Band sharpener oil catch / recovery

[Southside]

So I picked up a Wood Mizer BM250 CBN style sharpener for my saw.  Been reading a lot of threads about the tricks and how to's on getting the best results.  My question is do any of you guys have a system attached to the chimney to collect and catch stray oil vapor that rises out of it?  I am not looking to re-use the oil, rather not make a compete mess.  

I was brain storming about a small squirrel cage or bath fan to create a negative draft and then running the precipitate into a 5 gallon pail with a small cyclone on the top, just not sure if the oil would fall out that way or it needs to be plumbed differently.  

Appreciate any input and or photos.  

[YellowHammer]

I covered my chimney with duct tape as well as flaps of duct tape where ever I see the oil splattering out.  It does make a mess.  

[Southside]

Thanks Hammer,  
Do you use the WM oil or something different?

[xlogger]

I've always wonder why they put the chimney on it.

[PA_Walnut]

I covered my chimney with duct tape as well as flaps of duct tape where ever I see the oil splattering out.  It does make a mess.  

I just bought one and was wondering the same. Would actually having a vent/fan to outside help?

[mike_belben]

The name of the game in catching junk like that is surface area first, and drip back collection second.  In the good ol days the "slobber tube" coming out of your grand dads valvecover had a big chunk of brillo in it to recover and drip back as much oil as was possible.  

Take that concept and make it work for you.  Things i have used in my industrial life are steel wool, a big length of lighting chain layed into a can, scotch brite, the center puck out of a floor buffer pad, layers of screen, etc etc.  Anything that can flow lots of air through but still have surface area to collect the vapors will condense them. Then drip down so figure out your drainback line.  


How about a ductwork "S" trap full of swingset lighting chain with a hole at the bottom dripping into a funnel wired under it.. With a hose on the funnel into a jug?

[YellowHammer]

I use the WM oil, I bought 5 gallons and still have half a jug left.  I would say for true OSHA Resiratory Safety, used indoors, the chimney is supposed to be attached to a suction duct or fume extractor and vented outdoors, to remove the oil fumes from the closed workspace.  

I just open my garbage doors to get good ventilation.  I use black rubber Bar B Q gloves I got from somewhere to handle the oily bands and to keep my hands from getting oil all over them.  

[Southside]

Thanks Mike - basically build a giant PCV but with suction rather than positive pressure.  That would allow me to keep the fan upstream of the trap and not have a permanently oiled fan.  I wonder if a 4" PVC "P" trap with the drain right at the bottom and collector screens on either side of the drain would work.  I suspect I would have to trap the drain tube as well to prevent backflow entering there.  

Hammer - good to know the oil lasts awhile given what they charge for it.  Really wish I had made it down to Custom Sawyers event this year to pick all your brains on running the unit.   

[PA_Walnut]

ammer - good to know the oil lasts awhile given what they charge for it.  Really wish I had made it down to Custom Sawyers event this year to pick all your brains on running the unit.   

Tru'dat. Looks like it's gonna rain over the weekend, so time to get some blades sharpened. I put mine in a little "mill shed" that houses my mill related stuffs, so I can swing the doors open too.

Yellow, do you clean your blades before sharpening? I saw mention somewhere about doing that. Mine often get some muck on them and/or rust.

[YellowHammer]

The bands should be clean to allow the setter clamps a solid, flat surface.  Most times my bands come off the mill very clean, with an oily surface from blade lube I use.  That's a big advantage to using an oil emulsion, no rust on the band, virtually no buildup.   

If there is any sawmill buildup, it's on the inside of the band. So, I've got a Cooks setter, and as the band is fed through the clamps there is a piece of metal that has a right angled, sharp edge that I have adjusted to scrape the inside of the band when it comes around.  So whatever buildup in on the band gets removed and lands on the floor as part of the setting process.  I'm sure it wasn't designed this way, but it does a decent job as a scraper.

When I visited WM Resharp, they had a neat rig with wire wheels that they would run a band though and it would oil and scrape all the debris off the band.  Kind of like a car wash for band.  Some on the bands they get look like they were left out on the ground and stomped in the mud.  Really nasty.  

[PA_Walnut]

The bands should be clean to allow the setter clamps a solid, flat surface.  Most times my bands come off the mill very clean, with an oily surface from blade lube I use.  That's a big advantage to using an oil emulsion, no rust on the band, virtually no buildup.   

Nice. What kinda lube are you using for that? Mine get caked-up and rust easily. If I leave them outside a bit, they get crappy.

[Percy]

I have a BM250 as well and prior to that, a "converted to CBN" type grinder. That oil they recommend seem hard on lungs, shop,etc. A few years back I ran out of the oil and ,in a situation where I needed to sharpen immediately, I used #46 hydraulic oil. Its a tad thicker and on cold days, takes a little while to start flowing but at least I can close the door and breath while the stove warms everything up. There is no smell and very little if any mist. I've used that since and wont switch back to the "gold" stuff they sell.

[D6c]

Never been around a WM BM250 but have done a ton of grinding with cbn & diamond wheels in machine shops.  Only coolant I've seen used in many years is the waster mixed synthetic coolants.
Is there a particular reasong WM uses and oil?  Oil mist is pretty nasty.