Cleaning bandsaw tires?

[Wade Lippman]

Googling, I found mineral spirits, alcohol, brass wire brush, steel wool, sandpaper, and a knife recommended.

So, what do reasonable people use?

[Jamie Buxton]

I use a cabinet scraper. It scrapes of the grunge but doesn't cut the rubber. I hold the scraper in one position, and spin the wheel.

[John K Jordan]

Googling, I found mineral spirits, alcohol, brass wire brush, steel wool, sandpaper, and a knife recommended.
So, what do reasonable people use?

I don't know if I'm reasonable, but if there is buildup I like to use a fairly fine wire brush. I have removed the blade and hand brushed the powered wheel with the motor running. I have cleaned the idling upper wheel with a small wire brush in an electric drill which also rotated the wheel.

But I haven't had to clean mine much after I installed extra brushes on the wheels and good dust collection - maybe that helps a little, I don't know. I also try to clean sticky buildup off the blade itself (from cutting certain green woods - I use my bandsaws a lot for that) before it can be transferred to the tire.

I do clean the bandsaw blade in a way that to me is perfectly safe but some who haven't tried it may consider unreasonable: I hold a length of 1/4" or so thin-wall brass tubing in my hand and press one open end into the side of the blade while running. This is very quick. I stand behind the saw and keep the brass tube behind the tips of the teeth but even if it does contact it won't hurt the teeth. The brass slowly wears away and leaves sharp edges which easily scrap away the buildup. (My blades are 1/2" 3 tpi if that matters.) I use a similar technique on my WoodMizer bandsaw mill when sawing Virginia (scrub) pine, the worst I've had for gumming up a blade.

JKJ

[Mike Kees]

I just used laquer thinner to clean tar off my wheels after my employee cut a roll of tar paper..

[Kevin Groenke]

I use a cabinet scraper. It scrapes of the grunge but doesn't cut the rubber. I hold the scraper in one position, and spin the wheel.

+1! Better yet, use a triangular machinists scraper. I wouldn't advise doing this with the saw running but I can't deny that I've done it.

[lowell holmes]

I use steel wool and mineral spirits.

[Lee Schierer]

But I haven't had to clean mine much after I installed extra brushes on the wheels and good dust collection - maybe that helps a little, I don't know.

I did the same thing and have had far fewer problems with accumulation on the tires.

[lowell holmes]

I have the brushes. I put them on so long ago,I forgot about them. They obviously are working.