American Woodworker

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Friday's Tip for August 9th


Clean Bandsaw Tires - This one is from our old Q & A department.

Q. My bandsaw tires have a builup of pitch and sawdust that seems to be embedded right into the  rubber. What's the best way to clean my tires?

George Satter

A. An excessive buildup of sawdust and pitch on your tires can lead to tracking problems, so it's a good idea to clean them periodically. Start by unplugging your machine. Then remove the blade and tilt the table out of the way. You'll find the buildup to be much worse on your lower tire where sawdust tends to get trapped under the blade as it travels around the wheel. Use some 120-grit sandpaper or synthetic steel wool and a light touch to clean the wheel as you turn it by hand.

My Take

The recommendation for synthetic steel wool is so that you eliminate the possibility of embedding steel fibers in your saw's  rubber tires.