As a reminder with winter coming (Looks like it is already here for Jeff and some other members) a trick I learned here is to be sure at the end of sawing every day be sure to raise those hydraulic lifting arms/feet up so they don't get frozen to the ground. I leave mine up at the end of every job now basically in the travel position with the arms and the feet off the ground. Its simple and can save you a lot of grief.
Another thing I do is remove my lube tank and go store it in my pump house shed where it is heated and can't freeze. I also blow any remaining water out of the line so the water in the tube can't freeze. I know some of you add windshield washer fluid and other tricks to keep it from freezing but I have had mine frozen solid and don't want cracked fitting or lines or such.
I haven't figured out a technique to keep the feet from freezing to the ground. I guess I could be sure they are all on wooden blocks. I have had to chip them free in the past when moving the mill in the winter after a rain followed by a hard freeze. I guess I could raise all of the feet except the one under the tongue. I'd just have to lower them before starting the mill again if used in the same location. If any of you have a good solution to that issue please post it.
I gather some people change to a lighter hydraulic fluid but I use the multi-temp recommended by WM and that has not been an issue for me yet.
For those of you with other winter reminders please post them now. Thanks.
I set mine up today in my yard to saw. I am finished travelling till spring and hope to clean up my yard over the next couple of weeks. I like the idea of raising the loading arms and feet.
I placed all my feet on dry wooden blocks.
I have -50 windshield washer and pinesol for lube.
I put gas stabilizer in all my gas.
I am new to this milling thing and expect to get minimal work done this winter on it because mine is down in the woods and uncovered. I do however have many decades of working and playing in the woods through the winter. We had flurries when I was working on Saturday and might have something more substantial coming in Friday morning. For me, as I get older (63 now), winter means more about taking care of myself. I work alone and a simple fall can mean real trouble. That which was mud and easily kicked out of the way a few weeks ago will soon be frozen concrete like ruts that can trip any of us. I step much more carefully, dress in multiple layers to stay comfortable and not overloaded and I take my time with every thing I do and work with a purpose. Staying hydrated is harder to do in the winter and I try to remember that ( I got taken down for 2 days while camping in February at -20F because I didn't hydrate and started to lose both my coordination and my mind for a bit, very frightening but I had good mates to care for me). My mill site isn't flat and clean like most of those I've seen here, mine is sloped and has many stumps cleaned off at ground level, but they have tripped me up. I don't go down as pretty as I used to these days Because where I don't have stumps I have rock and I try to protect myself from that as I fall. I try to avoid that but still get caught (twice this past weekend). Just be careful and take your time, take care of your body (eat, drink, be warm, etc.). Get re-adjusted to having your nose run all day, loss of feeling in your finger tips (or more) and toes that don't quite work right. If it gets bad, get out, just call it a day. These are all things I have done wrong in the past and paid for. Better to end the day early and still get in a full day the next day, than to push it and wind up laid up for a day or two. Maybe that's not much from a milling greenhorn, but it's what I have. Just keep plodding along and listen to your body.
Greenhorn,
Thanks. Good advice. I also find I don't bounce nearly as high or as well as I used to. :o I'll try to watch the hydration better this season.
You mentioned in an earlier thread about your mill being uncovered. Does that mean the head and engine are exposed or just the frame? My mill has a cover for the head and I use it religiously but the rest of the mill is exposed. If nothing is covered at a minimum I'd get a good tarp and throw over the head unit. Stay safe.
I did have a 40' tarp covering the area, but I took it down for the season on Sunday, knowing the weather would do it for me eventually. I do cover and wrap the mill at the end of each work session. Eventually I expect to put a 'doghouse' at one end of the mill to park it in, but I only just got the mill and have no time to do it this year. So much to do and so little time.
If you dont want to go up on wood blocks, put some scraps of aluminum flashing or maybe stainless sheet under your mill stsbilizers sprayed with pam. Itll sure shoot snow and ice off a roof.
Quote from: mike_belben on November 13, 2018, 07:36:30 AM
If you dont want to go up on wood blocks, put some scraps of aluminum flashing or maybe stainless sheet under your mill stsbilizers sprayed with pam. Itll sure shoot snow and ice off a roof.
I thought of that, but then the mill will slide on them when i load or turn a log
My mill head gets covered every time I finish for the day, summer and winter. The tracks remain exposed, but they are not hurt by snow or ice. I no longer saw during the winter unless it is for me or a small job for a friend.
I use a diesel/bar oil lube so don't worry about the lube freezing.
I added two 7' long sections of R-panel as a temporary roof and it works so well that I think this will be my permanent protection for the mill. I can't believe how well this simple roof keeps everything dry and out of the sun. Also, the shade travels with me as I am sawing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47680/20180402_111546~3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1523412774)
I have NOT towed the mill down the highway with this roof so I have no idea how it will perform at 60 mph.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20181114_103302_378.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1542220607)
That time of year again... (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/snowman.gif) (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
I try to run pure water as long as I can, but lube tank was freezing solid over night, and I had to switch over. Stocked up on washer fluid while everything was on sale at the local big box hardware store.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20181114_103359_493.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1542220609)
Note for anyone with LT28 or similar mill with the manual blade height crank, the handle can freeze up and the index pin will not move, locking the head in the down position. Make sure to warm it up with a hair dryer and twist the locking collar with a pliers to free it up, BEFORE you tow the mill to the log pile. Don't use a blow torch or the spring will loose it's temper. (Don't ask me how I know). Also the hand crank feed rope can freeze solid if it gets cold enough, I leave mine off in winter.
My edger has the same style of handle to adjust the width, and it gave me fits now and then. I took the handle apart and liberally applied never-size to the rod and tube, might be a once a year fix but it does not sick any longer.
Quote from: Resonator on November 14, 2018, 02:02:47 PM(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20181114_103359_493.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1542220609)
Note for anyone with LT28 or similar mill with the manual blade height crank, the handle can freeze up and the index pin will not move, locking the head in the down position. Make sure to warm it up with a hair dryer and twist the locking collar with a pliers to free it up, BEFORE you tow the mill to the log pile. Don't use a blow torch or the spring will loose it's temper. (Don't ask me how I know). Also the hand crank feed rope can freeze solid if it gets cold enough, I leave mine off in winter.
Do I look like I need/use a hair dryer? :D I don't know if my leaf blower would be blowing warmer air or not but thanks for the tip.
I don't use a hair dryer either (had to borrow one). (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif) I'll have to try using anti-seize like Southside logger suggested. (https://forestryforum.com/board/Smileys/default/thumb.gif)
Resonator, how much did all of that windshield washer fluid cost? That's more than I buy for my small fleet of vehicles in an entire year.
The washer fluid was $1.55 a gallon on sale, plus I will get 11% rebate back in the mail. It's a consumable item that I don't want to run out of while sawing, so I stock up.
Drain your condensate bowl on carbs if you have one. This one broke the casting when it froze last year because I forgot. (Right side is where it's supposed to be.)
>:( ::)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/44195/Old_carb.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1509218739)
Any hints on the air springs for manual mills. I only blew them one year leaving the saw outside in freezing temps, normally it's kept in the garage after most days of cutting.
Does the seal just break or will the same hair dryer make it expand and just give a quick warm on the cold days.
Offfgrid,
Sorry I can't help with that question but there are a lot of people here smarter than me who have similar equipment and let's hope they chime in with an answer for you.