cleaning a Wood-Mizer

davidlarson · March 09, 2014, 10:32:31 PM

I bought a 1995 Wood-Mizer LT-40 recently and have been learning how to use it. It is in reasonably good shape after 19 years, but it had accumulated some dirt, oil and grease stains, even lichen, and other discolorations. Spring is coming, and I wanted to clean it up for the start of the milling season. I called the W-M help number, and was told it would not hurt it to use my pressure washer on it. Yesterday was a warm spring day here, so it got a good washing, and now it looks much better. I haven't fired it up yet, but my guess is that it will be about 12% more efficient now that it is cleaner. My old pick-up truck always gets better gas mileage after I wash it. lol
David L.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · March 09, 2014, 10:38:49 PM

Nothing like a good bath David. :D

terrifictimbersllc · March 09, 2014, 10:45:19 PM

Probably good to get the salt off too

backwoods sawyer · March 10, 2014, 01:08:38 AM

A good cleaning can help more then just the looks of the mill. I take mine to the car wash ever so often, just make sure you have good seals on all your electrical boxes as they don't like moistur in them.
Be careful when using the presure washer on the fins of the radiator, spent some time straightening mine once after using a good presure washer on it, car wash is lower presure.
Have a show sheduled for the 27th will give the mill a good scrubbing before it gose out to the collage, as it has sap stain, road grime, sawdust packed everywhere, and some fresh cow manure splattered on for good measure ;D
When the weather warms up brake out the turtle wax and a small buffer it helps keep the yucky stuff from sticking as much ;D 8)

Magicman · March 10, 2014, 08:09:36 AM

Between baths, a leaf blower does a good job tidying it up.

rhino135 · March 10, 2014, 11:58:47 AM

A good degreaser spray will help with the pitch, and at the end of the day of sawing a gas blower works wonders.

drobertson · March 10, 2014, 12:10:30 PM

Power washer is the way to go for an annual cleaning for sure, david

LittleJohn · March 10, 2014, 02:23:40 PM

Quote from: backwoods sawyer on March 10, 2014, 01:08:38 AM
... a show sheduled for the 27th will give the mill a good scrubbing before it gose out to the collage, as it has sap stain, road grime, sawdust packed everywhere, and some fresh cow manure splattered on for good measure ;D
When the weather warms up brake out the turtle wax and a small buffer it helps keep the yucky stuff from sticking as much ;D 8)

I thought that was the whole purpose of dragging the mill down the road was to shake loose all that sawdust and stuf that stuck. :D :D
...but leaf blower is a good idea for end of day clean up!!!!

Nomad · March 10, 2014, 06:59:42 PM

[quote author=LittleJohn link=topic=73533.msg1113394#msg1113394 date=13944758
I thought that was the whole purpose of dragging the mill down the road was to shake loose all that sawdust and stuf that stuck. :D :D
...but leaf blower is a good idea for end of day clean up!!!!
[/quote]

Be very careful with that. I used to think the same way. Until a nice young lady from the FDOT stopped me and told me if she saw me do that again it'd cost me a fine I couldn't afford to pay.
Soon as I got the mill home I went out and bought a leaf blower! :

fishpimp · March 10, 2014, 08:09:35 PM

My up/down motor acts funny after a bath. No more clean mill!

Magicman · March 10, 2014, 08:16:05 PM

That does not sound like a funny kind of funny. I would be thinking about waterproofing or a rain shield.

fishpimp · March 10, 2014, 10:01:49 PM

Does FDOT have nothing better to do???
I got a speeding ticket by state trooper. Was asked what was the strange odor in the car. He leaned closer . He said " it's smells like wood... Like cedar..." The wifey thought it was funny.
He didn't 208$ later

Chuck White · March 10, 2014, 10:34:45 PM

QuoteBe very careful with that. I used to think the same way. Until a nice young lady from the FDOT stopped me and told me if she saw me do that again it'd cost me a fine I couldn't afford to pay.
Soon as I got the mill home I went out and bought a leaf blower!

I've been warned about the same thing, never got a ticket though, and only did it once!

LittleJohn · March 11, 2014, 08:46:20 AM

I have never been stopped/warned about sawdust coming off of the mill, but then again I don't move it all that often except when its dark out ;)

A few years ago picked up a load of wood chip for the house, got a killer deal from a family freind - about 8 yards, loaded into the old mans 1-ton duallie with the sidewalls up. Before I left the guy in the yard said I have better tarp the load or the cops will get me for litering, so I tarp it all up. Sure as the sky is blue, half way between the yard and the interstate (less than 2 mile) there is a cop sitting waiting to pick up poor smucks who didn't listen.

On the same trip I got to fill some yuppies BWM with a little exhaust from the duallie; going up a hill on the interstate, poor fool desides to slow down, so I pass and put the foot to the floor; look back to see a nice plume of exhaust blowing all over his car :laugh:

backwoods sawyer · March 11, 2014, 10:32:45 PM

If the truck was not fully loaded I would carry a leaf blower, always just brush the heavy stuff off by hand.
Was cleaning up the mill as I was putting it in travel mode at a local tree services yard and he asked if I had got a "Sifting" ticket. I had never been stopped just using an ounce of prevention. He had got one recently while hauling chips back to the yard.

I have had to replace the bearing and seal on the up down motor twice, lot of side pull on that motor. The first time I washed the mill I found water in several places it should not have been. Fresh seals on the control boxes sealed out the water and the sawdust. I like clean dry control boxes to work with.