Cleaning bandsaw tires

[Dan Scott]

I use turpentine. It seems to be a good solvent for the pine pitch but seems benign enough for the tires. I almost never have to clean when cutting hardwoods.

[Carl Beckett]

I owned printer drive roller design for a few years, which are rubber compounds. Rubbers tend to 'bloom', crack, get brittle and slick over time.

I would NOT use solvents for rejuvenating (doing so is simply breaking down the top layer and melting into some new 'goo' - sticky at first but longer term problems).

Instead I would use abrasive. Scotch brite pads (the red ones). In fact we designed a printer kit to rejuvenate by a spring loaded pad pressing up against the rollers. This took off paper dust and surface bloom and hardening, and still left a good surface texture.

It isnt quite the same design requirements, but just $.02 for consideration.

Scotch bright pads for me.

[Derek Cohen]

I get excellent results from this method, which is similar to Carl's (from which I have moved on):

1. rub on a little Simple Green. This will soften the gum and grit.

2. Hold a sharp cabinet (card) scraper on the tyre (tire) and turn the wheel by hand. The card scraper removes all the cr@p, leaving the tyre clean. The rubber is not damaged/scored/ at all.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Lee Schierer]

When I first started using my BS I noted that I was getting build up on the upper wheel tire from sawdust. I used a stiff bristle brush ad was able to remove it. Then I fabricated and mounted a permanent brush to brush the upper wheel anytime the saw is running. I've had virtually no build up in the 10 years since.

[Tom Bender]

Michael, it is time to move on to other wood. Burn the pine and get some Aspen, Oak or Ash and Walnut. No pitch and a nice variety of grains and textures. You'll never look back and never clean a tire again.

[lowell holmes]

This link might help.

https://www.google.com/search?q=band...hrome&ie=UTF-8