The most overlooked maintenance issue around the mill yard.

[DARRELL1972]

For me it is my edger blades. I just spent 2hrs cleaning the pitch off both blades. Still need to sharpen. But boy did I let them go to long...
What's your most overlooked maintenance issue?

[WV Sawmiller]

   Probably organizing my tool box rates up near the top right now.

[Southside]

Use WD 40 to remove pitch, I buy it by the gallon and put it in a garden pump sprayer. Once a week I squirt the blades and feed rolls, the pitch melts off. 

[Peter Drouin]

Cleaning the yard and around the mill of all the scraps of wood.

[Old Greenhorn]

Cleaning the yard and around the mill of all the scraps of wood.

I am with Peter, keeping the area clean and organizing it is an ongoing thing. After every little jobs I do, I spend at least half a day, if not more, cleaning up slabs and filches, cutting it into firewood, or whatever. Making it cleaner and easier for the next job. If you don't do it, it just gets worse. It's too easy to focus on the work at hand and let things build up.

[DARRELL1972]

Yup clean-up is an everyday thing for us as is greasing the machinery and checking oil. I just had not checked those blades for pitch build-up in awhile.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Since I am mobile I am pretty good about cleaning up the scraps of wood from my sawing at home every time I move my mill to get ready to go on a new job elsewhere. I also move my sawdust pile and slab wood at the same time.

   Happy birthday@Southside .

[Crusarius]

I am sure you guys are all 100% right. But I think there is 1 more item that your all forgetting.

YOU!

We neglect ourselves more than any piece of equipment. It is never a bad idea to just say, "I am taking today off!" 

Then enjoy a nice relaxing day and get back at it hard the next day. you really will not lose as much production as you think.

[terrifictimbersllc]

The weather takes care of giving me days off!

[moodnacreek]

Dull edger blades in a old sawmill tradition, not a good one.

[YellowHammer]

Preemptive spraying for wasps.  I never have time to hunt down all the nests until I've been stung.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

How about letting too many blades get dull.

[PAmizerman]

Chainsaw air filters

[hamish]

Keeping potential fire hazards away.  Biggest culprit is the smokers, seems 99% of em just dont listen.

[123maxbars]

clean up for me also, i need to have a burning party!

[OffGrid973]

As first kid has pretty much stopped my ability to cut, and initiated many cleanup activities...my biggest overlook is turning those ??? Cuts into firewood and sever the sentimental tie to a "possible" project or sale.  Nicely cut firewood is also enjoyable as a final product, but brings a secret tear to my eye.

[jmouton]

everything you guys said , i have day job and our mill is 8 miles down road ,  alot of stuff gets overlooked ,, and neglected ,,  ill catch up soon,,,,  i say that every year though,

[DYank]

come on, y'all  know keeping the fridge full of beer is the hardest and most important.  

[YellowHammer]

Preemptive spraying for wasps.  I never have time to hunt down all the nests until I've been stung.  

Got stung today.  !!!****!!!!  
Right in the throat.  DanG!  That hurt.  


So two cans of wasp spray and 5 wasp nests later, I believe this particular maintenance issue has been resolved for a while. I had time to buy the cans of spray a month ago, had time to write that post on the 25th but didn't take the time to actually do it.  Smart.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   I had to get hay today and put the tailgate back on my utility trailer to stack against and I kicked an old tire waiting for the recycle truck and yellowjackets came out. I thought they were in the tire but turns out they were in the ground under it. I grabbed a nearby can of Sevin dust and sprinkled the ground around the hole and the flying yellowjackets passing by and hopefully that will reach the queen and put them out of commission. I will check in the morning. At least i fared better than you and saw them in time to avoid them. Sorry to hear you got dinged. Get well soon.

[Southside]

The wasps have gotten fired up around here this week too. Become quite aggressive, another guy observed the same thing. 

[DARRELL1972]

Yellow jackets and wasp can't be tolerated around my mill. My brother is highly allergic so I keep them under control.

[caveman]

For those times when you find yourself without wasp spray and when a flaming greasy rag on a stick would not be advisable (under the eave of your wooden house or around the mill), diluted Dawn dish soap will kill them but not as quickly as wasp spray.  Just think, a product that will clean oily ducks, kill stinging insects and serve its intended purpose.

[Nomad]

     Dish soap stops them from flying and will eventually kill them, but it does not stop them from crawling and stinging before they die!  A friend of mine found that out the hard way.  Several of 'em got up his legs and stung him before he figured out he might want to leave the area. :D

[Bruno of NH]

Clean up all the wood scraps and sawdust