I'm a believer - clean your blades and bits


bbarry9999

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Hello all 

I've been woodworking for a couple of years (mainly as a winter hobby) and doing small beginner projects.  I have to admit I haven't taken great care of my blades and bits, and as they "wear out" I just bought new ones - generally from the big box store, and in the case of Table saw blades I've migrated to their version of higher end blades to get a longer life.   This year my builds are progressing and getting more complicated and I'm stretching to build/test my skills and learn new techniques.

I recently purchased a bottle of Trend spray on tool and bit cleaner from woodwerks ((I live within a couple of miles of both a Woodcrafters and Woodwerks store).  WOW, what a difference.  My blades are like new.  I now have a stack of clean blades (formally paper weights) that cut fantastic.  The same for my router and drill bits.  I guess I always knew I should clean the blades, but wasn't convinced how much of an impact it would have.  

What at do you use to clean your blades?  I'm really happy with the trend cleaner but curious what others are using.  Also what type/brand of blades do you recommend for a fairly new but progressing wood worker.  

For all you other newbies out there - clean your blades.  You won't regret it!

 

BB

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Welcome to better cuts and longer blade life.  It takes so little time I do not understand folks who slap a WWII on their saw and run it till its time to sharpen.  I have no science to back it up but, would bet you could nearly double the time between sharpening with regular cleaning.  I have a round plastic tray and some Yellow L.A. Awesome picked up at the dollar store years ago.  Set the blade in the tray, give it a couple of squirts and let it set a minute or two. 

A nylon "toothbrush" style brush can be used for any little stubborn parts but, generally I just rinse it off, blow it dry and move along.  I did spray my blades with some Bostik Top Coat that I had tried as a surface lubricant/protectant (didn't work well) just to use it up.  I didn't see any benefit but, I use "dry" material from the lumber yard for the most part.  There may be some benefit to blade treatments if you cut stuff that weeps.

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I use the cleaning kit from Rockler that I got one year for Christmas. The soapy fluid works great when I remember to use it. Everything fits in the tray that is used to clean the blade and it's Tupperware like lid snaps on, allowing me to slide it under one of my cabinets.

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I purchased a dedicated oil pan with a spout from the automotive store and I set the blade in there and then pour a little simple green cleaner from the dollar store in there and let it sit for 10 minutes and then I use a dedicated acid brush and a dedicated green scrubbie to clean the blade.  I then pour the simple green cleaner back into its original container using the spout in the oil pan and I air dry the blade with the compressor and then spray it lightly with a dry lubricant and wipe it down.  

I leave the acid brush and scrubbie in the bottom of the oil pan for storage and so they dont get used for anything else.

The oil pan will accommodate my 10" & 12" blades just fine and is deep enough to soak several blades at once.

I generally clean after each large project or on an as needed basis if I am just doing small projects.

 

 

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I, too, can attest to the difference it makes in cleaning blades. I have only purchased the $40 Irwin Marples blades from Lowes up to this point but when mine started producing bad cuts, I asked about blade life here and many suggested I clean mine. I did so and it was back to cutting beautifully. I've found that I only really need to clean it more often when I'm cutting pine... especially big box store construction lumber. Other than that, I just keep an eye on how it's cutting and clean it when it needs it. 

That all being said, I am pretty sure my next blade I purchase for my table saw will be a WWII. I'm starting to do enough now that having a blade that can easily be resharpened multiple times makes more sense.

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24 minutes ago, AceHoleInOne said:

ZEP Orange Cleaner from home depot 

 

-Ace-

Good to know. I was just going to ask how this stuff works. I have a bottle of it in my shop and have been cutting some sapele, purpleheart and zebra wood lately. I noticed some build up on my blade and was wondering if this stuff would work as well as the pricey products.

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23 minutes ago, jplemons said:

Good to know. I was just going to ask how this stuff works. I have a bottle of it in my shop and have been cutting some sapele, purpleheart and zebra wood lately. I noticed some build up on my blade and was wondering if this stuff would work as well as the pricey products.

Works great, I lay my TS blade down in the wash tub spray the teeth, wait a few seconds and scrub the teeth with a stiff tooth brush. 

 

Same for router bits. For router bits, make sure to remove the bearing before cleaning. Zep orange is a degreaser too and will remove the lubrication in bearings. 

 

-Ace-

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