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Woodmizer LT 40 Lubricant Help

Started by ehewitt05, February 27, 2019, 03:21:01 PM

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ehewitt05

What do you guys use for a lubricant on your blade while sawing?

We've always used Fresh Water but are having issues keeping the line thawed this time of the year. I always disconnect the tank (take it in), blow the line out and disconnect it so that it's hanging to try to get any depressions out,  but still come back to frozen lines. We're using a .045 x 1.5" blade with 7 degree hook sawin a lot of pine right now that for the most part is frozen.

Thought about using windshield wiper fluid. Obviously don't want to use something that is going to cause us more problems down the road (corrosion, bearing wear, etc.) but considering our Mill is no longer in a heated area its been a consistent battle. Also thought about rigging up heat tape on the line but thought the motor would keep a lot of this line cleared.

I'm in Western Pennsylvania too, it's not like we're in a brutally cold climate compared to a lot of guys on here.

Frustrated.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Chuck White

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, ehewitt05!

Lots of people use windshield washer during cold weather.  I don't saw once it gets cold, but I use water, dish soap & a cup of Pinesol (or the generic).
~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!

Southside

I have gone to using RV anti freeze mixed in with water, it started as a way to use up some I had left over from a PPB application and I noticed that my pitch issues were greatly reduced in addition to not having frozen lines to deal with which is a real problem on my 70 with the lube mizer. 

Windshield washer fluid has no lube or cleaning properties in my experience. But the RV stuff as an added bonus is non toxic 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

YellowHammer

I've used  Autozone windshield washer fluid in the past and flushed the lines with regular antifreeze when shutting down for a cold night.  I will try the stuff Southside uses when the opportunity presents.  Always looking for better.  
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

John S

Windshield washer solution, pinesol and Dawn.  Call WM in PA for more info.
2018 LT40HDG38 Wide

Old Greenhorn

This is why I love the forums I have read this discussion several times before in other threads but never heard that little tid-bit that southside just put out. I had used the RV stuff in a pinch, but switched back to washer fluid, its cheaper. Now I will have to look at it anew, I still have some down in the mill shed. Learning stuff all the time here.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Southside


Tractor supply sells a cheaper version and I picked up a couple gallons the other day to try it. Slightly different formula than the Lowes stuff, but so far the results are similar.  To date I have only used the TSC stuff on hardwood but will be getting to some pine in a few days so that will be a better test to see if it cuts the mustard - or in this case the pitch.  
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

richhiway

I have been using plain blue washer fluid all winter cutting pine. seems to work fine. 
Woodmizer LT 40
New Holland 35 hp tractor
Stihl Chainsaws
Ford 340 Backhoe

WLC

I use water with with a dab of dawn and RV antifreeze mixed together.
Woodmizer LT28
Branson 4wd tractor
Stihl chainsaws
Elbow grease.

PAmizerman

Woodmizer lt40 super remote 42hp Kubota diesel. Accuset II
Hydraulics everywhere
Woodmizer edger 26hp cat diesel
Traverse 6035 telehandler
Case 95xt skidloader
http://byrnemillwork.com/
WM bms250 sharpener
WM bmt250 setter
and a lot of back breaking work!!

ehewitt05

Thank you guys for the awesome feedback. I'll  give the Water/RV Antifreeze with some Pinesol a shot.


Woodpecker52

Water, blue dawn, pinesol, and in winter mix in alittle windshield washing fluid.  I also added a alternative diesel lube system, use it from time to time to silence things a bit and really clean the blade.
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

PA_Walnut

I use Cotton Picker Spindle lube all year and throw some -30 windshield washer in with it over the winter. 

If it's gonna get super-cold (like 10° or below) I run straight washer fluid or Boost Juice methanol. (which is similar to washer fluid, but has more meth...-30° washer has about 39% methanol and Juice has 50%).

A side benefit is that you can inject it into the air intake stream of your forced induction engines and get even more joy!  ;D
I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

slider

The only thing i have found that works better than cotton spindle cleaner in pine is diesel. I saw mostly pine and have tried all of the above. If you use diesel set your lube on a lower setting to keep from throwing the band. 

Diesel is messy so when i am through sawing each day i blow the mill with a strong back pack blower. 
al glenn

Mountain_d

JDo you use pure diesel or do you mix it with water? Not sure how it would mix?
Mountain 
1978 TJ 230E 3.9L Cummins 4B, Husky 372XP, Husky 61, Husky 266XP, JRed 625, Husky 265RX clearing saw,  Woodmizer LT40HD 1995, Kubota 4950DT (53hp 4WD), Wallenstein V90 Skidding Winch, John Deere 610 backhoe, 1995 Volvo White GMC WCA42T SA Dump Truck, 2004 Ford F-250SD 4WD, , Central Boiler OW

PA_Walnut

Quote from: Mountain_d on March 03, 2019, 07:35:19 PMJDo you use pure diesel or do you mix it with water? Not sure how it would mix? Mountain 


Petroleum and water do not mix. Think of the phrase, "Mixes like oil and water...".
Although I have never run diesel for lube, I'd imagine that you could thin it with kerosene or paint thinner. Anyone?
I own my own small piece of the world on an 8 acre plot on the side of a mountain with walnut, hickory, ash and spruce.
LT40HD Wide 35HP Diesel
Peterson Dedicated Wide Slabber
Kubota M62 Tractor/Backhoe
WoodMizer KD250 Kiln
Northland 800 Kiln

YellowHammer

I use the cotton picker spindle cleaner, I also occasionally spike it with diesel, but only under certain conditions.  When I add diesel to the spindle oil, the detergents in the mix will emulsify the diesel, and as long as I'm sawing and shaking the water bottle with the head travel, it will stay in suspension although it won't really mix. However, when I stop for the day, the diesel will be separated the next morning.  

I much prefer oils for blade lube and cleaner than water based mixes, but everybody should do what works for them.  Experimentation is key.  
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

ehewitt05

I've heard of other folks using diesel and really liking it. I thought that would be hard on the tank as well as the plastic drip line. Thoughts? I wouldn't mind trying it out, just unsure of how it would effect the plastic. I suppose it wouldn't be very different than a fuel can but that little line in the sun with fuel in it made me second guess this idea....

What do you guys think? We just got a load of white pine and two loads of eastern hemlock so now would be the time to give it a whirl...

naturaledge1

I have read in an engineers forum that windshield washer may cause dementia and the way it is atomized when using on the blade I stopped using it , it says on the label can not be made nonpoisonous. Warm weather water pine sol and soap , I use a spray bottle with WD to clean the blade fast . I have been running a 1989 LT40HD since 1991 headed to the three million mark. Starting to rebuild a burned 2005 LT40HD . Brian    

Woodpecker52

Easy install on diesel fuel system.

 

 
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

ehewitt05

I feel dumb asking this but what mix ratio do you guys use for pinesol/dawn with water? I would've thought just wing it dump a little in but wondering if I went too light with it 

Thanks everyone

gdaddy01

I have got to ask , we have been dealing with cleanup from hurricane Michael , reading tips on killing mold and mildew by putting peroxide into water and spraying it on . so now I am wondering if we could put peroxide into our blade cleaning water to help with sawed boards to help them with not mildewing . what do yall think , I already know I am a little crazy .

barbender

I have intentions of putting a Cook's style felt wiper system on my mill. I hate using the water drip lube system unless I am sawing dry wood like cedar or green ash that needs the sawdust knocked down, just because of the mess of wet sawdust that ends up all over. With the felt pads, there is no free dripping diesel, it's just constantly wiping a very thin film of fuel on the blade that keeps anything from sticking to it. I'm speculating, but I think a half cup of diesel would make a whole day of sawing. In another lifetime, I worked on an asphalt paving crew and we had these strap on "shoes" that had a flat felt sole. You would soak these with diesel (very similar the felt track wiper on an LT40) and you could walk on the asphalt for hours without it sticking to the shoes. You don't have to have diesel pouring off of your track wiper to keep pitch from building up on your top rail either, just that film. In my experience, things get bumpy quick when that wiper gets dry as the sawdust and pitch build up on the top rail immediately. Actually spraying the diesel out of the Lube-mizer or drip tank is way too much diesel, IMO. I know with that SYP, a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do but I think it could be accomplished with a lot less. If anyone is interested, look at Cook's wiper system on their website (it's available as a retrofit). If I remember right, it looks like it would hold less than a cup of fuel anyhow.
Too many irons in the fire

YellowHammer

Quote from: ehewitt05 on April 17, 2019, 03:06:29 PM
I feel dumb asking this but what mix ratio do you guys use for pinesol/dawn with water?
The more you put in the better it will work. As an analogy, if you have grease on your hands, and use too little soap, just turning up the water still won't clean them.  It takes more soap.  So keep adding more until it works.  
I've used Diesel with my Lubemizer no problem.  I had it set to lowest, so it only sprayed the band once maybe twice per cut.  Worked great.  
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

petefrom bearswamp

For sawing Hemlock I dont use anything.
Minuscule build up of any kind
EWP and Ash, Water and Pinesol.
Actually lube is a bit of a misnomer.
You are cleaning the blade and cooling a very little bit as the green sawdust and air mix is a good cooler.
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

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