Bandsaw blade cleaning

[esox20]

Have just been making some blanks from quite green logs...apple and damson. My blade is now coated in sap......whats best method to clean the blade? TIA

 

[user 19915]

I saw a video once where they put the blade in a bowl and sprayed it with oven cleaner
If i was you i would wait for someone else to come back to you before you try it
Mock

 

[blackrodd]

Take the blade off, as the wheel needs cleaning too, and can contaminate the blade you have just worked on!
I use a sharpened, flat hacksaw blade, make a wood and tape handle.
On the blade, Scrape downwards, missing the teeth, using the scrape as a chisel, and WD40 spray to soften any stubborn areas and also a final clean.

The rubber tyred wheel needs a careful scrape, using the flat back, and wash off with warm soapy water and a green kitchen scourer and dry well.
Rodders

 

[Yorkshire Sam]

I find the easiest way is to soak the blade in meths it soon becomes soft and it wipes off ... surprisingly quick too far better and safer than oven cleaner.

 

[Glynne]

Screw fix resin remover?

 

[Racers]

Mr Muscle window and glass cleaner, very cheap compared to some blade cleaners and works very well.
A brass brush is good to get the stubborn deposits off.

Pete

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

you can also take steps to prevent it clogging in the first place. Here's what I do:

1) apply any ptfe type spray to make the blade slick before you start cutting. I had an aerosol of some "dry" silicon stuff that I use to coat the beds of my P/T that works well.
2) I've modified a simple (narrow) paint scraper so it has a very sharp edge at the right size which I use to physically scrape the part of the blade behind the gullets when it does start to clog. That works a treat and I do it with the blade still mounted and running. Obviously you need to be very very careful NOT to touch the set of the teeth.

I find the debris only ever build up on the left side of the blade (as looked at from the front) so this scraping technique is only done on one side. But the slick spray really helps to prevent build up in the first place.

The idea of taking the blade off and washing it in anything fills me with horror even though it clearly works...just time

 

[Mark A]

1) apply any ptfe type spray to make the blade slick before you start cutting. I had an aerosol of some "dry" silicon stuff that I use to coat the beds of my P/T that works well.

Isn't silicone meant to affect finishes?

 

[Droogs]

Isn't silicone meant to affect finishes?

Silicone can affect finishes by the fact that it interferes with the finishes ability to adhere to the suface, it also depends on the type of silicon present, ie is it cured or not. Silicon is also very unwilling to stay in solution and can tend to migrate to the bottom of the finish layer where it then affects the finishes stickyness. There are silicon based finises that are used to paint metal components that have a high silicon content, as the only hting that sticks to silicon really is silicon. When there is a presence of silicon on a prepared surface it can lead to whats called "fisheye" type dimples in the surface finish, not to be confused with orange peel, which is caused by too cold a tempeerature and high mooisture content

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

don't forget we're talking of cutting green logs that leave a residue on the blade here chaps. I wouldn't dream of using silicon on an expensive veneer with a re-saw. I'm referring to rough processing of green material which when after some time air drying will be processed to the point all those original surfaces are long gone.

Specifically in my case 99% of my green wood processing ends up on the lathe so no trace of the band-sawn cut surfaces remain.

On the other hand bandsaw blades are not cheap to replace, green logs are demanding on the sharpness and sap build up causes terrible drift problems as well as threaten the health of the tyres so the use of ptfe type dry sprays is a pretty good solution in my book. It is however expensive in its own right which doesn't help the economic argument. Doubtless the "best" way is to go to the trouble of removing the blade and physically washing it....but for me that interrupt in productivity is a time price I just cant bear to take.

 

[esox20]

Thanks all for your replies....havnt been online a while....will go and play

 

[Alexam]

Bob, (....but for me that interrupt in productivity is a time price I just cant bear to take.) sounds like a very busy shop you have there!!

I'm getting on well with the Carter Stabilizer as it cuts very tight corners and allows me to cut out some interesting shapes in my boxes.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Nice one Malcolm. It would be interesting to see it in action....any chance of an upload to You Tube? Don't worry about it mind.

The issue with my time isn't so much how busy the workshop is right now as how precious little time I get in it. With the family health problems its really quite difficult to get the time away from other commitments. That means when I'm in there the last thing I want to be doing is cleaning things, I want to be making.

 

[Jacob]

As Bob says you just scrape the side of the blade as it runs through. Old chisel, paint scraper etc. Couldn't be simpler! It's easier if you've just been using it so the gunge is warmed up a bit and softer.
I also occasionally apply a stiff wire brush to the tyres while they are going round.
I also give it a ******** every now and then - all the crevices and void fill up with sawdust and the only way to get it out is by blowing with a vacuum cleaner with the pipe reversed. Not all vacs do this but it's very handy if it does, for dislodging dust from around the workshop.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

+1 for the blower (note careful use of language). I had a moment of madness and bought the body only Makita hand held job that pairs with their 18V family. I use it constantly and the bandsaw is one of its primary targets, particularly after green cutting because the dust is damp and if allowed to collect and left overnight can cause all sorts of rust type problems.

The scraper I use to physically remove the sap and crud is a paint scraper whose edge I gave a tickle on the pro-edge...it really does work a treat but like I say...watch the set of the teeth or you'll be in trouble.

 

[Alexam]

Nice one Malcolm. It would be interesting to see it in action....any chance of an upload to You Tube? Don't worry about it mind.

The issue with my time isn't so much how busy the workshop is right now as how precious little time I get in it. With the family health problems its really quite difficult to get the time away from other commitments. That means when I'm in there the last thing I want to be doing is cleaning things, I want to be making.

Hi Bob, not sure how to upload video, but perhaps I could try a set-up with the iPad video sometime. I havent used the video in any seriousness, so it may be a good thing to try. Just been cutting through a double quaver in another new bandsaw box today and it came out reasonably well, just needs a little filiing in a couple of areas and I will put up some photos when it's finished.

Malcolm