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c/dredge-operatorspark.robinpark.robin2d agoProlific Poster

Everyone says to run the cutter head slow in rocky ground, but I tried the opposite

On a job near Tacoma last fall, we hit a stretch of riverbed full of baseball-sized rocks. The crew boss wanted to drop the cutter speed to 300 rpm to 'baby it through.' I argued we should push it to 450 rpm with a higher pump flow. We ran my way for a full shift, and we moved 30% more material without a single jam. The faster spin just threw the rocks back into the suction flow better. Has anyone else pushed their cutter speed higher than usual with good results?
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loganl22
loganl221d ago
Ever notice how the standard advice is often just the safest, not the smartest? Your story is a perfect example. People get stuck on the "right way" to do things because it's what they were told, not because it works best. Sometimes you just have to ignore the old rules and find what actually gets the job done.
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jake_owens
Exactly. Reminds me of my buddy who rebuilt his entire engine using YouTube videos and forum posts. Mechanics told him it was impossible without their tools, but he just used a cheap socket set and stubbornness. @jennyh41 is right about the self taught thing too. That guy never finished high school but now he fixes cars better than most shops. People get too hung up on the official path when half the time the real solution is just figuring it out as you go.
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jennyh41
jennyh411d ago
Yeah, like how everyone says you need a fancy degree to get anywhere... but half the best people I know are self-taught.
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