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Author Topic: FAT WOOD cutting  (Read 8000 times)

Offline A.O.

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FAT WOOD cutting
« on: October 14, 2019, 07:50:58 AM »
Does anyone here cut fat wood or fat lighter or what ever you want to call it?

I've got a few good sized stumps I'd like to cut up, thinking about putting it on the mill but talk about sap/pitch.. man is it loaded!

Thoughts?? techniques??

Thanks..

Offline Ox

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2019, 02:17:26 PM »
I had one of my neighbors who I sharpen for ask me how to cut back on pitch buildup on his blades.  This is on a Turner Mills sawmill which according to his website his mills are immune to pitch buildup because he uses cooler running trailer tires.  Buncha crap, that...

Anyways I showed him my drip and wick system and he said "too much work!", so I offered my sponge on a stick idea:

Take a stick
Fasten a sponge to it.
Dip sponge in diesel/kerosene.
Apply to blade.

So simple it's hard to screw up.  Told me later it worked like a charm. 
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2019, 02:26:23 PM »
I had one of my neighbors who I sharpen for ask me how to cut back on pitch buildup on his blades.  This is on a Turner Mills sawmill which according to his website his mills are immune to pitch buildup because he uses cooler running trailer tires.  Buncha crap, that...

Anyways I showed him my drip and wick system and he said "too much work!", so I offered my sponge on a stick idea:

Take a stick
Fasten a sponge to it.
Dip sponge in diesel/kerosene.
Apply to blade.

So simple it's hard to screw up.  Told me later it worked like a charm.

In addition to or instead of my normal lube"

Offline Crusarius

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2019, 03:11:21 PM »
Since I do not have a lube tank setup this may be an idea. Thanx Ox.

Offline Ox

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2019, 09:21:57 AM »
AO - I don't know.  Depends on whether or not your regular lube system cuts it.  If it don't - sponge on a stick to the rescue!  Best part is it only takes a couple seconds and your blade is clean ready for another cut.  Might have to apply sponge throughout the cut, I reckon it'd depend on how lightered the wood is.

Crusarius - you're quite welcome
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2019, 10:28:18 AM »
My only other concern is I've heard that kerosene/diesel was bad on the rubber belts.

Offline Ox

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2019, 01:28:40 PM »
It is.  When you soak your belts in them.  Using it sparingly like we do it doesn't seem to do a damn thing to deteriorate the bandwheel belts and doesn't leave stains on lumber.  It only keeps the blade clean. 

I wonder what these other guys are doing - letting it trickle in a stream like you would using water?  A drop every 5 seconds or so is all I use and never have any problems.  Remember:  I'm using a wick sandwich which actually wipes the blade constantly.  If you're just dripping onto the blade I don't know how that would work.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2019, 02:24:12 PM »

 Can of Pam spray cooking oil/whatever the ingredients.   Just a quick spurt on each side of the blade as needed.

Offline A.O.

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2019, 02:29:48 PM »
Oh, momma is going to beat me for that one!! :o

Thanks..

Offline HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2019, 05:05:12 AM »
Fat lighter Pine requires blade wipers, so the oil ? or whatever gets to stay in contact with the blade longer. We used to saw a bunch of those sunken logs and tried everything until we settled on the Pam. A little dabl do ya .

Offline A.O.

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2019, 07:14:17 AM »
Fat lighter Pine requires blade wipers, so the oil ? or whatever gets to stay in contact with the blade longer. We used to saw a bunch of those sunken logs and tried everything until we settled on the Pam. A little dabl do ya .

So you have to spray both sides then?

Use a good blade, or an old one?

Offline HaroldCR - AKA Fla.-Deadheader

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #11 on: October 17, 2019, 04:41:26 PM »
Usually the sawdust sticks to the top side of the blade as you are sawing, because the sawdust riding on the blade is smushed onto the blade by the wheels it rides on. I explained way back on another thread about the mount we made to to use a small wire brush that rode against the blade and wiped it clean before the wheels mashed the dust onto the blade.

 Yes, just a dab on the underside, mostly on the upper side because of the mashing from the wheels. I started experimenting by reaching through the sawhead and wiping stuff on the blade as it entered the cut, using a little rag wrapped around a paint stick.  ::)  You might be surprised at how well the wiper works.   

Offline Ox

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2019, 07:54:34 AM »
Yep, the wiper system is nice.  It builds up gunk in it and in front of it but is easy to clean - with a blade change simply pull it out and whip it to beat it back and forth on some part of the mill that stick out a little.  I use the track rail.  Then turn it over to use the other side and push wiper/wick back in for next blade.  I've sawmilled some incredibly heavy pine that was filled with resin and had no problems whatsoever due to the wick/wiper system.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline mountainlake

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #13 on: November 13, 2019, 04:13:36 AM »
I had one of my neighbors who I sharpen for ask me how to cut back on pitch buildup on his blades.  This is on a Turner Mills sawmill which according to his website his mills are immune to pitch buildup because he uses cooler running trailer tires.  Buncha crap, that...

Anyways I showed him my drip and wick system and he said "too much work!", so I offered my sponge on a stick idea:

Take a stick
Fasten a sponge to it.
Dip sponge in diesel/kerosene.
Apply to blade.

So simple it's hard to screw up.  Told me later it worked like a charm. 


 If its too much work to set up a simple drip system he needs to quit sawing.  He will spend more time trying to keep his blades clean than it would take too add a drip system.  Steve

Offline Ox

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #14 on: November 13, 2019, 06:21:59 AM »
lol  See, that's what I thought too at the time.  But he's a retired guy, he's a nice guy, and doesn't have a lot of patience with too many things.  Plus he's one of my blade sharpening customers and I need to be nice about things!

The sponge on a stick made him happy and when he told me how well it worked for him he was all grins.  That's Jim - if it works and only took a few minutes instead of hours it's a big win for him!  Different strokes for different folks and all that...
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline A.O.

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Re: FAT WOOD cutting
« Reply #15 on: November 13, 2019, 06:45:57 AM »
Yeah, I have the auto lube on my saw, its just that the fatwood is SO THICK with the sap even with the drip set high it still gummed up my blade, and everything else!