Do I need to use sawblade lube?

Stuart Caruk · January 04, 2015, 06:02:17 PM

I recently started sawing with a Woodmizer LT35 HYD mill. In the class we used a synthetic lubricant mixed with water that had a manually controlled valve that would allow the water/lube mixture to drizzle out onto the saw blade. It seemed to be required to run more lube flow with thicker boards.

Now that I'm cutting on my own, I use a lube made from 5 gallons of water, 1/2 cup of pinesol, and 2 tablespoons of dawn dishwashing soap. It seems to work well for the fir, maple, cedar,and alder that I'm cutting, but I have to keep filling the tank every 3 or 4 hours. There's a commercial mill up the road that uses Woodmizer mills and he cuts dry all the time, telling me that I only need to use lube as required to clean the pitch off the blades.

SO what do most of you folks do, and what do you use for lube. It would be trivial to hook up a solenoid to control flow of the lube so I can't forget to turn it on and off, although most of the valves require 5 PSI or so pressure to open the diaphragms, and I'm not sure if I need or want to add a small pump to the mill. I am open to ideas and suggestions though, and appreciate any advice you may be able to give.

Thanks,

Stu

drobertson · January 04, 2015, 06:06:31 PM

I've ran dry, most usually run with a mix much like you described. The five gallon tanks will last me for up to two days sawing, depending of course on the pitch. I have a scraper that I use to take the bulk off at times when the build up is bad, usually caused by pitchy pine, I know nothing about the NW Pacific timber, and how pitchy it is.

Magicman · January 04, 2015, 06:15:31 PM

You are probably wasting most of your lube without at least a solenoid to stop the flow while not actually sawing.

My recipe is one glug (~2 oz.) of liquid Cascade per gallon of water. I have a Lubemizer and 5 gallons will last for a day's sawing.

kelLOGg · January 04, 2015, 06:29:10 PM

I used to cut dry but eventually I needed to turn on the lube. Now I cut with diesel lube via a drip which uses very little. Two gals will last for several months IF I don't forget to turn it and I forgot 2 days ago. Now I am seriously considering solenoid valves. (I don't think solenoid valves require a pressure differential to open.) On my mill I am planning to actuate it mechanically by the throttle. The assumption is that if the engine is at near full speed then the solenoid(s) are open and the lube is on, otherwise it is off. I need to find some very small 12 VDC solenoids. Sources?
Bob

Chuck White · January 04, 2015, 07:06:57 PM

I have the main valve on the lube/water jug where I turn the lube on/off, and a couple of inches from that valve, I have a metering valve (just a small valve) to regulate how fast the water drip flows!

Five gallons of lube mix will usually last me into the 3rd day of sawing, then I need to refill.

Sometimes when I get into some real pitchy stuff, I'll go through 5 gallons in a day.

My mix is: Fill the jug "almost" full of water, then add a cup of Pinesol, and 5-6 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap.

Robert Owens · January 04, 2015, 07:16:46 PM

I use diesel fuel and learned through FF to let it drip slowly. At first I was using too much and all my clothes was smelling like diesel. The diesel really keeps any build up from pine on the wheels, blade etc.

backwoods sawyer · January 04, 2015, 08:07:42 PM

I run straight water with a pump spraying on both sides of the saw, and carry 20 gallons for a days sawing, this works for most woods add a little water softner (soap) for added displacement.

I have ran saws dry but dry saws tend to heat up faster.

When running Pitchy fir and pine I turn off the water and turn on a deisle drip (like an I.V.)

If I had a choice of just one I would use deisle, it just works best.

Lazy logger · January 04, 2015, 08:17:23 PM

I have used both water and a 50/50 mix of bar oil and kerosene. I like the 50/50 best. I have an electric fuel pump with a horn button to activate it. I have it set up to spray a light mist on both sides of the blade. Give it a squirt now and then. You can hear the blade noise go away. Works great for me.

StimW · January 04, 2015, 08:30:21 PM

I have a manual mill and can tell the difference in force needed with lub on or off.
I catch the saw dust in a bucket and can see steam/water vapor coming off of the dust when humidity is high. So I know it is cooling the blade too.
I use dish soap from Dollar Tree. A dollar for a large bottle.
I also have two valves, one sets the flow and the other is off-on.

Jim_Rogers · January 04, 2015, 08:38:44 PM

When Woodmizer came out with the automatic lube shut off I asked how much for the retrofit kit. They told me that they were not going to sell a retrofit kit because they powered the electric valve with the forward motion switch in the control box. And to wire it up we'd have to push a new wire through the wiring harness. They were afraid we'd damage the wires in our harnesses and so that's why they didn't want to sell the kit.
I created my own. I got a valve and a push button switch. I wired it up off the hot lead on the back of the alternator and with a inline fuse and on/off switch, I was set to go.
Now when I pull down my clutch lever it pushes the switch and opens the valve to let the water flow.
When the handle is up or off the water stops.
Works for me.
I think I have posted pictures before of my system but maybe not.
Good luck with yours.

Jim Rogers

kelLOGg · January 05, 2015, 06:58:10 PM

Quote from: Jim_Rogers on January 04, 2015, 08:38:44 PM
I got a valve and a push button switch. I wired it up off the hot lead on the back of the alternator and with a inline fuse and on/off switch, I was set to go.
Now when I pull down my clutch lever it pushes the switch and opens the valve to let the water flow.
When the handle is up or off the water stops.
Works for me.
I think I have posted pictures before of my system but maybe not.
Good luck with yours.

Jim Rogers

Jim,
I would like to know your source for the solenoid valves you used. A pic would be nice, too. Today i added a switch to control the valves - now all I need is the valves. :D
Bob

Woodcutter_Mo · January 05, 2015, 07:46:35 PM

I've found that some woods like pine often require a fluid drip on the blade. Some woods don't build up as bad. Pinsol and water mix is what I use and when I'm done I give the blade a shot of wd40 or pb blaster or ATF before I shut it down for the day.

I'm also interested in seeing the solinoid idea, that would help a lot with water usage 8)

Jim_Rogers · January 05, 2015, 09:45:16 PM

Quote from: kelLOGg on January 05, 2015, 06:58:10 PM
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on January 04, 2015, 08:38:44 PM
I got a valve and a push button switch. I wired it up off the hot lead on the back of the alternator and with a inline fuse and on/off switch, I was set to go.
Now when I pull down my clutch lever it pushes the switch and opens the valve to let the water flow.
When the handle is up or off the water stops.
Works for me.
I think I have posted pictures before of my system but maybe not.
Good luck with yours.

Jim Rogers

Jim,
I would like to know your source for the solenoid valves you used. A pic would be nice, too. Today i added a switch to control the valves - now all I need is the valves. :D
Bob

Bob:
Well first off, I was a little pithed off when they said they wouldn't sell a kit, so I went down to my local Napa store and asked the counter clerk a good man and could usually find the things I needed for a valve that opened and closed by electricity and he couldn't think of a thing. I didn't take no for an answer. I said think about it for a while and you'll think of something I could use.
After a few minutes he figured out that I could use a valve that are in pick up trucks for right tank left tank gas tanks. With the juice on it opens the valve and you get gas from one tank. Flip the switch and it shuts off the juice and it automatically goes to the other tank.
He said I could just plug that "other tank" line and have it so that it flows when the juice is on.
So I bought one.
It worked for many years until it didn't work any more. I think it cost me around $78 or so.

I was going to go back down there and buy another one and just replace the one that broke, but while talking to a service tech from WM I mentioned that I needed to do this and he said: "oh, we'll sell you the solenoid valve if you want one. They are only $50 or so." So, I bought one from them. And I think that one died and I got a second one from them. That's what I'm using now.

Above is the old "right tank left tank" valve unit that I had used for many years.

Above is the switch next to the pivot point on the clutch lever, with the clutch lever up so that the button isn't pushed down, no juice.

Above is the clutch lever down and locked and it is pushing the button in so the juice and water flows.

Above is the new solenoid valve from WM as it came in.

Above is the location and brackets I created to hold the valve unit so I can easily see it and work on it when it doesn't work right.
I cut a piece of a cookie sheet to make the metal roof and mounted that to the piece of angle iron to hold it all to the mill body near where the blade tension lever is to the right of the engine mount.

I hope this has helped you.

Jim Rogers

Stuart Caruk · January 06, 2015, 01:08:41 AM

Very clever and simple, I like it. I looked at the mill this afternoon and saw several good places to mount a switch that would be activated when I engage the blade. Given that my day job is running a CNC shop, making the brackets is a simple thing for me at least. Thanks for the ideas.

Is your lube just a drip feed system, or do you have a pump and feed it under pressure.

kelLOGg · January 06, 2015, 05:25:03 AM

Thanks for the details, Jim. My lube tank is a structural member of the sawhead so I am limited as to where I can put a solenoid. It has to fit in a linear space with tank fittings, filter, drip gauge and tubing so I want it as small as practical.
Bob

Jim_Rogers · January 06, 2015, 09:28:48 AM

Quote from: Stuart Caruk on January 06, 2015, 01:08:41 AM
Is your lube just a drip feed system, or do you have a pump and feed it under pressure?

Drip system.
But be sure to "blow it out" of water before you leave it for the night when below freezing.
With the engine shut off, I pull down the clutch lever to open the valve, take the hose end in my hand and without the hose touching my mouth, I blow into my hand and the air goes down the hose and blows out the line. I blow till the line is clear and that prevents the icy situation in the line and the valve.

I run windshield antifreeze in winter time when I need the water while cutting pine. Cutting oak I sometimes don't use the lube system.

Jim Rogers

Warped · January 06, 2015, 11:25:58 AM

I was thinking of using a windshield washer pump and a push button. Pumps can be had for under $15, or a valve from a washing machine, but may have to deal with 120 volts?
I cut red pine only and never have pitch build up and actually haven't filled my drip jug lately and have had no problems, but I'm also very slow so blade never heats up.

petefrom bearswamp · January 06, 2015, 12:04:39 PM

I put a windshield washer system on the mill that Chuck white now has.
Worked good.
Got the pump and tank from a wrecked car.
I guess he uses a drip system now.

Chuck White · January 06, 2015, 05:08:38 PM

Yup, I removed and relocated the Windshield washer!

It was mounted on the shield under the gas tank and water/lube jug, so whenever I needed to get in there, I removed and reinstalled the WS washer.

I mounted it out by the blade tension gage!

Keep in mind that if you use one of these, and get it mounted higher than the far end of the water tubing, that the tank will still gravity flow even when you turn it off.

I still have the tank sitting on a shelf in the garage!