The Forestry Forum

I am a new member and this is my first post. Looks like there are quite a few knowledgeable people out there. I inherited a MSG Industries Mini-Mill 250E. It is about 10 years old and in fairly good shape. I have cut some with it but I keep having blade related issues. I have had some break and others dull quickly, or so it seems to me. Additionally, I have a problem with the blade "diving" or "rising" so that I am not getting very good consistency in my depth of cut? Cutting mostly pine here in Florida. I have the tension on the blade torqued to specs. (25 to 30 fl. lbs.). The coolant/lubricant is set up to just gravity feed to the blade so there is a constant small stream - it seems to just bead up and bounce off when cutting. I am using water, a little soap, and a small amount of pine sol. I am wondering if the blades are not being adequately lubricated? It seems to be rather loud - kind of metal on metal sound -- if I pour some mixture on the blade directly when it is out of the wood it seems to quiet down. How much coolant should be going on the blade?

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I like to spray both sides of the blade with enough water to keep the blade quiet.
Check to make sure that your saw is not riding to far back on the wheel as this will take the set out of the saw and give you the symptoms that you are describing as well. The bottom of the gullet should be right at the edge of the wheel.

Don't have an answer.  I am sure several here will offer good advice. 

Welcome to the forum.  What part of FL are you?  Now we have at least two Tom's in FL. ;D

Thanks for the suggestion -- worth a try -- I am located in north central Florida -- near Gainesville -- University of Florida -- in a little country town. There used to be a lot of agricuture in the area but, like a lot of other places, we are slowly becoming a housing development.