V-Belt type band wheels

[adirondacker]

To all you portable sawmill owners with v-belts running under saw blades.....what do you use to clean the sawdust that's builds up on top of v-belt....obviously it needs to be cleaned... especially problem on sawing pine. My question is....do you use a toothbrush or what? Obviously not any type of wire...but the sawdust can become quite "tacky". I know there are some pretty sharp operators out there.

[Crusarius]

I just use a hand wire brush. Get the blade spinning then hold the wire brush against the belt. Doesn't take much time or effort. so far I cannot see any damage caused by it.

[69bronco]

I use a piece of broken blade as a scraper, everytime I change blades.

[Ed_K]

 I use a broken sticker so I'm not close to the blade while it turning.

[ladylake]

 I never clean mine with no bad results.   Steve

[Woodpecker52]

just mount bristle brushes like a regular bandsaw does!  I never have to clean my v belts ever!

 

[Crusarius]

That is definitely on my ever growing list of things to do. It is the little details that really make building a mill very time consuming.

[WV Sawmiller]

   The last time I serviced my mill and flip flopped the drive and idler belts positions I took the belts over to the wire wheel on my 6" grinder and cleaned them up. You have to be real careful to just lightly kiss the tips of the brush against the belt surface but it sure knocks the old pine sap and such off quick and in a hurry.

[Tom the Sawyer]

My TK B20 came with phenolic scrapers flexed on the wheels to scrap off the dust before it accumulates.  They work fine, and are quick to replace when they wear down, or get snapped off when a blade breaks.  A properly adjusted deflector on the drive side guide roller significantly reduces the potential for dust packing on the wheels.

[Nebraska]

I just lightly push the edge of my pocket knife and turn them when I change the blade seems to work fine.

[John S]

I use a small scraper each time I change a blade (usually).

[ladylake]

A properly adjusted deflector on the drive side guide roller significantly reduces the potential for dust packing on the wheels.

 That's what I use.  Steve