iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Will diesel lube cause wear and tear?

Started by reswire, December 06, 2013, 10:41:44 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

reswire

I've heard a lot of people say they use diesel fuel to lubricate their bands when milling.  My mill has belts around it's band wheels, and I was curious if the fuel will cause those belts to deteriorate early.  I know what oil or gas can do to plastic and some other surfaces, but didn't know about the belts.  Any worries or problems with yours?
Norwood LM 30, JD 5205, some Stihl saws, 15 goats, 10 chickens, 1 Chessie and a 2 Weiner dogs...

sawguy21

old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Alyeska Pete

I'm one of the people who do use diesel fuel to lubricate their bands when milling. My mill has crowned 26" steel wheels that carry and drive (pull) the band.  If you use belted wheels, the diesel fuel will probably not extend the useful life of the belts.  Having said that, it may be worth trying just to find out how much of a problem it may or may not cause. If it's not shortening the life of the belts by much, the benefits may be worth it.  My bands and wheels never gum up, never rust, and the cold winters here never freeze the lube.
However my results are with the aforementioned steel wheels and with Cook's double drip and wick system which uses less than a few ounces of diesel in an entire day of sawing. A flood system typically used with water systems would be out of the question as you would use gallons instead of ounces which would be an ecological and fire hazard besides being a mess. It would keep the mosquitoes away though.

HaroldSiefke

I use a diesel , bar oil  mix about 50/50 in my woodland mill and it has belts. I have only good things to say about it. I apply it also with a wick system that i made, I think there is a pitcher of it in my gallery. My belts seem to last good. I have been sawing some really pitchy pine and my blade always stays nice and clean. I use to use water and murphys oil soap and it seemed like I was always putting more in or having to worry about it freezing and breaking my tank and it never kept my blade clean like it is now and now it seems to last forever, and no worries ever. Good luck and happy sawing. Hal
Harold

5quarter

Depends on the belts I suppose. Not all belts are created equal. I use belts made by Goodyear (USA made) and on the occasions I use diesel to clean the band, I have seen no ill effects, and I inspect my bandwheel belts frequently.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

hackberry jake

All I use is a diesel bar oil mix. I have tried both diesel and water based mixes and I will never go back. I have over three years and prolly about 10,000 boardfoot on my band wheels. People like magicman saw a lot more than I do in a year and they use water based mixes. I suppose it depends on a lot of things but I am a diesel man. I only use it when my band needs it. I dont use a "drip" system. More like a "squirt it when its built up" system.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

stavebuyer

I run 1 1/2" .055 blades. My belts usually get dissected by a broken blade before they wear out. I haven't tried the diesel on this mill but used it with great results on my previous crowned steel wheel mill. If I was cutting pine or hickory I wouldn't hesitate to try it especially with a wick type set up.

47sawdust

I've used a diesel fuel /bar oil mix for 6 years with good results.I use winter weight bar oil as it mixes easier.I like not having to worry about a water solution in sub-freezing conditions.No ill effect on belts.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

ladylake

 
I use water in the summer and diesel in the winter, no ill effects on the belts.  If the belts are rounded over after using water all summer the blade can come off when switching to diesel, new belts cure that.    Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

diesel pap

i use diesel also. thats what the mfg of my mill (ezboardwalk) said to use.

thecfarm

This is almost as bad as the The Great Oil War.  :D
I only saw a little bit,and have used half bar and chain and diesel. Had my mill for 10 years now. But that is only a very SLOW drip. Not like it's coming out at steady stream. A gallon will last me a long time.I have two shut offs,one to adjust the flow and one to shut off when not in use. I have sawed some cedar for the wife's woman cave and it looks good. The whole cave was sawed out using the above lube.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

rmack

think I'm going to start keeping a can of wd40 handy for pitch pockets etc. 

dont see why I couldn't just spray it right on the blade as it is cutting :)
the foundation for a successful life is being able to recognize what to least expect the most... (anonymous)

Welder Bob
2012 LT40HDSD35 Yanmar Diesel Triple
1972 Patrick AR-5
Massey Ferguson GC2410TLB Diesel Triple
Belsaw Boat Anchor

AnthonyW

I just received two new belts from WM made by Goodyear. They appear to be made like automotive belts. If they are then I would suspect the Goodyear and NAPA (reference to and from another thread) should be fairly resistant to diesel, gasoline, and similar petroleum products. It also appears that Suffolk Machinery/Timberwolf makes replacement belts for some bandmills. But those belts are made from urethane. The urethane belts and vinyl feed tubing from the lube tank will react with diesel, gasoline, and the like. They will dry, harden, and crack. I suspect one of the previous owners of my mill (as I am owner #3) used diesel. The lube tubing was so hard I was able to break it after bending it twice. One wheel belt flew apart under full pressure before reaching full RPM, the other belt broke when I tried to remove it. The old belts are in the trash in no less than ten pieces.

FYI. Tygon tubing does not react with gasoline, etc. and thus never hardens. But is 4-5x more expensive than vinyl.
'97 Wood-Mizer LT25 All Manual with 15HP Kohler

chickenchaser

Quote from: rmack on December 07, 2013, 03:51:27 PM
think I'm going to start keeping a can of wd40 handy for pitch pockets etc. 

dont see why I couldn't just spray it right on the blade as it is cutting :)

rmack,

I have used WD40. I have also used PB Blaster penetrating catyalyst. It sprays a stream without having to use the "straw". I now use the 50/50 diesel/bar oil mix in the plastic quart-sized household sprayer with the adjustable nozzle. Next will be a one gallon garden sprayer with a brass wand. I only spray when needed (pitch starting to build up) and when I am going to change blades. A clean blade is really nice when it's time to sharpen.

Having said that - a wick would be wick-ed...

CC
WoodMizer LT35HD

JD 3720 w/loader. 1983 Chevrolet C30 dump. 1973 Ford F600 w/stickloader. 35,000 chickens.

Cypress Sam

I have used diesel and transmission oil when cutting bull pine{heavy pitch}.  It will swell your belts after prolonged use but that is cheaper than cleaning blades all day.
SAM

kensfarm

I kept looking at this thread and kept thinking up questions I had..  I've only used water mix.. been sawing for over a year now.  Def. willing to try it.. was thinking of trying the squirt bottle approach first.

If you changed from water to diesel/oil.. what drip system changes did you do? Different tank?
Do you see less sawdust buildup around the guides, belts, output?
Do you ever have a problem w/ staining on the wood?
If you use diesal/oil.. have you tried ATF..  anyone compare?


Migal

 ;) Oh boy what a question! I use on/off road diesel meaning which is abundant. I buy off road but do accept free any road LOL.
       My mill is a LogMaster LM2 with a Cat. Ive used diesel from the get go with only one time pitch build up when I was greener and was thinking that drip was a lot. I left my Lube on one night and used a whole quart while not sawing Okay a drip is still a drip. I have no idea of changing it. Hay it works, My belts drive the Band Wheel they seem to be just fine two years coming up soon. The diesel seems to lube more than just the band to me the V track that the Head rig runs on and its wheels also stay un rusted to my dismay I do use wd40 in a squirt can but not on the blade on the chrome rods and anything shinny lol. My manufacture recommends diesel and that is what I use the wood that I have produced has not shown any ill defects from it. I would recommend it unless the owners manual says NO.
Stihl learning and picked up my Log Master LM2 Cat 34hp 02 21 12! 230MF+ the toys that go with it! MS361 MS271 Stihl PB500 Echo 48" LogRite 16ft Bass Tracker Pro' Abua Garcia 5600 bait caster, Wood working equipment' Lake Lot never enough time! oh don't forget the fridge with ale! Loving Wife Rebeca

Dave VH

I don't get to saw a whole lot, but I use diesel.  It works great for me.  Ofcourse up to now i've only gotten to work with hardwoods.  I've got about 40 pine logs in the side yard that is about to change my experience,  we'll see if the diesel still does the trick.
I cut it twice and it's still too short

ohsoloco

I tried it for a short time on my Lumbermate that uses belts.  I wanted to try it because I was having trouble with build up when milling pine, spruce, and ash (these are the worst culprits).  I just used the squirt method whenever it needed it since I didn't want to convert my lube system over without trying it first.  I would also give it a little shot at the end of the day, or before changing blades to keep the blades from rusting. 

It wasn't long before I had trouble with blades popping off during a cut even when they were sharp.  Then got so bad I would put a blade on, and when the blade came up to speed it would immediately pop off.  Maybe I just used too much of the stuff, but once I got diesel or any kind of oil on the belts I couldn't keep the blades on.  It's water all the way for me, with a shot of dish soap or pine sol if things get too pitchy.

HaroldSiefke

Osoloco I am curious if you have flat topped belts or ones with a crown? I found on my mill I have to use crowned belts or my blade would pop off to. I noticed that since I bought my woodland mill they have change to selling there mill with flat top belts. When I bought my mill from them it came with crowned belts. Good luck.
Harold

5quarter

Ohsoloco...I've never heard of that happening before. perhaps, your tension was too low, or the bandwheels  may not be properly aligned, or even the belts themselves may be damaged . diesel on the belts may aggravate some other trouble that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. just something to think about.  :)
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

ohsoloco

I've been getting my "B" belts from the local NAPA store.  Not really sure if they're crowned or now, but I don't think so.  Blade tracks just fine, and I have the tension as far as I can get it set.  Cuts fine when using water (and sometimes) soap, or windshield washer fluid in the winter, so I'm sticking with what works for me  :)

Wellmud

Does anyone have a picture of their diesel drip or wick system? I looked through a couple peoples galleries but there is potentially hundreds of pictures to look through. When using the diesel mix, do you end up with a grime film on your mill from the petroluem and dust?
Woodmizer LT35 manual, Kubota L3130, Farmi 351, Stihl 029 super, 3 Logrite canthooks

thecfarm

Mine is just a piece of copper pipe,about 6-8 inches long that will fit inside of clear tubing.It's bent to allow the drip to go on top of the blade.That is why the you need a length of hard pipe,copper bends easy too. I have 2 shut offs,one to adjust the flow and one to turn off and on as needed. On that side of the mill there is some film from the diesel,but if someone kept up on it there would be none.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

5quarter

Wellmud...Member KelLog Has numerous pics of his system in his gallery.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

Thank You Sponsors!