Do you remove your cover when pulling your mill to a mobile site?

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm packed up and ready to go to a mobile job in the morning. I used to remove, fold and store the vinyl cover in the back of my truck for transport but last time it was raining and I was doing a demo for our local USDA/WV Forestry workshop inside their shop so I bungeed the cover down good and transported it under cover. I did not seem to encounter any problems so am doing the same tomorrow and am planning the same tomorrow. Normally if the weather report is bad I just don't travel anyway and the weather for tomorrow is supposed to be good here.

   Anyway it got me to wondering how the rest of you who routinely transport your mill to off-site jobs. Do you normally remove your cover for travel or leave it on during transport? Anybody have any issues or lessons learned to share about traveling with your mill under cover? Thanks for sharing if you do.

[Magicman]

I actually have 4 covers; engine, control panel, fuel & lube jugs, and Debarker.  None are ever removed while traveling.

[WV Sawmiller]

   My mill has one big cover that covers the whole head, engine, debarker and controls unit. It has probably a couple dozen grommet holes scattered along the edge and came with about a dozen rubber bungee cords.

[Southside]

Not sure about traveling with the mill but you should always remove your cover when entering a building.   ;D

[Brucer]

I recall (when I ordered my mill) that Wood-Mizer recommended the large one-piece cover not be used while traveling. That's why I went for separate engine and control panel covers.

[Chuck White]

I agree with Brucer and also with Lynn (magicman), If you have the big "whole head" cover, remove it when traveling, but if you have the small tight fitting control panel and the engine cover, bungee them in place and leave them on!

As a side-note:  the big cover will also affect your gas mileage, besides the risk of ripping it! 

[Stephen1]

I have 2 covers, engine and console cover, If it is nice out I pull the engine cover off for travel as the flapping around tends to strees crack it and it wears out faster.
MM did you make up your own covers for the debarker? Fuel tank?

[Magicman]

No, they are Woodmizer items.

[GAB]

When traveling I remove the engine cover and put a soup can on the muffler exhaust and bungie cord it.
Gerald

[Crossroads]

I leave the console cover on, but the big cover comes off under controlled circumstances before hitting the road. It only has 3 buckles for strapping it down and I'm pretty sure if I got up to 55 with it still in place. It would only be a matter of time before the parachute filled up and came off 

[Woodpecker52]

BBQ covers work good a lot cheaper also.

[WV Sawmiller]

Not sure about traveling with the mill but you should always remove your cover when entering a building.   ;D

Southy -  Exceptions in USMC were when you were under arms (Except where a meal was being served or a religious ceremony was in progress including outside). My mill is my T/O weapon. :D

   For the rest thanks for your input. I see no problem bungee cording my large cover sufficiently it will not blow off. I guess I will remove it for fair weather and risk damage to the cover when bad weather is in progress or predicted - which will be a rare sawing day commute for me.

[Dan_Shade]

I have never tried to move my mill with the BIG cover on it.  I'm pretty sure woodmizer recommded not driving with it way back when I bought it. 

[Old Greenhorn]

I don't have a portable mill, so was reluctant to chime in here. I know you guys are concerned about damaging the covers which makes sense of course. But I do have experience with trailering equipment that has complex mechanisms, electronics, and mechanical devices. The amount of road dust that comes up behind a truck is mind boggling and it finds its way into every nook and cranny that is not hermetically sealed. If I were lucky enough to have such a mill I would never take it more than a few miles without having covers of some sort over the control boxes and such. Take it out in wet weather and all that dust is now the same as mud. I have had to troubleshoot and repair equipment that has gone through this. It's not fun. I am just throwing this out. You guys are all plenty smart enough. Just wanted to throw this out there. I think if it were me I would pull the nice covers off and tie on a contractors trash bag over the control box and a cheap tarp over the mill head. They won't last long, but they might save you some maintenance when you can least afford it. It's just a thought.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I don't think they (WM) make the various custom covers for the different components on the LT35 like MM describes for his mill. I think the cover they sell for it is actually the big one for the LT40. I don't know how much my mileage suffers with it on but with a few judiciously placed bungee straps around the convenient parts of the frame it is pretty dang secure from blowing off and it does form fit the mill perfectly at about 50 mph. :D

[terrifictimbersllc]

My carriage cover has lasted the entire life of my mill 18+ years now.  It is always on at home and I take it when the mill might be left overnight, more for some security rather than rain.  I have stitched two seams last year, once. 

It is a rain cover, it is not sealed off underneath and I think air would get under it in travel and it would get ripped up fast. If I kept it on during travel I doubt it would last a year. 

[Magicman]

 

 
Gotcha covered. 

[John S]

Southside, I still uncover when entering a building (and I always wear a cap outdoors).

[Southside]

Some habits are hard to break. Of course when they became habits after you spent time "watching television" or "rototilling the garden" because you forget about them then they become really engrained.  ;D