Homemade Lubemizer

LeeB · March 18, 2024, 08:36:04 PM

Has anyone tried making a homebrew lube mizer type sprayer out of a windshield washer pump?

rusticretreater · March 18, 2024, 09:08:58 PM

My time as an auto mechanic and having repaired them tells me they would burn out fairly rapidly if run constantly. 15 - 20 minutes would be more running than most of them do in their entire lives.

SawyerTed · March 18, 2024, 10:16:18 PM

A small 12 volt sprayer pump, RV water pump or boat wash down pump with a pressure switch has a better duty cycle.

customsawyer · March 19, 2024, 05:31:15 AM

I would get one of the ag sprayer type pumps. Get the one that lets you adjust the pressure. It should be a allen head screw on the end of the pump. It should let you lower the pressure to keep from flooding the blade.

jpassardi · March 19, 2024, 06:41:59 AM

Have you considered a Cooks type felt diesel dripper install? I recently posted the install I did on my LT15. Do a quick search. Made a big improvement when doing heavy sap pine.

maineshops · March 19, 2024, 09:21:54 AM

I got an aftermarket windshield washer kit online. Has everything you need. Two nozzles so you spray both sides of the blade. Spraying just one side is not a good idea. Only problem with this setup is hat the tank has to be lower than the nozzle I guess one could put a check valve in the system. ..... Dan

Southside · March 19, 2024, 10:00:52 AM

Going to disagree with you there, many of us have plugged the bottom nozzle on the lubemizer and never looked back. Sap build up isn't a problem on that side of the band and overall performance of the system is better with just the top nozzle operating.

SawyerTed · March 19, 2024, 12:36:04 PM

Never have had build up on the bottom/outside of the blade. The bottom nozzle on my Lubemizer has been plugged since the beginning with no issues. The LT35 only "lubes" the top of the blade.

Magicman · March 19, 2024, 01:32:45 PM

I still use a water/soap solution and I plugged my bottom nozzle many years ago. I also opened the jet in the top nozzle, but I do not remember the bit size, just know that it was smaller than 1/16".

LeeB · March 19, 2024, 02:39:19 PM

Quote from: rusticretreater on March 18, 2024, 09:08:58 PMMy time as an auto mechanic and having repaired them tells me they would burn out fairly rapidly if run constantly. 15 - 20 minutes would be more running than most of them do in their entire lives.

It wouldn't be continuous. I was thinking more of an impulse switch same as on a vehicle for intermittent spray as needed.

barbender · March 19, 2024, 03:14:48 PM

If you are using a windshield washer pump for use with water, I think it will burn up with he volume it would need to supply. However, if you were using it to spritz a bit of diesel on the blade I would think one would be completely sufficient- as long as the diesel didn't eat the seals etc. For diesel, you can also get a cheap electric fuel pump off Amazon or wherever.

rusticretreater · March 19, 2024, 04:09:53 PM

Quote from: LeeB on March 19, 2024, 02:39:19 PM
Quote from: rusticretreater on March 18, 2024, 09:08:58 PMMy time as an auto mechanic and having repaired them tells me they would burn out fairly rapidly if run constantly. 15 - 20 minutes would be more running than most of them do in their entire lives.
It wouldn't be continuous. I was thinking more of an impulse switch same as on a vehicle for intermittent spray as needed.

Ok, but it would still be way above its duty cycle after several hours of sawing.

maineshops · March 20, 2024, 09:16:53 AM

The problem with spraying just one side of the blade I stress on the metal. I spray once each pass for the most part so the blade warms up and you hit one side with the cold ,in my case windshield washer fluid. If you use a continual spray, no issues I would imagine. So with my limited background in metallurgy it's a stress issue, not a sap issue.
Dan...tool and die maker, retired

Magicman · March 20, 2024, 09:25:17 AM

If the blade gets warm, it is getting dull and needs replacing. If a blade gets hot, you ain't paying attention.

barbender · March 20, 2024, 11:49:10 AM

Maineshops, that sounds maybe reasonable on paper but in real life it is a non-issue. And along the lines of what Magic is driving at, if you are getting the blade hot enough that cooling it would cause stresses, you have other sawing issues. A band blade doesn't need "coolant" or "lubricant" so much as it needs a solvent. Just to keep it clean.

SawyerTed · March 20, 2024, 01:28:40 PM

Three thoughts on the lube on one side of the blade.

One, the purpose of the lube is blade cleaning. A blade only gets build up on one side. If the blade needs cooling something else is wrong - it's dull, some kind of blade rubbing issue etc. Some saw dry successfully, no lube, no cooling. Many of us can't get by with that.

Two, other issues are going to cause the end of life for a blade besides uneven cooling. Dulling/resharpending cycles, gullet cracks, foreign objects, sawyer errors and limited flex life all are limiting factors in blade life.

Three, there are many professional sawyers applying lube to one side of the blade, including several very highly regarded sawyers here. If the blade life was significantly shortened by uneven cooling, we would be hearing from them here. Many of those professionals here use a very small amount of lube/blade cleaning liquid any cooling would be insignificant.

jpassardi · March 20, 2024, 01:40:16 PM

To this point, bear in mind that unless you're milling a rare very old log there is a significant volume of water already present in the log.

Magicman · March 20, 2024, 01:45:56 PM

In a normal sawing situation, heat buildup on a blade is caused by dull teeth trying to gnaw through a log. There is very little if any friction from the blade contacting the cant or lumber because the tooth set has established the kerf for the blade.

barbender · March 20, 2024, 02:33:06 PM

The only time I've had any appreciable heat in a blade is when something is causing the body of the band to rub. Most common cause in my case would be pitch build up, which basically makes the blade too thick to fit through the kerf without rubbing.

maineshops · March 21, 2024, 09:29:36 AM

Thanks all for the interesting comments. My background in the behavior o metal far exceeds my background in sawing so I appreciate the valuable input. It seems I'm looking at a non issue. Someone's point of here being a lo of moisture in the log brought me to a head slapping moment.I'm 83 and still eager to learn. What a valuable group this is......Dan

Southside · March 21, 2024, 03:54:27 PM

Yea well then there are the logs that don't have a lot of moisture because the customer says "I let it dry out for you already so it should be good to go"....