Solution for cutting Pitch Pine

[fstedy]

I have had a BIG problem with pitch buildup on my blades and them diving. Tried several different blades and the Simonds Red Streaks did improve the situation but not solve it. Was about to go the Diesel and bar oil route, as a last resort when I had a revelation. The pitch was building up on the inner surface of the blade after several cuts which caused the diving blade. SO why not run a utility knife on the blade as it idled and scrape the pitch off. Works like a champ I also increased my cutting speed to about 50' a minute haven't had a problem since and am getting about 1,000 bf before a blade change. I do run a water Pinesol mix for cooling and it helps with pitch removal but the scraping is the KEY. Several cuts and a quick scrape will save you a lot of headaches. It works for me give it a try, hope it works for you. Use caution when scraping their is a lot going on in that area that you must be aware of, for SAFETY reasons.

[Don K]

I  have the same problem and scraping is the only thing that works at times.

[Fla._Deadheader]

We welded a little tube bracket BEFORE the fixed guide roller. In that bracket we have a "platers" Wire brush with a setscrew. The brush wipes the blade all the time, and lasts about 2 months or more. No problem with pitch dust accumulation.  ;D

[stonebroke]

What's a plater's wire brush?

Stonebroke

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Looks like a tooth brush  ;D ;D

[379hammerdown]

what mix ratio do you run that pinesol / water mix at? Thanks for the tip btw

[fstedy]

I don't usuallymeasure it just pour 1 or 2 cups in 5 gallons of water. FDH I didn't have much luck with the brush arrangement every time a blade broke it got bent up. Its a good idea just didn't work for me.

[customsawyer]

When I am cutting pine logs with alot of pitch I will sometimes use a half gallon of pinesol in a 5 gal jug of water, this seems to help.

[mike_van]

I've found that a blade with more set doesn't build up as bad. .022 or .024 will work better than a blade that needs to be set. When mine do build up, it's only on the board side like fstedy's, never on the log side.  Anyone know why? Something with the tires?

[Fla._Deadheader]

We hardly ever break blades, and have never had an incident with the brush being damaged  :-\

[Tom]

I think that the gumming up of the band blade on the wheel side has to do with trapping the sawdust between the tire and band and compressing it onto the band rather than slinging it off.  Sawdst carried in the gullet will get expelled through the sawdust chute.  Too heavy of a set lets sawdust spill out of the gullet and too little of a set warms the blade from friction with the wood.  A warm blade probably helps to make pine sawdust stick.

The outside of the blade has the aid of centrifugal force to sling stuff off.  Usually I've found the outside gummed up when the guides are out of alignment or the blade is already severely gummed up on the inside.

The idea of a lubricant on the blade is to keep the sawdust from sticking and give the centrifugal force a chance to get rid of it.  Water works , water with soap works if the water needs to be made wetter, a flood of water might help if the blade doesn't hydroplane.  Petroleum lubricants can keep the sawdust from sticking too as also can canola oil and other vegetable oils.   It's not so much the fact that the oil is a solvent as it is that it is making the metal slick.  Too slick and your band might slip.

At slow speed, or no speed, being a solvent is what helps to clean it.