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How much liquid per min do you use while sawing?

Started by Modat22, August 25, 2006, 04:02:06 PM

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Modat22

I'm trying to size a water jet for my bandsaw and was wanting a good starting point. About how much blade water would you say you use per min if the water is on constant?

Not talking about drinking or anything else now... ;D
remember man that thy are dust.

Larry

My lube system is sorta seat of the pants and has evolved over the years.  Started with a windshield sprayer pump and oil feeding two tubes equipped with farm spray tips above and below the band.  Didn't last long so I replaced the windshield pump with a gallon pump up garden sprayer.  Had trouble with the spray tips clogging so I drilled em out a little.  With all the controversy about using oil based lubes I tried water.  Then added a Shurflow water pump as I still wanted lube on the bottom of the band.

So...right now I still have my original spray tips above and below the band....but got a valve where I can change from the Shurflow pump with water to the garden sprayer with oil.

Depends on the species of wood I'm sawing as to how much lube I run.  Ash gets maximum flow of water...walnut normally gets nothing until I edge, when I'll run water lightly or a quick shot of oil now and than.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

gary

I normally use kerosene and try for 1 or 2 drops a minute

flip

Water and Dawn dish soap.

Drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...drip...etc...

Or about 2 gal to 7 hrs of sawing, shutting off between blade changes or other breaks.

Flip
Timberking B-20, Hydraulics make me board quick

woodbowl

Quote from: gary on August 25, 2006, 05:27:25 PM
I normally use kerosene and try for 1 or 2 drops a minute

gary, what type of system do you have that is able to control 1 or 2 drops per minute?
Full time custom sawing at the customers site since 1995.  WoodMizer LT40 Super Hyd.

pineywoods

If you use much water, here's a handy tip.. Mix a few ounces of water soluble cutting oil in the water. Water makes wet sawdust which sticks to everything and makes RUST. Rusty blades, guides, covers, etc. Add just enough cuttin oil to make the water turn a milky color, Presto, no more rust....
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Dana

Larry, I found it enteresting your comment on ash. I had cut some ash without any water without a problem. Last week I had two 25' ash beams to cut for a customer and would get to the last 10,' and a new blade would dive as it was completely dull. I was blaming everything, dirty logs, too high feed rate, stress in the butt end etc. Tried several bands no better luck. I then got out the garden sprayer and using water had no more problems. My guess is that the ash cuts hard enough to heat the blade enough to take the sharpness/set out?
Grass-fed beef farmer, part time sawyer

thecfarm

woodbowl,I let my mix drip every second or two.To tell you the truth,I really don't know what to call them.They have a small handle on each one.Kinda like a ball valve handle.I know you could get one at any big hardware store or big box store.I have two shut offs on my saw.One I turn off and on.Nothing in between,it's off or it's on.The other one I use to control the drip.Just open it up a very little and it's all I need.It's all gavity fed.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

woodbowl

Quote from: thecfarm on August 26, 2006, 08:13:23 PM
They have a small handle on each one.Kinda like a ball valve handle.  ........   I have two shut offs on my saw.One I turn off and on.Nothing in between,it's off or it's on.The other one I use to control the drip.Just open it up a very little and it's all I need.It's all gavity fed.

I'm guess I'm looking for more control of the drip with out going pressurized.

cfarm, I've got about the same thing, I use a 5/8" ball cut off valve for on/off and a gas line valve up stream to regulate the drip. Sometimes it get all clogged up so I put a primer bulb between the gas line valve and the water tank. I can blast out the clog, but I still have problems if I've neglected to keep my filter clean comming out of the water tank. In the summer here in Fla, algae grows like crazy in the lines tank and filter. I can't seem to stay on top of putting bleach through it because it sometimes takes spells where it runs trouble free.

I'm game to try a better gravity system if anyone knows of one.
Full time custom sawing at the customers site since 1995.  WoodMizer LT40 Super Hyd.

jpgreen

I made up a system that may work.

I installed a regular hardware store brass valve.  The kind with the thin steel needle handle, mounted at the cap of the water tank.  Then I plumbed 5/16" hose barbs and clear (braded pressure) hose to a Napa 12v electric fuel pump. I mounted the pump right under the tank shelf, then wired in a switch on the drive panel just under the tank shelf (we're talkin' LT40 here).

Then I installed a regular inline clear plastic 5/16" fuel filter to filter the system, and on to the spray jets.  I wanted both sides of the blade lubed when needed, so I have an upper and lower brass Woodmizer jet.

Here's how this will work in theory...

If I turn on the pump and open the valve a 1/4 turn I get a drip out of both jets. if I open the valve 1/2 turn, I get a steady spray from the upper and lower jets that hit both sides of the blade full width. The valve and switch are close to the control box, so I will manually open the valve as needed.

One thing's for sure- it's (the system) cheap, that pump is not going to burn out for a long time, and it's filtered. It will be easy to alternate from a drip to full on spray, with a quick twist of the valve, and flick of the switch.

If it doesn't work, then on to plan be which I don't have at the moment.. ;D
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

Tom

I have a tank of water on the mill that gravity feeds, through a plastic hose, to the top of the blade on the bottom of the idle wheel.  I whittled a stick with a beveled flat spot on one side and stuck it in the hose.  The farther I push the stick in, the less the water flows.   If I run out of water, I put in more water.  If I lose the stick, I whittle another one  ;D

I call it a vernier control valve. :D

jpgreen

Tom you are a genious!... Why didn't I think of that?..  :D

Lots of sticks at my place..  ;D :D
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

Left Coast Chris

The stick venturi sounds pretty efficient.....and probably sweetens the water too ;). 

Right now I have a WM water container with the on/off ball valve then another plastic valve for on/off that is connected directly to the on/off valve.   The clear plastic hose leads to a brass hose connector hooked up in reverse so the long tapered end empties onto the back of the idler guide.  It workes quite well but I have to take two steps to turn it on/off since the tank and valves is on the lead post away from the operator position.   The amount of water is easy to control but since the water tank is high on the stationary front head frame tube the head on the water stream changes as I lower the head and as the water level changes so I am coutinusly adjusting it.   That is not too much of a hastle.... my next mod will to be to relocate the valves to the operater position......and maybe consider the venturi......there is no limt to these advancements..... :D
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

johnjbc

My line from the tank has soft rubber hose in it that goes around a couple of pins on the blade engagement arm. When I stop the blade the hose is pinched off and stops water flow. My tank is a 5 gallon bucket with a hole drilled in the lid. When I setup to mill I lay the bucket on its side until it starts siphoning , then It will run when the blade is engaged until the bucket is empty. Usually lasts all day.
There is a petcock valve in the line that lets me adjust the flow.
Use water with a shot of dish soup and it keeps the blades clean.
LT40HDG24, Case VAC, Kubota L48, Case 580B, Cat 977H, Bobcat 773

Modat22

Thanks for all the responces, I was thinking I was going to need a steady stream. I'm glad I asked  ;D
remember man that thy are dust.

Tom

Sometimes you will. :)

The goal is just to keep the sap from sticking to the blade.  Sometimes it need be only kept damp and sometimes it must be  kept quite wet.  Too much water/fluid turns sawdust to mud and is counter productive.

rewimmer

Tom has all the right information for you. I saw a lot of white and yellow pine. Some days I will use 5 gal of water and pinsol. This may seem like a lot but after you get a little build up on your blade, it seems to heat up and start grabbing the sap very fast. Then "BANG" there goes your blade and you could damage your mill and also have to change certain items of your clothing. I use enough pinsol to actually see bubbles at times but my blade and guides stay clean. I have to adjust the volume quite often as the sap varries between logs. I have owned several mills and do what is best for my type of mill and conditations. I keep an eye on my sawdust comming out of the mill and make sure it is not clogging up. At each blade change, I give the mill a good cleaning.

jpgreen

So how's that pinesol werk... Pretty good?

I was thinking of running some soluable oil in the water.
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

rewimmer

To answer your question about pinesol, it is the best product I have tried so far. I have a 5 gal. plastic lub tank and pour about 8 to 10oz. of pinesol to start with. You can increase or reduce the amount after trying it to suit your conditions. Too much will only hurt your wallet and make a few extra bubbles. I catch it on sale and buy a couple gallons at a time. As for soluable oil, I used it in metal cutting and it would work great where it can be recoverd and used again. The EPA would really frown on it going into the ground and it is expenseive.
Hope this helps.
Robert in Virginia

jpgreen

The EPA will frown on passin' gas..  ::) ;D

Think of all the chainsaw oil that gets leached into the ground.  But come to think of it, oil did come from the ground didn't it?.. :D

I gotta try that pine oil. Understand it works good in prison too..  :)
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

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