Diesel lube

[KWood255]

Hi all, I apologize in advance if this has been asked previously on here. I am considering switching to diesel for the lube on my new LT40. Are there any modifications required? I've heard the diesel will deteriorate the hoses etc over time. Any issues for the lube mizer pump to be aware of? Thanks. 

[Southside]

It's the very best move you can make.  You want to remove the bottom nozzle from the sprayer assembly and plug it.  A 1/8" grease zerk works perfectly.  Aside from that keep on hand some spare check valves as they do fail earlier than they do with just water or WW mix.  I run Gates belts on my mill with this set up and have no premature failures due to the diesel.  I also run my lubemizer on the absolute lowest setting possible and my bands come off perfectly clean every time.    

[OH_Varmntr]

I'm new to this and tried running 2 cups of diesel to 1 gallon of water and found the diesel separated over a few days then came freezing temps and you can guess what happened when I went out mill the other day.

[farmfromkansas]

My Cooks mill has a piece of felt as a wiper, and uses a tiny bit of fuel to keep the blade clean.  Ash is the worst for pitch that I have sawn, and find if the logs have been cut for a while do not need any lube. The lumber has no smell of diesel, seems the smell goes with the sawdust.

[YellowHammer]

Actually, in addition to turning it down to the lowest setting, you can turn the Lubemizer off at least every other log or two, further reducing consumption and possible odor.

https://youtu.be/clUJXtLlEnI

[Oddman]

I'm new to this and tried running 2 cups of diesel to 1 gallon of water and found the diesel separated over a few days then came freezing temps and you can guess what happened when I went out mill the other day.

Diesel and water will need an emulsifier to stay in solution, some folks use dish soap.

[Dave Shepard]

Is this for syp? I run no lube. I'd take a picture of what the bands look like sawing fresh ewp, but just look at any new band. Resawing old ewp makes a mess, so I've ordered the check valves to fix the LubeMizer, but I've never needed diesel. 

[OH_Varmntr]

I'm new to this and tried running 2 cups of diesel to 1 gallon of water and found the diesel separated over a few days then came freezing temps and you can guess what happened when I went out mill the other day.

Diesel and water will need an emulsifier to stay in solution, some folks use dish soap.

Add dish soap to the diesel/H2o solution or forget the diesel altogether?  I've seen people use dish soap and water, just didn't know exactly what you were referring to.

[Nebraska]

My lube  set up (ok Stanton's at EZ Boardwalk )   is a 1 gallon fuel container bunged with a 1/4 " hose with an in-line filter,  to a 1/4 " ball valve plumbed to a small brass t-handled drip valve. It's plumbed to drip by the in feed blade guide. Gravity fed.  You could use a smaller tank as a drop of diesel every so often (1 per 2 seconds is enough) 1 gallon lasts quite a while... as long  as you shut off the valve when you are done... :
Could you mount such a system  on your Woodmizers/Timberking/Cooks mill and avoid diesel fuel in  the pumps and lube  reservoirs?  Essentially have two lube options, water based vs oil ??

It's a really simple set up. Just don't know where you folks would mount it.

[Southside]

You can't saw SYP with no lube, won't take but a couple of cuts and your band pulls a Greg Louganis.  I have played with every concoction out there when it comes to lube.  Even went so far as to working with a chemical company to develop "the perfect" alternative.  Came up with an oil based one that was simply amazing - at $14 / gallon it sure needed to be.  Then we developed a water based solution that worked really well, but again there were times it didn't "cut it" and it wasn't cheap.  Now the only thing I run is diesel and don't ever see myself going back.  

[customsawyer]

Run the diesel and quit second guessing your self. I have had many members come to my place and see me using diesel. Some thought I was nuts. Now most are using diesel.

[Dave Shepard]

I figured it was an SYP thing. Only thing that's really a pain for me is larch, but ww works just fine on that. My woodworking customers won't hire me if I use diesel. 

[SawyerTed]

My best customer builds custom high end hardwood furniture and cabinets.  He pays extremely well because he gets high quality lumber when I saw for him.  

I use diesel to supplement my water and detergent. He has zero problems with the diesel for two reasons.  The diesel is so little it doesn't permeate the lumber and he planes the lumber anyway.  There's no diesel of any consequence remaining. If there is, you are using too much. 

[Dave Shepard]

I don't use any. I've just had comments about it from more than one person.

[Southside]

Done right there is zero smell on the lumber, the mill, or the sawdust. Just looked at my lube tank, it's half full, been at least two weeks since I filled it cutting SYP and White Oak the whole time. With WW, RV, antifreeze, soap mix might get a couple days at best out of a tank. 

Blocking off the lower lubemizer nozzle is the key to success with diesel. 

[KenMac]

I use diesel and have never used anything else. The Cook's system seems to have been developed around diesel and works extremely well. If you have odor or visible evidence I think you're using way too much. I've never been able to find any evidence of diesel on my lumber or sawdust. YMMV

[thecfarm]

I use diesel.
I built a Women Cave for the wife.
She never once complained about the smell of diesel.

[Crossroads]

At 5.19 a gallon, I'm glad it doesn't take very much 

[Oddman]

I'm new to this and tried running 2 cups of diesel to 1 gallon of water and found the diesel separated over a few days then came freezing temps and you can guess what happened when I went out mill the other day.

Diesel and water will need an emulsifier to stay in solution, some folks use dish soap.

Add dish soap to the diesel/H2o solution or forget the diesel altogether?  I've seen people use dish soap and water, just didn't know exactly what you were referring to.

The dish soap is an emulsifier, it will keep the diesel/water from separating. I dont use that mix as lube so I'm not sure it will work as well as straight diesel or straight water so your on your own there.

[KWood255]

Thanks for the replies folks. I'm cutting a ton of red pine, and will give it a try. I keep a spray bottle of diesel handy, to give the blade a few shots for cleaning before I start the log, which is likely less efficient and effective then a few drops along the cut. It's amazing how a few shots of diesel immediately quiets the roller noise. This tells me it's not only cleaning, but also lubricating the blade/rollers etc. 

[Bruno of NH]

I just graduated to the all diesel lube camp.
Watched YH and Nathan's utube videos on it and gave it another try.
I tried it with my old mill and it would throw off the blade constantly.
With the lt40 one little drip goes a long ways.

[Resonator]

I recently tried it and liked the results too. I put some diesel in an empty gear lube bottle with a spout top, and dripped on a couple drops on the blade just as I was cutting into a cant. Instantly got the blade clean sawing pitchy - pitchy pine.

[barbender]

I think I'm just going to T into my fuel return line on my diesel engine, and put a 12 volt solenoid feeding a nozzle on the band. I think I'll use a momentary push button, so I can't forget it on😊

[KenMac]

I think I'm just going to T into my fuel return line on my diesel engine, and put a 12 volt solenoid feeding a nozzle on the band. I think I'll use a momentary push button, so I can't forget it on😊

You might could add a manual needle  valve to control the drip rate and leave it on while sawing, as long as the solenoid is on a circuit that is powered only when engine is running it will shut down when the engine does.

[Percy]

I think I'm just going to T into my fuel return line on my diesel engine, and put a 12 volt solenoid feeding a nozzle on the band. I think I'll use a momentary push button, so I can't forget it on😊

You sir are a genius. I modified my lubemizer on my ancient 70 with electric fuel pumps and a solonoid etc. it heads worked flawlessly for almost 20 years but I had never considered using the return line of the engine as a source for the diesel. One less tank to fill/worry about and really only expense is a solonoid and a few feet of hose 👍👍👍👍

[barbender]

Percy, I'll feel absolutely genius if it works😁 I was looking in my tank one day when I was having fuel issues, and observed the strong stream of fuel being sent back to tank. And a light bulb went on😊 The volume looks very similar to what comes out of the type of pump WM uses for the Lubemizer. So I'll try that style of nozzle and see if there is enough pressure to make it spray a fan pattern. If not I'll just set it up so it will drip when I hit the solenoid. Less is more with diesel for sure. In the summer, with a lot of stuff I'll still use water when that's all that is needed. While water makes a mess, it dies knock the dust down when I am sawing drier wood like cedar and that is the primary benefit to me. Otherwise just a tiny drip here and there to keep that blade clean. I just don't want to have to use a spray bottle anymore, man!😂

[Percy]

Percy, I'll feel absolutely genius if it works😁 I was looking in my tank one day when I was having fuel issues, and observed the strong stream of fuel being sent back to tank. And a light bulb went on😊 The volume looks very similar to what comes out of the type of pump WM uses for the Lubemizer. So I'll try that style of nozzle and see if there is enough pressure to make it spray a fan pattern. If not I'll just set it up so it will drip when I hit the solenoid. Less is more with diesel for sure. In the summer, with a lot of stuff I'll still use water when that's all that is needed. While water makes a mess, it dies knock the dust down when I am sawing drier wood like cedar and that is the primary benefit to me. Otherwise just a tiny drip here and there to keep that blade clean. I just don't want to have to use a spray bottle anymore, man!

It will work I'm sure. I hooked a fuel drip  solonoid I got from Woodmizer to the wires that went to the lubemizer pump. You could go without but there is a chance you could siphon out all your fuel overnight. At worst case scenario, you may have to restrict the return line downstream from your T connection to get a decent spra but I doubt it. Regardless, I love being woken up by simplicity and answers that are enginious but not always visible to me👍👍

[barbender]

I always love when I see an extremely simple solution that is very effective. Typically it isn't me that comes up with them, though. I'm more of the Rube Goldberg school of engineering😂

[YellowHammer]

That is a great idea.