Severe Duty Cleaning

[Oldsmagnet]

OK, here's another fun one. What's everyone's method of choice for cleaning machines??? We'll take a "hypothetical" example... Let's say you just realized your house has two lanes you'd never known about... they've been used just as much as the rest of 'em... but never given ~any~ attention. What's your best plan of attack to getting 'em clean??? (pressure washers, pipe cleaners, rags, complete overhaul, etc????? Just curious... (And experimenting... Here, they've always known there were 12 lanes... just that they've never cared to clean 'em. And I'm playing catch up. (Right now I'm playing head-calming games... on the 'net, from trying to overhaul one with hard hitting bowlers on either side of me... trying to maintain sanity with the entire machine's frame rocking back and forth... and the noise... Jeez, at least in the military, they give you ~some~ protection from the incoming fire... And ~these~ guys are supposed to be on "my" side..... go figure.......)

BTW, I'm on A2s, but I suspect the general cleaning ideas would be similar on the other side of the fence...)

[Drillmn300]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

When we got this place there was at least 1" of dirt and grease on everything. Went out and purchased 100 tooth brushes and a couple 5 gallon barrels of aluminum cleaner along with some degreaser. Handed them all out and assigned the moving decks to 1 person and the gearboxes to 2 others. It took them about 3 months to get them all done but now all they have to do is go through and wipe everything down about 4 times a year. We took 4 of the decks out and preasure sprayed them and that seems to be the best way to get them perfect but sure is a lot of work. If a person had all the time in the world I think it would be best to go through and R&R everything and then you would know that exactly what you have. We are in the process of painting everything on the machines now, thanks to Masternut (my employees hate him for the pictures) I know how great machines can look if given the right attention.
Drill

[diamondpins]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

at the center im at currently a 40 lane house each mechanic has 10 lanes to clean you start at the beginning of each month with your 10 lanes you finish them within the month and start again at the beginning of the month we currently have nice clean machines just wish they'd spring for some paint the machines are real clean looking but need painting to make look much nicer i try to do at least 2 machines a day you can also inspect their work as machines are done n could also if you have a small crew can tell them their raises are based on their maintenance and work performed basis

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james

[KL Kevin]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

When I got here, there was enough dirt on the decks, all I woulda needed was some tomato seeds and a little water to start a farm (can laugh about it now)

We have a quarterly routine, start off cleaning and oiling backs (elevators, pit cushions), then tops (gearbox, motors, detectors, machine frame, rake shafts, turret) then fronts (primarily the deck)

After the second pass through the whole house, I knew we were getting somewhere when one of the chasers discovered metal peeking its way out from under the dirt.

I wouldn't try to do it all at once, if you do a little each week, they will start to come clean, but it does take time.

Kevin

[KenF2-R]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

I took over as manager at a house where ther hasn't really been a mechanic for a long time. After a year of cleaning everyday I can finally tell that I have Brunswick machines, maybe by next year I can tell what color they are

[Oldsmagnet]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

Wow, you guys are making me feel alot better! I could tell right away that these were Bruns... I recognized the grease stains from my prior pinchaser job... I'm feeling somewhat reassured about one thing, I'm cleaning the ~worst~ machine here... and the rest are a lot better than this one... But still needs about 40 hours and $5K per machine to be reasonably respectable... but it's a start. Bought some cleaning stuffs at Pamida this afternoon... gal there surmised I must be taking on a pretty big cleaning project. I told her "Ya, talked to a guy doing the same thing, went through 100 toothbrushes and 10 gallons of cleaner... ...I got a ways to go" Boy, you shoulda seen her jaw drop! Then I admited to not being nearly as large scale, and that "the other guy had help..." Must be nice I got a chuckle from it anyways...

I've been pretty tempted to lay a tarp/blanket down and just go Rambo on it with a pressure washer... Probably a good thing we don't have one...

[BT-Jerrid]

Re: Severe Duty Cleaning

Hey Olds,
At a previous center we lowered the deck down to 270 and laid plastic sheeting over it to funnel the liquid into the pinwheel and then into the back isle to mop up later. Then we stood on top of the machine with a pump up garden sprayer from sears and went to town spraying everything but the clutches and the elec. panel. Then took about 150 shop towels and had a major cleaning party. At the same time had a rebuilt and clean detector ready to go, and did a change out. Finished machine looks extremely nice and took about a day per machine. Had a guy going behind us detailing the decks.

Jerrid