Empire Manufacturing, Inc. supplies lubrication for more efficiently cutting wood and systems to apply the lubricant to cutting tools. Empire is finding increased acceptance of its technology in pallet plants and sawmills.

Empire’s original distribution network was set up for the secondary wood processing market, but the company now is selling systems to pallet plants and sawmills, according to Tim Goldberg, Empire’s President.

Installations for band resaws have taken off, according to Tim. "We are adding five to seven customers a month who have Baker Products bandsaws. For $3 worth of lubricant, we make the blades last twice as long."

Empire’s water-based Wood Cutting Lubricant® is based on a fluoropolymer formula. It protects and seals the cutting surface and adds lubricity, and the water carrier draws heat out from the cutting tool.

Empire’s Wood Cutting Lubricant is non-flammable, non-toxic, and will not affect the finish of the lumber.

Empire recommends its technology for bandsaws, circular saws, gang rips saws, moulders, and finger jointers.

"The key to Empire’s success is the pulsed high pressure injection of our lubricants," said Tim. Misting systems do not consistently deliver lubricant on the tooling, he said. "On top of that, we have a superior lubrication product."

Empire’s lubrication systems are presently used on a Brewer thin kerf gang saw, a notcher and several band saws at Cahaba Valley Timber Company and Cahaba Valley Lumber Company. According to George Yocum, who owns and operates the companies with his brother Jim, the Empire lubrication system has nearly doubled the life of the bandsaw blades and notching tools. The saws are in better condition to be re-ground and used again, the saws run cooler, and the lubricant prevents mis-cuts. The cost of the lubrication system is offset by the reduced downtime of changing blades along with gaining longer blade life. Finally, the lumber is more consistent. "I wouldn’t put a bandsaw in without it!" said George.

Empire Technology has been used on such bandsaw systems as Filer & Stowell, Salem, McDonough, and others. Performance benefits include prevention of gullet cracking, increased sawing accuracy, reduced guide wear, increased run time of tooling, reduced bench work time, reduced sawing temperature, enhanced saw performance, and increased feed speed.

The systems are available factory installed on equipment from Cornell Industrial, Mereen-Johnson, Mid-Oregon International, Pendu Manufacturing, and others. Performance benefits to these machines include elimination of clogged gullets and pitch build-up, improved sawing accuracy, and increased run time. Elimination of heat in the saw body and cooling of tension area allow the use of thinner kerf saws.

For more information, contact an authorized Empire distributor or
Empire Manufacturing direct at (415) 459-2866 or visit their Web site at www.empiremfg.com.