTION 5 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Sawing Problems PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Blades Dull Quickly Dirty logs Clean or debark logs, espe- cially on entry side of the cut When grinding teeth, heating Grind just enough metal to too much and causing teeth to restore sharpness to the soften teeth.
Troubleshooting Guide Sawing Problems PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION Boards Thick Or Thin On Stress in log which causes log After log has been squared, Ends Or Middle Of Board to not lay flat on the bed take equal cuts off opposing sides.
Alignment Pre-Alignment Procedures SECTION 6 ALIGNMENT Pre-Alignment Procedures Periodically check the sawmill alignment and adjust if necessary. This chapter explains how to align the entire sawmill. Care should be taken in performing these steps. Sawmill alignment determines the accuracy and squareness of your cuts. The sawmill alignment steps are: 1.
Alignment Preparing The Sawmill For Alignment Preparing The Sawmill For Alignment Before performing the following alignment procedures, setup the mill on firm, level ground. String the bed and adjust the legs so the frame is level as described in Section 3.1.
Alignment Blade Installation and Alignment Blade Installation and Alignment Install a blade and apply the appropriate tension as shown in Section 3.3. 1. Raise the middle blade housing cover and make sure all persons are clear of the open side of the saw head. 2.
Page 74
Alignment Blade Installation and Alignment 150060 1/8" (3.0 m ) ± 1/32" (0.75 m m ) 1 1/4" Blade FIG. 6-1 To adjust where the blade travels on the idle-side blade wheel, use the cant control shown in Figure 5-1. If the blade is too far forward on the wheels, turn the cant control counterclockwise.
Alignment Blade Guide Arm Alignment Blade Guide Arm Alignment Before aligning the blade guide arm, track the blade on the blade wheels as described in Section 3.4. Move the carriage so the blade is positioned over the first bed rail. Level the blade to the bed rail as shown in Section 3.1.
Page 76
Alignment Blade Guide Arm Alignment Horizontal Alignment See Figure 6-3. 1. With the blade guide arm still all the way in toward the other blade guide, tighten all the side screws until they touch the arm. Back the screws off 1/4 turn and tighten the jam nuts.
Aligning The Blade Guides Aligning The Blade Guides Each Wood-Mizer sawmill has two blade guide assemblies that help the blade maintain a straight cut. The two blade guide assemblies are positioned on the saw head to guide the blade on each side of the material being cut.
Alignment Blade Deflection Blade Deflection Perform the following steps to achieve proper blade deflection with the blade guides. 1. Raise the carriage until the blade is 15" (375 mm) above a bed rail. Measure the actual distance with a tape from the top of the rail to the bottom of the blade. See Figure 6-4.
Alignment Blade Guide Vertical Tilt Adjustment Blade Guide Vertical Tilt Adjustment Check that the blade guide does not tilt the blade up or down. A Blade Guide Alignment Tool (BGAT) is provided to help you measure the vertical tilt of the blade. 1.
Page 80
Alignment Blade Guide Vertical Tilt Adjustment See Figure 6-6. Loosen jam nuts and turn screws to tilt roller up or down SM0070 FIG. 6-6 8. Move the carriage forward so the back end of the tool is over the bed rail. 9.
Alignment Blade Guide Spacing Blade Guide Spacing HINT: When adjusting blade guide spacing, loosen the top set screw and one side set screw only. This will insure horizontal and vertical tilt adjustments are maintained when the set screws are retightened. 1.
Alignment Horizontal Tilt Adjustment Horizontal Tilt Adjustment 1. Finally, both blade guides must be tilted horizontally. Adjust the blade guide arm half way See Figure 6-8. FIG. 6-8 2. Place Blade Guide Alignment Tool against the face of the outer blade guide roller. 3.
Alignment Side Supports 6.10 Side Supports Logs and boards are clamped against the side supports when sawing. The sides supports must be square to the bed to ensure square lumber. 1. Place a flat board across the bed rails. See Figure 6-9. Side Support Adjustment Bolt 150039...
Alignment Blade Height Scale Adjustment 6.11 Blade Height Scale Adjustment After the entire sawmill has been aligned and all adjustments made, check that the blade height scale indicates the true distance from the blade to the bed rails. 1. Move the saw head so the blade is positioned directly above one of the bed rails. Mea- sure from the bottom edge on a down-set tooth of the blade to the top of the bed rail (or stainless steel sleeve if applicable).
Need help?
Do you have a question about the LT15 G13 and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers