Thread: Saw blade blanks

Wenzloff don't do them?!

That's annoying. I have a tenon saw that needs a new blade too. I'll do some searching too and see what turns up.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Berlin

Wenzloff don't do them?!

They do as far as I know, they just aren't responding to any of my emails.

Ron Bontz sell blanks, and pre toothed, or pretotthed and sharpened.


As do TGIAG Toolworks (Two Guys In A Garage)

Great. Good to know.

Cheers

LOOK HERE.

READ THIS.

Thanks Toby

Yes Toby - thanks. Now I know I wasn't being singled-out in not getting an answer to my emails!

Looks like we need a local solution to the saw-plate supply problem. Ron's prices for toothed & shaped blades are reasonable, but freight will put a big dampener on that, it will double the price (or worse) if you want one or two blades. There've been a few people after saw plate, recently. Looks like either a bulk-buy is called for, or persuade some local outfit to stock a roll or two. I don't want mine toothed, but many do, so it would be great if some outfit capable of cutting teeth would step up. I'd like to be able to buy 15,20 25 & 30 thou blanks or lengths, but maybe that's asking too much....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Yes Toby - thanks. Now I know I wasn't being singled-out in not getting an answer to my emails!

Looks like we need a local solution to the saw-plate supply problem. Ron's prices for toothed & shaped blades are reasonable, but freight will put a big dampener on that, it will double the price (or worse) if you want one or two blades. There've been a few people after saw plate, recently. Looks like either a bulk-buy is called for, or persuade some local outfit to stock a roll or two. I don't want mine toothed, but many do, so it would be great if some outfit capable of cutting teeth would step up. I'd like to be able to buy 15,20 25 & 30 thou blanks or lengths, but maybe that's asking too much....

Cheers,

Ian as you know I have been looking in to this on a daily basis for a few weeks. Basically it seems there is no one stocking suitable material in Australia, and even some commercial users are complaining that they can't get many materials including the 1095 Spring steel shim stock which we use for saw plate. The reason is a reduction in manufacturing in this country therefore not enough demand to warrant it.

The second issue is a reluctance by foreign companies to deal with small manufacturers and even bigger reluctance to deal with Australian small buyers. I don't think it is necessarily exclusive to Australia.


I have several contacts looking into it and willing to purchase and ship it to me in various sizes and quantity. Two things have been holding me back at this point are confirming how much qty I need to order for the workshop and I have been trying to find it is a bright finish aka milled finish. So far all I seem to be able to come and with and many of the USA saw makers are using this is the blue finish which adds extra work to remove.

I think I may be able to get the bright from Sweden but only in 5m lengths and at a higher price. Which is annoying since the blueing is a secondary process as in it is applied to the bright.

The blue finish does have the advantage that is a rust inhibitor. Mike Wenzloff was getting it in the bright finish which was what was in the group buy back in 2009? As you know he is uncontactable these days so I can not find out who his supplier was or if he is even still getting it.




How many people would be happy working with the blue finished plate? Bear in mind it may be the only option.


I'm also looking at saw nuts and brass backs TBA.

Ok so I mailed the guys from TGIAG and the reply I got: "sorry we don't do overseas shipping, too costly" back to square one.
maybe I should just buy a cheap steel backed disston on ebay and use it's blade.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned Victornet as yet, but I've bought saw plate from them in the past, don't expect freight to be cheap however...

Blue-Tempered Steel Shim Stock

On the other hand if it's 20 thou 1095 bright polished 3" wide I have some that I could mail to you, 20 thou is a bit on the thin side for a tenon saw, although I have made 14" x 2" sash tenons before with 20 thou plate, and they very nice to use, but I don't know how well they would stand up to rough handling... for robustness most would prefer 25 thou?

Regards
Ray

Originally Posted by DSEL74

How many people would be happy working with the blue finished plate? Bear in mind it may be the only option.

Hi Dale, Blue can be removed easily with dilute phosphoric, works like magic... just wipes off...



Make sure you have a tub ready to wash off the phosphoric straight away, and apply oil, otherwise it will start rusting...

Regards
Ray

Yep, Dale, what Ray sez, the blueing comes off very easily, even without phosphoric acid. I usually use acid to remove it, but one day when I'd run out, I just used wet & dry and had it polished in not much more time. I actually left it on the first couple of saws I made, 'cos I liked the look (different!) but it soon scratched & scuffed & didn't look so good after all.....

I am in need of a new batch of plate, myself, so I would be happy to help you make up an order if needed. As Ray says, freight is an absolute killer - the last lot I got from the US cost 3 times the price of the steel to ship it here! You might do a lot better freight-wise on a larger order, but maybe not. Surface shipping would be the cheapest option, but I guess you haven't got time for ships to cross the Pacific.

Ray - I think 20 thou plate makes a very nice small saw for anyone who is reasonably used to saws - I much prefer it for 9" or 10" dovetail saws, but I agree 25 thou is less likely to be damaged by rough handling on a longer saw.

Cheers,

I was looking to get 0.02 and 0.15" rolls. I am happy to add to the order if other people want it. Let me know what your after and I will see what I can do.


Yes freight included the cost is 4x the plate alone. Still cheaper than buying a custom saw and you have the kick of knowing you made it!

For those who don't know we are in the process of organising a back saw making workshop in Melbourne, the forums top backsaw & saw making experts will be teaching if anyone wants to guess who. It is planned for Early November and I aim to have our materials in by then.

I'll start a thread on it soon. Rather than further hijack this one.