Thread: Table saw blade storage

How 'bout cutting <5/16" rounds, slicing 'em into 16mm lengths and gluing/screwing 'em to the centres of the trays? (1/4" Dowels wouldn't be the best choice for this due to their grain orientation.)

With the trays being 18mm apart, that'll give a mere 2mm clearance... so unless you have "super-thin-kerf" blades of <2mm thickness they'll stay put, regardless of whether the trays are horizontally or vertically oriented.

thanks Andy, but what are "5/16" rounds - a dowel rod, like a broom handle?

Originally Posted by JillB

thanks Andy, but what are "5/16" rounds - a dowel rod, like a broom handle?

A dowel would work, but personally I'd prefer the grain to be running across the disk, not along the axis like it is in a dowel.

Me, I'd probably use a hole-saw in a drill on a scrap piece of 18-19mm thick pine board and use the waste bits it cuts out. Then sand one face or the other of the disks to bring them down to the 16mm or so.

You might have to try a few different sized hole saws to find one which gives the best size disks, but that's just a minor detail.


Another trick I've seen that makes life that bit easier, once you've fastened the rounds in the middles is to place a blade in position on the tray and lightly draw a circle around the edge of the blade. This is so you can clearly see what parts of the corners aren't covered by the saw. Then on half the trays make small semi-circular cutout (basically a finger hole) on the front edge of the LH corner and on the rest of the trays cut the same size out on the RH corner.

When stacking them in the box, alternate the trays. Cutout to left, cutout to right, cutout to left, cutout to right.

These make it easier to get your fingers in to slide a tray out, without the need of adding handles or similar.

Have I described that clearly? Probably not.

A strip of wood across the front edge of each tray would give you space to lable each one to identify the blade. Small knob or finger hole for grip.

Also you could cut another bit of masonite to fit inside the sides of the box, cut out circle to suit blade and attach to tray so blade sits inside the cutout. Drill a hole thru centre of tray so you can put finger thru to lift blade. Simpler idea would be cut triangles of masonite to glue at front of tray.

Dean

I'd recommend storing all sawblades vertically, this helps prevent them loosing their tension, which can lead to the blade warping slightly.

If the blades are stored in their boxes, just make the depth of the wooden box smaller than the boxes for the blades. You can then just flick through them like a bunch of records.

Magnets.

Hi KorDes, I have never heard of that one before. Where did you get that advice from on blades losing their tension in the horizontal plane??

What if the blades laid horizontally are fully supported by a circular piece of masonite about 220mm diameter for a 255mm diameter blade?

Hi there, I have taken all the good advice given above into account, and this is what I have come up with:

1. Masonite horizontal sliding trays, with 16mm pine spindles ( dowel cut and drilled) screwed and glued to the centre point of the trays. The 16mm dowel was sanded down a bit to take the 5/8 inch blade hole.

2. A second octagonal shaped piece of masonite was glued to the tray. This was used to support the blade, so the teeth are not touching anything.

3. The octagon is also drilled to take a 10mm diam x 5 mm thick magnet, which will keep the blade in position, if ever I decide to store the box vertically. Bit of an overkill really.

Have used Techniglue to bond the two sheets of masonite, and keep the magnet locked in position. Originally tried Fix All, but that was useless for this application.

Have fitted the door to the front using a 305mm long piano hinge. Needed to be careful the holes on the side didn't align with any of the slots in the side

Am waiting for the glue to cure, then will drill finger holes at the front of each tray to lift the blade off the magnet and spindle from underneath.

Instead of a piece of timber at the front, have cut some Alumin angle 100mm long to be screwed to the front. This will serve the dual purpose of a tray pull, and somewhere to write the details of the blade on each tray.

Still need to seal edges of the melamine carcase door and top and bottom. Am open to suggestions as to the best way to do this.

Still have some magnets left over, so will probably use for door latches. Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to do this?

Crikey it is heavy, and that is before the blades have been installed

Many thanks for all your ideas and suggestions to date

Oh, and I forgot to mention there is space at the bottom of this box for a 15mm high tray for the kitty litter

That precludes vertical storage, I'm afraid

Originally Posted by JillB

Crikey it is heavy, and that is before the blades have been installed

That means you can put a lock on the front and rest easy, knowing no-one can nick your blades.

If I were to fit a couple of full extension runners on the sides, I could put the whole thing in a cabinet and store vertically, like a standard filing system

I work at a tool and sharpening shop here in NZ. We sell top quality saw blades and this is what we recommend to our customers. All our stock blades are stored in their boxes vertically in their racks. We've been in the business for 50 yrs so you tend to understand whats best for your products.

Thanks KorDes. I actually thought you were pulling my leg with that statement. . do you know the metallurgical basis for saying this? I am very interested to find out "why it is so", as Prof Julius Sumner-Miller used to say

great table saw storage