Under the band saw blade, sawdust is packed onto the pulleys. Since they contain resin, they stick together and form a solid mass. This changes the geometry of the pulleys, causing the cutting blade to turn out a little. This produces unwanted runout, which interferes with the accuracy of the cut. In this regard, the pulleys need to be cleaned periodically.
What you will need:
- White Spirit;
- a hard brush, like a clothes brush;
- rags.
Pulley cleaning process
The saw blade must be removed for cleaning. Since the pulleys are rubberized, cleaning them with a metal brush is strictly prohibited. It will simply tear off the rubber, ruining the machine. To do this you need a hard bristle brush, even a toothpick will do.
The problem is that sawdust sticks together a lot because it contains resin. The brush won't pick them up that easily. Therefore, you need to first soak them by wiping them with a rag soaked in paint thinner. Immediately after it, the dirt is swept away with a brush.
The solvent and brush allow you to completely clean the pulleys without the risk of damaging the rubber on them.
