Grease Stick For Sanding Belts or Band Saws
Grease Stick For Sanding Belts or Band Saws
Available in stock (49514)
Aluminum, brass, bronze, plastics and pitchy softwoods all do the same thing to an abrasive belt or a saw blade: they pack the gaps between the cutting points until the tool stops cutting and starts rubbing, and heat climbs. A grease stick is the fix. You hold the bar against the running belt or blade for a second or two and the lubricant film keeps swarf from welding into the grain or gullets, so the belt keeps cutting cool and lasts far longer between changes.
We sell two formulas in one listing. Belt Grease (#14) is a tallow-based stick with abrasive grain in it, developed with metal fabricators for coarse-grit stock removal on belts. Band Saw (#7) is a grain-free cooling and lubricating stick for vertical, horizontal and portable band saw blades. Pick the one that matches the tool, or keep both at the machine.
- Stops aluminum and non-ferrous swarf loading zirconia, ceramic and silicon carbide belts
- Tallow base pulls heat out of the cut on coarse 24 to 120 grit stock removal
- #14 belt formula carries abrasive grain that adds cut; #7 saw formula is grain-free
- Extends belt and blade life and improves the finish on plastics and resinous wood
- Apply on the running belt or blade in seconds, no shutdown and no mess
- Ships from Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200
Which grease stick should you choose: Belt Grease or Band Saw?
The two sticks are different formulas, not different sizes of the same thing, so match the stick to the tool.
- Belt Grease (#14): formulated for heavy stock removal in casting and metalworking shops. The tallow base prevents heat buildup, and the stick contains abrasive grain that adds a little cutting action of its own. Use it on belt grinders, edge sanders, backstand grinders and disc sanders running 24 to 120 grit zirconia, ceramic, silicon carbide or aluminum oxide on aluminum, non-ferrous metals, castings, plastics and resinous wood. Apply at the first use of a fresh belt and reapply when the cut slows.
- Band Saw (#7): a cooling and lubricating stick for band saw blades. It contains no abrasive grain, so it will not scratch a finished surface or dull the tooth set. It improves cutting rate and surface finish on aluminum, brass, copper, plastics and green or pitchy wood, and it extends blade life by keeping gullets clear and teeth cool. Use it on vertical and horizontal metal-cutting band saws, portable band saws and woodworking band saws that see resinous stock.
If you run both a belt grinder and a band saw on aluminum, buy one of each. The belt formula is too gritty for a blade, and the blade formula lacks the grain and body that a coarse belt under pressure benefits from.
Which materials and belts benefit most?
| Material | What the stick does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, aluminum castings | Stops grain loading and galling, cuts heat | Biggest payoff; reapply often |
| Brass, bronze, copper | Keeps soft chips from packing the belt or gullets | Improves finish as well as life |
| Plastics, acrylic, nylon, UHMW | Prevents melting and smearing | Light touch; too much grease smears |
| Resinous wood, pine, cedar, green lumber | Keeps pitch off the belt or blade | Pair with a belt eraser on AO belts |
| Titanium and stainless (belts) | Adds lubrication under heavy pressure | Use with Zirconia+ grinding-aid belts |
| Hardened and mild steel (belts) | Modest heat reduction on coarse grits | Optional; grinding aid belts do more |
On belts, the stick does the most work on coarse grits, 24 through 120, where the grain spacing is wide and the pressure is high. Above 120 grit a light touch is enough, and on finishing grits you generally want a dry belt for an even scratch.
What tools is a grease stick used on?
- Belt grinders and 2 x 72 knife grinders profiling aluminum guards, handle hardware, brass bolsters and G10 or Micarta. Charge the belt before you start and again when the sparks or chips change character.
- Edge sanders and long-bed stroke sanders running zirconia or silicon carbide on aluminum extrusions and plate, including 6" wide belts on machines such as the Grizzly G0839P edge sander.
- Bench belt and disc sanders in 1 x 30, 1 x 42, 2 x 42, 4 x 36 and 6 x 48 sizes where hobbyists and small shops sand aluminum, plastics and softwood.
- Backstand and pedestal belt grinders in foundries and fab shops deburring castings.
- Vertical and horizontal metal-cutting band saws, portable band saws and woodworking band saws (Band Saw #7 formula only).
The stick is applied to the abrasive face of the belt or the tooth edge of the blade while it is running, never to the platen, wheels or tires. Keep fingers behind the bar and hold it at a shallow angle so the belt or blade cannot grab it.
How to get the most out of it
- Charge a fresh belt before the first part. Touch the #14 stick to the running belt for one to two seconds across the full width. A thin, even film is the goal; a thick smear just gets thrown off and coats the part.
- Reapply when the belt tells you. The signs are a squeal, a rise in heat you can feel through the part, slower removal, or a shiny loaded stripe on the belt. On aluminum that can be every few minutes at 36 to 60 grit.
- Slow the belt for aluminum if you can. A variable-speed grinder run slower plus grease outperforms full speed without it. Steel can run faster.
- Keep the part moving. Lubrication reduces heat; it does not excuse dwelling in one spot. Dwelling still blues stainless and smears plastic.
- On a band saw, dress the blade lightly. Hold the #7 stick against the teeth on the down-running side above the table for a second, then cut. Reapply when chips start sticking to the blade or the cut slows. For a long cut in thick aluminum, touch it up mid-cut.
- Clean wood belts with a belt eraser. Grease and pitch together will eventually pack an aluminum oxide belt on softwood; a crepe-rubber belt eraser pulls it back out.
- Store the stick capped and cool. Tallow softens in a hot shop. Keep the tube closed and out of direct sun so the bar stays firm enough to apply cleanly.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Grinding and sanding aluminum, brass, bronze and copper on coated abrasive belts (#14)
- Deburring and dressing non-ferrous and aluminum castings (#14)
- Shaping plastics, acrylic, phenolics and composites without melting (#14)
- Sanding pitchy softwood and green lumber on belt machines (#14)
- Band sawing aluminum, non-ferrous metals, plastics and resinous wood (#7)
- Extending blade life on portable and stationary band saws (#7)
Don't use it for
- The #14 belt formula on a band saw blade; it carries abrasive grain
- Finishing grits (150 and up) where you want a dry, uniform scratch pattern
- Belts that will later be used on wood you intend to stain; grease transfer can block stain
- Non-woven surface conditioning belts, which clog with grease
- A substitute for coolant on machines built for flood cooling
Specifications
| Product | Grease stick, sold individually |
|---|---|
| Options | Belt Grease (#14) or Band Saw (#7) |
| Belt Grease #14 | Tallow base with abrasive grain; for 24 to 120 grit stock removal on belts |
| Band Saw #7 | Cooling and lubricating formula, no abrasive grain; for saw blades |
| Best on | Aluminum, non-ferrous metals, castings, plastics, resinous wood |
| Application | Hold against the running belt face or blade teeth for 1 to 2 seconds; reapply as the cut slows |
| Compatible belts | Zirconia, Zirconia+ (Grinding Aid), Ceramic, Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide cloth belts |
| Not for | Non-woven belts, finishing grits, wood to be stained |
| Ships from | Anaheim, California |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Belt Grease #14 and the Band Saw #7 stick?
Belt Grease #14 is a tallow-based stick that contains abrasive grain, made for coarse-grit stock removal on sanding belts; the grain adds cut and the tallow controls heat. Band Saw #7 is a cooling and lubricating formula with no abrasive in it, made for band saw blades so it lubricates the teeth without scratching or dulling them.
Will a grease stick stop my zirconia belt from loading on aluminum?
Yes, that is the main reason fabricators use it. Aluminum welds itself into the gaps between grains on zirconia, ceramic and silicon carbide belts. A film of belt grease keeps the chips from sticking, so the belt keeps cutting instead of rubbing and heating the part. Reapply whenever the belt starts to squeal or slow down.
Which grits should I use belt grease on?
Use it on the coarse and medium grits, 24 through 120, where you are removing stock and pressure is high. On finishing grits of 150 and finer use little or none, because grease at that stage can smear the scratch pattern and the loading problem is much smaller anyway.
Can I use the belt grease stick on a band saw blade?
We do not recommend it. The #14 belt formula contains abrasive grain that has no business on a saw tooth. Choose the Band Saw #7 stick for blades; it is grain-free and formulated to cool and lubricate the cut, which improves cutting rate and finish and extends blade life on aluminum, plastics and resinous wood.
How often do I need to reapply the grease stick?
Apply to a fresh belt before the first part, then reapply whenever the cut slows, the part heats up or the belt squeals. On aluminum at 36 to 60 grit that can be every few minutes; on plastics or pine much less often. A one- to two-second touch across the running belt face is enough each time.
Does grease on the belt affect wood finishing?
It can. A belt that has been greased for aluminum or pine should not be used on hardwood you intend to stain or clear-coat, because transferred grease can block penetration and leave blotches. Keep separate belts for metal and finish-sanded wood, and use a crepe-rubber belt eraser to clean pitch off woodworking belts instead.
Is the grease stick sold singly, and what are the shipping terms?
Each unit is one stick in the formula you select, Belt Grease #14 or Band Saw #7. Orders over $200 ship free, unused product in original packaging can be returned within 30 days, and shops that go through a lot of sticks can ask about case pricing at 714-646-3299 or sales@maverickabrasives.com.
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