Running wood-mizer without metal covers on belts

TnSawyer · February 28, 2007, 11:44:26 AM

Just wondering how many out there removed the side coveres from the mill and left them off to make it easier and quicker to blow the dust off of the belts.( not talking about the blade cover doors.) The drive belts and forward reverse motor and belts.

sawguy21 · February 28, 2007, 11:51:16 AM

I don't run a mill but would never operate machinery with the covers off. They are a little inconvenient for maintenance but are there for a very good reason. They keep parts and debris contained as well as fleshy parts out. Sure beat getting hurt or killed.

Bibbyman · February 28, 2007, 11:55:17 AM

I always replace all shielding on everything.

If safety reasons for one thing. But for another, I figure is there is ever someone hurt around our mill and they come looking to investigate and find machinery without safety covers or decals, I may be more likely to be in trouble with shields off and missing. If I have the shields on and decals readable, then I can point that out.

I just cringe when I see some of the Amish built equipment. (Also some of the home-built mills here on the Forum.)

kderby · February 28, 2007, 12:07:27 PM

Good Points Bibbyman but I'll admit that I put the covers aside with the fenders. Good question and every one of us have an answer.

Are these entries admisible in court?

Tom · February 28, 2007, 12:21:43 PM

I ran without the cover on the power belt when I tried to use the twin belts. It unnerved me so much I put it back on. I don't like standing next to fast moving belts. I keep thinking of the tail of my shirt or my sleeve getting hung up in it and ruining my day.

Robert Long · February 28, 2007, 12:23:06 PM

Right on Bibbyman 8)

Up here we have work place inspectors and they are like the Mounties, they "always get their man"
and you are responsable for the cover on or off should they show up or an accident occur :'(

Also, My competition custom cutting around here is a person with a WM LT 15 which he made wheels for and the frame he welded is left to rust and he leaves most covers off and his blades are left out in the weather and rusty and he charges the same price per hour as we do. We have now taken most of the custom cutting over from him as a result of his own unprofessional look and actions. It just looks good to be responsablely safe. Set standards for the look of your mill and the safety of it also.

Many times people ask how old is the mill and when I tell them it's 5 years old they always say "wow, it looks like new"

Also, think about it.......if I need to go into that pulley area and it takes time to uncover it.. it gives the workers around the mill to catch up with me.

Robert

tcsmpsi · February 28, 2007, 12:48:05 PM

Quote from: Tom on February 28, 2007, 12:21:43 PM
I ran without the cover on the power belt when I tried to use the twin belts. It unnerved me so much I put it back on. I don't like standing next to fast moving belts. I keep thinking of the tail of my shirt or my sleeve getting hung up in it and ruining my day.

Or, if you let it get like DanG's, them there chinhairs. :D

wwsjr · February 28, 2007, 07:12:03 PM

Please don't run without covers, there is a reason they are on the mill. Probably could sell mill cheaper if sold without covers.

LT40HDD51 · February 28, 2007, 07:34:01 PM

We got a trade-in mill in B.C. once that had no guards anywhere. None. All gone. His wife offbeared for him and when we asked him where the blade doors were, she looked at him and yelled "there are doors that go on there?!?!" :D. He went home to the garage and found most of the guards and brought them in. We couldnt give him much for trade-in if he didnt find em, wed have to replace them all before we could sell it...

I havent seen much sawdust build up behind them in the short term, though. Checks for belt tensions and the like should give you a chance to dig any sawdust out. Only takes a second to whip the guards off and back on...

MartyParsons · February 28, 2007, 09:10:22 PM

The lower cover supports the belt to keep it from rubbing on the pulley while the engine is at Idle position. If this is not on the belt life will be shortened. All of the other covers are for Safety First.

Bibbyman · March 01, 2007, 01:48:05 AM

Quote from: MartyParsons on February 28, 2007, 09:10:22 PM
The lower cover supports the belt to keep it from rubbing on the pulley while the engine is at Idle position. If this is not on the belt life will be shortened. All of the other covers are for Safety First.

I've also found on our LT40HDE25 that the upper cover also holds the belt in the right position when the motor is disengaged. With it off, the belt will jump and jerk.

LT40HDD51 · March 01, 2007, 07:36:41 PM

Quote from: Bibbyman on March 01, 2007, 01:48:05 AM
I've also found on our LT40HDE25 that the upper cover also holds the belt in the right position when the motor is disengaged. With it off, the belt will jump and jerk.

You mean the cover over the engine pulley? There is a pin that can be adjusted back and forth underneath that cover that should almost touch the belt when the mill's is in gear. Then when its out of gear, the pin holds the belt up off of the engine pulley...

DWM II · March 01, 2007, 08:10:00 PM

You know, it just dont take that long to remove the covers is you need to clean out the band wells. I've got a few extra minutes each job I can allow for that.

TnSawyer · March 01, 2007, 09:15:21 PM

I dont run with out the covers on mine, but I know some who do.

LT40HDD51 · March 02, 2007, 07:52:40 PM

I figgered you meant the guards around the belts and stuff on the head, not the blade doors?

woody1 · March 02, 2007, 08:07:08 PM

The only time I got cut with a chainsaw, my chaps where 10' away in my truck. The other day I got sliced on the hand by a blade, with gloves in my pocket. I get saw dust in my eyes with safety glasses on my hat. My brother says "safety's free...use it!"

LT40HDD51 · March 02, 2007, 09:07:22 PM

I almost poked myself in the eye once putting on safety glasses... :D

Quote from: LT40HDD51 on March 02, 2007, 07:52:40 PM
I figgered you meant the guards around the belts and stuff on the head, not the blade doors?

Just read the first post again

.

That guy with the mill with no covers had the one off the power feed belt too. And a big long bolt in where the set screw in the pulley is supposed to go. When it spun, the head of the bolt hit the belt twice on every revolution... :

:D

Bibbyman · March 03, 2007, 03:05:13 AM

Quote from: LT40HDD51 on March 01, 2007, 07:36:41 PM
Quote from: Bibbyman on March 01, 2007, 01:48:05 AM
I've also found on our LT40HDE25 that the upper cover also holds the belt in the right position when the motor is disengaged. With it off, the belt will jump and jerk.

You mean the cover over the engine pulley? There is a pin that can be adjusted back and forth underneath that cover that should almost touch the belt when the mill's is in gear. Then when its out of gear, the pin holds the belt up off of the engine pulley...

Yea, that cover. Our mill has a tripple v-belt and it's really stiff. It has the pin you talk about and it needs to be adjusted too. But the cover also acts to control the shape of the belt when the motor is disengaged. Without the cover, the belt will "hump up" more and thus not move away from the pulley enough to keep from burning or hopping.

This was something that drove me nuts the first time I changed out the main drive belt. I was trying to get it adjusted with the shield off. Good buddy JB at Wood-Mizer told me the guard had to be on here before the problems I was having would go away. He was right.

LT40HDD51 · March 03, 2007, 09:20:04 AM

Learn something new every day ;D

Bibbyman · March 03, 2007, 10:32:39 AM

Quote from: LT40HDD51 on March 03, 2007, 09:20:04 AM
Learn something new every day ;D

Glad I made your day... :D

Our mill has the 25hp 3ph motor so it does not idle down when the clutch is thrown. I'm sure that makes some difference. I expect mills with engines have less of a problem in this area. We go through main drive belts unreasonably often.