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Rust Spots On Western Red Cedar

Started by highleadtimber16, March 22, 2017, 01:02:26 AM

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highleadtimber16

Hey everybody, I'm been fighting with rust on my boards for about 4 months now. I've been talking with woodmizer and they're just as baffled as I. It appears on some boards, and some not at all. I've changed water sources, made sure my blade isn't hitting the back of the guide rollers, looked for any source of steel flaking off, and can't figure it out. It only seems to happen on my WRC and Yellow Cedar, guessing the acidity doesn't help. It doesn't affect the fir. Each time I put a new blade on, I run the water and hold a stick on the blade while it's spinning, to clean the burrs. Hopefully someone has an idea as to what is going on. Thanks



  

  

 

 
2011 Wood-Mizer LT 40 hyd w/ 12' Extension,
EG 200 Wood-Mizer
Cutting Old Growth Cedar from Queen Charlotte Islands.

fishpharmer

Almost looks like mold.  I have no expert advice.  Maybe try distilled water with a mild base, like baking soda to offset the acid.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
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WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
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Chop Shop

Rust and iron usually leave grey/bluish/black stain on the wood.

Are you sure its not bark?    If I saw cedar when its raining out and the sawdust from the bark (dark colored brown bits) are not rinsed off with the hose then I get the same marks.  Sometimes like little flecks of rusty brown all over to.

My circle mill doesnt do it because it makes chips, rather than dust.  But my lucas slabber will do that same thing since some of the dust is much finer.

Brucer

Hmm ???. I've sawn a respectable amount of WRC with a Wood-Mizer and never seen anything like that. I use a 50-50 mix of windshield washer fluid in the spring and fall, and straight water in the summer. I tend to keep the blade lube running to keep the blade from heating up and losing tension. I use untreated water and around here it is classed as "moderately hard".

However, I'm just starting into a fairly major job sawing all WRC so I will keep a close eye out for anything similar.

It looks like your logs are peeled.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Don P

Maybe try a little experiment? Oxalic acid will get rid of metal stains in oak, I'd bet it would do the same in cedar. To me a metal stain is black/grey but I think it would work or have an effect if that is from metal. If you can't find it straight at the paint store look at the label on various deck cleaners at the big box store.

Kbeitz

 Rub a potato on rusted areas.

Google it...


To clean rust with a potato, cut it in half lengthwise or crosswise, depending on how large a surface area you want. Dip the cut end in dish soap or baking soda and firmly rub it over the rusted area. If the end of the potato gets slick, slice it off and dip the newly cut end
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

highleadtimber16

Thanks for the replies guys. My computer crashed, so I've only been able to go on the forum via iPhone till now. I'm still having some issues with rust. I changed my blade guide rollers and it seems somewhat better but still randomly occurring. It seems brand new blades are much better, than ones that have been returned from sharpening. I've tried two different sharpening sources, one cbn and one drag grinder and it didn't make a difference. I'm kind of stumped  :-\
And, yes Brucer you're correct, all my logs are debarked.
2011 Wood-Mizer LT 40 hyd w/ 12' Extension,
EG 200 Wood-Mizer
Cutting Old Growth Cedar from Queen Charlotte Islands.

Brucer

So in the past couple of months I've sawn about 15,000 BF of peeled WRC and I've seen nothing like the rust spots in your pictures. The logs are a mix of green (as in harvested a couple of days before we sawed them) and one or two years old. I really haven't a clue as to what's causing that ??? ???.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

highleadtimber16

I've noticed that it doesn't effect my local cedar which is mostly second growth. It is very wet. This charlotte island old growth is much more acidic, and drier. I'm thinking this may have something to do with it? Brucer do you ever notice some marks on your first cut with a fresh blade, from metal shavings?
No one has really complained about the rust "just questioned it", but, it is driving me crazy.
2011 Wood-Mizer LT 40 hyd w/ 12' Extension,
EG 200 Wood-Mizer
Cutting Old Growth Cedar from Queen Charlotte Islands.

Kbeitz

Check to see if the back of your blades is cutting into your wheel guides...
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Bigshooter

Just a thought but I had staining issues on my mill also. Took some time to diagnose but my problem was my blade scrapers were out of adjustment. This would lead to sawdust build up around the wheels. I use a fair amount of water when I'm milling. So the sawdust builds up and get wet it absorbs the different materials around it.
This can be rust, pitch, dirt from the log and so on. This sawdust is black in color and when it falls off and goes through the cut, you get a stain.
That's my story, I hope it helps.

Brucer

Quote from: highleadtimber16 on May 14, 2017, 10:18:09 AM
... do you ever notice some marks on your first cut with a fresh blade, from metal shavings?

Nope.

None of the stuff I'm cutting is old-growth, either. That would suggest that part of the problem has to do with the old growth timber.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Crossroads

Is the stain on both sides of the cut equally? It kinda looks like it's sprinkled on from the top after the cut has been made? Could something be accumulating and shaking down from above?
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

Kbeitz

Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

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