Lube for planer bed?

customsawyer · September 10, 2020, 02:35:28 PM

What have y'all found to work the best at keeping the bed of a planer clean and slick. Keep running into problems running SYP with pitch build up.

doc henderson · September 10, 2020, 02:44:21 PM

Johnson paste wax. not too much or can interfere with finish.

Tom the Sawyer · September 10, 2020, 03:57:35 PM

I have used SLIPIT silicone free sliding compound. It comes in a gel or a spray, protects the cast iron and doesn't contaminate finishes.

caveman · September 10, 2020, 05:35:13 PM

I use Johnson Paste Wax also but with the real sappy stuff I have to clean up the feed rollers using mineral spirits which is a pain.

Bruno of NH · September 10, 2020, 06:28:00 PM

I have used Slipit on lots of my tools with great success.
But you pine is very pitchy

RussMaGuss · September 10, 2020, 07:28:14 PM

Like everyone else said, paste wax is the best. To get any sap off cast iron, just a small amount of lemon oil absolutely kicks butt. If you're doing SYP, get a couple bottles..

longtime lurker · September 10, 2020, 07:40:44 PM

Depends on your moulder.

You can get away with wax based lubricant if you can remove all traces of lubricant with the last bottom head, which usually means at least a 5 head machine because most 4 headers have a bottom head first configuration.

Other than that use one of the silicone based products sold as a proper moulder bed lubricant. They are designed to evaporate off the surface of the wood, as wax based(or other non evaporative coatings) will interfere with paint and other coatings that you might want to apply to the wood down the road.

Yeah you can save a few bucks with cheaper options but if you're running any kind of volume then - long term customer satisfaction being a valuable commodity - the "right" lubricant works out cheaper.

I don't know anything about pine Jake, but isn't the pitch supposed to be set enough in-kiln to not interfere with later processing? Can you maybe cook it a bit harder to get it to set better, or does the heat from the cutterheads soften it up to gummy again?

tule peak timber · September 10, 2020, 09:00:28 PM

Hi Jake , You were in a hurry last year when I suggested wax on the infeed table. When stuff gets gummed up here I use diesel and a scraper with good results. On the indoor sawblades I recently started using a DuPont spray product that works very well and not expensive. One of my saws has a drip feeder for the cotton spindle lube and it works terrific also. What would happen if you wiped the infeed bed with spindle lube ???

Larry · September 10, 2020, 09:56:30 PM

I've used Slipit and Johnson paste wax. Johnson paste wax lasts longer but takes more time to apply. I also think its a bit slipper.

When I have a long run on the shaper and the boards start getting a little sticky instead of pulling the feeder out of the way and waxing everything I'll sprinkle a little baby powder on the tables. It works well but doesn't last very long.

Walnut Beast · September 10, 2020, 10:13:21 PM

Quote from: longtime lurker on September 10, 2020, 07:40:44 PM
Depends on your moulder.

You can get away with wax based lubricant if you can remove all traces of lubricant with the last bottom head, which usually means at least a 5 head machine because most 4 headers have a bottom head first configuration.

Other than that use one of the silicone based products sold as a proper moulder bed lubricant. They are designed to evaporate off the surface of the wood, as wax based(or other non evaporative coatings) will interfere with paint and other coatings that you might want to apply to the wood down the road.

Yeah you can save a few bucks with cheaper options but if you're running any kind of volume then - long term customer satisfaction being a valuable commodity - the "right" lubricant works out cheaper.

I don't know anything about pine Jake, but isn't the pitch supposed to be set enough in-kiln to not interfere with later processing? Can you maybe cook it a bit harder to get it to set better, or does the heat from the cutterheads soften it up to gummy again?

Good point. Need to consider stuff that doesn't interfere with getting on the wood that can effect the finishing of a product.

farmfromkansas · September 10, 2020, 10:15:11 PM

Last time I used my power feeder on the shaper, wheels slipped, so waxed the shaper table, with some car wax. Johnsons can was empty, so found some old turtle wax. Slicked up the table and the feeder worked great. I bought some slipit some time back, put some on the table and it did not seem to dry like wax, so wiped it off and seemed not to do any good. Maybe someone could describe how to use it.

low_48 · September 10, 2020, 11:06:42 PM

With sap problems, you might try baby powder. The talc is slippery on cast iron and easy to apply since you don't have to shut down.

hopm · September 10, 2020, 11:57:41 PM

I use a lot of baby powder when I have neglected the paste wax over a period of time.

customsawyer · September 11, 2020, 06:29:42 AM

Appreciate all the replies. Ordered 5 gallons of some stuff from a company in NC. yesterday. When it gets here I'll let y'all know how it works. I have tried the wax and the slipit on my jointer. They both helped but I was left wanting. The trouble I am having right now is on the Cantek 30" double surfacer. The bottom table is 8' long and it would be difficult to apply the wax as there is no way to lift the top out of the way. The plus side is that bottom table has a stainless steel cover, so should be a little easier to keep rust off of it than cast.

GAB · September 11, 2020, 09:18:53 AM

Has anyone tried shuffle board powder, and what were the results?
GAB

Larry · September 11, 2020, 05:02:11 PM

This is sort of a shot in the dark. I have used Lubie Lube on my big shop bandsaw when re-sawing. I know that they make all kinks of slippery stuff for woodworking but have no direct knowledge other than the stuff I've used on my bandsaw.

I see they have something for moulder bed lubrication.

Be worth a dime to give them a call and see if they have any suggestions.

Lubie Lube

scsmith42 · September 11, 2020, 08:14:18 PM

I frequently use Bostwick Blade Kote on my moulder and planer beds.

tule peak timber · September 11, 2020, 08:50:11 PM

Quote from: scsmith42 on September 11, 2020, 08:14:18 PM
I frequently use Bostwick Blade Kote on my moulder and planer beds.

Try the Dupont wax and you will stop buying Bostwick.......Cant comment on the bed use but on blades ,,,WOW.

scsmith42 · September 13, 2020, 05:05:15 PM

Thanks Rob - I'll give that a try.

kantuckid · September 20, 2020, 07:42:35 AM

I've had a large can of Blue Coral Carnuba car wax for many years and it is VG on cast iron tool surfaces, mostly used on table saw and jointer beds. My Johnsons is the darker one and I save it for woodworking as the hard carnuba wax leaves a whitish residue. I also have an old garage sale can of Simonize car wax which is softer in the can than Blue Coral (less carnuba?) but was cheapo buy that maybe should be in a museum?
I'm too much of a tightwad to buy the Boeing T-9 spray lube! that some purist go for... :D