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Author Topic: Blade Lube  (Read 19836 times)

Offline John B

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Blade Lube
« on: March 17, 2015, 09:45:16 PM »
I almost always used diesel as blade lube. One drop per second. This works out to about a quart or less per day, no more than the amount of bar oil used in a chainsaw in the same number of hours.
It works well except when I forget to turn it off at the end of the day.   :-[

I've experimented with soap and water lube with limited sucess, but i'm not sure I had the right mixture and flow rate.

I have read about dish soap, laundry soap, pinesol, ect. mixed with water or ww fluid and used as blade lube.

My question is does soap and water based lube work as well (or better than) petrolium based blade lube? What ratio and flow rate do you use?

If water based blade lube really works I may give it another shot. If petrolium is the better solution, at least folks can read it here.





Offline TnAndy

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2015, 07:08:49 PM »
I've tried different things over the years, and just went back to plain ole water.  Blade gumming up, turn on more water.  It's cheap, and 100% biodegradable.

Offline 4x4American

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2015, 08:27:37 PM »
i use water, pinesol, and a squirt of dish soap
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Offline furu

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2015, 01:10:45 AM »
I tried the windshield washer fluid, did not like it.  Tried pinesol, and maybe used too much but it smelled to high heavens, and now I am using just dish soap with the water.
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Offline mountainlake

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2015, 04:39:59 AM »
  I use diesel in the winter and water in the summer, if diesel didn't smell I'd use it all year.    Steve

Offline xlogger

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2015, 05:14:25 AM »
I do the same as Steve

Offline joasis

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2015, 11:41:57 AM »
I have a 5 gallon bucket of Amway soap, liquid, and use it int eh coolant tank on the bandmill. Works great, and I would assume it is because soap breaks down the "beading" of water, or tension, and thus is a little thinner, but it cools well also.
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Offline red oaks lumber

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2015, 04:39:25 PM »
i put a couple of glugs of dish soap in my water jug, more water flow helps . i have dried lumber from guys that use diesel,wow it makes the whole kiln stink.
follow your heart, the rest will happen

Offline 4x4American

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2015, 04:54:43 PM »
Hey ROL, glad you made it!
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Offline red oaks lumber

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2015, 05:29:40 PM »
thanks glad to be here :) there are some familiar names,which is good to see.
follow your heart, the rest will happen

Online Kirk Allen

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2015, 12:24:47 PM »
Water & Pine sol in  the summer, windshield washer fluid and pine sol in the winter.
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Offline backwoods sawyer

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2015, 10:09:45 PM »
I would go thru a lot of water (3-4 jugs a day) then added a diesel drip and quite hauling water ::)

I prefer diesel lube over water.

Offline furu

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2015, 10:42:48 PM »
Has anyone added a blade wipe system like Cooks has on their mill? 
I have been thinking of that modification but more so planning on putting a solenoid that turns off the lube drip when the blade is not turning.
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.

Offline John B

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2015, 11:14:00 PM »
Thanks for all the responses.
It sounds like water based lube is a viable option.

My lube tank is made in to the frame of my mill.
Any thoughts how to keep it from rusting if I go water based?
I would assume that if the tank rusts, little rust particles will keep pluging up the flow control valve.

I either have to add a solenoid to shut the diesel drip off with the key, or switch to water and figure out how to keep it from rusting my tank.
I like the diesel drip, but feel bad when i forget to turn it off and end up with oil on the ground.  :-[

Thanks,
John

Offline backwoods sawyer

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2015, 10:09:15 AM »
Has anyone added a blade wipe system like Cooks has on their mill? 
I have been thinking of that modification but more so planning on putting a solenoid that turns off the lube drip when the blade is not turning.
The Cooks mill had two drip systems. I just removed one and mounted on the Woodmizer and tapped into the fuel tank.

I like the idea of a solenoid shut off.

Adding a water jug may be a better option the then using the metal tank for the reason you listed.


 

Offline 4x4American

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2015, 11:27:01 PM »
Furu, TK used to have a wiper system.  They still have some old ones I believe you can get from them just call Matt he'll help you out.
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Offline Pinesawyer

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #16 on: March 22, 2015, 03:34:26 PM »
Dawn dish soap and veggie oil in water. -20F WW in the winter.

Offline furu

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2015, 12:41:29 PM »
Pinesawyer
Welcome to the club here at sawmillandtimberforum.  Great place to spend a little time.
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.

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2016, 07:21:16 PM »
The secret to using petro based lubes is not to drip, use a wick. I use the big round wicks they used in the old road torches they used to use around ditches. Its on a swinging arm that holds it agenst the band top and bottom. Every few cuts I give the wick a squirt of ATF it leaves a slight sheen and helps rub off pitch. I inherited a supply of synthetic jet engine turbine oil seems to do yeoman duty on the band, can't use it in an engine. Frank C.

Offline Ox

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Re: Blade Lube
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2017, 12:30:54 PM »
Kerosene using a simple sandwich type wick system here.  If I have to use diesel or clear kero I add a little ATF for color to better see the level and the drops.  I use a needle sight glass type dripper for regulation.  1 drop every 5 seconds or so is all that's needed in all but the stickiest red pine.
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