band saw lubrication

[Brian Deakin]

on the Suffolk web site they offer the following advice

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.

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!

"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.

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.

My question
I live in the United Kingdom Pam spay here is only avaiable by special order and costs $11.00
Does Pam spray have any special properties or could I use any cooking oil


regards Brian

[Greg Just]

Brian:

Pam is pressurized canola oil. Put canola oil in a spray bottle and it should work fine and a lot less expensive. Wish I could get my wife to do that as she uses a can a week!

[Brian Deakin]

Pam spray costs $11 per can in the United Kingdom and has to b e ordered by mail order from a UK supplier

Further I would be unable to purchase a can when I visit the USA next year on holiday because of airline shipping restrictions

regards Brian

[Tom Rick]

Brian:

Pam is pressurized canola oil. Put canola oil in a spray bottle and it should work fine and a lot less expensive. Wish I could get my wife to do that as she uses a can a week!


We had a atomizer for oils we got at one of those cooking gear shops. Basically a bottle with a pump. Fill with oil- pump it up and off to the races..

[Curt Harms]

Brian:

Pam is pressurized canola oil. Put canola oil in a spray bottle and it should work fine and a lot less expensive. Wish I could get my wife to do that as she uses a can a week!

Greg, you might see if you can find something like this-
http://www.legourmetchef.com/Temp_Products.cfm?sku=00612974&RankThis=Y&Searched=oil%20sprayer&

An oil sprayer that can be pressurized sorta like a weed sprayer. We use one for olive oil. The only problem we sometimes have is it sprays a stream instead of a mist. Shaking it seems to fix that.

[Jamie Buxton]

The quote in the original post says to spray the PAM on a rag, and wipe it on to the blade. That is, the spray aspect of PAM is entirely unused. You could simply wipe cooking oil on the blade from a rag.

[Jamie Buxton]

Okay, I haven't tried this, but I find hard to believe that oiling the body of a bandsaw blade would help -- at least in the case of a well-tuned saw. The set of the teeth assures that the kerf is wider than the band thickness. (That's the whole reason for the set.) The band should not be touching the wood much at all. Virtually all of the friction on the blade is happening at the front of the teeth.

[Howard Acheson]

You should be able to use any non-stick aerosol cooking spray. Look at the ingrediants. Its a component called lecithin that provides the non-stick action. The type of oil used is not relevent.

In the US, PAM is made with vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil and maybe other oils too.
There are other generic brands of non-stick cooking oil available and all work about the same in both cooking and lubricating.

[Prashun Patel]

The set of the teeth assures that the kerf is wider than the band thickness.

How about when cutting a curve?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Wow. I must be a neander. I have never oiled my blades during a cut. I thought putting any oil on the wood would not be a good idea..... I oil my blades after I'm done..... INteresting thread.

[Neil Brooks]

For the most part, my bicycle lube of choice is a home brew mix of 50/50 odorless mineral spirits and Mobil1 synthetic oil.

From time to time, I put a bit on a green Scotchbrite scrubbing pad, and use IT to clean/lube the blade.

But in truth, it's mostly one of those "I read that I should," and I haven't found any clear reason not to :)

[Van Huskey]

How about when cutting a curve?

Even in this case only the extreme trailing edge of the blade backing should be touching wood. I have never found the need for oiling the blade for WOOD cutting other than for rust prevention.

[Rod Sheridan]

I also only lubricate the blade to prevent rusting after sawing wet wood, and that's with the blade coiled up ready to hang back up on the wall.

I would never use a lubricant on a blade that's mounted on saw for several reasons including the mess, the fact that friction drives the band, and not being a chemist I don't mix lubricating products with the tire material.

regards, Rod.

[Brian Deakin]

Canola is one of two cultivars of rapeseed or Brassica campestris (Brassica napus L. and B. campestris L.).[1] Their seeds are used to produce edible oil that is fit for human consumption because it has lower levels of erucic acid than traditional rapeseed oils and to produce livestock feed because it has reduced levels of the toxic glucosinolates.[2] Canola was originally naturally bred from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R. Stefansson in the early 1970s,[3][4] but it has a very different nutritional profile in addition to much less erucic acid.[5] The name "canola" was derived from "Canadian oil, low acid" in 1978.[6][7] A product known as LEAR (for low erucic acid rapeseed) derived from cross-breeding of multiple lines of Brassica juncea is also referred to as canola oil and is considered safe for consumption.[8]

Canola was developed through conventional plant breeding from rapeseed, an oilseed plant already used in ancient civilization. The word "rape" in rapeseed comes from the Latin word "rapum," meaning turnip. Turnip, rutabaga, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, mustard and many other vegetables are related to the two canola varieties commonly grown, which are cultivars of Brassica napus and Brassica rapa. The negative associations due to the homophone "rape" resulted in creation of the more marketing-friendly name "Canola". The change in name also serves to distinguish it from regular rapeseed oil, which has much higher erucic acid content.

In the United kingdom one of the cooking oils available is rapeseed oil.From reading the information above taken from Wikipedia it would seem sensible to suggest that the canola oil in the USA. may be the same as the rapeseed oil sold as a cooking oil in the UK.

Howard in his post states
You should be able to use any non-stick aerosol cooking spray. Look at the ingrediants. Its a component called lecithin that provides the non-stick action. The type of oil used is not relevant.

So in conclusion
(1) Does lubricating the blade as Soffolk manufacturing suggest have any merit
(2)Is the type of oil important
(3)Is it the oil or the lecithin that is the key ingredient

Thank you to everyone who has posted

kind regards Brian

(I am pharmacist by profession and this may explain my desire to discover the correct answer to the question. I also believe, but do not practice that I should spent more time in the workshop and less time taking things to the nth degree)

[Caspar Hauser]

You could of course try mutton tallow.

:rolleyes:

[Bob Weis]

I have been using Food Grade Silicone Lube, 5%Silicone Formula, Temp Range -40 to 450 F, Flash Point Less than 0 F, Specific Gravity 0.65, Film Type Wet, Contains 5% Silicone, For Use on Food and Drug Processing Equipment, Slicers, Saws, Knives, Guides, Food Racks, Silicone Base, NSF H1 Rated For Use In Federally-Inspected Meet and Poultry Plants. Really great last a longer time blade is really slick no mess I get it at WW Grainger

[Rob Price]

1) I would worry about getting silicone in the wood and ruining the finish.

2) None of the blade manufacturers that I looked at recommended oiling the blade.

3) My tires are urethane, but I would be careful what oil you put on rubber tires.

[Bas Pluim]

What about using Boeshield for band saw blade lubrication?

[Howard Acheson]

Kyle, I'm with you. I've been woodworking for almost 50 years. I've worked with lots of professionals and I've never lubricated a band saw blade or knew anyone who did. If the blade is the correct blade for the application, is sharp and not damaged and the correct technique is used, lubrication should not be necessary.

In addition, I would be concerned that any lubricant--vegetable oil, petroleum oil or particularly any oil with a silicone content--would lead to possible finishing problems.

[Joe Scarfo]

I'm wondering what is being cut? If you're cutting wood, I've never lubricated the blade...

When I'm cutting brass/steel which I've done when setting up my model railroad tracks, I've lubricated w/ a little WD 40. Then change back to the wood blade...

Brian never mentions what he's cutting..

If it's wood, no lubrication should be necessary... if it's metal, that's another conversation all together.

Hope I helped

Good luck
Joe

[keith micinski]

What about using Boeshield for band saw blade lubrication?

Boeshield is the least lubricating product in the world next to sandpaper. If you sprayed that on the blade it would probably stop it from turning. it might work great as a rust protectant but thats about it.

[Van Huskey]

If it's wood, no lubrication should be necessary... if it's metal, that's another conversation all together.



Good luck
Joe


That is VERY true, for anyone reading this thread it should be said I think everyone that is saying you don't need band lube is speaking about using the BS to cut wood.

[Neil Brooks]

That is VERY true, for anyone reading this thread it should be said I think everyone that is saying you don't need band lube is speaking about using the BS to cut wood.

In all sincerity, though (as opposed to being argumentative), Suffolk -- a company that, IMHO, has a good reputation -- recommends light lubrication for all BS blades, whether used to cut metal or wood.

They claim it increases blade life by >30%

Makes you wonder, no ?

They don't seem to be selling blade lube. Their recommendations lean toward commercially available products.

:confused:

[Van Huskey]

In all sincerity, though (as opposed to being argumentative), Suffolk -- a company that, IMHO, has a good reputation -- recommends light lubrication for all BS blades, whether used to cut metal or wood.

They claim it increases blade life by >30%

Makes you wonder, no ?

They don't seem to be selling blade lube. Their recommendations lean toward commercially available products.

:confused:

I tend to be dubious of Suffolk's claims that defy conventional wisdom and or my experience. It all starts with the fact I have never seen them back up the low tension claim with any logical (or any) reasoning.

As for lubrication of a wook cutting band whats the purpose, heat is very low compared to many other mediums and how long will a wipe of oil stay on the parts that actually touch the wood, maybe .5 seconds? Then again if it improves the life by 30% then a lubed silicon steel blade may last 1/2 as long as an unlubed carbon blade... ;)

[Neil Brooks]

I tend to be dubious of Suffolk's claims that defy conventional wisdom and or my experience. It all starts with the fact I have never seen them back up the low tension claim with any logical (or any) reasoning.

As for lubrication of a wook cutting band whats the purpose, heat is very low compared to many other mediums and how long will a wipe of oil stay on the parts that actually touch the wood, maybe .5 seconds? Then again if it improves the life by 30% then a lubed silicon steel blade may last 1/2 as long as an unlubed carbon blade... ;)

Totally fair points. Thanks.

OTOH, I know for a FACT that if I stop my occasional blade clean/lube regimen, the NYSE WILL drop a thousand points.

And ... right now ... I just can't have that on my conscience ;)