Bandsaw Lube

[thiggy]

OK, being new to this bandsaw activity, I am uncertain what the purpose of the water drip is.  Is it to lubricate the blade, or to cool it (or both)?  I have been told to add a bottle of Pine-Sol to the mix, and I have also heard to add dishwashing detergent, and I have also heard use plain ole H2O.  What is the accepted practice? How much should the water flow? Can I overdo it?
By the way, my wife said she heard that cedar sawdust should not be breathed, as it is hazardous.  Is there anything to that?  I am only aware of a few tropical hardwoods such as cocobolo that present that hazard (and I don't have any pieces of cocobolo large enough to use in the sawmill).

[Rockn H]

The water is to help clean the sap off the blade which in doing helps to keep the blade cooler.  A heavy build-up of sap can also make the blade dive or rise.  We have members that use everything from straight diesel and kerosene to just water.  I use a cup of dish washing detergent to five gallons of water if I'm cutting fresh SYP.  I would think the same mix would be true of pine-sol.  If I'm cutting cedar or pine that has been down for a long time I normally use straight water.  You just don't want sap building up on the blade.  A clean , cool blade will stay sharper longer than a hot one.
Just a dribble should be enough, only so much will adhere to the blade anyway.  I wouldn't think you could over do it , but there's no sense in having to fill the tank more than you have to. ;D  If sap starts to build then crank up the flow.
I don't think I've heard much about Cedar being toxic.  I know it does have some acids in it that don't agree with my sinus's or a few other's around here for that matter.

[Tom]

What I've been told is that Cedar doesn't rot.  It is difficult for the body to get rid of it.  Cedar sawdust in the lungs is like cigarette smoke.  The danger isn't the toxicity but rather the irritation.  Since the lungs can't pass it off, they encapsulate it and scarring takes place.  The result of the scarring is emphysema.   So, it's really a long term thing.   

If this is actually the case, then there are other woods to be concerned about and probably all woods could cause the same problem to one degree or another.   The worse case scenario, I'm told, is the sanding of dry stock in the workshop.  Most woods cut by sawmills are producing a wet sawdust, with a larger size than can easily get into the lungs.  If you cut dry wood, or wood infected with fungi or mold, I would imagine breathing sawmill sawdust could be a liability.

[flip]

Agree.  I have been using a heavy squirt of dawn  to 5 gal water.  I can tell a difference in the way it cuts vs. just plain water.  It also makes some nice bubbles and doesn't stain the wood or leave a nasty smell.  It would seem to me diesel or oil or any sort would have some less than desireable after effects, that's just my thinking though ???

[thiggy]

Thanks for the responses fellows.  Along the same line, do I not need to use any water when cutting oak or pecan (or other hardwoods)?

[Tom]

"Gumming" can take place on any type of wood.  Some are more prone than others.  Just be prepared to fight it and always run a little lubricant on your blade.

[IL Bull]

I have heard that walnut can make you sick.  Any truth to that?
I also use a squirt of dawn in my lube tank.

[rvrdivr]

I use water and dishwashing detergent also and have had no proplems with sap while cutting SYP. Even though the oak and other hard woods may not have the sap of SYP, I believe the water will help keep the blade cool. I keep a small steady stream flowing as I'm cutting. Water and dish detergent is cheap so don't be stingy ;)

A little over a year ago I got the worst case of poison ivy I've ever had. While doing some research on line, I found that some people can be alergic to cedar just as well as poison ivy especially when it is burned.

[wiam]

 I have not cut much Pine.  I tried diesel/kerosene on some other woods.  Did not see anyresidue on wood.  Blade ran less noise.  Lately I have run no lube.  Any time I stop I feel the blade.  It never feels warm.  The guides are louder without lube but I do not let that bother me.

Will

[ohsoloco]

I like to cut back on the water lube mix when cutting oak, otherwise I get a strip of blue/black sawdust all along the board/cant where the blade enters from all that tannic acid.  Just run a very slow drip or a little shot now and again when the blade is gumming up.  My blades really like to gum up when cutting hickory. 

Just about time to switch to windshield washer fluid for a while  ;)

[Part_Timer]

On the Lt15 I have mixed 50/50 kero and bar oil.  it works well.  I put it in a small spray bottle and shoot it on the blade as it is leaving the log.  I only use it when I'm cutting Osage and Hickory.  It seems to cut the crud on the blades well and only takes a squirt or two. 

I've made several projects with the wood and haven't noticed where it made a differance in the smell or finish in the projects.

[Duncan]

I follow the mainstream and use water, water with windshield fluid in the winter, and a dash of dishwashing detergent in the mix for sappy woods.  Cedar dosen't seem to bother me much but occasionally will get some irritation after a long day of cutting.  However I have found that the amount of lube/coolant needed is directly proportional to the length of the long, species, and how long it is down.

For instance in a 6' log there isn't enought time in the cut to actually heat up the blade significantly (LT70/62hp) since I am usually pushing the feed fairly hard, but in a 20X foot log I will get some large puffs of steam as the coolant pump pulses if I don't have enough coolant dialed up.

I find that dry cedar (sitting over 5 years) is one of the worst, I usually have the lubemizer on continous and sometimes get steam even then.