Masonry Magazine January 2003 Page. 24
Winter
EQUIPMENT
Cold Man
Winter
Versus
Your
Equipment
By Tom Inglesby
'Tis the season to be chilled, regardless of your location north of Miami. When workers are bundled up, shouldn't your equipment be protected as well? Here are some cold weather tips for your gear that will keep you working.
WHILE MASONRY DEPENDS HEAVILY ON LABOR and hand tools for much of its work, there are pieces of equipment that can be important on every jobsite. Going high? You need scaffolding and, in many situations, motorized mast climbers or crank lift scaffolding. Making mortar in a portable mixer? There are gears and motors that need attention to keep functioning when the temperature goes down. Hoists and lifts of all kinds require winterizing and protection to be there when you need them.
Normal, year-round maintenance is often enough when dealing with moderate weather conditions, such as those found in much of the Southeast or Southwest parts of the US. That changes significantly when you go further north, to Michigan, Minnesota or Maine, though. When the weather is warm enough to work, but cold enough to freeze equipment, that's when you need to know you planned ahead properly.
On the Ground
ONE OF THE SIMPLER PIECES of equipment you will be working in cold weather is the mortar mixer. Warren Faler, mixer product manager at Multiquip, Carson, Calif., suggests following normal maintenance procedures year round. Keeping it clean and properly maintained adds to reliability under periodic severe conditions. "I recommend spraying the mixer prior to every use with concrete form oil or any type of environmentally safe oil. This will help prevent mortar buildup and