ADVICE: Bandsaw Blade Twist

RonB wrote: >A few days ago I managed to get a 3/8" bandsaw blade crossed up as I was

If I couldn't cold-work it straight, I'd let it go. Some judicious tapping with a mallet and drift over a piece of scrap might set it straight(er). They're reasonbly inexpensive, too. Tom Work at your leisure!

You can twist it back and tap it relatively straight - making sure to stay away from the teeth, of course. This is a gentle hammering, not a blacksmith-type. it will harden the blade a bit, even when conducted on a wooden anvil.

Move your guides out to keep it from binding, and use it for rough work until it goes.

Mon, Oct 25, 2004, 4:23pm (EDT-1) snipped-for-privacy@cox.net (RonB) asks: Is there any Practical way to straighten one of these?

Yep, get a new blade.

I've "tapped" one straight before, and used it. But I wouldn't advise it. It'll break sooner or later, probably sooner. Best to write it off.

I've found bandsaw blades brittle. I've snapped off pieces 1-2 inches easily (with pliers and a vise), then glued them in a slotted plywood handle, to make small caving knives - ground to shape. Works pretty neat.

JOAT Eagles can soar ... but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

How about using a couple of crescent wrenches to apply a reverse twist and straighten it out?

Art

=================================== Either of the above methods will work, but there is the possibility that the blade, either during the original twist or the straightening, will crack. If you have a strong magnifier, take a look at the blade along the damaged area. If it's cracked, save yourself the straightening time and just replace it .

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

Yeah I know they aren't too expensive. All four corners of my family are Irish. Can't help being tight.

I'll give the suggestions a try.

Thanks to All.

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:23:23 -0500, "RonB" calmly ranted:

If it has sharp bends, forget it. It'll crack when you try. Just toss it. That's the safest bet, anyway.

If it's not too sharp a bend, you might be able to straighten it by clamping it between a couple pieces of steel bar stock. Got a Worthington hammer? (Flat bar instead of ball peen) Hang the coil of the blade over an anvil or the anvil of your vise, and tap the rest of the twist flat from the convex side (bumpy side up, for those of you in Rio Linda) with the teeth hanging safely in mid air over the edge of the anvil.

If it pulls to one side, check the set on all the teeth at that point. Make sure they're all even. A pair of needlenose vise grips work OK for a saw set if you don't have one handy.

That blade will die an early death anyway, so be careful with it. You could always cut the bad part off and save the rest to make a bow saw.

I'm the expert on those saws around here (with almost 1 completed saw under my belt now, not counting the prototype) so just ask if you need any help with it.

Gee, glad you reminded me Larry. I'd almost forgotten the bow saw. It's almost as old as(What was your antique cabinet saws name again?) isn't it?(G,D & RLH)

Try straightening it first. If you snap the blade, then you can make yourself a bowsaw.

That's "reasonably". Sorry! Tom

Work at your leisure!

Must be an OLD woodworker...............Cut that finger off years ago.

Ron

"RonB" wrote: (clip) Is there any Practical way to straighten one of these? (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is a technique I have read about in the Old Tools Newsgroup, that works on handsaws. You press the blade against a hard, heavy surface, like the top of an anvil, so it is held flat. Then, tap gently with a small hammer. The hammering stresses combine with the flattening stresses to make the metal yield, so the blade is straightened. For your blade, you might try holding it with clamps and blocks while you do the pounding.

If you have enough adjustment in your tensioner you could cut the twists out of the blade and silver solder it together. You would probably lose about 20mm of blade length Alan in beautiful Golden Bay, Western Oz, South 32.25.42, East 115.45.44 GMT+8 VK6 YAB ICQ 6581610 to reply, change oz to au in address

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 06:50:36 -0400, "Norman D. Crow" calmly ranted:

No, it's older.

Dina's doing well, but she needs a new set of teeth. That $4.99 HF 40T 10" C2 carbide blade has lasted a couple years, and I have a new one to go on her, but I have to drill out the arbor hole first. She has a 3/4" arbor.

Didn't you see her in her new clothes a couple years back? I gave her a new coat of paint and added nice dust collection panels. Her mouth is still a gaper, though, at about an inch shy of zero clearance. ALL small/short stock goes on the _sled_, period.

She also has an occasional outfeed table, but I've yet to make it permanent or cut the groove for the miter slide. Since I haven't used the miter for ripping with it yet, that's not a problem. ;)

My preferred way of doing tenons is on the bandsaw, so I may never make a tenoning jig for Dina. We'll see.

I'm waiting for 4 clients to give their updates to me so I've had a chance to go out into the shop this morning, too. The carving bench legs are going to be glued together today, and I should be able to scrape and smooth the top, too.

It's 11am and the newspaper is almost dry. The rooter man just left so my kitchen sink isn't full of black water any longer. What a way to start yer day, eh?

Try straightening it _and_ snap the blade.

You will never get anything near satisfaction from a kinky blade.

Putting a bad blade in the machine, every time you need to do a bad job, just is not worth your while.

Bjarte

Yup, I saw the pics, just had a brain f**t and couldn't remember her name!

From my experience of working with bandsaws it isn't worth the time or effort trying to straighten out the blade. You'll never get it like it was and it'll never cut as accurately. You might save a bit of money in not buying a new blade but the frustration of working with the old one isn't worth it. Sooner or later you'll buy a new one and kick yourself for not having done so sooner.

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 16:51:31 -0400, "Norman D. Crow" calmly ranted:

It's pronounced "Deena", and she's my Dina saur.