iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

How much lube water do you use?

Started by SawyerTed, June 13, 2018, 10:00:35 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SawyerTed

Ok I get that it depends upon the species, speed and type blade.

Cutting pine I seem to use about twice as much water detergent mix as I do cutting poplar or oak.  Is this typical?
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Southside

If you are having a problem with sap build up then yes, this time of year you will use a lot more to keep the band and belts clean.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

SawyerTed

I had a blade dive on some pine.  The only issue I could ID was pitch build up.  I flooded the blade with water and retried the cut.  It was fine.  

In an 800+ board feet day of sawing pine (poles) I use three containers of water.  With the extra water come the other issues, like sawdust build up in the chute at the fingers.
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Southside

How many feet did you have on the band at that point?  Are you using your debarker? Sand in SYP  bark will dull a blade quickly.  What are you running for bands? 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Southside

No matter how much water I run my saw does not have issues with sawdust build up at the fingers, some cakes around the edge of the chute, but that is all, even red cedar stringy bark does not build up on the fingers, I suspect it has to do with the fact two of the fingers are in my scrap metal pile.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Chuck White

I saw mostly White Pine, and a 5-gallon jug of water with soap will usually last me five or six days!

The biggest exception is when I get some "standing dead" pine, then I get build-up, so the flow of lube is increased and I can go through a gallon in one log!

Then, once in a while I'll get a few Ash logs and I seem to always get build-up so again, I use more lube!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

petefrom bearswamp

I'm with Chuck on this.
I use either pine sol or ZEP 50 as an additive.
Still get some build up on the blade but spray with diesel when needed.
This seems to do no harm the the b57s
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

SawyerTed

 The band had maybe 150 board feet (2 or 3 logs - poles). Running the debarker.  All I use is WM Double Hard 4 degree bands.  Was trying to conserve water at the time since I was having to haul water to the mobile sawing location.  By all accounts the blade "should" have been fine, the rosin buildup was the only thing I could find.

Maybe I need to increase the dishwashing liquid and use diesel spray?
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Southside

Are you using any Pine-Sol or Murphys Oil Soap in the mix as well? Cotton Picker Spindle Cleaner works well too.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Southside

For what it's worth I used to have issues with 4's and SYP, went to Turbos and solved that issue. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

NorcalMatt

I find I'm using less and less water.  On cedar I don't use any, walnut is the same.  I was using water on some Doug fir and had some pitch build up so I cut the water and the heat seemed to remove the pitch.

Anyone else use little to no water?  Is there a downside that I'm not seeing?

Thanks

nas

I haven't used water in about 3 years. I have a dish soap bottle full of vegetable oil by the mill and if the blade starts to get build up on it I squirt a little oil on it before every cut. Works for me on all types of wood.

Nick
Better to sit in silence and have everyone think me a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt - Napoleon.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.
2002 WM LT40HDG25
stihl 066
Husky 365
1 wife
6 Kids

YellowHammer

No dount, try to use as little fluid as possible, it results in much better everything.  However, the band geometry, horsepower, mill alignment, log species, log freshness, feed speed, knots, etc will dictate how much the band can be pushed through the log and remain pitch free and cutting well.  Once pitch builds up, the band overheats and game over.  Too much fluid, and the sawdust packs against the sides of the band like wet flour, which pushes the band off alignment, causing friction and waves and overheat and game over.  

It's a game of give and take, but try to have the sawdust come out of the kerf relatively dry, about the same moisture level as the log being sawn.  If you can hit that happy optimum, then you can hang the sawdust brushes and scrapers on the wall.   

  

YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

SawyerTed

Ok I'm getting it, I'm using too much water on my pine.   Poplar, maple and oak I have no issues with.  On the hardwoods I get nearly dry sawdust.  I adjust the water to a small enough amount that the water stays on the top of the blade when the blade is stopped and the water still running.  In pine I've had the water running off the blade.   Apparently I'm wasting a lot of water on pine and causing sawdust to clump and stick.

Next time I saw, it will be all pine so I'll have a chance to monitor and adjust the water.  I'll try some pinesol or Murphy's in the water as well. 

As always I appreciate the advice from all.  Still learning stuff about portable saw milling everyday.
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

Magicman

But if/when you do get blade buildup, run the mill with the blade flooded until the pitch clears.  With SYP I usually use 3-5 gallons per day with Cascade.  All bets are off with Longleaf or with logs with damage/lightening.  I sometimes have to run with the water full force with those.  :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

red

I thought you were the Official Glug Man
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

terrifictimbersllc

I've been increasing the size of my glugs in the last few days. 

And decreasing the flow. Fill one bottle instead of three. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Peter Drouin

I use 10 to 15 gal of water a year, no soap. Cutting slow will gum your blade.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Southside

Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Magicman

Much depends upon the species and log condition.  If you have pitch buildup on the blade it has to be removed or you will get blade dive, etc.  There is no one size fits all.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Southside logger on June 15, 2018, 08:18:27 AM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on June 15, 2018, 06:18:04 AM
I use 10 to 15 gal of water a year
Wow...


Ya, still have 2" of blue windshield washer in the jug from last fall when it started to get cold.

Quote from: Magicman on June 15, 2018, 08:46:51 AM
Much depends upon the species and log condition.  If you have pitch buildup on the blade it has to be removed or you will get blade dive, etc.  There is no one size fits all.


And how slow you cut.
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Thank You Sponsors!