Bandsaw blade lubricator
This idea came from a youtube video by mikelevyonline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ZkJ8EqhzE
This seemed a very simple idea to keep the blade lubricated during cutting.
The header photo shows a small polycarbonate drinks bottle containing lubricant. This is fixed to a piece of 3 x 12 mm strapping that is attached to the blade guide blocks using the M8 screw that clamps the guide block in position. The bottle is held to the strapping by two O-rings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ZkJ8EqhzE
This seemed a very simple idea to keep the blade lubricated during cutting.
The header photo shows a small polycarbonate drinks bottle containing lubricant. This is fixed to a piece of 3 x 12 mm strapping that is attached to the blade guide blocks using the M8 screw that clamps the guide block in position. The bottle is held to the strapping by two O-rings.
The cap of the bottle was drilled out 6 mm.
An M6 x 12mm hex head brass screw was drilled through with a 2.5 mm drill. A piece of 10 mm brass hex 25 mm long was turned down to 5 mm at one end for a length of 12 mm. The piece was drilled through 2.5 mm. The piece was re-chucked the other way round and the end drilled out 5 mm for a depth of 10 mm and then tapped M6. |
The brass screw, with a thick rubber washer, was inserted through the hole in the cap. A steel 8 mm washer was placed on the outside of the cap and then the tapped brass piece screwed onto the protruding thread. The brass tube then connects to the lubricator block with a piece of 3.5 mm internal bore nitrile rubber tubing.
The lubricator block is just a 35 mm length of 12 mm square mild steel. A 1 mm slit was cut to a depth of 10 mm in the middle of the block. The block was drilled through from the other end with a 5 mm drill until the drill just broke into the slit. This hole was tapped M6.
A 25 mm length of M6 studding was turned down to 5 mm for half its length and this was screwed into the hole. |
The disc in the middle of the block is a 12 mm diameter x 3 mm thick neodymium magnet.
My original intention was to put a pinch clamp or valve in the tube to control the flow of oil onto the blade. However experience so far, using 20W/50 motor oil as lubricant, indicates that this is not necessary as the natural flow is sufficient but not excessive.
I am surprised how well this simple system works. With the bandsaw arm in the down position there is very little oil flow with the bandsaw blade stationary but the flow starts as soon as the blade moves.
I am surprised how well this simple system works. With the bandsaw arm in the down position there is very little oil flow with the bandsaw blade stationary but the flow starts as soon as the blade moves.