Cold weather lube

[Buck69]

I'm in west central Indiana and the days are getting in the mid to low 40's and the nights are getting down to the upper 20's .
I'm milling red oak currently and have some walnut, tulip poplar and white pine to saw. All are green off stump except for the pine.
I'm running a lt40 hydraulic with the lubemizer and running the  windshield washer fluid thats rated for -30°f  for lube and was wondering if you can add pinesol and or dish soap. If so will it effect the freeze point. 
Any insight or lube formulas from the sawyers of the great glaciated north would be greatly appreciated. 

[ladylake]

  Diesel.  Steve

[Buck69]

I see you have a timberking mill ,does it have the belted wheels?
The reason I ask is I wonder if the diesel will damage the belts on my wheels. 
Also thanks for taking the time to reply

[thecfarm]

Only a drop every few seconds.
I have no idea about what it does to belts. I only saw a little on my mill.
Most saw in a week what I saw in a year.
A gallon of diesel should last a long time.

[Magicman]

I'm running a lt40 hydraulic with the lubemizer and running the windshield washer fluid thats rated for -30°f for lube and was wondering if you can add pinesol and or dish soap. If so will it effect the freeze point.

That is what I use and I add ~2oz. of liquid Cascade per gallon.  I also use a 50-50 mixture of water/RV antifreeze and the same Cascade. 

Yes, some sawyers have good results with Diesel, but I am still a "water" guy.  There are topics on here describing how to add a needle valve to control the Diesel.

[ladylake]

 Yes my TK has belted wheels and no diesel doesn't bother the belts.  Steve

[YellowHammer]

I'm a diesel guy.  I can be used wrong, its a classic case of less is more.

Here is a video I did on the subject.
 
Greatest Sawmill Secret! - Diesel (In the Lube Tank!) - YouTube

[Magicman]

Thanks Robert.  I was hoping that you would post that most excellent video.  

I may switch but at this point in my sawing career, I may not.  ;D  

I am trying to take my own advice and s l o w    d o w n.  

[Southside]

I tried every concoction out there including having a lab make up a few concentrates to try and find the perfect solution.

Now I run diesel. It will eat away at the valves in your lubemizer but remove the bottom spray nozzle, replace it with a plug, and you will have no issues. 

[Buck69]

Thanks for the reply's gentleman. 
Sorry Steve for asking about belt degradation as I forgot I had watched yellowhammer's video on the diesel lube and new they would be ok.
I think I will still run magic's combo till I get the washer fluid used up. Will get a squirt bottle of diesel to give the band a squirt if and when needed. 

Thanks for posting the link yellowhammer. I have watched it and all the others some more than once. 
Wish I had help that worked as hard as Martha and a supervisor as laid back as chip.
Lost my supervisor about a year ago. (Still miss him ,black labs are excellent supervisor's )
                
             Stacy 

[Buck69]

I tried every concoction out there including having a lab make up a few concentrates to try and find the perfect solution.

Now I run diesel. It will eat away at the valves in your lubemizer but remove the bottom spray nozzle, replace it with a plug, and you will have no issues.

Thanks for the reply Southside, what valves are you referring to?
I'm probably going to switch to diesel in the future. 

[Southside]

There are two on the line by the pump, one is barbed and the other threaded. Two different relief pressures. With the bottom nozzle removed the bypass does not result in a leak at the roller so no harm, no foul. 

[Buck69]

Thanks Southside. 

[OlJarhead]

Central WA and have milled in 10F and lower.

Windshield washer fluid, Pinesol and dush liquid 

[Crossroads]

I'm in the diesel group and haven't noticed any less life on the belts. I do run into western larch now and then and diesel absolutely won't cut it. So, I add water, pinesol and dawn to the jug. That bit me last week when we got some freezing weather. There was just enough water mixture laying under the diesel that it froze in the tank, it froze in the valve and it froze in the line 🙈I had to put diesel in an old oil bottle and screw my sprayer on it to squirt the band every so often, until it thawed out and I was able to clean out the water and replace it with straight diesel. The world is a happy place now 😁

[YellowHammer]

Central WA and have milled in 10F and lower.

Windshield washer fluid, Pinesol and dush liquid

The only thing that would allow me to run a sawmill at 10°F is whiskey, and it wouldn't be going in the lube tank on the sawmill! 

[boonesyard]

If the wind's not blowing, we'll mill to -10F if we need to (hopefully we don't need to  ). Haven't switched to diesel yet, but use 50/50 water/RV antifreeze, pinesol and dawn with success.