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Author Topic: Blade lube issue/problem  (Read 11788 times)

Offline furu

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Blade lube issue/problem
« on: May 10, 2015, 01:41:03 AM »
I have only been sawing for a little over a year now (16 months) so I am still learning.  
One problem I am still fighting is build up on the bottom of the blade.  My mill uses the drip system and I have wondered if the dual wipe style is better.  I think Cook's use that and only Cooks.
Problem I have been having is the outside/bottom of the blade gets a build up while the top/inside of the blade is clean as a whistle (whatever that means).   I have tried flow rates from a slow drip up to a steady flow that makes the sawdust so wet it tends to clog in the discharge chute.  I tried the windshield washer fluid and was not happy at all, left lots of buildup on the blade.  The Pinesol worked on the inside of the blade but gagged me from the smell (should it not smell like fresh cut pine, but no it smells like an oily disinfectant) but I digress.  I am pretty much now using dish-soap in solution.  It works well but only on the inside/top of the blade.

What are you all doing to keep the bottom/outside of the band from getting buildup?
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Offline mountainlake

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2015, 03:18:31 PM »
 What kind of wood?  I've   never  had trouble with the bottom of the blade, the worst build up I had was fresh cut pine , then I  had to run lots of water with dish soap.  Try diesel as it does better with pine pitch.  Are you running you blades too dull and heating them up?  Steve

Offline furu

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2015, 04:52:46 PM »
Anything is possible but don't think the blades are dull.  Fresh out of the box and within less than 30 minutes the buildup has started.  Maybe even less but that is when I noticed it.  
Sawing Douglas fir.

Figures that I would generate a problem that no one else sees or has. ???
What blade are you running on your B20?
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Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline mountainlake

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2015, 03:28:35 AM »

   Mostly I run Simonds but have tried a few other brands..   Steve

Offline Tom the Sawyer

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2015, 09:53:16 PM »
On my B-20, buildup on the bottom (outside) of the blade is seldom an issue unless it is getting very dull - which I try to avoid.  It has also been noticed when milling logs with a lot of stress.  My buildup starts on the inside (top) of the blade as it is trapped between the blade and the drive wheel.  Keeping the dust deflector intact and very close to the blade helps a lot but some woods, usually pine, make a real mess. 

I still haven't found a lube that will handle pine reliably.  It seems like, for most hardwoods, anything will work but pine is a PITA.  Someone highly recommended cotton picker spindle cleaner (this is Kansas, good luck finding that) and the next one I will try is the 3:1 water/diesel mix with a shot of Cascade.   

As far as blades, I have tried Simonds, WM, TK, Lenox, Kasco, and a pack of "test" blades from a confidential manufacturer.  It seemed that the pitch sticking may have been worse on blued steel but not conclusive - I do avoid pine so my data base is limited.  If it is any indication, the last box I ordered were Kasco; fast delivery, great production, and very reasonable price.   
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Offline furu

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2015, 11:24:01 PM »
Interesting about the stress causing build up on the outside.  The DF I was sawing was some very highly stressed DF that had sweep of about 45 degrees in the lower 10-15 feet of the trunk. Grew out at about 45 degree angle and then went vertical around 15 feet.   Think a very curved banana about 15 feet long.   It was free and I was turning it into planting stakes for my forestry protection tube planting.  1x1 inch by 36 inch stakes.  see thread http://www.sawmillandtimberforum.com/index.php/topic,1353.0.html for pictures of that.
The top/inside of the blades were totally clean.

I don't remember the build up happening when I was sawing out Board and Batten for the Kiln siding from normal stress free logs.  Stress maybe the answer, I will see if it happens the next time with normal logs.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2015, 11:35:24 PM by furu »
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Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
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Offline 4x4American

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2015, 07:10:54 PM »
It isn't only Cooks, WM's lubemizer system shoots a jet stream on each side of the blade.  Works good.

What problems are you experiencing as a side effect of the outside of the blade getting build up?
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Offline furu

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2015, 10:39:00 PM »
Not sure I am actually experiencing a problem as I manual clean it before it gets too horribly bad.  I just have noted the buildup and then I manual clean it off.  Maybe I should let it build up a bunch and see what happens. 
In addition when it is time, it is hard to get a correct set when you set them with the one side gunked up.  Another reason to clean them but it takes another step if the one side is gunked up when it should not be.
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Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline 4x4American

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2015, 08:58:09 PM »
What do you run for tension
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Offline furu

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Re: Blade lube issue/problem
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2015, 10:48:29 PM »
Used to run about 1200.  Lately at TK suggestion I have been up about 1400. (they now say 1300-1500)
Recently (yesterday) got a Lenox tension gauge and I need to put it on the band and see what the real tension is when the TK gauge is at 1200 and 1400psi.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.