# Do You Lubricate Your Bandsaw Blades?



## DavidNJ (Dec 10, 2012)

Timberwolf says:

*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.

1. 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!

2. "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.

What do you do?


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

Actually water is a very good lubricant, but it has a very low boiling point and viscosity index. If you don't believe it, think about ice skater and skiers, they are "gliding" on a very thin sheet of water.

Anyhow, the above was an FYI. Now that you mentioned I have used my BS for years, I have dialed it down to where I get perfect cuts, no drift etc. And I never thought of lubricating the blade, It makes perfect sense and I will try it next run.


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## bobasaurus (Sep 6, 2009)

I imagine that any wax would work well, maybe paste wax though it wouldn't last long.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

That lubrication instruction seems suspiciously like what I used to see as a maintenance manager for multiple companies, concerning metal cutting blades and saws.

I have worked in three furniture building companies who used a lot of bandsaws, and of course I have owned my own, various sizes, for about thirty plus years. Never lubed up a saw blade cutting wood. If I did, it would be only water. Maybe, on rock hard wood like cocobolo or kingwood, some parrifin. Last thing I want is any kind of petroleum or vegatable oil product in the wood I cut. And the factories I worked for agreed.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Yup, agree with *Tennessee*..... Looking at a lot of his other posts, this guy seems like just another shill.


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## Straightbowed (Feb 9, 2012)

spit on it<<<<<


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I do have a bad habit of occasionally spilling beer on some of my wood. Does that count?


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

Been running bandsaws for over 4o years on wood and plastics. Never heard of lubricants for bandsaw blades.

Increases blade life, maybe. Blade life is mostly based on time of operation. Blades break due to the metal crystallizing due to repeated bending and straightening; like bending a wire back and forth to break it.

Use lubrication if you like, will not hurt. Will it help. Not much. Just the opinion of and old guy.


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

Blades break due to the metal crystallizing due to repeated bending and straightening

this is due by heat, isn't it? not necessarily by the repeated bending, which causes heat, just like a wire. So anything that reduces heat should be beneficial to the blade. The OP might be a shill, but I think the idea deserves some examination.


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## stnich (May 24, 2010)

Here is a link for band saw blade lubricant. http://www.olsonsaw.net/ac70010.html I bought some from Milwaukee years ago and haven't seen it in my shop for awhile. I've been using bees wax since I can't find it.


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

Tried the STUPID "pam" method, ala Capt Eddy, the blade slipped right off both wheels !!! Had to disassemble the saw to get all that slick s*** off the saw. Even tried the "wax method" I got from Rockler - WHAT A MESS !!! Had to disassemble the whole saw to get all that wax off - AGAIN !


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## Kelby (Oct 19, 2011)

I have used Pam to lubricate my resaw blades for many years. I don't know if it extends blade life, but I definitely saw a huge improvement in how the saw cut when resawing very thick pieces of exotic woods for acoustic guitar backs.

Don't knock it 'til you try it.

I apply it by spraying each side of the blade while turning the blade manually (spinning the wheel by hand, that is). Then I use a paper towel to remove the excess (again, while spinning the wheel by hand). I would say the noise level drops by a lot more than 50%. You can tell when it's time to reapply because the saw starts to cut noisy again.

As for Druid666's concern about the blade slipping off the wheels, I have never had that problem. Can't help with that.


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I use the Olson band saw blade lubricant. Works good. A band saw blade…like any other blade…need to be cleaned for pitch removal occasionally. 
You wouldn't ignore cleaning pitch off your table saw blade, jointer knives, planer knives or miter saw blade so it is obviously just as important on a bandsaw blade.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

As I read through this I said yep, works with my chainsaw. And as I continued to read I said Hmm the tires might get slippery? And Druid666 confirmed that thought. I think lubing and or just cleaning a blade, but wipoing it down might reduce pulp buildup,or resin. so cleaning the blades with the solution might keep them cutting longer, and easier?

I have a lot of summer humidity and the floors sometimes sweat. Everything that's metal wants to rust. LOL!

Just posted. Greg..there you were. LOL!


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

When cutting metals, I use parafine wax. For wood, no lubricant.


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

In lubricating band saw blades, I suggest to use pam . I've tried WD40 on metal cutting blades.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I use a candle as a "brake" on my bandsaw (just press on both sides of the blade while it is slowing down after I hit the stop switch). I do think it helps keep the crud from building up on the blades and I've never seen a problem with wax on/in the wood.


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

As stated, I did not have a problem with wax / pam on the wood, just all over the saw, especially the guide bearings !


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## DavidNJ (Dec 10, 2012)

From these posts, it sounds like the lubricant works. Druid, do you have a picture of the blade after you lubricated it?

For metal, wouldn't something like the FogBuster be best?


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## Robert_T (Feb 5, 2013)

I don't know about pam, but i have used Teflon dry wax lubricant every once in a while. I use it mostly on my jointer bed. Now that I think about it I have had the same can for like two years.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

"mix HIGH ADHESION CHAIN SAW BAR OIL, with 50% kerosene or diesel fuel. " 
Yeah , that's what I want to smell in my wood shop and eventually get all over the floor and machinery. 
Not all types of rubber can withstand oil and or kerosene / diesel fuel contact. 
Sounds like a smoldering fire waiting to happen. JMHO 
Maybe if I was running a band mill outdoors , but then , ground pollution would be an issue. 
I'll stick with my *Olson* BS lube stick. Works very well : )


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## DavidNJ (Dec 10, 2012)

I have some more information.

1. This process is VERY sensitive to the amount applied. It is easy to apply too much and send the blade into the saw, destroying the blade and damaging paint on the saw.

2. The lubricant lasts only a short amount of time. Kelby, how long can you go between applications?

3. It helps primarily in resawing and cutting green lumber.

4, It can be applied with a mister. Apparently bandmills do this. Out of the scope of home woodshops IMHO.

Also picked up some information on tooth selection and blade tension, but those are different topics.


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

DavidNJ: No, I don't have a photo of the gummed up blade, and the bearings. I am hesitant to use anything again what with the mess I had to clean the last times. I know I will not use the pam method, due the blade slid off the tires, they were so slick. What a noise that made, with a new blade installed, which is junk now. I used the Olson wax stick, which gummed up the tires, blade and the bearings. The wax wasn't difficult to remove - just a pain in the posterior. So, you can see why I am hesitant.


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## Kelby (Oct 19, 2011)

I've never thought about how long between applications. I apply it whenever I notice that the blade is giving me some grief during resawing.

Druid666, did you wipe off the excess before running the saw? As mentioned in my prior post, I turn the wheel by hand to apply and wipe before running the saw, so there isn't an opportunity for anything to get gunked up.


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## DavidNJ (Dec 10, 2012)

Kelby, order of magnitude: every 5 minutes, hour, week, month, year?


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I think I'll stay where I have been for over 30 years, high and dry. I do clean the pitch off blades occasionally, with oven cleaner outside, then wipe them throughly dry and reinstall. 
Pam contains dimethyl silicone, which is basically a defoamer used in a variety of products, including paints and varnishes, but without a drying agent to fling it back into the air, I don't want any derivative of silicone on my wood. Pam used in cooking, the stuff basically burns off.
As far as all the WD40 and oils, basically petroleum based, kerosene based. No thanks. 
I have enough trouble keeping fisheyes out of my finishes.


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

Kelby: Yep. Blade was "dry" when I turned it on. The wax is what gunked.


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## DavidNJ (Dec 10, 2012)

There is mandate that lubricating the blade is necessary. It certainly isn't common. The question is possible (the answer seems to be yes) and does it have a benefit in resawing (the answer would also seem to be yes).

Tennessee, don't you do a lot of resawing?


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

Not only lubricating, regular cleaning of band saw blade is a must too.


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