cleaning circular saw blades

[pitch pine]

I have had a look in the archives and not come up with much about this. I recently cut some hardwood (red colour,smells spicey looks like meranti)on my table saw and the blade started to gum up. What is the best way to clean these deposits. I ended up using paraffin and a scraper. Any better ways of doing this? Also how should I clean the blade after cutting green oak to stop the tannin eating in to the steel?

Also a dust extraction question. I bought an Axminster extractor with cloth bags from an auction. It works great, but should I be washing the bags at some stage to remove the fine dust clogging up the fabric? The top bag is starting to not collapse when I turn the motor off!

Thanks for any help.

 

[Scrit]

Hi PP and welcome to the forum!

I recently cut some hardwood (red colour,smells spicey looks like meranti)on my table saw and the blade started to gum up. What is the best way to clean these deposits.

The best stuff to use is probably an aqueous solution - a non-solvent pitch remover. In small quantities possibly the best advertised version is the CMT 2050 cleaner:

Some people may recommend oven cleaner or caustic soda - don't go there! Caustic compounds can attack and weaken the brazing between the carbide tips and the steel plate of the blade. Loosen by soaking in a bath of solution for a few hours (cat litter trays are good size for this) then use a Scotch grey cloth (or even a green scouring pad) to remove the tougher stuff. Avoid using metal impliments if at all possible, but if you really must use a brush then go for a brass wire brush rather than a steel wire one.

Also how should I clean the blade after cutting green oak to stop the tannin eating in to the steel?

The tannin in combination with water will produce tannic acid which will make your blades (and saw bench top for that matter) go black in time. Other than removing the blades at the end of a session and dumping them into a bath of cleaner there's litle you can do. At least dumping them in the bath will dilute the tannic acid to the point at which it is a minor issue.

Also a dust extraction question....... ......should I be washing the bags at some stage to remove the fine dust clogging up the fabric?

Not really. The filter efficiency is actually improved by having a slight caking of dust on the inside. The best way to deal with the problem is to shake or beat the bags occasionally to loosen any excessive build-up or possibly to give them a blast from the outside with a compressed air line (i.e. blow from the outside inwards). When doing this make sure you wear a respirator.

Scrit

 

[pitch pine]

Thanks very much for the help. This forum is like having a woodworking neighbour! Any ideas about the type of wood? It was a loading ramp into a warehouse, 8"x3" section. Very distinctive spicy smell, very uniform texture like meranti.

 

[engineer one]

as usual it is nice to agree with scrit.

that cmt stuff is the dogs, and it also smells quite nice too which is a bonus.

i also agree about the caustic solutions. they do enough damage in the oven, and to your clothes if you spill it, so not really a good way to go.

just spray the cmt on, leave a couple of minutes then rub off, amazing how good it is.

paul :wink:

 

[beejay]

I use hot water and baking powder with an old toothbrush on my sawblades and bandsaw blades and they always come up clean.
regards, beejay

 

[Racers]

Hi,

Mr Muscle Window and Glass cleaner and a brass brush works a treat.

Pete

 

[Loz_S]

Any ideas about the type of wood? It was a loading ramp into a warehouse, 8"x3" section. Very distinctive spicy smell, very uniform texture like meranti.

Sounds very much like Padauk to me. It has a fantastic red colour when fresh cut and a great smell as well. It is sometimes used as an extremely hard wearing flooring as well as in fancy furniture.