Cypress Sam,
Here's a link for you (and for anyone else interested) :http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/six-rules-of-sawing/
Read the whole thing. A few key points though:
"CHOOSING THE PROPER BAND SAW BLADE LUBRICATION
NEVER USE WATER as a lubricant on band saw blades. Water is NOT a lubricant and is the WRONG thing to use for many reasons.
1. For the woodworker using 1″ and 1 1/4″ bands, not only is water unacceptable as a lubricant, but it also rusts the bands causing deep pitting,
and inappropriate chip swelling. This prematurely destroys the body of the band and its gullets. It also dry rots your tires or V-belts.
For proper lubrication mix HIGH ADHESION CHAIN SAW BAR OIL, with 50% kerosene or diesel fuel. Apply the solution with a spray bottle to BOTH sides of the band about once every four minutes, while the machine is running. When this lubrication is applied, the sound of cutting decreases over 50%. DO NOT APPLY AGAIN until the sound of cutting starts increasing. I guarantee you will be amazed! Longer life; No pitch buildup; No rusted or pitted bands! A great delivery system is the 12 volt windshield washer assembly out of an old car!
2. “Pam” spray-on vegetable shortening is a great lubrication for 3/4″ WIDTH AND UNDER band saw blades on vertical saws. (EXAMPLE: Delta, Grizzly, Jet, etc.) Unplug the machine. Spray Pam vegetable shortening on a rag and wipe on both sides of the blade while turning the upper wheel by hand. You will hear a 50% sound reduction when cutting."
Also.....
"A band saw blade is a tool. You must lubricate both sides!
In both cases, we know for a fact that lubrication of the body of the band increases band life by over 30%. Applied sparingly, you can cut grade lumber with NO staining to your product."
And .....
"WHAT IS APPROPRIATE SET?
Appropriate set is when you have a mixture of 65%-70% saw dust and 30%-35% air in the space between the body of the band and the wood you are cutting. The SIGN you are looking for, when you are running appropriate set, IS A GOOD 80%-85% SAW DUST EJECTION FROM THE CUT! If you are running too much set for the mass or thickness of the wood, you have too much air and not enough saw dust. You will leave EXCESSIVE loose saw dust and most likely it will be accompanied by tooth marks. If you are running under set, you will have no air flow pulling the saw dust out…The SIGN for this is excessive HOT packed down saw dust. This is the most damaging thing you can do to a band. You will have short cutting times and premature band breakage. The saw dust should be warm to the touch, not hot or cold. One last thing, a band that is excessively under set will cut in a wavy motion, and a band that has an improper HOOK ANGLE and is UNDER SET will cut a bow across the board every time! See “TROUBLE SHOOTING”.
WHAT IS HOOK ARTICULATION?
Because of our deep gullets, we are able to use lower hook angles which generate less heat on the tip of the tooth. The Timber Wolf® series of bands uses a 10 degree rake or hook angle which is capable of penetrating most surfaces from medium-hard to medium-soft woods.
If you are cutting very hard wood like white oak, walnut, ash or anything frozen throughout, the blade will probably rise in the cut. This is called push-off. The hook angle must be brought back to 8 degrees. You will notice as the angle goes from 10 degrees to 8 degrees, the tooth becomes more perpendicular, thus INCREASING its penetration factor.
As the tip of the tooth goes from 10 degrees to 12 degrees the tip of the tooth starts pointing forward DECREASING penetration in hardwood. If you use 8 degrees on soft wood the blade may chatter because it’s over feeding itself, unless it’s very knotty. You need to use an 8 degree hook angle for hard knots. On the other hand, if you use a 12 degree hook angle on very hard wood, the tooth skips over the hard surface because the tip of the tooth is pointing too far forward.
Having a 12 degree hook angle in hardwood cutting causes push-off making the band ride up. The band locks itself in place, cuts straight across, and drops down at the end of the cut. This also burns up the band and over tensions it.
By articulating the proper hook angle, and having your gullet mathematically correct for the pitch, you will achieve straight grade cuts every time. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND APPROPRIATE SET AND HOOK ARTICULATION, THEY WORK TOGETHER. We manufacture for North America 5 appropriate sets with a 10 degree hook angle. 70% of the time this hook angle will be perfect for whatever you are cutting. See “TROUBLE SHOOTING”."
Try it... the results will speak for themselves.
