Blade lubricant

[timberfaller390]

I have done a pretty good bit of dry white oak and hickory and I haven't had any trouble getting 2-3 logs (16-20") using only water. Your blade needs to be sharpened and set right though. I usually keep a couple of brand new blades for such things and move them to the soft wood pile after they dull from the dry oak.

[Tom Sawyer]

Hi Tom
  I do use water on the blade.  I was wondering if someone was getting better results with something else.
Nick

Sorry Nick, I misunderstood your post.  I agree with Timberfaller.  If you are only getting 5-6 cuts per blade and are using water on the blade then you have a problem with blade sharpness or set, or another problem.  You should be able to cut at least 300 bft with a blade in any species in my experience.

Tom

[robnrob2]

The woodmizer where I'am a part time sawyer we don't use any lube.My own bandmill I made a wick arrangement that rides top and bottom of the band leaves a slight sheen with diesel and oil mix.You never see or feel any on the wood,keeps the band clean and rust free.Frank C.

O.K. If Icould chime in here, for just a pinch, ,
I use sorta the same wick method, but just a bit different,,I call it the wipe method,, Ha, sounds like this topic gcould go in different directions,, I use the disposable chip brush's,, 1' to be exact, I cut the handle off just above the band, , I have mounted ,, welded a lil arm, on the band blade  guide arm, that allows me to mount this lil 1' brush just behind the drip/lube tube, VIA a 1/4" bolt,,all I have to do is just crack the fluid to it, just once in a while,then turn it back off, the brush picks it up and continously wipes the band, I also have on inside the blade wheel cover at about the 10 oclcok position a brush  to wipe the bottom of the band, but rarely need it,,,
I can cut pine for hours, and maybe, use 6-10 oz's ,if that, realy it doesnt take much,, and oh yea, , almost fer got, I use diesel and a pinch of oil, for my mix,,, I never see it on the wood I cut.

[kelLOGg]

Maybe the rate of cutting affects our experience of the lube - none to water to diesel. My mill is only 16 HP but will cut up to 26" wide so I have to take it slower than the larger powered mills. It's an entirely different story with pine - I have a top and bottom blade diesel wipe both entering the log and exiting it (see gallery for pics). I use 0.020 " set for all species.

[nas]

Sorry Nick, I misunderstood your post.  I agree with Timberfaller.  If you are only getting 5-6 cuts per blade and are using water on the blade then you have a problem with blade sharpness or set, or another problem.  You should be able to cut at least 300 bft with a blade in any species in my experience.

Tom

Hi Tom
I guess I was hoping for an easy solution.  The beams I am resawing have been laying on a gravel lot for years and I think my problem must be gravel in them.  The customer is paying by the hour and for blades and sharpening time, but it is still annoying having to change blades so often.

Nick

[timberfaller390]

If your hitting gravel that's definitly the problem. figure out which will take more time removing gravel or changing blades and since your being paid by the hour go with whichever takes longest :D ;D

[VT]

John and VT,sorry I've not figured out this picture thing

bandmiller2 / Frank , You know that saying , A picture is worth $$$$ somethings.
E-mail the picture  to me and and im pretty good with these monkey boxes.

item4sale at shaw.ca

replace at with @ , and on the e-mail sent , find the button saying attach and then find the picture on your computer EG:(My Pictures \ Wood Cutting \ and the picture , blade wick) Ill see about posting it on this forum.
VT

[slider]

diesel worked best for me on pine using drip ,then i went to a lubmizer spray system and went back to soap i've used many different brands but found that tide ultra liquid,orange jug works far better than the cheaper detergents .   al