# Cleaning & Maintaining Bits



## Vino (Nov 25, 2004)

Morning. First time Forum question. Is there a simple way for cleaning and doing lite maintainance on router bits? Thanks.


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## pmspirito (Sep 19, 2004)

There are varioius brands of spray cleaners for removing the gum and crud from saw blades that work well on router bits. Just spray it on and let it set and with a tooth brush give it a quick scrubbing. There are also lubes for the bearings. Wipe the bearing clean with a q-tip and with the bit standing up put a couple of drops on the top and let it soak in. As soon as a bit starts to dull send it out to be sharpened. The folks that make Forrest Saw Blades have a great sharpening service.


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## Vino (Nov 25, 2004)

Thanks much. Someone I know recommended Oven Cleanner on my table saw blades and that worked great. I might try that as well but would try to avoid the any bits with bearings...Tks


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## gerrym526 (Oct 5, 2004)

*Cleaning with Pro 409*

I use Pro 409, the souped up version of the cleaner your wife probably uses around the house. Soak the router bit in it for a few minutes, then use an old toothbrush to scrub the pitch off. Much safer to use than oven cleaner (no fumes or rubber gloves). You can then spray on one of the commercial sawblade and router bit dry lubricants. Works well.


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## glenngreer (May 26, 2006)

How often and with what lubricant do I need to maintain the ball bearings on a router bit ? Oil, grease or dry ?

Many thanks.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

If the bearing feels "rough" or stiff to turn with your fingers then it needs to be lubed. Oil is best used but, let it soak into the bearing before using.


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

i have read that oven cleaner is not good for saw blades and probly not good for bit's eather ask on wood central and you will get the info on cleaning ect. here is why Blade Care

Compared to the steel-tooth saw blades of the past, the modern carbide-tipped saw blade doesn’t take a whole lot of care, and doesn’t require sharpening very often (intervals between sharpening with carbide may be as much as 30 or 40 times greater than those with steel blades). Most saw blades will withstand an amazing amount of on-saw abuse (too fast feed, too slow feed, green wood, pressure treated wood, wood thicker than the blade is designed for, use when gummed, and on).

That said, it makes sense to take care of your saw blades, because your project results depend in large part on how well and accurately they cut. There are really very few rules.

Do not drop blades. Sounds almost simple-minded, but it is very important. Even a short drop onto a benchtop from shoulder or eye level can ruin a blade. 
Keep the blades clean. Whenever build-up of resins is visible, use Simple Green or even 409 cleaner to remove build-up before it gets excessive. Do not use oven cleaner: it is said that the caustic (lye) in such cleaners might affect the brazing that holds the carbide tips in place. 
When feed becomes difficult, have the blade sharpened by a professional saw sharpener. 
Store blades flat on wood or cork surfaces. If blades are stacked one on another, make sure there is a piece of wood, cork, or cardboard between them. Carbide is very hard, but also very brittle and will chip if carbide hits carbide. 
Protect blades from rust. This can be done with any of a dozen substances, including Top-Cote, Boeshield T-9, WD-40…even floor wax. When any such substance is used, run about a foot and a half of scrap through the blade before running project material through also a good form del schisler
http://www.woodcentral.com/newforum/msgset.shtml


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

Well stated, del!


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

*cleaning router bits*

i posted this before del schisler


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Vino said:


> Thanks much. Someone I know recommended Oven Cleanner on my table saw blades and that worked great. I might try that as well but would try to avoid the any bits with bearings...Tks


There was a fairly long and heated thread about using oven cleaner on another forum and from what I got out of it, (from the sidelines) it's potentially a bad idea. IIRC, the oven cleaner might not have an effect on the Carbide but it can have an effect where the carbide is braised onto the router bit body. I think that Charles the Freud guy was involved in that thread so maybe he knows a lot more about it than I do. I seem to recall something about not using Simple Green too. 

Bruce


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

Bruce,

You are correct about that thread. Oven cleaner is caustic and attacks the cobalt binder in carbide resulting in surface deterioration and is also hard on the brazing of carbide tipped tools. There is a quote floating around somewhere in forum land that is purported to be from a representative of Simple Green which indicates that it may be damaging as well.


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## bennybbc (Feb 8, 2005)

Charles M said:


> Bruce,
> 
> You are correct about that thread. Oven cleaner is caustic and attacks the cobalt binder in carbide resulting in surface deterioration and is also hard on the brazing of carbide tipped tools. There is a quote floating around somewhere in forum land that is purported to be from a representative of Simple Green which indicates that it may be damaging as well.


I just read my post again and realized that the brazing I was talking about was the kind you do to a pot roast.  Braising...Mmmmm...Pot roast...  

Bruce


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## Lee Brubaker (Jan 30, 2006)

My little shop ALWAYS has BS, sawblades, & router bits waiting to be cleaned. I use a 12" aluminum pie plate, coil my BS blade & place in the plate. Remove bearings from router bits & put them in the plate as well. Saw blades go into the plate by themselves.I then pour in Simple Green or Fantasik...both are degreasers & work equally well. Let soak about 10 min. Remove & brush with an old toothbrush. Wipe down. Reinstall router bit bearings. See above reply on how to oil them if needed.
For those using oven cleaner I would point out that tip speeds of sawblades is approx. 105mph. Tip speed of router bits over 1" in dia. when run at the speeds recommended for the size of the bit ranges from 104 mph up to 107 mph or pretty close. I for one do not want to be in the way of a piece of thrown carbide travelling at over 100 mph so I see no sense in taking chances with oven cleaner when there are cleaners available that do the job without attacking the integrity of the brazing. And don't be complacent about the quality of brazing. Applying a magnifying glass to brazing can sometimes produce the surprise of voids in the brazing. Great place for oven cleaner to attack.
When you are through cleaning, pinch a pour spout into the rim of the pie plate and pour into a container that can be sealed with a cap.

Lee


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