Homemade Woodmizer Coolant?

[Bill Lewis]

A good friend of mine picked up a lightly used Woodmizer sawmill this past fall. We were talking the other day, and he was trying to saw a walnut log. Had a real time getting through it we both figure he needs to attach the coolant tank. Woodmizer sells their own coolant, but there's got to be a home brewed solution (pun intended) vs. buying it from Woodmizer.

Any thoughts? If I can come up with a cheap alternative, I might be able to get some of his cast-offs ;)

[Ian Abraham]

Seems that guys use just about anything as lube on bandmills ;)

Start out with plain water, see how that works.
If it's cold mix in some car antifreeze. Dishwashing liquid can be added if it's not below freezing. Some guys go with pinesol cleaner and others swear by diesel oil, although thats a bit suspect from the ecological standpoint and it's smelly and toxic.

Try plain water first, then play with the flow rate and additives to get best result on the type of wood you are sawing.

Cheers

Ian

[Scott Banbury]

I use plain water on my Mizer unless it's real sappy wood and then I throw a little (couple cap fulls) Simple Green in it.

www.scottbnabury.com (http://www.scottbnabury.com)

[James Boster]

I use a 50/50 mix of diesel fuel and chainsaw bar oil. Use sparingly as it don't take much. I keep it in a squirt bottle and give it a small shot after every couple of cuts. A quart will usally last me all day of sawing. Usally that's between 1,000 and 2,000 board feet. Lots of people use water but I don't beleive that water is a lubricant.

[lou sansone]

I use water or pam sprayed on the blade once in a while. The water seems to help clear out all the find dust out of the gullets.

[Darren Ford]

Looks like just plain water in the woodmizer at a local sawmill.

[Steve Clardy]

The water or oil mixture isn't used as a lubricant. It is actually used just as a means to remove pitch and sap buildup on the blade.
I used straight water on all woods except pine. I added windshield wiper fluid to the water when temps were below freezing.
On pine I used either kerosene or diesel fuel.
You don't have to have it turned on all the time. Just an occasional small stream of water usually works when you notice a buildup on your blades.

[George Summers]

I don't have a WoodMizer (or any other sawmill) so I am speaking from total ignorance, but.... wouldn't using any oil or desiel or any petrolelum product transfer to the wood and isn't that a no-no? I don't think I would like to buy any oil streaked or oil stained wood.

George

[Ian Abraham]

I don't have a WoodMizer (or any other sawmill) so I am speaking from total ignorance, but.... wouldn't using any oil or desiel or any petrolelum product transfer to the wood and isn't that a no-no? I don't think I would like to buy any oil streaked or oil stained wood.

The amont used is very small, not enough to mark / soak into the wood. Chances are it would be dried up once the wood is dried and removed once it's planed anyway. If you could see oil on the boards you would be using about 100 times too much :D

The water also serves as a coolant for the band, this increases it's life and reduces the amount of pitch thats getting melted out of the wood and ending up on the band.

Ian

[jim mckee]

sometimes coolant/lubricant just won't help. I bandsawmill kiln dry and sharpen blades (since 92) I've tried cutting dry and wet. Sometimes wet just makes a mess with no performance improvement.
I stoped useing water years ago.
Watch out using oils, Oil can get into the wood, fire hazard, degrades rubber parts on the mill

If the log was old or dryed out some it can be harder to cut.

If anyone needs blades sharpened, I sharpen 13'2" 1.25" for $5.50ea + postage.

[Steve Clardy]

I sawed a lot of lumber on it before I sold it a few years ago.:)
Wish I still had it.:(

[Steve Stube]

If anyone needs blades sharpened, I sharpen 13'2" 1.25" for $5.50ea + postage.
A guy might have a better chance of anticipating what postage would cost if you were to mention a country or some such information about location in your BIO.

[jim mckee]

I'm in N. Central Tn.

Allardt, near Jamestown
Zip 38556
Just look for this place