Warning: I think the 'run it till it breaks' attitude on older cutter heads is asking for trouble.

We were on a channel job in Mobile Bay last spring, using a 30 year old dredge with a worn down cutter head. The foreman said it had 'plenty of life left' and to push it. Halfway through the shift, we hit a buried timber pile and the whole assembly seized, shearing two main bolts. We were dead in the water for 18 hours waiting on parts and a dive crew. I get not wanting to replace gear early, but that cost more in downtime than a scheduled rebuild. Has anyone else had a major failure from pushing worn equipment too far?

2 comments

2 Comments

sarah2685d ago

Ever run a piece of gear right to the edge and it paid off?

walker.michael5d ago

That mindset shows up everywhere, like skipping oil changes to save a few bucks. The bigger repair bill always comes later, and it's never a surprise. Why do we keep pretending maintenance is optional?

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