What home shop would be complete without one of those Taiwanese 4 x 6" cutoff band saws?
In an effort to lengthen blade life and get a smoother cut, I've taken to using a cutting fluid ("Tap Magic") on my saw blade, and it really seems to help. Unfortunately it also tends to make the chips stick to the blade, where they accumulate on the upstream blade guide, getting smashed between the bearings and blade, and thence the band wheels, guards, etc.
I happened to have some 3/16" thick felt wiper material left over from my lathe rebuild, so I cut a small rectangle (approx. 1 x 1.25"), cut a slit up the middle, and slipped it over the blade, right up against the throat plate on the downstream blade guide. To hold it in place, I cut a small piece of polycarbonate (about any material could be used here) to fit closely around the felt, and hold it snugly against the sides of the blade. Here are the parts:
And here they are in place on the saw:
There doesn't seem to be any need to fasten the retainer in place.
An added benefit is that once the wiper gets saturated with the cutting fluid, it keeps the blade wetted for an extended period. As the felt becomes depleted, just dribble a few more drops of fluid on it.
Paula
In an effort to lengthen blade life and get a smoother cut, I've taken to using a cutting fluid ("Tap Magic") on my saw blade, and it really seems to help. Unfortunately it also tends to make the chips stick to the blade, where they accumulate on the upstream blade guide, getting smashed between the bearings and blade, and thence the band wheels, guards, etc.
I happened to have some 3/16" thick felt wiper material left over from my lathe rebuild, so I cut a small rectangle (approx. 1 x 1.25"), cut a slit up the middle, and slipped it over the blade, right up against the throat plate on the downstream blade guide. To hold it in place, I cut a small piece of polycarbonate (about any material could be used here) to fit closely around the felt, and hold it snugly against the sides of the blade. Here are the parts:
And here they are in place on the saw:
There doesn't seem to be any need to fasten the retainer in place.
An added benefit is that once the wiper gets saturated with the cutting fluid, it keeps the blade wetted for an extended period. As the felt becomes depleted, just dribble a few more drops of fluid on it.
Paula
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