[Thomp]

I have a question on burrs / rasp..

im using a flex shaft carving/grinder rotory tool, .. Chicago electric, 15,000 rpm 1/4th hp and several different size dremel burr/rasp tools 1/8" - 1/4"Di

the material worked is old growth yellow pine, resawed from barn rafters, some places have heavy rosin knotts.
Im {Carving"Time Out" in Benches for 2 grand children}


my specific problem is the burr - rasp keeps filling up with wood dust and rosin and fills the bit completely,

up till now i been stopping and changing warm bits to other clean bits then later,
when im taking a break, or run out of clean bits i take a needle or dental pick and free the impacted sawdust and rosin from the rotory rasps.

I havent yet scorched the bits, but did notice if i keep up using the dental picks to clean the rasps i might be dulling them and shorting there usefull lifetime,

the bits are walmart $9.00 dremel brand corse, rotory rasps tapered mostly, the fine rasps just fill up immediately....

my question is "is there something i can put on the rasp to keep the rasp from filling up so fast..."
chock or wax?

[Paul_Guraedy]

Southern pine is a problem! I have not carved it in several years and probably will be a lot longer before I fool with it again. But, I did have my best luck using steel cutters rather than burrs. They do a good job and do not fill up. I grew up in Rapides Parish, where are you located?

[Thomp]

Thanks for the info paul,

les~ let` bonton roulet,
my Coon Axx, french isent good im a 30 years ago implant, ret: mil from raised in denver co..

but back to subject: I dont know what the rasp - cutting rotory tools are called, the cards are long gone,
but the steel cutters - rotery files are what im talking about that are filling up with wood dust and rosin mixture,
resembling like they were filled with wood puddy, hardcaked in the teeth,

i know sometimes you cant be the chooser of materials, and sombody might have experianced this problem before,

on the big table saw blades after cutting lots of gummy pine we use to use oven cleaner and a small brass brush to remove the pine tar, to keep the blades from scorching other projects at the votech,,

but that would be too time consuming for this project, as it is i`m only getting 5 minuets usage out of the cutters before they clog and become useless, in this old hard pine wood..

thanks again
thomp2

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

There is a company called Empire Mfg that is making a set of 4 bottles for your tools....top saver, opticut for the sawblade and router ? something or other, but the one that might help you is Pitch Remover.....the whole kit was 20.00 and just saw it on another site (somewhere, woodworkers supply?) for 10.00.........you might give it a try....if you have any shop tools, tablesaw, bandsaw, scrollsaw etc....the stuff works great on your tools as well! (The name of the kit is "Top Saver")............I have also heard you can burn the pitch off some burrs, but really doubt that the dremel would hold up, probably remove the temper to heat them! Forgot to mention, I use the pitch remover on my bandsaw blade and the stuff really rolls off, I then use a small brass brush and make a swipe across the teeth, don't see why it wouldn't help your burrs?

[Thomp]

Hi_Ho,
thanks for the help & reply.

i started by trying to hand carve the field behind the lettering out with push chizels, but kept getting too deep,
so i moved to the dremel-router with 1/8th and 1/4th straight bottom bits which worked great for the bottom of the field, but cleaning up between where the lettering meets the field left some rough areas i used the round tip rotory files to clean the left overs.. thats where i got into problems,,, the bits kept clogging up, with the dremel mounted in the router attachment becuse you cant see the bit filling up until it stops cutting, so i was forced to use the dremel in hand out of the router accosory to clean up the highspots.... its just time consuming pains taking work i wanted to make easier if possible

maybe Top Saver might be an answer ill look for it,

but burning the pitch off dremel rotory files would definately distroy the bit and my intent was to prohibit burning out the temper if the bits had any to begain with,
I think the brass brush might be the immediate answer. or buy more bits so i can work longer between cleanings.....

or just to go buy some popular wood to do this project in....
my thoughts on yellow pine, for the project was by making the back removable the bench is just a wide stool / chair, with time out carved on the back, im hoping to design it as to where they can use it as a step to get on the toliet during the next phase of their training..

thinking the long leaf rosin rich Pine, or cypress would resist moisture about the best and last for years.

[millhoused]

You might try using a propane torch to burn the gunk off off your bits. It works for me.

[GaryMc]

Hey Thomp, One more thought, I use "Simple Green" to clean the pitch off my Saw blades ( get it at Walmart). It is cheap and really works good. You mihgt have to soak them for a while and then use your brass brush, it is also not a dangerous solvent, give it a try.
GaryMc

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

If you are removing the background on a sign, you might try a "Zip" tool...like Rotozip....or a regular router, you would remove a lot more wood faster and the router bits wouldn't clog like the dremel.....the rotozip has saved me on several projects! And now I see them really cheap! just a thought!

[Thomp]

Ya know sometimes when you take on a project and your troubles turn into bur rabbit and the tarbaby... well this was one of them projects..

When using the dremel on the sign backround i was only removing 1/8th inch of material across the intire backround as the area was to be the bench backrest, and didnt want it uncomfortable on the kids even if they were in time out ...

milhouse,

heating the bits was what i was trying to avoid as this removes temper and hardness from the bit "if there is any to begain with",
wheather the heat is provided with a flame or fricion it dulls out faster without without temper and it sofens the steel. i wouldnt advise this method,

i found a dental pick brass brush and wd40 removed the pitch fine...

Hi_Ho_Sliver,

I did buy the 1/8th and 1/4th inch router bits for the dremel as well as the craftsman router base for the dremel, and i did remove the bulk of the wood with the router base, but where the router bit was very aggressive next to the lettering and hard to controll, i used the rotory file freehand to clean up the tight areas, Thats where i got into trouble, with the bits compacting - filling with rosin and dust

i tryed my few push chizles and knives but the angles were to much for the few chizles shapes i had, plus the wood wasent cooperating, it was splintering running and tearing out, in longer places and chipping letter edeges.



at that point i thought the dremel was best to use.....

Retry, simple green is a great product and i use it on lots of stuff, i just didnt think of it before i got the project done,

I did finely use my scrollsaw and by tilting the table about 10 degreas, was able cut out the lettering, then gorilla glued the letters back in place,

the 10 degree angle allowed the lettering to stand proud of the backround about 1/8th inch then used belt sander to level and hand sanded to break hard edeges.

pict's when i get a digital..... ho! Ho ho
thanks to all for the replys
thomp2

[Kenny_S]

I agree with HiHO and the router plus the Pitch remover does help. I will have to try Retry's simple Green as I use it on the automobile, under the hood.
Got'ta go and drop off some more Carvings. catch y'll later.
Peace and happiness to all!