CUT THE CRAP: Pine!

[Banjo picker]

Sometimes you get a blade that just does a good job on pine.  I had a blade on day before yesterday that I had run about 3 hours.  It's was still cutting good, but yesterday morning I had a very large very knotty log to saw so I decided to take it off and put on a fresh sharpened & thicker (.050) blade.  I think the other was .045 or so....both super sharps.  The thick blade just wouldn't cut straight.  I gave it 3 passes trying to get a smooth pass....it was very knotty.  I didn't want to go to the house and get another blade, so I just put the one I had used the day before back on. Cut perfect.  I used it the rest of the day cut a little over 1000 bf with it.  Took it off brought it in and checked it under the light and the corners were still crisp and sharp, but there was a little shine on the tooth and the set was down to 15 thousandth....so it will need setting before I sharpen it.  If it never cuts another lick it has been a good one.  Tim

[doc henderson]

a lot of the pine I had trouble with was fresh cut, and with all the little nubby limbs on still.  we do not have big forested areas in Ks. (lots of branches). from a plane you can see all  the creeks and waterways lined with trees.  I have cut some lately, that had been drying as cants, or laying around.  along with all the other tuning I did, they cut much better.

[Mr. Buck]

The spindle and water mix will freeze, but I just pour some WW deicer in it.

Sorry for bringing this old post back, @YellowHammer, but I have a question for you.

Let's say your tank is half full of spindle cleaner and water mix.  Will dumping a gallon of -20° windshield de-icer keep it from freezing?  I'm taking delivery of my new LT35 (gravity lube) in September and I'd rather not blow out the lube system my first winter . I'm in NW GA - it hardly ever gets below 10-15 degrees. But we do get at least a couple of days (nights really) in the high teens most years.

Thanks!

[doc henderson]

so you are adding a gallon to 2.5 gallons?  assuming the tank is 5 gallons.  can you use a radiator fluid tester to see where it will freeze?  any solute may lower the freeze point as well.  maybe make up the mix, and then pop a sample in a freezer of known temp and see if it freezes.  

[Magicman]

can you use a radiator fluid tester to see where it will freeze? 

No, an antifreeze tester will not work.


This is the chart that is printed in my Wood-Mizer Operator's Manual

[Rhodemont]

It is so easy to take the tank off my LT35 I just remove it to the shop and blow out the tube when done anytime it will be cold.

[Magicman]

My lube jug gets WW fluid or RV antifreeze mix during cold/freezing weather.  Sure, we get very little actual freezing weather but those unexpected cold snaps will bust stuff.

If it is gonna freeze, I disconnect the hose from the jug spigot and purge the system with straight WW or RV antifreeze which protects the very important LubeMizer pump.

Simple and effective with the LubeMizer pump doing the purging.  I first let it pump til empty and then stick the inlet into my antifreeze jug and pump till the system is full again. 

[YellowHammer]

I have to admit, I am pretty casual about my mix quantities on everything concerning blade lube, I take the philosophy more is less, so I mix my spindle cleaner pretty heavy and the WW fluid pretty heavy, as well, when I need it.  I simply start pouring the WW fluid in to whatever mix is left in my tank until it starts to turn a pretty light blue color if I know moderate cold weather is coming.  I have found that I can actually save money by mixing heavy, because the more I put in, the better it works, and the less I need to apply.  I can go from a 5 gallon jug a day to a 5 gallon jug a week and from the Lubemizer turned up pretty high like I used to do, to now I have it turned down to only dead slow, maybe setting 1 out of 10.

However, that being said, if I know it's going to freeze at night, when I get on my last board of the day, I simply close the tank valve, unscrew the fitting at the tank and run the lines dry with the Lubmizer on high for the last cut. The pump is a diaphragm so not doesn't hurt it to run dry.

[Magicman]

I totally agree with YH.  I do not measure anything, just dump a gallon in and know that it is good to go and yes, a 5 gallon jug will generally last me all week. 

Even though I run it dry, I still purge with straight stuff if the temp is gonna drop into the mid 20's or lower.  I let one pump freeze and never want that to happen again.  $$ plus the aggravation of doing stupid stuff. 

[Mr. Buck]

Thanks, y'all!  Better safe than exploded  

[Stephen1]

I work , well sorta lof cold weather. I will run the mill in 20-32F so purging really will not help while sawing, also I have towed the mill down the highway at those temps which with the windchill will freeze. Freezing solid to break things and freezing slushy  is another. 
I run 50/50 on the WW antifreeze and pinesol and water mix. Unless your sawing in real cold that works great up here for me at the temps stated above. 
I also disconnect the jug for traveling and for the night if the mill stays out. I will use air pressure to clean the line, ( blow the line clear) and bring the jug into the heated shop. No sense starting with slushy in the morning, better to start with warm fluid and let it go slushy by late afternoon which hints that it's quitting time of me. 

[Nebraska]

If it's cold enough to freeze (gel) my diesel fuel lube in the winter it's too cold to be fooling with the sawmill.

[Magicman]

The glaciated environment is totally different than what I have any experience with.  I have started sawing at below 20°'s a few times but it warmed up probably into the 30°'s.  I would decline to saw if the temperature was forecast to remain in the 20°'s. 

Wind chill whether moving or stationary does not make anything colder than the actual temperature except to us. 

[doc henderson]

Yes magic.  it is almost like the dry bulb/wet bulb.  real feel has to do with humidity and wind and evaporative cooling.

[randy d]

20 in the winter would be a warm spell would have to get out and saw. when it's -20 you just stay in the house and keep the stove full.

[YellowHammer]

I'm in Alabama - not only does my sawmill not work in 20 degree weather, I don't either!

[Stephen1]

Wind chill whether moving or stationary does not make anything colder than the actual temperature except to us. 
 . 

MM I do not the science of that comment, except I have seen things freeze with the windchill. If I buy WW antifreeze that is only -30, there big difference to the -50 product for freezing on my windshield. 
I have also discovered up here to only use WW antifreeze in my truck and not any non freezing product, when those 1st few days of December roll around and you didn't drain your jug in your truck and you spray, or try to spray, and it freezes on your window and its only 32-34F. windchill matters. If there is no wind and you're  parked no problem, but as soon as you move yes. 

[doc henderson]

wind "chill" will affect anything with moisture that can evaporate and go through a phase change.  this is how modern A/C systems work.  also, the air movement can keep the temp gradient at max where stagnate air can create a warmer buffer around a cold object.  The energy required to convert a liquid into a gas, takes heat (energy).  this is how the comparison or gap in the dry bulb and wet bulb can estimate the moisture content in a kiln and can be translated to RH.  dry air will evaporate more water and depress the wet bulb more.   real feel is the concept of how it feels to a being, and helps them get dressed in the morning.  

[beenthere]

"real feel.... helps to get dressed in the morning" after they run around naked outside first. 

[doc henderson]

I would rather be dry and naked than wet!!!    I like random emojis

[Nebraska]

Sorry I can't help this but ......memories..... swimming......  A long long time ago.  

[cutterboy]

Nebraska, me too!