If you don't have time to watch the full 25 minute Tea Break Talk, here are the top ten tips in short form...
Our top 10 tips for render machine use and maintenance
One of our recent Tea Break Talks on Facebook covered top tips for the safe and efficient use and maintenance of your render pump.
The advice comes from our guys in the field with decades of experience, who picked some of the more common problems, issues and mistakes to help anyone in the trade that are starting out with machine rendering or considering buying a pump.
1. Machine maintenance
- Tap test you rotor and stator every 300m² at the start of the day when they are cold
- Clean filters daily
- Drain down water systems in winter to prevent frost damage
2. Airline – prevent blockages, keep clean, check regularly, especially on long stops
3. Be mindful of material being too stiff and material sitting in the pipes too long. Clean your pipes out first if there is a blockage
4. Check the consistency of material is correct at the machine before connecting the pipes
5. Hand full of powder in the mixing chamber at the start. Too much can displace the water in the chamber
6. Water mixing chamber level at the start – don't add too much water minimizing bridging of material
7. Lubricate pipes, rotor and stator before materials – water, slurry or wallpaper paste – walk out excess water to stop separation of material in the pipes
8. Material position – make sure it is as close as possible, be mindful of lift and twist motion to avoid damage to your back. Check bags for loose nails, stones etc., turn over bottom bags on pallet to check for any foreign objects that might end up in the machine
9. Dedicated water supply – ensure enough water for a full elevation in water drums – never connect direct to the mains due to potential syphon back and loss of flow
10. Proximity of pump to work – less length of pipes = less wear and tear on the machine, use a gauged length of rope as a guide