Help Cleaning a Bandsaw Blade

[Bristol_Rob]

Guys

Could you share your preferred method for cleaning resin off bandsaw blades?

Mine is heavily covered after ripping a lot of pine. (Thought I'd set my bandsaw on fire!)

TIA

 

[thetyreman]

meths works well usually, if that doesn't work then white spirit.

 

[Jacob]

Do it while it's still warm after use. Switch it on and hold a scraper or other bit of steel, chisel etc, on the table, up to the flat of blade as near the teeth as you can.
Do one side, then the other. A few bits remaining not scraped off near the teeth won't matter.
Takes about 30 seconds.
P.S. Ditto with circular saw blades

 

[Bristol_Rob]

meths works well usually, if that doesn't work then white spirit.

Do you take the blade off and soak in meths?

 

[Rorschach]

WD40 works well.

 

[Doug B]

Cellulose thinners works a treat, with the electric off to the saw I put some celly on a rag & with the blade guard high move the blade backwards by hand whilst holding the rag either side of the blade from the back edge. I also clean the bearings at the same time as they are usually as bad as the blade.

 

[clogs]

a can of brake cleaner works very well.....I use it around the shop all the time...

 

[Phill05]

Any kind of thinners, WD40 or brake cleaner will not be good for the rubber tyres, I have always used an offcut of brass sheet to rub on the blade whist it is going and it cleans it off a treat, also shut the electric's off and turn the wheels backwards whilst holding the brass on the rubber tyre to clean off any stuck too it.

 

[Jacob]

Any kind of thinners, WD40 or brake cleaner will not be good for the rubber tyres, I have always used an offcut of brass sheet to rub on the blade whist it is going and it cleans it off a treat, also shut the electric's off and turn the wheels backwards whilst holding the brass on the rubber tyre to clean off any stuck too it.

Me same but steel - usually a paint scraper. If you do it often it takes seconds and doesn't build up. Do it when it's still warm from use - it's softer.
I wire brush the wheel sometimes too. Not too rough don't want to remove rubber.

 

[NetBlindPaul]

The big resaws use brass scrapers, they used to use red diesel on the felt pads which are used to wipe the blades and soften the resin.
However the big resaws don’t have rubber tyres.
They have crowned cast iron wheels.
Apart from the Wadkin PBR which is a small resaw that has rubber tyres, which has brushes not scrapers, and they used to use diesel in those ok.
All until it became environmentally unfriendly to use the red diesel.
My customers were then changed over to a proprietary product.
I can’t remember what the manufacturer is.
I don’t have access to any of my old records here in hospital, & I can’t recall the name!

 

[Ollie78]

I sometimes cut into the crepe rubber block I use for the belt sander. This works but not if its really bad.

 

[Doug B]

I’ve never had a problem with the tyres & using cellulose thinners probably because it’s evaporated before its had chance to transfer onto the tyre, I could see a heavier thinners or an oil could transfer mind

 

[Bristol_Rob]

Guys I thought I'd update you on my efforts and results:

I first scraped the sides using a new utility knife blade (Gloves on)
Then I sprayed the blade with WD40 and rubbed in both sides.
Then after a little wipe down I used my rubber block I use for cleaning sanding discs and just eat into the blade while running the machine.

After a final wipe down the blade is back to new without having to take it off.

Cheers guys

 

[Jacob]

Guys I thought I'd update you on my efforts and results:

I first scraped the sides using a new utility knife blade (Gloves on)
Then I sprayed the blade with WD40 and rubbed in both sides.
Then after a little wipe down I used my rubber block I use for cleaning sanding discs and just eat into the blade while running the machine.

After a final wipe down the blade is back to new without having to take it off.

Cheers guys

You've got the idea but a bit of overkill perhaps. All I ever do is apply a blunt paint scraper to one side and then the other. Takes seconds. Do it when still warm from use, or warm it by doing a few cuts through some scrap.