Tony Wells
Senior Member
I guess it's a toss up. If there was a truly effective a suppression system, D-Z may have put one on. But I would definitely agree that, especially the dry chemical type would never get to the bottom of the burning pile. And as long as there was a heat source, re-ignition would seem likely after the one shot system did its thing. In that case, it's just wasted money and effort. If it were practical and legal, provided the ignition source could be contained, a giant Halon system might work. I've been around them in large data centers, but they are all enclosed and atmosphere controlled. Halon isn't even allowed these days, if memory serves. Just a thought.
John, off that list, but added to it, is a compressor so the operator can do just that. I have a couple, but they are gas powered and I am averse to having gasoline around this place. Everything is diesel. I think I have one more Yanmar single cylinder diesel on hand. Our Hogzilla and the Morbarks tubs have a compressor for that, and one has a Yanmar powering it and the other hydraulic, which I don't care for. At one time I found a couple of old timers who had invested in a lot of Yanmar clones, and then the EPA shut down importing them and I bought 4. I should have bought several more. They are identical, same factory. But because these two guys were out of business, they were selling way cheap. Those genuine Yanmars aren't cheap. Compressed air seems to be better on the tubs than the horizontals, but keeping the chips clear is paramount. That and fixing leaks. I feel like this was near 100% preventable. Just a bad combination of things came together.
The way the frame and all the sheet metal is put together on this D-Z, it's hard to keep clean. It's a fine grinder, but it does have a catch or two. We're going to try to add some deflectors and try and change the direction of the chips flung out of the mill. I worked on a Bandit 3680 today that has the feed belt and sprockets so worn the chain hangs in the teeth as it rounds the bottom and tries to climb back up for another round, which of course it can't do. The belt tightens up and it locks. I took a couple of covers off and the whole thing is stuffed with cardboard fines. Would be very easy to ignite. Tried to take a little slack out of the belt to make sure it couldn't stick in the drive teeth, but it only made a little difference. The mechanics are going to tear it down and replace the front sprocket at least. It's got the wrong mill in it for wood, so it isn't even close to the D-Z, but it's the next in line on the lot to try and keep grinding while the D-Z is down. Couple of pinches of regrind and the belt hangs and has to be backed away manually. No radio on this one.
John, off that list, but added to it, is a compressor so the operator can do just that. I have a couple, but they are gas powered and I am averse to having gasoline around this place. Everything is diesel. I think I have one more Yanmar single cylinder diesel on hand. Our Hogzilla and the Morbarks tubs have a compressor for that, and one has a Yanmar powering it and the other hydraulic, which I don't care for. At one time I found a couple of old timers who had invested in a lot of Yanmar clones, and then the EPA shut down importing them and I bought 4. I should have bought several more. They are identical, same factory. But because these two guys were out of business, they were selling way cheap. Those genuine Yanmars aren't cheap. Compressed air seems to be better on the tubs than the horizontals, but keeping the chips clear is paramount. That and fixing leaks. I feel like this was near 100% preventable. Just a bad combination of things came together.
The way the frame and all the sheet metal is put together on this D-Z, it's hard to keep clean. It's a fine grinder, but it does have a catch or two. We're going to try to add some deflectors and try and change the direction of the chips flung out of the mill. I worked on a Bandit 3680 today that has the feed belt and sprockets so worn the chain hangs in the teeth as it rounds the bottom and tries to climb back up for another round, which of course it can't do. The belt tightens up and it locks. I took a couple of covers off and the whole thing is stuffed with cardboard fines. Would be very easy to ignite. Tried to take a little slack out of the belt to make sure it couldn't stick in the drive teeth, but it only made a little difference. The mechanics are going to tear it down and replace the front sprocket at least. It's got the wrong mill in it for wood, so it isn't even close to the D-Z, but it's the next in line on the lot to try and keep grinding while the D-Z is down. Couple of pinches of regrind and the belt hangs and has to be backed away manually. No radio on this one.