I guess it was Matthias Wandel that popularized sharpening band saw blades using a Dremel mototool, and this is an extension of that. The jig allows you to sharpen the blade without taking it off of the machine. The band saw fence was set to put the grinding wheel centred on the blade.
I have been free-hand sharpening my bandsaw blades just by touching the top of each tooth with a Dremel tool at a slight angle. The blade fits in a slot, and the lever at left advances the blade by one tooth every time I lift it and drop it back down. With the blade on the wheels, there is just too much inertia from the wheels, which means I couldn’t advance and stop the blade as quickly, so sharpening the teeth would take quite a bit longer.
In the spirit of D-I-Ying, it is possible to hand sharpen your bandsaw blades with either simple hand tools or hand held power tools. The basic anatomy of any tooth on any wood cutting saw blade is pretty much the same, be it a circular saw blade, a jig saw blade, or in this case, a bandsaw blade. When you are sharpening any tool, bandsaw blades, circular blades, even axe blades, it is important to try and maintain the integrity of the blades original edges without changing the angles or geometry.
The only way to ensure the functionality of your band saw and the quality of your final product is through using sharp band saw blades. If you’re looking to sharpen your band saw blade, you have two options: manually sharpen the blade yourself or use a mechanical sharpening machine. MANUALLY SHARPEN YOUR BLADE. Manually sharpening your band saw blade might seem like an overwhelming task considering the sheer number of teeth, but it’s actually a relatively simple process and costs far less than purchasing a mechanical sharpener if you don’t plan on sharpening blades very often.
sharpening bandsaw blade jig Related Question:
Is it worth sharpening bandsaw blades?
Since a carbide-tipped bandsaw blade will cost well over $100, spending a third of the cost of the blade (or more) to get it sharp and working like new again can make financial sense. However the majority of bandsaw blades, the Wood Slicer included, are not worth spending money to have sharpened.
How many times can you sharpen a bandsaw blade?
You should be able to sharpen your blade two or three times before needing to replace it, but sometimes breakage happens. Blade breakage can result from a range of situations. Common causes of blade breakage include: Dull teeth.
Can you sharpen metal bandsaw blades?
There’s a couple out there that can accommodate bands as narrow as 5/8″, but any way you rip it, you’re looking at a couple of thousand dollars for both. However, in the spirit of D-I-Ying, it is possible to hand sharpen your bandsaw blades with either simple hand tools or hand held power tools.
How long do bandsaw blades last?
On average your bandsaw blade should last 6 months to as long as a few years depending on what your cutting with it. Make sure to match your blade strength and quality to the project and material your cutting.
How long do portable sawmill blades last?
Some can last under six months, and some can last years! Some of the most important variables to consider are what you are cutting, the condition of the machine and blade, how long you are using the blade, and even how you are feeding the wood through your saw as well.
Can a bandsaw blade be sharpened?
If you’re looking to sharpen your band saw blade, you have two options: manually sharpen the blade yourself or use a mechanical sharpening machine.
How many teeth per inch should a bandsaw blade have?
The general rule of thumb is: For wood and soft materials aim for 3 – 6 teeth in the workpiece. For metals and harder materials aim for 6 – 24 teeth in the workpiece.
How do I know if my bandsaw blade is sharp?
Get a 6 tooth per inch blade. When it gets dull,it will begin to not cut easily,and will sort of jerk along through the wood as you apply pressure. A sharp blade cuts without urging.
Why is my bandsaw burning the wood?
A majority of issues with wood burning is because of a dull saw blade. These blades may not be sharp enough to efficiently cut the wood, and thus create enough friction to heat and burn the wood. What is this? Dull blades make it more challenging to cut, which causes friction as you pass the wood through.
How often should you change your table saw blade?
The life span of a table saw blade depends entirely on the quality of the tool, how often it’s used, the type of wood material it’s used on, and many other factors. That said, an average table saw blade will last about 2-4 years until it needs to be replaced.
Why do bandsaw blades break?
Machine Defects Even the best blades can fail if there is something else wrong with your bandsaw, and even a small misalignment of bearings or guides can put a twist in the blade as it goes around. Resulting in tension being applied in all the wrong ways which will lead to early breakage.
How can I speed up my bandsaw?
Answer: Some models of bandsaws do provide the ability to alter the speed of the blade (usually expressed as FPM – feet per minute). The change of speed is usually accomplished by moving a drive belt to a secondary location on the pulley(s) of the drive pulley and motor pulley.