Teflon Spray Lube on Lathe bed..

[Marvin Jones]

If I have a really gummed up sanding disc or belt before I throw it away, I have a really fine 8" stainless wire wheel on a bench grinder that I will lightly hit the gummed up paper, it may take a little of the grit off but not as much as you would think and it takes the gunk off. I can do this two or three times before I really start noticing a difference in the sanding action. To me, that is better than throwing it away and it's pretty quick too.

I find this really handy when I find something I don't like after I put a finish on and must remove it. I can gum and clean a 400 grit two or three times when sanding between coats. Pictures are of same 220 grit disc.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Don.....Have you found anything that does work?

I use the rubber erasers quite a bit on sanding belts and discs, but if that doesn't work, I've found nothing that does. The eraser at worst, does remove some of the build up, but not all of it. The belts and discs are still usable for some time after that, though. It's only a few kinds of woods that are a problem.

-----odie-----

I have not found anything else that works and when the eraser does work it is as you say just a partial solution.

 

[Carl Vitellino]

I like Eezox.. always use on my guns and it's great on my tools

 

[Russ Braun]

I do have the rubber “eraser“ sticks; they are no match for Bloodwood! Using it after several passes became challenging/ time consuming. I might try spraying something just to see. My thought on wood contamination would be, the last few light passes would be spray free. I’m getting ready to run a bunch; I will report back!

Reporting back, lubricating the drum sanding paper had little effect. I sprayed WD-40 to start ; first couple of passes left some residue on my wood but after those passes, no sign of it. Perhaps the build up was delayed; this was far from scientific. Build up still occurred and with my eraser sticks I was able to do a bunch of passes without needing to change the paper. That dang Bloodwood!!

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I do have the rubber “eraser“ sticks; they are no match for Bloodwood! Using it after several passes became challenging/ time consuming. I might try spraying something just to see. My thought on wood contamination would be, the last few light passes would be spray free. I’m getting ready to run a bunch; I will report back!

If all else fails I have found a soak in a cleaner like simple green and then wire brush works. Note this does dull the sandpaper slightly. You could also try a plastic scrub brush after soak.

 

[Russ Braun]

If all else fails I have found a soak in a cleaner like simple green and then wire brush works. Note this does dull the sandpaper slightly. You could also try a plastic scrub brush after soak.

Gerald, I have a couple of very short bristled stainless steel wire brushes (1/4”) for cleaning files. They barely dent the Bloodwood build up. I tried both with the drum not running and running. Adding liquid to the effort would likely be a plus; going at it dry was amazingly futile!

 

[Kent Jaffrey]

Spray on oven cleaner and then a scrub brush will get all the gunk off. If they are cloth belts they can still be useable, provided the grit is still sharp. I’ve done this a few times but don’t know if it is really worth it, now I try to take lighter cuts with better dust collection to keep the gunk from building up to begin with.

 

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

I'm starting a Brazilian rosewood guitar and an going to try misting water on the wood before sending thru the sander. I've heard this helps. Also, faster feed rate and lighter cuts do help a bit, but doesn't cure the problem. I also run the gum stick over the sandpaper every other pass. That helps as well. I usually just give in and toss the belt and load a new one.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I'm starting a Brazilian rosewood guitar and an going to try misting water on the wood before sending thru the sander. I've heard this helps. Also, faster feed rate and lighter cuts do help a bit, but doesn't cure the problem. I also run the gum stick over the sandpaper every other pass. That helps as well. I usually just give in and toss the belt and load a new one.

I would think water would make clog worse as the wet could cling to belt rather than being sucked out by vacum. Let us know how that works for difficult woods.

 

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

Hopefully I'll try it next week. The problem is with resinous woods, the dust collector isn't sucking out all the dust because the heat generated during sanding is causing the dust to be cooked onto the sandpaper. I use water (with a drop off dishwashing detergent) to keep wet or dry paper from clogging when sanding lacquer or varnish. I think it makes sense, but will reserve judgement until I try it.