Pine Pitch Mess

[Andy Hoyt]

I've been deep into some commissioned spindle work the last couple of days -- a big bunch of hat stands for a repeat customer - sanded to 400 and no finishing required - yippee!

Anyway, I'm doing this in eastern white pine and while the wood is certainly dry enough for the project it's made a mess of a brand new bandsaw blade and the bearings. So messy and pitchy that I can't use the machine.

So .. what do you guys do when you encounter a similar problem? Soak everything in the latest and greatest storebought solution? Any home brews that work?

Thanks.

[Alan Turner]

Andy,
I resawed some heart pine to repay a favor and what a mess! I used kerosine, which I think cuts the pitch faster than just about anything. I cleaned mine on the machine. Took awhile. Never again.

[Bob Noles]

Andy,

As Alan already said, Kerosene is a good choice and I find that Simple Green works wells also.

[Chris Fite]

I find that simple household ammonia works well for cleaning blades.

[Mac McAtee]

Terpentine is made from pine sap. It is a very good solvent for it, smells good too.

[Chris Barton]

Hiya Andy,

While I rarely allow lowly pine to darken my shop (hee, hee) I do agree with Mac and Bob. Terps works great and smells nice (to me). Kero will work but I hate the smell.

[Brian Hale]

Next time, try putting a light coat of Pam non-stick cooking spray on the blades and bearings. You might be amazed!

Brian

[Jim Becker]

Simple Green is a good, safe commercial product for removing pitch from cutters, etc., but the kero will also work fine. Brian's suggestion is also the way to go for the future.

[Andy Hoyt]

Thanks, guys. I've got some kerosene and will give it a shot.

Never thought about using Pam. Hmmmm, bet there's a can in the house. Thanks, Brian

[Byron Trantham]

Andy, I bought some Simple Green to clean my blades and the stuff is amazing. Odorless, friendly and fast. If will clean heat hardened pitch on saw blades I am sure it will clean band saw rollers and blades. I like the idea of using Pam. Hadn't thought of that.

[John Miliunas]

Another vote for Simple Green. I've even used the stuff to rid new machines of that awful Cosmolene they use prior to shipping. Works great. BTW, thanks for the reminder; been meaning to do my TS blade!

[John Bush]

Hi Andy,
I'm milling stock out of beams from our old barn built in the 1880's and there is still an amazing amount of pitch left in the wood, mostly around the knots. Simple green works well , as does turp, which is just a bit faster.
Good luck, John.

Go Seahawks!!!!