Secret Recipes for Blade Lube

[Macgyver]

Hey Everyone.  I'm relatively new to sawing, and have been running a pine-sol water mix for a while in my Norwood MX-34.  I ran the water tank empty right as it was getting dark last weekend, so I decided it was about time to quit anyway.  Apparently it got down to 14 degrees overnight, and stayed around 20 all day.  I didn't have the patience to sit by and thaw the lines to swap to windshield wiper fluid, and I wasn't sure how well that would work anyway. 

Anyone got any super secret recipes, or anything that just works really well for blade lube in the winter?  Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks everyone in advance.

[red oaks lumber]

windsshield wassher fluid, good to minus 20, cheap

[DouginUtah]

Well, it used to be cheap...

The lowest price I've found this year is $1.78 at Wal-Mart. I think Home Depot wants $2.78. Just two or three years ago you could buy it for under a dollar on sale.

Quite a bit more than the claimed 3.6% inflation rate.  >:(

[nas]

I have a super secret recipe, but it's a super secret :D ;D

Nick

[red oaks lumber]

at fleet farm i buy a case of 6 for $7.19

[SPIKER]

Menards often has it for 98cent still (ours anyhow) for the Blue or the BUG remover stuff...
Mark

[Norm]

Try Dollar General for it too.

[ladylake]

Diesel is a lot cheaper, takes about 1/2 gal per 8 hours.    Steve

[Magicman]

Be sure to check the label to insure that the jug contains either 0 or -32 degree formula.  If you find that you have a frozen faucet, wrap it with one of those chemical hand warmers and a towel.  It will thaw out quickly.


 
I purge the system with -32 degree formula.

[thecfarm]

Another idea you may want to try with the amount is have 2 valves on your line.One have wide open,use it as a on and off ONLY,than have another to adjust with to have just a drip or a trickle or a stream.. Than use the on and off valve to turn the lube off when you are doing something else and turn it back on when you get sawing and the flow will be just right. This will save on the amount of lube you use too.

[red oaks lumber]

steve,
diesle must be cheap in your area 1/2 gal. is still over 1.75 . i can saw all day on 1 gal. washer fluid :)frozen wood dosent need as much lube, imo

[eastberkshirecustoms]

Diesel is $4.05 a gallon here, not exactly a cheap blade lube.

[Banjo picker]

It never freezes ...so I never have to purge a tank...and I don't think I will use a half gal. in 8 hours....it depends on how your mill is set up...with a true drip system it don't take very much....Yes it will gell at about 10 deg. and that might happen here two or three times a year...maybe...And when and if it does, I dang sure won't care, cause I won't be sawing anyway...Banjo

[ladylake]

I,ve tried washer fluid in the winter, no way I'd get by on 1 gal a day with the wood I saw, more like 4 or 5.    Steve

[ladylake]

I,ve tried washer fluid in the winter, no way I'd get by on 1 gal a day with the wood I saw, more like 4 or 5.   I was stretching it a bit when I said 1/2 gal per 8 hours, it's less and no jelling trouble up here where it's mixed for the winter.  Steve

[bandmiller2]

Mac,just use your regular mix and add some methonol in the winter thats the working ingrediant in WW fluid.Myself I use diesel/oil mix applied with a wick year round no drips,no buildup,no rust,no smell,no discoloration,no BS. Frank C.

[Kansas]

So much of it depends on what your sawing, and what your climate is. Some woods we rarely have to use anything, such as cottonwood or sycamore. Others like the oaks, hickory, ash cut much better with diesel than anything else I have found. When you compare costs between things like windshield wiper fluid and diesel, look at the pile of the lumber at the end of the day. Look at how often you had to change the blade. The cost per board foot is inconsequential on either one. The size of the pile of lumber and not having blades heat up due to buildup, causing them to fail prematurely, is. Look at the cost of downtime due to freezing.

[357blacksmith]

Down here in east Texas, Dawn dishwashing liquid ( few drops to the gallon of water) keeps sap from building up on the blade, not sure about freezing temps though. Not that big of a problem here, but so cheap it might be worth a try, just let it drain out when your finished for the day so it wont freeze over night. Just a thought.

[Dan_Shade]

I used vegetable oil for a while, but it pretty much made a mess of everything.  now I use dawn and pinesol.

[Dave VH]

is there a problem with any of these recipes staining the wood?  I like the idea of diesel only because I have a large tank at my place, convience.  I really don't mill that much right now anyhow.  I haven't used any lube up to now, but i understand the advantage for it.  I just outfitted my saw with a luber, and I'm ready to add the right formula.  So far, I saw only hardwoods, and if you look at the logs that I have here, that's all it's going to be for a long time.  I'm glad that this thread was started.

[Magicman]

Here are a couple of LINKS to my favorite blade lube.

[250quality]

Diesel fuel with a drip system to a felt pad rubbing on the blade. I used to play with water, pinesol and anti freeze mix but always running out too fast. A gallon of diesel lasts forever now.

[Island Sawyer]

One part diesel to every two parts diesel.

[tyb525]

I've been using a few drops of dish soap to 1 gallon of water. In the warmer months I add a little bleach too, helps control staining I think. I've yet to try diesel, although I think it would work well.

A few time's I've used motor oil from a mechanic's oiler, when I needed to resaw a few boards but was too lazy to go back to the house and refill the water jug :D Literally just a few drops for a few boards worked great.

[eastberkshirecustoms]

One part diesel to every two parts diesel.

How do you know when you have the mix just right, or need to adjust it a little? Take a little diesel out, then add some more?  ;)