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Word to the wise

Started by lynches lumber, October 23, 2011, 07:56:37 AM

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Jeff

Its a freaking sawmill.  If you are not going to be using it, fine, wash it cover it, put it away. If its sawing lumber everyday, saw lumber. You don't need to be washing a mill every couple days or even couple weeks or months if you are using it regularly.

Blowing it off is something different. The big mill I ran was washed once a year during our mandatory maintenance week.  That week everything was blown off, washed and inspected. Every night we cleaned up sawdust, picked up debris, and did general cleaning around the mill, but an industrial machine that is running every day does not need to be spit shined and polished to be efficient or well maintained. Adding regular unnecessary moisture to the mix, especially when you have electrical components is just asking for headaches down the road.

Sawdust is not dirt, it is a by-product.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

lynches lumber

Gracious, have we hit a pet peave there jeff. Have you hugged your mill today? :D

tcsmpsi

I've never washed my mill with water.  I do, however, utilize the effective effeciency of a leafblower after every few logs, and keep it well maintained and the area around it clean.  That is a fundamental safety procedure.  I have a 'phobia' (if one wishes) in keeping all my tools and equipment clean and maintained.  Grinds my bottom line for me to allow my investments ill taken care of.  

Now, if I were hauling my mill around, where it has contacts with all sorts of elements (mud, salt, sand,road grunge, etc.), then I could certainly see washing it as reasonable/necessary.
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

Jeff

My peave would be, someone assuming that a piece of equipment is not properly maintained by its appearance, and reflecting a negative business ethic from that upon the person or business that owns and runs it.  Mr. Tom had this same peave, and if he were able he would tell you the same thing, because its something he and I talked about. A sawmill should have sawdust on it from one end to the other because that means it is sawing lumber. 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Tom L

Quote from: Jeff on October 24, 2011, 02:45:28 PM
My peave would be, someone assuming that a piece of equipment is not properly maintained by its appearance, and reflecting a negative business ethic from that upon the person or business that owns and runs it.  Mr. Tom had this same peave, and if he were able he would tell you the same thing, because its something he and I talked about. A sawmill should have sawdust on it from one end to the other because that means it is sawing lumber. 

Jeff, opinions do differ. I am stating this above because this is what I have experience in 30 yrs of manufacturing. not thru any assumptions but from experience.(be it right or wrong) The whole picture comes together on the work floor of any business. Piles of stuff, be it steel chips or wood chips not cleaned up regularly and the equipment that is used everyday not looking good will turn off many potential customers. mainly because they see this as a mess, and then just assume (be it right or wrong) that the rest of it is a mess and don't want to invest their time and money in a place that appears to be disorganized.  Lots of normal customers don't understand that the machine works fine. That I spent 10 hrs a week making sure that it works right.
they just see the appearance in a glance. like when my mother in law comes over the house, I live their everyday and think its fine, she shows up and one glance tells me I am a slob. she doesn't want to eat over
so I think it is more than fine.

I found all this out a long time ago when a big customer walked in my shop. he didn't care if I could fabricate what he needed, he took a long look around and figured out for himself that I couldn't do the work
only from looking at the appearance. He was dead wrong. but I never saw a pound of work out of the guy.

and my pet peave is coffee pots, why can't a company make a pot that doesn't leak all over the counter when you pore a cup of coffee.




sorry to derail the thread.  and good luck with your new mill lynches lumber.

inspectorwoody

We don't spit shine any of our equipment at the mill either.

Like Jeff said, it gets blown off good every night and everything gets swept up and put where it needs to go.

We have customers, insurance guys etc. that walk through so we have to keep things clean and in order.

The only water hitting the machines comes from a mist dust suppression system we have.

The only rant I have about my mill is the fact the guy let it sit out for 6 months. Never attempted to cover it will a tarp or anything, but like I said, I knew what I was buying and was some what prepared for the work.

Like someone else said, you'll know your mill from one end to the other and that is good.

Could have bought a new one but I wouldn't have had the hands on experience like I do now.

Keep your head up, fix what you have too and just keep it clean enough so everything functions as it should and roll with it.  :)

I'll be the first to admit, I've got pretty frustrated with mine but that is when I just walk away and come back later.

Nobody has mentioned it but if you don't have pictures, hard for us to see how bad it is.  :D Think that might be an FF rule or something.  ;D

WH_Conley

I guess I am on the other end of the spectrum. Look in that sawdust pile and you will find a mill somewhere. ;) About once a year I will get the pressure washer out and cut the old grease and oil off. The rest of the time it is just the air hose or leaf blower, except in the winter time, then the blade guides get a bath every day.
Bill

lynches lumber

Well now Im just totally confused ??? :D   Tom L I agree with ya on the coffee pot. Darn we sent a man to the moon, coffee pots aren't rocket science.

paul case

Quote from: Jeff on October 24, 2011, 02:45:28 PM
My peave would be, someone assuming that a piece of equipment is not properly maintained by its appearance, and reflecting a negative business ethic from that upon the person or business that owns and runs it.  Mr. Tom had this same peave, and if he were able he would tell you the same thing, because its something he and I talked about. A sawmill should have sawdust on it from one end to the other because that means it is sawing lumber. 

That is where I am at too.
I have traded a lot of tractors in the past and I was always afraid of one with not enough hours and was all dolled up. I like to use tools that have their work clothes on. Shiny spots and scarred up paint don't hurt nuthin. Gives it character. How else will we remember how it got those marks?
Just saying.
PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

beenthere

No one else to impress but ourselves. If we like 'em shiny, so be it. If we like 'em dirty or covered with sawdust etc., so be it.  8)

Or are we trying to impress someone else? I don't think so. ;)

What comes to mind is how great Lou's sawmill looked in the pics. But then, I thought Bibby's looked great in his saw shed too.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Meadows Miller

Gday

Jeeze Fellas I didn't mean to start an argument  :o :) ;) :D What I meant was that when you are pulling something down its better to give it a new coat to protect it esp when rust is involved  ;) I wash mine because I can as I have the washer sitting setup beside the driveway plus i dont like to see build ups of sawdust on the frame as thats where moisture gets hel by the sawdust and thats where you will start seeing the paint lifting for a start  ;)

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

tcsmpsi

And I suppose that brings us back to the original...Rust.  Many times, sawdust is damp as it is sawn, and it will accumulate dampness/water in its environment.   A notable accumulation of it recognized as probable long term buildup, on any iron compound (table saw, jointer, sawmill, planer, etc.) would seem a cause for inspection for determining the overall quality of the equipment.

I would utilize the phosphoric acid compounds (available under many commercial names) for rust 'removal' as opposed to other methods.   The phosphoric acid turns the rust/iron oxide into iron phosphate which is an inert compound.   Though I would likely not take a big drink of any of it, it is not known to be, nor have I found it to be environmentally harmful.

The typical coffee pot of today, we find, to be notably lacking in long term capability.    :D  We have tried all sorts and brands.  Not found one yet that will last a year. 
As of this moment, we find, that the $8.95 version of the 12 cup coffee maker is up the $179.95 version in time served.   :) 
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

Cedarman

I look at wood detritus in the mill a lot different than I look at coke cans, wrappers and trash.  Better not be any trash in my mill, but wood waste is a different matter altogether.  Just the way the machines are designed it puts a lot of stuff on the floor. 
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Woodchuck53

I'm with you there Cedarman. My pet peeve would be someone (my brother) forgetting and lighting up a cancer stick. I stop the carriage and look at him till he figures it out. The other day the same with his lunch debris. With a bin right there no less. I don't think he's slow just treats everyone's place like his I guess. It always needs a good cleaning.                                                                                               The mill I'm using right now is blown off after each group of logs are sawn and before I start  someone else's load. And since it belongs to a good friend of mine it is well oiled repaired as needed.
Keeps us good friends.
Case 1030 w/ Ford FEL, NH 3930 w/Ford FEL, Ford 801 backhoe/loader, TMC 4000# forklift, Stihl 090G-60" bar, 039AV, and 038, Corley 52" circle saw, 15" AMT planer Corley edger, F-350 1 ton, Ford 8000, 20' deck for loader and hauling, F-800 40' bucket truck, C60 Chevy 6 yd. dump truck.

SwampDonkey

In my shop during the long winters, it may not be spotless, but I have to keep up with the sanding dust,shavings and sawdust removal. But by season end, it's all thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed and I apply appropriate top coat to metal table tops because it's a damp place in the summer humidity. This regiment has worked well and kept stuff in shape for the last 20 years that I've had a shop. This is how I would look at a mill. While it's being used, just the basic cleaning to get the work done. If it sat for any time everything would be cleaned up thoroughly. ;D Since I would be too selfish to saw for anyone else,  :D the saw would always be under a nice shed. Or at least, they would be doing all the log rolling, tailing and blade buying and I would be doing all the slicing. :D ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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