If washers are not the thickness you want. Caster/camber alignment shims available at Amazon comes in kit with sizes 1/64-1/32-1/16-1/8. I bought these for my old 1965 Chevrolet. This may allow you to get very fine adjustment. I have never seen a Sawmill. I am just an old car guy. Hope this can help.
I’m actually right now putting one together. Their instructions are messed up from step one. When you connect the silver pieces to the cross bunks and they have you tighten them.....your figthing a losing battle from that point forward. I installed those finger tight instead of tightening them all the way put all my track together with a 4 foot straight edge I then levels the track front to rear and side to side going off the track itself, then I leveled the cross bunks and tightened them. They really leave a ton of details out to really make this true through and through. Once the carriage was put together and tight it had a Little Rock to it I lossened everything back up and resettled square, there tighten procedure for the carriage slowly draws everything out of square. I don’t have all the engine and band wheels on yet I’ll have to watch for this when I get there! Thanks for all the info on this mill! I actually took your advice from another video and installed my last bunk one bolt set forward as I built the track!
Norwoods instructions leave a lot to be desired but when you get it all trued up and level you will be happy. Watch for the plumb of your blade drive wheels when you're assembling it and watch the spacing of the blade guides. Over time the blade guides will get out of adjustment so keep that in mind. Every sawmill has its problems, knowing them is key so you know how to adjust it when something isn't right. :)
My blade was going up by about 1/4 of an inch in the first 2 to 4 feet of cut. The carriage wheels are on elongated holes on the front and rear so I moved them until the blade was slightly upwards from level. cuts nice and straight now.
Thanks to you and the kind person who shared this fix with you! I just went out to my mill and you were bang on with the issue with the blade and deck tipping forward. The washer trick is excellent! I'll do a wee bit of sawing soon to test out the fix. many thanks and I'll update you with my progress on my HD36! Best J
Have you ever had an issue with belts wearing out that may cause a band to dip out of level? The operator side dips down and the off side is level on the band. The deck is now level- thanks to the washer trick.
@@SceneryFarm I have noticed that my belts have worn into what I would call a comfortable place on the wheels but there should be some tension on the blade guides to keep the blade level across the cutting area. :)
Hmm, well the sawdust you showed on the top of the blade, for me caked on the belt on the operator side wheel. I scraped all of the cakes on sawdust off and it is flatter now. Between your fix and two I tried, the band is pretty level now. The arbor that is connected to the tension t handle drops down quite a lot on the pivot point. I packed it up with washers and that helped a great deal. Also, the vertical aluminum 2x6 tube was leaning forward. I loosened the top bolts and ratchet strapped them back to my truck and retightened them. They are now 90deg from the bed. I might do a video on that... Again Obliged for the video.
I have the LM29 also and I changed to the ceramic guides. They are a little pricey but they cured the diving problem and are a lot quieter. Just finished converted mine to power feed and power head lift with wheel chair motors. It works like a dream now.
Wouldn't it be nice for all cutting equipment to cut straight and true, right out of the box! Nothing worse than when a tool fails to preform it's intended function without being tinkered with. Cut-off saws, miter saws, band saws, etc, seem to be the bane of my existence, wasting materials, time and money. Never trust the manufacturers labels intended for setting the degrees of cut, blade angle, surface angle/level. Always check with a square and spirit level when possible and save yourself from future headaches. I hate thinking I've messed something up because of user error, when in fact, it was the equipment/tool all along. I'm happy for you that you got this issue all figured out and may your future milling be a more pleasant in devour.
Yes, and a huge thank you to the world for watching and helping me figure this problem out. I don't know how long I would have tinkered with other things before I would have checked the blade for level. There's no adjustment for level so it never had crossed my mind.
Sorry for the late reply, but this just appeared on my main screen. You shouldn't have slack in the cables when it is lowered down. There should always be a bit of tension on them. That keeps it from shifting when you raise or lower the carriage. The way to level the blade is with the tracking adjustments on the bandwheels. When you adjust the tracking so the blade rides forward (meaning the teeth side of the blade sticks out more) it also tilts the blade upwards. If the blade is tracking too far back on the wheels (the smooth side of the blade sticks out behind the bandwheels) it tilts the blade down. This is a common adjustment on all bandsaws. Their instructions tell you that riding the bandwheels even with the gullets is just a starting point. Tracking should be adjusted forward or back to fine tune the level of the blade.
Thank you for the reply and the information. knowledge is always welcome on this channel. I do a bit of milling but not enough to know everything about the mill. Thanks again. :)
There is adjustment in the four wheels that run on the tracks that’s how I adjusted mine it was too low in the front I just loosened the two front wheels and lifted the front until the blade was level with the bunks and tightened back the bolts
I don't like relying on a wheel adjustment that can move over time, but yes someone could get some adjustment out of the wheels on the track. I love my Norwood sawmill but my opinion is that there should be an adjustment on the blade wheels to account for pitch. Thanks for watching. :)
Don't forget that when you push the blade into the cut it will add the resistance to counteract the cantilever effect the pick point puts on the saw frame. So if you start level and push into a cut, you may cause it to dive.
This is true but the saw head on my machine was already in a dive before pushing on the mill to make a cut. At least starting out level gives it a fighting chance. lol :)
I have an LM29 that I bought new from Norwood last year. I've also noticed the slop in the deck, I don't have a problem with the blade diving into the cut if the blade is sharp but if the blade starts to get dull it dives. With this fix I bet I could get a few more cuts out of a blade before I change the blade. The thing I have a gripe with is the log and cant clamps on the mill. I'm not happy with them at all, several times the clamp will fall off and the log or cant and will bind the blade. I have purchase the clamps from another sawmill company and adapted to my LM29 and it works a hole lot better. I tried to get Norwood to sell me the clamps from the HD36 and I wanted to adapt them, but they would not sell them to me.
I am working on the clamping system for my mill also. I don't like the way the deck flexes when I clamp a log in really tight. What clamping system did you get? I'm surprised Norwood wouldn't sell you the clamps for a HD36.
@@KoalityofLife I got one log clamp from a Wood-Mizer called "Replacement clamp retro assembly for LT10, LT15" and one log clamp from a Timbery 285. I like the Wood-Mizer one better.
I have an lm29 and I am having the same issue. I am going to try your fix in the next couple days. What thickness washers did you use? Have you noticed any more blade diving following this fix?
The thickness of the washer depends on the amount the machine is out of plumb. Make sure your track is perfectly level, then put a level on the saw head and use washers to prop the level up until the bubble is at the level point. Thats how I figured out the thickness of washer to level my machine. I have not had anymore blade diving problems since the fix. :)
i have the HD36 and have this problem and added the washers like you did but the deck is now level with the track. BUT! with the blade tightened i set a level perpendicular on the band blade itself and it is still angled down where it will be diving in the cut..guides are set with couple thou tolerances in between the blade. I dont know what the deal is..
I'm not familiar with the HD36 but the blade needs to be level with the track. About all I can say is keep working at leveling the blade. Once my blade was level with the track milling was 100% nicer. No more adding soap to the water to keep the blade clean. Sorry, I wish I had a fix for you but I don't. :)
Wouldn’t it be better to make a new hdpe bushing with a tighter tolerance around the posts? From past experience I don’t trust plastic levels, I like the stabila torpedo levels.
If you have the ability to make new bushings I would say go for it, this is just a simple fix about anybody can do. I have used this level for years, double checking builds with a 6 foot level and never had a problem with it. :)
I don’t own a mill, I was looking at Norwood, woodmizer and woodland mills. They each have their pluses and minuses. Did the washers, shim out the issue?
@@mitchellkasdin1899 Yes they worked great. The thing for me when I was looking into getting a mill was the price for what I was getting. How big a log I could mill and the basic strength of the mill head and track system. I knew I would be modifying any mill I bought to better suit me but I wanted something good to start with so I wasn't rebuilding the entire mill. And now I want to build a larger mill, something capable of milling 5-6 foot wide and 15 foot long. This will probably never happen but it's on the list somewhere. lol :)
Matt Cremona made some monster mill. You need big trees to drop onto the deck. You could probably sell your mill close to what you paid for it? Norwood has a new 38” mill. I hear you about the price, build quality and cut width. The new Norwood has a 14” throat clearance. So you could mill a 36” slab. Most of the mills are back ordered from woodmizer not as bad for Norwood, because their product line is smaller and their more nimble as a company.
@@mitchellkasdin1899 I love Matt Cremona's channel. The only downfall to having a large mill is needing a forklift to load and unload the massive logs but You can sell the slabs for astronomical prices. Yes I have already had a few offers to buy my mill even though it's not for sale. I could probably make money off it because people don't want to wait, seems like all the mills are backordered. I will build my next mill if I get around to it. Until then I will use this one. :)
I have had my lm29 for 8 years now and i set mine up on a purpose built trailer and my blade runs level with my track . I bet you are still having problems . It is about adjusting your wheels and the blade running level with the track . Blade and track have to run level with each other . Having your track set up on timber is a no no . But what would i know i am just a 70 year old that has benn playing with woodworking machines for over 50 odd years
Umm having your track set up on timber doesn't matter if its all level. I have not had a problem since I installed this fix on my machine. Thanks for watching. :)
I have noticed that the track system seems to be mushrooming where the wheels run. Thats a little disappointing because my mill isn't that old to have this kind of wear. :)
The blade is to small to get an accurate level reading but you can put a level on the wheels that spin the blade and see if they are perpendicular to the track. Thanks for watching.
The first thing I would do is to find a way to move that lift point to a neutral position so it does not #1 cause binding (that WILL result in premature wear) and #2 lifts evenly. Typical poor engineering that I see all the time in my business and on far more expensive machinery. Glad I decided on a different brand but having to wait 11 weeks for delivery sucks. Good fix but I fear your problems aren't over until you re-engineer it even more.
I don't think moving the lift point would be an easy thing to do but I have been checking on the points that might wear out sooner and I don't see any extra wearing on them. I have seen a lot of different brands of sawmills and they all have their faults no matter how expensive they are. For the price I paid I still think I got a good deal on a great mill. :)
@@KoalityofLife just use good common sense and don't be intimidated thinking they must be smarter. I could tell stories for hours of all the engineering mistakes I have had to correct over my career as a repair tech. Laughable if it weren't so annoying. Thats why I own plazma cutters and mig welders lol.
@@fiskfarm Oh, plasma cutter is on the wish list. I already have the MIG welder and plenty of tools to make stuff but I would love to have a plasma cutter, TIG welder, mill, and a lathe. As the channel grows and I get some cash built up I will be growing the shop so I can make more and build more. :)
If washers are not the thickness you want. Caster/camber alignment shims available at Amazon comes in kit with sizes 1/64-1/32-1/16-1/8. I bought these for my old 1965 Chevrolet. This may allow you to get very fine adjustment. I have never seen a Sawmill. I am just an old car guy. Hope this can help.
Never thought of that. Thank you. :)
I’m actually right now putting one together. Their instructions are messed up from step one. When you connect the silver pieces to the cross bunks and they have you tighten them.....your figthing a losing battle from that point forward. I installed those finger tight instead of tightening them all the way put all my track together with a 4 foot straight edge I then levels the track front to rear and side to side going off the track itself, then I leveled the cross bunks and tightened them. They really leave a ton of details out to really make this true through and through. Once the carriage was put together and tight it had a Little Rock to it I lossened everything back up and resettled square, there tighten procedure for the carriage slowly draws everything out of square. I don’t have all the engine and band wheels on yet I’ll have to watch for this when I get there! Thanks for all the info on this mill! I actually took your advice from another video and installed my last bunk one bolt set forward as I built the track!
Norwoods instructions leave a lot to be desired but when you get it all trued up and level you will be happy. Watch for the plumb of your blade drive wheels when you're assembling it and watch the spacing of the blade guides. Over time the blade guides will get out of adjustment so keep that in mind. Every sawmill has its problems, knowing them is key so you know how to adjust it when something isn't right. :)
My blade was going up by about 1/4 of an inch in the first 2 to 4 feet of cut. The carriage wheels are on
elongated holes on the front and rear so I moved them until the blade was slightly upwards from level. cuts nice and straight now.
Very nice. Thanks for watching. :)
Thanks to you and the kind person who shared this fix with you!
I just went out to my mill and you were bang on with the issue with the blade and deck tipping forward.
The washer trick is excellent!
I'll do a wee bit of sawing soon to test out the fix.
many thanks and I'll update you with my progress on my HD36!
Best
J
Hope this fix helps. Thanks for watching and feel free to share this video with anybody you know that might have the same problem. :)
Have you ever had an issue with belts wearing out that may cause a band to dip out of level?
The operator side dips down and the off side is level on the band.
The deck is now level- thanks to the washer trick.
@@SceneryFarm I have noticed that my belts have worn into what I would call a comfortable place on the wheels but there should be some tension on the blade guides to keep the blade level across the cutting area. :)
Hmm, well the sawdust you showed on the top of the blade, for me caked on the belt on the operator side wheel. I scraped all of the cakes on sawdust off and it is flatter now.
Between your fix and two I tried, the band is pretty level now.
The arbor that is connected to the tension t handle drops down quite a lot on the pivot point. I packed it up with washers and that helped a great deal.
Also, the vertical aluminum 2x6 tube was leaning forward.
I loosened the top bolts and ratchet strapped them back to my truck and retightened them.
They are now 90deg from the bed.
I might do a video on that...
Again
Obliged for the video.
@@SceneryFarm You're very welcome. :)
I have the LM29 also and I changed to the ceramic guides. They are a little pricey but they cured the diving problem and are a lot quieter. Just finished converted mine to power feed and power head lift with wheel chair motors. It works like a dream now.
Nice. I had thought about the ceramic guides but don't have the cash for that right now. :)
Good hack and good video
Thank you and thanks for watching. :)
Thanks for the heads up
You're very welcome. :)
Excellent video thank you ,really a need to know.
Thank you and thanks for watching. :)
Wouldn't it be nice for all cutting equipment to cut straight and true, right out of the box!
Nothing worse than when a tool fails to preform it's intended function without being tinkered with.
Cut-off saws, miter saws, band saws, etc, seem to be the bane of my existence, wasting materials, time and money.
Never trust the manufacturers labels intended for setting the degrees of cut, blade angle, surface angle/level. Always check with a square and spirit level when possible and save yourself from future headaches.
I hate thinking I've messed something up because of user error, when in fact, it was the equipment/tool all along.
I'm happy for you that you got this issue all figured out and may your future milling be a more pleasant in devour.
Yes, and a huge thank you to the world for watching and helping me figure this problem out. I don't know how long I would have tinkered with other things before I would have checked the blade for level. There's no adjustment for level so it never had crossed my mind.
Hey thanks to everyone,best advice, what about moving the cables closer to the blade shroud, ill let u know,thanks
I looked into trying to move the cable ends closer to the shrouds when someone in the comments suggested it, but have not tried it yet. :)
Awesome tip! We don’t have a saw mill yet, but will keep this in mind for when we get one. Now go make something 😉
It's a great sawmill for the price, with a few quick easy fixes it makes it even better. :)
Koality of Life Homestead can’t wait to get one!
Sorry for the late reply, but this just appeared on my main screen. You shouldn't have slack in the cables when it is lowered down. There should always be a bit of tension on them. That keeps it from shifting when you raise or lower the carriage. The way to level the blade is with the tracking adjustments on the bandwheels. When you adjust the tracking so the blade rides forward (meaning the teeth side of the blade sticks out more) it also tilts the blade upwards. If the blade is tracking too far back on the wheels (the smooth side of the blade sticks out behind the bandwheels) it tilts the blade down. This is a common adjustment on all bandsaws. Their instructions tell you that riding the bandwheels even with the gullets is just a starting point. Tracking should be adjusted forward or back to fine tune the level of the blade.
Thank you for the reply and the information. knowledge is always welcome on this channel. I do a bit of milling but not enough to know everything about the mill. Thanks again. :)
Good Fix
I cant take credit for the idea but it fixed the problem. :)
There is adjustment in the four wheels that run on the tracks that’s how I adjusted mine it was too low in the front I just loosened the two front wheels and lifted the front until the blade was level with the bunks and tightened back the bolts
I don't like relying on a wheel adjustment that can move over time, but yes someone could get some adjustment out of the wheels on the track. I love my Norwood sawmill but my opinion is that there should be an adjustment on the blade wheels to account for pitch. Thanks for watching. :)
Don't forget that when you push the blade into the cut it will add the resistance to counteract the cantilever effect the pick point puts on the saw frame. So if you start level and push into a cut, you may cause it to dive.
This is true but the saw head on my machine was already in a dive before pushing on the mill to make a cut. At least starting out level gives it a fighting chance. lol :)
I have an LM29 that I bought new from Norwood last year. I've also noticed the slop in the deck, I don't have a problem with the blade diving into the cut if the blade is sharp but if the blade starts to get dull it dives. With this fix I bet I could get a few more cuts out of a blade before I change the blade.
The thing I have a gripe with is the log and cant clamps on the mill. I'm not happy with them at all, several times the clamp will fall off and the log or cant and will bind the blade. I have purchase the clamps from another sawmill company and adapted to my LM29 and it works a hole lot better. I tried to get Norwood to sell me the clamps from the HD36 and I wanted to adapt them, but they would not sell them to me.
I am working on the clamping system for my mill also. I don't like the way the deck flexes when I clamp a log in really tight. What clamping system did you get?
I'm surprised Norwood wouldn't sell you the clamps for a HD36.
I also had problems with the log clamps. I got a set from Woodland Mills and adapted them to the LM29, not hard to do, and they work perfectly.
@@chiskiewoodcreations9575 Good to know, looking into that now. :)
@@KoalityofLife I got one log clamp from a Wood-Mizer called "Replacement clamp retro assembly for LT10, LT15" and one log clamp from a Timbery 285. I like the Wood-Mizer one better.
@@ret96b Nice thank you. :)
I have an lm29 and I am having the same issue. I am going to try your fix in the next couple days. What thickness washers did you use? Have you noticed any more blade diving following this fix?
The thickness of the washer depends on the amount the machine is out of plumb. Make sure your track is perfectly level, then put a level on the saw head and use washers to prop the level up until the bubble is at the level point. Thats how I figured out the thickness of washer to level my machine. I have not had anymore blade diving problems since the fix. :)
Hope that is an improvement / it seems for me that there is always attention to details over the years.
It's working good now. Testing out a few logs today. :)
i have the HD36 and have this problem and added the washers like you did but the deck is now level with the track. BUT! with the blade tightened i set a level perpendicular on the band blade itself and it is still angled down where it will be diving in the cut..guides are set with couple thou tolerances in between the blade. I dont know what the deal is..
I'm not familiar with the HD36 but the blade needs to be level with the track. About all I can say is keep working at leveling the blade. Once my blade was level with the track milling was 100% nicer. No more adding soap to the water to keep the blade clean. Sorry, I wish I had a fix for you but I don't. :)
Wouldn’t it be better to make a new hdpe bushing with a tighter tolerance around the posts? From past experience I don’t trust plastic levels, I like the stabila torpedo levels.
If you have the ability to make new bushings I would say go for it, this is just a simple fix about anybody can do.
I have used this level for years, double checking builds with a 6 foot level and never had a problem with it. :)
I don’t own a mill, I was looking at Norwood, woodmizer and woodland mills. They each have their pluses and minuses. Did the washers, shim out the issue?
@@mitchellkasdin1899 Yes they worked great. The thing for me when I was looking into getting a mill was the price for what I was getting. How big a log I could mill and the basic strength of the mill head and track system. I knew I would be modifying any mill I bought to better suit me but I wanted something good to start with so I wasn't rebuilding the entire mill. And now I want to build a larger mill, something capable of milling 5-6 foot wide and 15 foot long. This will probably never happen but it's on the list somewhere. lol :)
Matt Cremona made some monster mill. You need big trees to drop onto the deck. You could probably sell your mill close to what you paid for it? Norwood has a new 38” mill. I hear you about the price, build quality and cut width. The new Norwood has a 14” throat clearance. So you could mill a 36” slab. Most of the mills are back ordered from woodmizer not as bad for Norwood, because their product line is smaller and their more nimble as a company.
@@mitchellkasdin1899 I love Matt Cremona's channel. The only downfall to having a large mill is needing a forklift to load and unload the massive logs but You can sell the slabs for astronomical prices.
Yes I have already had a few offers to buy my mill even though it's not for sale. I could probably make money off it because people don't want to wait, seems like all the mills are backordered.
I will build my next mill if I get around to it. Until then I will use this one. :)
Can’t you adjust the leveling issue with the tracking adjustment? The hole in the plate has a screw that will adjust the blade angle?
As far as I know this machine does not have a blade level adjustment. :)
I have had my lm29 for 8 years now and i set mine up on a purpose built trailer and my blade runs level with my track .
I bet you are still having problems .
It is about adjusting your wheels and the blade running level with the track .
Blade and track have to run level with each other .
Having your track set up on timber is a no no .
But what would i know i am just a 70 year old that has benn playing with woodworking machines for over 50 odd years
Umm having your track set up on timber doesn't matter if its all level. I have not had a problem since I installed this fix on my machine. Thanks for watching. :)
Hope the fix works 🙁👍
Seems to be going good now. Testing out a few logs today. :)
Level your blade using the
Thanks for watching. :)
The only problem I have ever had with my lm 29 is that its built from cheap Chinese steel.
I have noticed that the track system seems to be mushrooming where the wheels run. Thats a little disappointing because my mill isn't that old to have this kind of wear. :)
That's not how you measure level. you put a small level on the blade when it's not bottomed out and the tensions tight.........
The blade is to small to get an accurate level reading but you can put a level on the wheels that spin the blade and see if they are perpendicular to the track. Thanks for watching.
👍🇷🇺
Thanks for watching. :)
The first thing I would do is to find a way to move that lift point to a neutral position so it does not #1 cause binding (that WILL result in premature wear) and #2 lifts evenly. Typical poor engineering that I see all the time in my business and on far more expensive machinery. Glad I decided on a different brand but having to wait 11 weeks for delivery sucks. Good fix but I fear your problems aren't over until you re-engineer it even more.
I don't think moving the lift point would be an easy thing to do but I have been checking on the points that might wear out sooner and I don't see any extra wearing on them. I have seen a lot of different brands of sawmills and they all have their faults no matter how expensive they are. For the price I paid I still think I got a good deal on a great mill. :)
@@KoalityofLife just use good common sense and don't be intimidated thinking they must be smarter. I could tell stories for hours of all the engineering mistakes I have had to correct over my career as a repair tech. Laughable if it weren't so annoying. Thats why I own plazma cutters and mig welders lol.
@@fiskfarm Oh, plasma cutter is on the wish list. I already have the MIG welder and plenty of tools to make stuff but I would love to have a plasma cutter, TIG welder, mill, and a lathe. As the channel grows and I get some cash built up I will be growing the shop so I can make more and build more. :)