saw blade cleaning

[Herb Blair]

This evening, after a full day of woodworking, I was about to remove my dado set from the tablesaw and put my combo blade back in. I noticed that there was quite a bit of pitch build up around the carbide teeth of the combo blade. I almost replaced it with a new Amana blade that I had purchased a couple of weeks ago. But instead, I put it an a pan and sprayed both sides down liberally with "Simple Green". I let that set for about 10 minutes, then I bushed it with pneumatic wire brush. It came amazingly clean. I rinsed it off and sprayed it down with a little WD-40 , then again wiped it off. Back onto the saw. It produced a much smoother cut that I was getting before. (This blade is about a year old).
Just thought I would share my experience with you folks.

[John Miliunas]

Thanks for the tip, Herb! I can back you up on the Simple Green. :) That's been my cleaner of choice for some time now. Does a great job on blades, grease, soot and yes, even that rotten Cosmoline many new tools come caked with! :) Super performance, non-toxic and bio-degradable...Don't get much better! :cool:

[Gary Max]

John it also does a great job on cleaning that green stuff off siding.

[Dale Thompson]

That's been my cleaner of choice for some time now. Does a great job on blades, grease, soot and yes, even that rotten Cosmoline many new tools come caked with! :) Super performance, non-toxic and bio-degradable...Don't get much better! :cool:

Hey Spring,
Should read, " That's been my DAUGHTERS choice, etc. etc.". Most of us know that you don't even remember the password to get into her shop. Sorry for the expose. :) Whatever, you've been putting up that mirror in the new bathroom for the past six months! :eek: Enough is ENOUGH!! :rolleyes:

Dale T.

[Jack Hogoboom]

Where do you guys buy Simple Green? I've heard about it, but never seen it in my local grocery store.

Jack

[Gary Max]

Lowes has it---we buy it by the gallon.
Use it for all kinds of cleaning.
It's kinda like --WD-40---or Duct tape.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jack...out here Costco sells it. My wife has been using it for years. I try to tap into her supply.

[Mike Mortenson]

The best and cheapest thing i found to clean saw blades is oven cleaner. Spray it on and let it set about 5 or 10 min and wipe off. There is no need for a wire brush with it.

[Jim Becker]

The best and cheapest thing i found to clean saw blades is oven cleaner. Spray it on and let it set about 5 or 10 min and wipe off. There is no need for a wire brush with it.
It's also about the least safe product to use on the blade, both for your personal health and for disposal of the rags. Simple Green is not harmful to you nor is it harmful to the environment...and it works very well. Citrus-based cleaners are equally effective and safe.

[Dan Gill]

Wood magazine did a test recently on saw blade cleaners. They listed the environmental and health concerns as well as the cost and effectiveness. I believe, if you wanted to soak the blade a couple of hours and scrub it, any of the cleaners worked pretty well. If you wanted to do it quickly and just wipe it off, oven cleaner and one or two of the specialty cleaners worked best. Simple Green just didn't cut it for a short soak time. With a long soak - no problem.

That said, I think we can easily overstate the health and environmental hazards of oven cleaner (lye). Folks have been using oven cleaner in their ovens-where they cook their food-with reasonable safety for many, many years. Take precautions and you'll be fine.

[Kent Cori]

I use the Simple Green method too. I just soak the blade in full strength solution for about 15-20 minutes and then use a synthetic steel wool pad to remove any pitch. It only takes a couple of minutes. I then make sure it is thoroughly dry and hit it with a dose of Boeshield T-9 for corrosion protection.

I have heard that oven cleaner is chemically tough on the carbide. However, I don't think I've ever seen any scientific proof of this.

[Charlie Plesums]

Some of the blade vendors have responded on forums that oven cleaner can hurt the brazing of carbide to the blades, but that response/warning has been to people who were soaking the blades for longer times.

Although I can take the precautions for handling lye, and have often heard that it has been used successfully with quick applications, knowing that it can do any harm to the blades puts me off.

I belong to the "Simple Green" school. I had trouble finding it at Home Depot, until a clerk took me to the janitor supply section.

If you have been using a lot of pine, also try mineral spirits (paint thinner), which is the solvent for pine pitch, and should be harmless to the blades.

[Jim Fancher]

I agree. Every shop should have Simple Green, Duct tape, WD-40, and Hershey Kisses.

[Hal Flynt]

I too use Simple Green, But.....

I have been experimenting with Lyptus and had "resawed" some panel stock on my table saw and got some pretty heavy burning and pitch on my WWII. When I started to clean, I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of Simple Green (SG) and water and let it soak about 10 min. It took off about 80-85% of the gunk with an old toothbrush, so I hit it again and let it soak another 15 min and used a brass brush this time and got most of it off with a lot of scrubbing.

I read the FWW article on blade cleaners and it mentioned one that I happen to buy in the Beoshield bundle I bought. It had the Beoshield T-9, some rust remover and a bottle of blade and bit cleaner. When I cut some more Lyptus and got the heavy burned on pitch, ( I really need and 18” bandsaw) I turned to the blade and bit cleaner and hit it, let it sit the 30 seconds to a minute it says on the label and wow, 90+ percent just came off. A little more and about 3 minutes soak and all came off with a lot less vigorous scrubbing than the SG. I think I will use SG for general clean up and the Blade and Bit cleaner for the really tough stuff.

I buy SG at Sam's by the gallon and it lasts me about 3 years. I use for tire cleaner, engine cleaner, clothes prewash on my gready cloths and lots of other stuff. I do try to keep it off painted surfaces.

[Keith Christopher]

I just bought the CMT blade cleaner (when I bought the panel bit set.) It arrived the other day with the kitchen set. I'll try it and let you all know how I like it. I believe it's the same stuff as SG but orange. ;)


Keith

[Steve Clardy]

Guess I'm odd man out here. I just use water on my bandsaw blades, saw blades.
Just put everything in a flat pan of water overnight. Next morning a light scrub with a brass brush, dry everything off, and give them the WD-40 treatment.
Works for me.:)

[Mike Mortenson]

Thanks for your reply seems like someone always wants to run down a suggestion.



QUOTE=Dan Gill]Wood magazine did a test recently on saw blade cleaners. They listed the environmental and health concerns as well as the cost and effectiveness. I believe, if you wanted to soak the blade a couple of hours and scrub it, any of the cleaners worked pretty well. If you wanted to do it quickly and just wipe it off, oven cleaner and one or two of the specialty cleaners worked best. Simple Green just didn't cut it for a short soak time. With a long soak - no problem.

That said, I think we can easily overstate the health and environmental hazards of oven cleaner (lye). Folks have been using oven cleaner in their ovens-where they cook their food-with reasonable safety for many, many years. Take precautions and you'll be fine.[/QUOTE]

[Mark Stutz]

I also use Simple Green, but for a long time I used plain household ammonia. I took the blade off, put it in an enclosed container, and covered it with the ammonia. The next morning, or longer, the buildup would wipe off with a soft cloth or at most an old toothbrush.

[Chris Padilla]

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/products.asp?id=183

CMT's Formula 2050 is what I use. Works great.

[Greg Narozniak]

I agree with Keith and Chris. I have used the CMT Cleaner for over a year with great success and no "side effects" Works great on all Blades and Router Bits too.

I will be picking up another bottle @ the Ft Washington show this weekend. :)

[Fred Chan]

Cheapest place I found Simple Green was at Costco. Worked better for cleaning the deck with less effort than using the pressure washer.