What to use to clean my band saw blade

[CMAturner]

I just cut up some Cedar Shrub root ball/trunks and two Christmas tree trunks into usable pieces for turning later. My Timberwold 3TPI AS blade is covered with pitch and dust as are the wheels. I scraped much of the wheels, but the blade has a lot of gunk on it. What is teh best way to clean the blade? Do I need to take it off the saw to do so? I plan on making a brush set up for the lower wheel soon.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[MichaelMouse]

I use mineral spirits on a coarse rag, rotating the wheels in reverse to keep the teeth out of my hand. Putting a bit of WD40 or some other non-curing oil on the blade at the outset helps, too.

If you have to, take the blade off, coil it to fit in a suitable container and submerge it in some saturated solution of surfactant like the "TSP" substitutes. Sodium metasilicate, I think. Toothbrush for burns, rest should come with a rag. Works great on regular circular saw blades.

 

[dkulze]

It's probably horrible technique and I'm sure Michael and others will scream at me but I actually clean my blade with a scraper and the saw running. I use a squared off scraper and only clean the flat of the blade with gentle pressure. For the rest of the gunk, WD40 and running the saw reverse by hand.

If cutting connifer wood, Mike's suggestion of lubing the blade before hand is a good one.

Dietrich

 

[Paul Engle]

Easy off oven cleaner, coil up the blade, take off ts blade, router bits , put in metal bucket spray the whole lot, let sit a while 10 mins say , rinse with water wipe dry reassemble. us old tooth brush w/more easyoff on areas still crusted. I use the low odor. If it cleans burned cherry pie it'll clean your blades and LOYL will never know its gone....

 

[Treebucker]

As luck would have it there is a thread running on bandsaw blade lubes:
http://www.woodturner.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=3221

I run a bandsaw mill and have been researching different blade lubes. As you mentioned, sap is the problem. You need to be lubing your blade during use. It will make it cut much better. Just a squirt ~5 sf should do it. The link contains the brews the pros use. What is not mentioned is that, when cutting sappy pine, water is not used without dish soap or pinesol - it's usually a water and pinesol mix.

There are any number of things that will take it off but keeping it from sticking to begin with is even better. As mentioned, Easyoff, mineral spirits, WD40, penetrating oil, carb. cleaner, etc., will work. Pam will serve as both a protector and a lube.

 

[jeffnreno]

I use an orange blade cleaner that I got at the local woodworking store. It is the same stuff I use on all my blades. For the bandsaw - I take the blade off the saw and put it in on an old cookie sheet - spray it with the cleaner - let soak for about 10 min and then wipe clean.

 

[Mr. Don]

Bandsaw blade treatment

:cool2: This may help. I turn saw on and spray each side of blade for one complete revolution of blade with "PAM" non-stick cooking spray. I use it before any buildup problems. Works great, is cheap (I snitch it from LOML kitchen), and does not stain wood. I do not use it every time, just when I will be sawing "problem" wood.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Another vote for merging the kitchen with the shop/studio. I use a paper towel (the blue shop type) and soak it in PAM non-stick spray for baking pans. Turn the BS wheel backwards by hand while soaking the blade -- let it set for a few minutes and then go back and repeat the process. If the blade looks like everything has come loose, get a clean paper towel and dry the blade. Wipe the excess off the tires by wiping the part that the blade does not wrap around. Stay away from cloth rags because it is too easy for them to get caught on the blade.

Bill

 

[CMAturner]

Thanks!!

WOW!!,
Gone for a couple days and you guys are great help!! Thanks for the tips. I will now have clean BS blades and cookies won't stick to them either!!

 

[Martin Braun]

I've had good luck with Simple Green straight.