Clean Bandsaw Blades

[Woodtrnr]

When bandsawing wet wood the sawdust clings to the blade hindering easy sawing and sometimes causing drift. How do you prevent this from happening or remove the caked sawdust from a bandsaw blade without taking it off and scubbing it?

 

[Steve Worcester]

Suffolk machinery recommends that blades under 3/4" get lubricated with a mixture of chainsaw bar oil and kerosene. This keeps the blade runnig cooler and help keep the gunk off the teeth.

Another item to consider is, are you using the right blade?

 

[Joe Herrmann]

Some folks mount a small brass wire brush under the bottom cover so it contacts the blade and cleans it as you are cutting. However, like Steve says, using the right blade for the job should be the first consideration.

Joe

 

[Woodtrnr]

Clean Bandsaw Blade

Suffolk machinery recommends that blades under 3/4" get lubricated with a mixture of chainsaw bar oil and kerosene. This keeps the blade runnig cooler and help keep the gunk off the teeth.

Another item to consider is, are you using the right blade?

I'm using a 3/8" blade with 4 hook teeth/inch.

 

[Wally Dickerman]

I've found that a 3 or 4 skip tooth blade works better when cutting wet wood, and of course works equally well on dry wood.

Wally

 

[Woodtrnr]

Suffolk machinery recommends that blades under 3/4" get lubricated with a mixture of chainsaw bar oil and kerosene. This keeps the blade runnig cooler and help keep the gunk off the teeth.

Another item to consider is, are you using the right blade?

Thanks Steve and Joe. I combined both of your suggestions. I am now using a jar of bar oil and mineral spirits (no kerosene) and I apply this mixture to the bandsaw blade periodically while it is running and I am cutting bowl blanks. This has kept it clean and cutting well.

 

[Bob Hadley]

Bar oil and kerosene sounds nasty. You might try "Band-Ade" for Wood by Lennox. It's designed for production sawmills. I picked up a sample bottle at Westec earlier this year and I use it when cutty wet wood. Jut one spray before cutting and it greatly reduces binding.
BH

 

[Steve Worcester]

I'm using a 3/8" blade with 4 hook teeth/inch.

3/8"/4 tooth is rather small, but depending on the size of the saw (wheel size) you have and the depth of cut. Green wood under 6" thick you would probably be OK.

Alan Lacer wrote a great article on bandsaws and woodturnig that was published in the last AAW journal.

 

[Joe Herrmann]

When I was teaching HS shop I used 4 tpi, hook blade exclusively for the 20" band saw we had in the shop and it cut everything I wanted it to cut. You just had to be a little more careful and not be as agressive with the larger stuff. I also made sure we wedged the kerf open when cutting big wet blanks so the blade had less of a chance to bind. Obviously a wider blade with fewer teeth would have worked better but the old budget didn't allow too many options.

Joe