Thread: My Sharpening's.

Wait. Is it a new blade? Was it really practical or worth it to resharpen the band saw blade?

Well done Lewis. I remember your previous post and viewed the Youtube demonstration but have not tried to sharpen a blade yet.

Would like to try sharpening some Bi-Metal hole saws. How do you think the grinding discs would go on something like that?

Hi there,
bosox, yes, I think it was worth it. No, not a new blade, but several Months old. Not sure if you have read my previous Threads, as I Braze my own Blades.
Not hard to do, as I bought 100ft, & not 100M. of 3/8in x 6TPI Skip Tooth Hakessen?? Blade for approx. $85. So each blade costs me approx. $7.55.
You most likely pay up to $24 for a 2375mm Blade.
So see the next line up.
The way the other Chap did it was to use a Carborundem Stick for the Chainsaw, but had to grind it down a bit, then Gulleted & Sharpened the Teeth at the same time, with the Moto Tool.
If memory serves me, he was using A 4TPI Blade, & wood be much easier to Sharpen.
You won't know until you have a go..
Sorry bosox, but you are in USA, Right. Money is almost the same now, anyway ???.

Hi Gary,
I can't see why not, as the only thing I can think of wood be that you could Angle the Moto Tool, ( Dremel Type ), on each Tooth, that you wood not do on the B/Saw Blade.

I wood think, if you have 2 that need a bit of attention, then do 1 with the D E Steel Disc, & 1 with the Sandpaper Discs.

If you don't have any S/ Paper Discs, you could possibly make your own, by using a Wad Punch, or a bit of thin Tube Sharpened on either inside or outside. Mine are approx. 20mm. Use a Pr. of Calipers to find the Centre.
You can do this quite easily, by putting the pipe in your Chuck & just use a File on it.
I'm sure that wood work.
Like to know how you go.

out of curiosity how much is normally to get a band saw blade sharpened in Australia?

Hi all,
I'm not sure if I am right here, but I think most of the Blades are very hard, because they are Chemically Sharpened.
I'm also not sure if you can buy a normal Blade, that you can Sharpen by hand, if you wanted to.
I am not aware of anyone around here that Sharpens B/Blades.
Most people seem to have the money, to just go out & buy a New Blade.
Me, I'm as tight as a Fishes Waist Coat, & that is Water Tight.
I also just like to do it, to see if I can, & if it works.
I get a lot of Pleasure, out of trying to do things, & I'm not great at it, but sometimes it works.

Hi Issatree,
what part of the bandsaw blade tooth did you grind off? The back of the tooth or the front of the tooth?
Thanks, Paul

Just thought I'd throw some extra thinking into the mix.

When I first buy a new BS blade, I do a test cut and see what the results are like, then break out an old oilstone. (Not a "good" one!" )

With the BS running I then use the stone to lightly round over each edge at the 'back' of the blade. This allows it to cut slightly tighter radii without binding.

Examining the test cuts, if it appears to be corrugated instead of smooth I'll remove the blade and mount it "upside down" so the teeth are running backwards. Again with the bandsaw running, I touch the stone for a second or two to each side of the teeth and then to the front. As though I was making a cut. (Seriously!)

Why?

Well... you only get what you pay for and I tend to buy cheap blades. I don't mean "horrible, soft steel with snaggle-teeth." I buy good material blades, but they're often just brazed to size as ordered, then shipped off. No checking the set or touching up of the teeth, just a cursory examination that the blade isn't warped and it was brazed straight. Any knocks to the big reel of blade that they trim my piece from... well... most damage happens to the outermost, exposed length of blade and where'd they just cut mine from? Hmm?

Consequently, a few of my blades have arrived with some teeth having more offset than the rest. I could reset them, I guess. But who's so patient as to work thru a whole BS blade with a handheld saw set? Not me! Anyway, these proud teeth tend to manifest themselves as "corrugated" cuts.

Stoning 'em brings them back in line with the rest and gives a much nicer finish to the cut. I'll also point out that I only do this to brand new blades that cut rough or if I happen to hit a nail/screw during a cut and the blade seems to be cutting rougher than usual.

Stoning also seems to mean that the blade will now not cut as tight a radius, because it's cutting a slightly thinner kerf, hence less 'wiggle room.' But that initial rounding over of the back of the blade makes up for this!

Hi Paul, NZ,
That was a good question, Paul.
So, when you are facing the Blade, I Sharpen, as I do not Grind, as you just touch the top of the tooth.
If you tried to do the bottom, I think you wood have a bit of trouble.
The Moto Tool is in line with your Face, & not your Trousers.
You need to Raise the Blade Cover to it's fullest extent.
So, I just touch these teeth for 1 maybe 2 Sec.
I think you think it is too hard, but it is very easy, but I wood say you need that Light to the side, & a Magnifier, as it makes it so much easier.
You can't make the Blade much worse than it is already.
Please, don't expect to cut Veneers or the like, but then you maybe better with a B/S than me.
All I can say is " Have A Go ".

An interesting thread, I usually re sharpen my blades as well, because of tight budget.

I own a dremel tool and use a pink grinding stone that I have profiled to the tooth shape. I then just touch the tooth gullet until I have a nice sahrp tooth point, then move to the next .

I find this works well, though I now need to buy a new grinding wheel , as the old 1 is worn out.

With the sandpaper discs are you mounting these on a tool shaft with a backing disc? would love to see some Pic's as I have trouble with descriptions at time , must be old age catching up!!!!

Jeff vk4

Hi issatree,
one more question - you said you had a 100foot roll of bandsaw blade that you used when you wanted a new blade for your bandsaw.
How do you cut the length of new blade off the roll - do you use metal-cutting shears of some kind?
Thanks
Paul

Originally Posted by vk4

I own a dremel tool and use a pink grinding stone that I have profiled to the tooth shape. I then just touch the tooth gullet until I have a nice sahrp tooth point, then move to the next .

Good Grief ... I have one of these too ... I always thought it was the most useless attachment that came with the Dremel ....... I have nearly thrown it away numerous times !!! Perhaps it will work on the chainsaw as well.

Thanx for the great tip

Greg

Originally Posted by paul.cleary

Hi issatree,
one more question - you said you had a 100foot roll of bandsaw blade that you used when you wanted a new blade for your bandsaw.
How do you cut the length of new blade off the roll - do you use metal-cutting shears of some kind?
Thanks
Paul

Hi Paul, I cut new blades off the roll with Wiss type tin snips. I cut several different lengths of blades, using a couple of strips of MDF with the measurements of lengths required, my lengths go up to 3345mm.
Kryn

Hi Paul C,
Like Kryn said, I also cut my blade with a Pr. of Tinsnips, easy as.
I also cut the Blade about 2-3mm. longer, as sometimes I don't do it right & I get an up turn of the blade, so then when doing the Bevels I can grind away the couple of mm's I don't need.
When doing the Bevels, I found that it was better & easier to free hand the Bevels, rather than use the Tool Rest of the Grinder.
Frightens the heck out of you when the Grinder grabs the Blade.
Hope that helps a little, & have a go.

Greg,

use the trueing stone to profile the pink stone, they are reasonably hard , but will need to be touched up now and again.
you can also get the small cylindrical sharpening stones for the 12Volt sharpeners, and use in the Dremel, for Chainsaw teeth.

Jeff
vk4