After gluing a stack of 4 or 5-3/4″ boards together, I tried to cut them into a band saw box. Unfortunately, my blade seems to bind up after the first cut. It looks like sap or a glue-like substance builds up on the blade and wood. Is it my glue, or should I have some kind of lubricant on the blade?
Michael Dresdner: It could be uncured glue, or glue that is so temperature sensitive that is gumming up as you cut, or it could be sap. As you did not say what type of wood or glue you used, or how long you let the glue cure before cutting, it is hard to narrow down the problem. But what is obvious is that the blade is heating up, since both sources of contamination are exacerbated by heat.
Slow down, make sure the glue is dry and hard, and make sure the blade is clean, sharp and properly tensioned. As an extra precaution, spray the blade first with one of the commercial products designed to lubricate blades or table saw surfaces (such as Boeshield or Slipit).
Rob Johnstone: A thought that comes to mind is that your blade may be dull. If it is dull enough, the friction it causes may be “reactivating” the glue as you cut. A sharp blade, well tuned band saw and extra tension on the blade may solve this problem.
