Clean band saw blades

[Little Festo]

I was given a Bunya pine yesterday and when I used the band saw to mill it I got a lot of sap buildup on the "inside" of the blade (the side the blade rides on the wheels). I use a dust extractor and have a brush fitted to clean the wheel.

I Scraped them clean when I finished and gave the wheels a clean too, just wondered if there were any tricks that can solve the problem. I found that the blade would wander when gummed up. I have more to do tomorrow, raining up here today and access to the tree could be a bit tricky in the wet.

Turned a piece wet yesterday too - really great, very clean, not stains etc.

Peter

[Baz]

Peter, when I used to cut green burls I had the same problem. I used to keep a screwdriver handy and used to rub the blade of the screwdriver onto the bandsaw blade as it was turning(very carefully), or turn off the bandsaw and do the same only turn the bandsaw by hand, much safer.
cheers
Barry

[Little Festo]

Peter, when I used to cut green burls I had the same problem. I used to keep a screwdriver handy and used to rub the blade of the screwdriver onto the bandsaw blade as it was turning(very carefully), or turn off the bandsaw and do the same only turn the bandsaw by hand, much safer.
cheers
Barry

Thanks for the reply Barry. Thats basically what I did, used an old chisel.

Peter

[Harry72]

I use a rag with some solvent on it, just wheel the blade around using the top wheel by hand, wheeling it backwards... hint hint!(stops the rag catching the teeth)
Then put on some protective coating to stop rust, UB trad wax or Selleys dry glide works good.

[TTIT]

The guy's at Henry Bro's reckon a bit of diesel on the blade helps stop it sticking and makes it easier to clean but I find it is just as easy to stop every so often and hold a scraper against the blade while turning by hand - bloody annoying but the satisfaction of processing your own timber makes up for it.

[Little Festo]

The guy's at Henry Bro's reckon a bit of diesel on the blade helps stop it sticking and makes it easier to clean but I find it is just as easy to stop every so often and hold a scraper against the blade while turning by hand - bloody annoying but the satisfaction of processing your own timber makes up for it.

Thanks for the help/advice. Will try the diesel. And TTIT, will try removing the bark off some of the Bunya (the other thread re mold) to stop any bluing.

Peter