what do you do with old bandsaw blades?

[mickthetree]

Afternoon all

I just came to change my bandsaw blade and found a collection of all my old blades that I hung onto because "they look like they will come in useful for something one day".

What do you do with yours?

 

[brihol]

You can cut them into 9" sections with an angle grinder, reverse alternate strips so the teeth point in the opposite direction, put say 6 of them together and bind the ends with insulating tape. You can use this as a flexible scraper for removing old paint or varnish in preparatory work. Because it will flex you can get down into hollows. It can tooth a surface prior to glueing.

Brian

 

[JakeS]

What do you do with yours?

I'm sure I've heard of people using sections of old bandsaw blade for scratch-stock cutters.

I've been told that if you cut a slot into a block of wood and clamp in a section of a wide ripping blade with the teeth held inside the block, you can use it as a passable scraper. I'd have thought actual scrapers were cheap enough, though.

Myself, though? So far I hang them up in the garage and think "that must be useful for something one day". ;-)

 

[Jacob]

I get them sharpened. When they are beyond reuse I scrap them.

 

[mickthetree]

Hi Jacob, the ones I'm using from Ian at tuff Saws have hardened teeth. Can these also be sharpened? At £10 a blade or there abouts is it worth getting them sharpened?

Jake: I have a couple of nice old thick blade sections for scratch stocks. Time to get rid of these others I think and free up some much needed space! ;-)

Brian: I like the sound of that! Never though of it. I might keep one, for that purpose. The rest.....? Maybe the scrap man might like them.

 

[jimi43]

Scratch stock is indeed the best use for this type of steel....remember the Gabriel with the missing boxing?

It is soft enough for filing.....

but sharp enough for scraping...

Works ok doesn't it!? :wink:

Jimi

 

[Jacob]

Hi Jacob, the ones I'm using from Ian at tuff Saws have hardened teeth. Can these also be sharpened?

Yes - my local saw place does it, no prob. They don't re set them though, so some of them might not cut as straight as new, but will be just as sharp if not sharper.

At £10 a blade or there abouts is it worth getting them sharpened?

Get a price. I'll check on what I pay but I'm sure it's a lot less than a tenner.

 

[mickthetree]

Cheers Jacob.

Lovely work Jimi

 

[Wildman]

as I have 4 various sized bandsaws I just reweld the blade to the next size down, after that just dump them (or at least I should).

 

[jakethebuilder]

I saw an article on the internet, where a man was making old style "turning saws" from discarded bandsaw blades. He made nice oak handles, and used a metal turnbuckle. The kind you see on screen doors, to keep them from sagging. Do you have screen doors over there? For the blade attachment, he filed flats on two bolts, and drilled a small hole crosswise through the bolts, and through the ends of the section of bandsaw blade. He used a small finishing nail as a pin to hold the blade ends to the bolts. Oak pegs would probably give it a more traditional look, but might not be as durable. I don't think I've described this very well, but each saw would use more than a foot of bandsaw blade. I intend to make a couple of these soon. I'll post pictures when I do.

 

[jimi43]

I saw an article on the internet, where a man was making old style "turning saws" from discarded bandsaw blades. He made nice oak handles, and used a metal turnbuckle. The kind you see on screen doors, to keep them from sagging. Do you have screen doors over there? For the blade attachment, he filed flats on two bolts, and drilled a small hole crosswise through the bolts, and through the ends of the section of bandsaw blade. He used a small finishing nail as a pin to hold the blade ends to the bolts. Oak pegs would probably give it a more traditional look, but might not be as durable. I don't think I've described this very well, but each saw would use more than a foot of bandsaw blade. I intend to make a couple of these soon. I'll post pictures when I do.

Check out an earlier thread of mine...CLICK HERE

Be careful using bandsaw blades...they are a bit aggressive. You may find yourself getting purpose made ones.

Jim

 

[jakethebuilder]

That's a beautiful saw! You lamination gave me an idea about preventing the blade turning. The center laminate could have a rectangular notch in the area where the blade connects, effectively leaving a rectangular mortise through half its width in that area only. The other half could be drilled after gluing to accommodate the round pin that holds the blade. The handle would then have a mating tenon. At least that would keep the handle from turning, relative to the frame of the saw. I'm not sure about keeping the pin itself from turning inside the handle. Epoxy, maybe?

 

[imageel]

I have used old blades to make pressure guides for router table, spindle moulder or in fact anything where you want to apply consistent pressure against your workpiece to hold it against the table and or fence.
I don't have a picture to hand, but I use say 5 x 4 inch lengths housed into angled bandsaw cuts into two strips of wood, then clamp one end to the table and voila the other forms a nice guide against your workpeice and fence.

I like that scraper idea - will have to have a play

Ed