ForConstructionPros.com

Grinders represent a significant investment, so its tempting to squeeze every last hour you possibly can out of them each day. But maintenance shortcuts can end up costing you dearly in the long run.

T&W Grinding & Compost Services, New Delhi, IA, grinds for general contractors doing land clearing, as well as municipalities, producing compost. It has avoided costly repairs and downtime through a daily maintenance routine. "You can't work them day in and day out, put them to bed and not look at them," says Lee Wilson. "You have to take care of them."

"Many new owners and operators to the grinder industry believe they can just start up the machine in the morning, start throwing materials in it all day long, shut it down at night, go home, come back the next day and start all over again," says Mike Byram, Vermeer Mfg. "Grinders are tough machines but you are beating material apart. That's why they are maintenance-intensive machines.

"Operators should have a regular maintenance schedule where they are shutting down prior to the end of the work day, cleaning the machine, greasing and changing cutters that need to be changed," advises Byram. Even check the torque on cutter bolts at mid-day. "If a cutter is lost, it can damage the machine and shorten hammer life." Service maintenance schedules are included in the operator's and maintenance manuals.

Clean material equals less wear

"Pre-screening your feedstock to minimize soil and rocks will have a dramatic impact on reducing wear," says Dave Benton, Peterson Corp.