Band milling water flow rate...

[Ted J]

Lubricating Sawmill Blades...

When sawing on the Wood-Mizer, how do I determine what is the correct flow of water to cool and/or lube the blade. I have at times had the flow being too much that I get layers of wet sawdust caking up on the log and it also ends up caking up in the sawdust chute.

Should I adjust the water flow to as little as possible?
I have heard that adding some Murphy's oil soap to the water jug at a very slow trickle would help in lubricating and cooling the blade.

Right now I'm more concerned about what flow rate is better.

Any thoughts?

Ted

 

[MotorSeven]

A little dish soap like Dawn is also good for sappy wood. I adjust mine to a trickle. If the wood is fresh & green, you really don't need water, but it makes me feel better. I too have clogged the chute with too much water & learned to back it off quite a bit.

RD

 

[Ted J]

I either asked a really tough question, or it's a really stupid question and you guys don't want ot hurt my feelings. :monkey:

So what do you say:
Adjust the flow to a real slow drip?

Is that enough to keep the pitch down and also lube the blade?

Ted

 

[Ted J]

I spoke toooo sooon!

Thanks RD

 

[Mike Van]

Ted, I've sawn a lot of years on mine with no lube, ever. Once in a great while I'd have some huge pine knots that needed something sprayed on the blade. A month or so ago I had to saw a dozen hickory logs for a guy. Worst stuff I ever cut. My blades built up so bad, I was spending as much time cleaning them as I was sawing. I added a lube setup, and it works great. Set just where a drip turns into a stream is plenty. Murphys, Pine Sol, any soap will do. I've got a dozen more hickories to start on tomorrow. I put a little electric solenoid valve on mine from Surplus Center, I just hit the switch at the end of the cut & it shuts off. Very little mess.

 

[Ted J]

Ted, I've sawn a lot of years on mine with no lube, ever. Once in a great while I'd have some huge pine knots that needed something sprayed on the blade. A month or so ago I had to saw a dozen hickory logs for a guy. Worst stuff I ever cut. My blades built up so bad, I was spending as much time cleaning them as I was sawing. I added a lube setup, and it works great. Set just where a drip turns into a stream is plenty. Murphys, Pine Sol, any soap will do. I've got a dozen more hickories to start on tomorrow. I put a little electric solenoid valve on mine from Surplus Center, I just hit the switch at the end of the cut & it shuts off. Very little mess.

Mike,
I was under the impression that I needed to have the water flowing or dripping whenever I was cutting. Don't ask me why.... :bang:

I know it helped with the pitch build up on the Pine logs I've cut. Like Motorseven mentioned about not needing water with the green stuff, the fresh cut oak that I've cut, may not have needed water but I did anyway. Again, don't ask me why.... :bang:


What about the oak and pecan logs that I have had stacked for a while (year+) and haven't gotten around to milling yet? Will I be needing to add some water or lube while sawing those logs?

Thanks for the comments.
Ted

 

[Ted J]

A little dish soap like Dawn is also good for sappy wood. I adjust mine to a trickle. If the wood is fresh & green, you really don't need water, but it makes me feel better. I too have clogged the chute with too much water & learned to back it off quite a bit.

RD

Apparently oak sawdust eventually turns black on bare metal, which is what was clogging the dust chute by using too much water, and forgetting to clear the chute completely.

Ted

 

[Mike Van]

Those logs you have laying should be almost as wet as freshsawn, unless they're debarked laying in the Texas sun - That might dry them some. I still plan on sawing most stuff dry, unless I see a problem & need lube.

 

[hermit]

I have a 1988 LT40 woodmizer and I have never used lube, I cut hardwood, A little cedar after it has dryed good. I would think green pine or cedar would need lube.

 

[redprospector]

This is what I have learned over the last 15 years of sawing on a band mill, and has become my opinion. So be gentle on me.

#1 Water is a poor excuse as a lubricant.
#2 Water is a good coolant, but if you need to cool your blade in a 16' cut your blade isn't cutting well.
#3 Water will rust your blade's. Rust will cause premature failure.

What we are trying to do is keep our blades clean, which in turn causes them to run cooler, and straight.
Depending on the wood I will run either water, or a diesel & oil mixture. But neither run continuosly. I use a windshield washer pump to deliver a spray to the top & bottom of the blade when needed.
I mostly cut Pine's & Fir's, and diesel mix works best on them.
I've never sawed any Hickory, but I have sawn Pecan and I was told they are similar. Water seemed to work best on the Pecan.
I agree with Mike Van, that in most cases we can saw dry.

Even if you're using water, and you just let it slowly run on the blade, you will spend a lot more time filling the tank than if you only spray it when needed. This really shows up when you're sawing remotely, and have to haul your water.

Andy

 

[Mike Van]

Red, I have to differ with you here - In my just turned 59 years of experience, I have found water to be an excellent lubricant - Have you never slipped on a wet wood stair tread or deck and fallen on your :censored:? Boy, I have. A little soap [of any kind] added to that water, and it's slicker than snot! Part 2 - water used as a blade coolant, I've found that black locust that is dead standing will heat blades badly. Also, and I don't saw these anymore, but CCA treated utility poles were the worst. The CCA treatment is about as dry a thing as you can get, almost like sawing sheetrock. Without water on these two, you'd be lucky to get a couple of boards cut and the blade would be screaming. Part 3 - Diesel & oil is probably the best you can use, but it will turn rubber to gooo. Also, if my lumber smelled like diesel, people wouldn't buy it. Not here. No way. I'm on some oak & cherry right now, and dry is the way to fly -

 

[redprospector]

Hahaha. Well, that's one of the beautiful things about this world............We can agree to disagree.
Yep, I've slipped on wet steps and busted my :censored:, but I've never slipped on wet fresh cut lumber. Maybe wet fungus is the lubricant in that case. Ever filled a crank case with water, it dosen't prove to be a very good lubricant.
I've never sawn any Black Locust, so I will check to your experience there. But I have cut CCA treated utility poles. I used an ocasional squirt of diesel to keep the blades clean. They cut ok untill the blades started dulling, which happens pretty darn quick on poles, but I got considerably more than a couple of boards out of a blade.
I've never noticed a diesel smell to my lumber, and have never had any complaints from customers about it, but I don't flood the blade with it. Just an ocasional squirt to keep it clean.
On the bright side, the one thing that we are in agreement on is that if the wood will allow it; Dry is the way to fly.
One thing I'll say is that in milling lumber, if you have a method that is working for you stick with it. But don't hesitate trying different things, you might find something that works better.

Andy

 

[Ted J]

I appreciate all the comments, opinions, and personal experiences that everyone has made on this topic, it has been very helpful, thank you all.

Ted