I run a Timberking 1220 manual mill. The blade is 13' 10" or there abouts. I have been adding dishwashing detergent (a long squirt) to the 5 gallon tank. The blades rust pretty fast (probably the oak I'm cutting) and some, not all get a buildup on them just behind the gullet on the body of the blade. Maybe a quarter inch wide x sixteenth tall. Cakes on hard and dries even harder. The boards have some pretty thick and pasty sawdust on them (if we don't scrape this off it stains real fast). OK, that is the background so far...When I got my resharp blades back, 2 out of 6 actually cut wood. The worst offenders had this hard buildup (I'm not calling it pitch since it looks more like wood filler).
I called about the blades and was told to try laundry detergent instead of dishwashing detergent sine it was a heavier cleaner. OK, duh...I'm beginning to feel stupid...I mixed up this new batch of coolant, it turned the water a lovely shade of blue...The blade stayed pretty clean. The sawdust paste stuck to the boards with a vengence but didn't seem to be staining as bad as the coolant with dishwashing detergent...As per manufacturer instructions this is a water based coolant system. What are you guys using (mix/ratio) on your mills? I'm not ready to go to an oil based system, at least not yet.
Oh yea, if I spray WD40 on my blade at the end of the day...what will it do to the rubber on the bandsaw wheels? Is this a good or bad idea? 80% of what I cut is oak of one flavor or another so rust on the blades is an issue.
Thanks guys! Sorry for getting so windy
Try running the mill for an hour without any lubricant on the blade. Watch the tension to see if the blade is heating.
The only time I run water on my blades is when I have wood with sap that sticks to the blade, usually tamarack, white pine, or white ash.
I use water in varying amounts. Sometimes in a flood. Sometimes in a drip. It sounds like you are cutting liveoak. It acts like that. When the blade heats, the build-up starts. Either the wood is hard or the blade is dull. I've pulled blades that were too dull for that log only to use them later on a different log. I use soap too but not as a general lube. I don't like it arount the bearings.
I don't worry about that rust either. Usually I'll have a blade worn out before that dusting of surface rust has any effect.
WD-40 hasn't hurt the rubber on my mill, nor has a ATF that I can see. I never did soak it in the stuff but it did get on it.
Sawdust left on the log is usually attributed to too much set. I've found that feed speed, blade tension and slipping belts can all cause it. Wide boards will fill the gullets before the sawdust can be expelled. Slow sawing speeds may make a sawdust so fine that it won't stay in the gullet (dull blades will do that too) Slipping drive belts or the blade slipping on the wheels slows the blade and destroys the venturi effect that holds the sawdust in the gullet.(likened to whirling a pail of water around your head not fast enough.
I usually attack the problem from the standpoint of sharpness first and blade guide alignment second.
I've been cutting a lot of oak lately. I cut some White Oak this week that has been down since the hurricane. The longer it sits the harder it gets. If I'm cutting about 6" wide or less, then it's no problem. If I'm cutting over 10" wide then problems become pretty noticable. If the board is over 15" then look out. Lots of packed sawdust, can't keep the blade from heating, so the tension drops. Have to slow the feed waaayyy down to control the engine load and the blade heating. Cuts try to go wavey. And that's with full flow soapy water. Without a lot of water, it becomes a lost cause.
Finish that log and load a 20" popular. Same blade, same alignment, cuts with no problems. I use about the same feed speed on a 18" popular board as I do a 6" oak. Guess I should just charge more for cutting the hard stuff. ;D
VA-Sawyer
Suffolk puts out a little booklet that really is packed with info about bandsaw blades. It might be worth it for you to get a copy.
VA.,
If you have packed sawdust, check your set, you should have at least 0.025 inches per side. Also check for drive belt tension. For a 1 1/4 X 0.042 blade, you should have it tensioned to 1000- 1200 lbs.
Check the set on your blades.I mix a cup of pine cleaner to 5 gallons of water,works good to me.
This is NOT recommended, but, I do it.
When we saw Live Oak (10 logs so far), we use just enough water to keep things "feeling" right. I don't like the dust to get soggy. I feel that drier dust will exit the cut easier. When Ed or I spot the buildup you mention, I walk up to the back of the running blade, and use the corner of a putty knife, to actually scrape the buildup away. If you are careful and use the movable guide arm as a steady rest, this approach is not as scary as it sounds.
Have you tried them MunkforsSager blades??? They made a BIGGGG difference to our mill. A little Pam sprayed on the used blade and wiped with a rag does wonders for keeping the blade from rusting. Them Monkey Blades don't rust very much, either. ;) ;D ;D
D._Frederick
You too use "Håkansson-blade" with chisel, Made in Sweden? Sold by Suffolk at Your side. I don´t know any other with the correct tension at 1069 lbs at that dimentions.
They are so forgiving if I do anything wrong and the low tension save my sawmill. :)
I buy them from the manufacturer.
Fla._Deadheader
I have some blade from Munkfors-sågar, "Made in Sweden" too. The correct tension at the same size is 1763lbs. I´ve no problems with any of these to blades.
I use 50/50 of diesel and a regular chain oil.
Talked to my brother today about vegetabile oil. These oils is the best lubrication but it makes a lot of problems in small holes. There is o way but grinding to get it off Amerika-Sågen. The previous owner used that stuff. >:( Together with sawdust it looks like welding..
I painted the layer I didn´t get off! 8) It seems to stay there.
Swede.
Swede, I agree about using oil (Pam) while sawing. I use plain water, as, any oil will react slightly with our tires and make things gooey??? Just a little squirt of oil on the used blade before storing it will keep the blade like new.
We started sawing, using the "Suffolk" blades. Changed to Munks and it made a huge difference to our sawing. We use less tension with the Munks, same as we did the Suffolk.
Swede,
I am using flex back carbon steel blades. The 1000-1200lbs is the tension that the blade is seeing, you would have to double the tension figure to get the force that is applied to band wheels.
"oil will react slightly with our tires and make things gooey"
Fla._Deadheader
I´ve not got that problem, how much oil/diesel-mix did You let on the blade? 10 drops/minute I use and don´t see it any moore. No heat and no noise from the guides. And nothing is gooey.
D._Fredrick
Numbers is just numbers and the data for tension I´ve been told. I use to turn the handle and play the blade´s upper part till it gives a clear tone. 8) Anyone said You skall hear a D ! ;D
I have the same tension at bouth Munkfors and Håkansson/Suffolk, yes numbers is just numbers. If evrything works just fine we must have made anything right.
When I´ve been sawing some more I´ll tell You whats best, Håkansson or Munkfors. Is´nt both made for sawing logs? :D
Swede.