Cleaning And Lubricating Your Woodworking Machinery

It may not be as much fun doing the cleaning, maintenance and servicing as it is producing quality products with your woodworking machinery, but it is still essential. Only by keeping your woodworking machinery in good order will you get the best from it. It will last longer, produce better results, and be safer too.

How often you clean and lubricate depends on how much you use the machinery, but regular cleaning, greasing and maintenance can be pretty quick. Once you set good habits, it doesn’t take long to keep your machines in the best possible condition, preventing possibly costly and inconvenient breakdowns.

Dust

You cant avoid dust in a woodworking shop, and no matter how efficient your dust extractor, there will still be dust on your machines, particularly the underside, in blades and around moving parts. Therefore, cleaning and lubrication are essential.

Cleaning

Always unplug machinery before attempting any cleaning and maintenance. Do not interfere in any areas marked as not for user servicing, and ensure that only suitable products are used. Using the wrong products can cause the machine to be unsafe when back in operation and even further build-up of sawdust and dirt.

Lubrication and greasing

Ensure that the lubricants and greasing are appropriate for the areas you are treating. Some lubricants can be greasy and cause further dust to stick and build up. Dry lube such as a 3-in-one dry lube may be more appropriate as it leaves a thin coating that does not attract sawdust as many oil and grease products will.

Keeping moving parts cleaned and lubricated will ensure that your equipment is working at its most efficient, and it is a habit that you should get into. If you notice performance becoming sluggish, it is a clear indicator that you should clean and lubricate the equipment. 

Preventative maintenance saves time and money

However, waiting for the performance to deteriorate is not the best way to protect your machines. It’s far better to set up a schedule according to the amount of work the machine does and maintain them with prevention rather than cure in mind. Whether that means daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly will vary according to usage and how dirty your environment is.

If you need any assistance or advice, then why not give us a call. We are always happy to help and can carry out rebuilds of your machinery if you run into problems or supply you with new, used and refurbished woodworking equipment if you are looking for a change or upgrade.