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.
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.
Early in my career, when a new saw blade dulled and started to cut waves, I would try things like adding tension to the blade, slowing down my feed rate or even adjusting my blade guides. If I could just get an edge back, I could keep cutting with the same blade and not have to mess with sending the blade off to be sharpened, and I would save $7. So, off I went, looking for a way to sharpen blades on my own. First off, no matter how good you get with the sander, the blade will not be as good as a new one or one that has had a full factory grind and set because this grinding is changing the geometry of the already finicky blade.
“Life is too short to be sharpening your own bandsaw blades” is what a co-worker remarked when asked him if he sharpens his own blades. My first attempt at sharpening was to go at it with a cut-off disk on a Dremel tool and the blade still in the saw. For resaw blades with fewer teeth, resharpening makes much more sense.
Either you change the blade and buy a new one or you can sharpen the blade to make it ready for cutting again. Don’t worry!! In this article, I will thoroughly discuss how to sharpen a Bandsaw blade so that you can easily master this art. Yes, you can sharpen the blade while it is attached with the machine but you can comfortably sharp the blade teeth if you take it out.
Given the number of teeth on a bandsaw blade, the cost to have a sharpening service sharpen a blade quickly adds up. The minimal set of the teeth on the blade of a Wood Slicer would be hard to replicate by a sharpening service. As far as using the Wood Slicer, we suggest to our customers that when they are finished with their resawing task, remove the Wood Slicer blade from the saw and hang it on the wall – ready to be installed again for the next resaw task.
how to sharpen a bandsaw blade with a file Related Question:
Is it worth sharpening a bandsaw blade?
But 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. It often makes sense to replace a dull blade with a new one, but you can sometimes get the best value out of merely sharpening an old blade instead of replacing it altogether.
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.
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.
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 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.
How often do you have to change blade on a sawmill?
When operating a band sawmill, a general rule is to replace the bandsaw blade with a sharpened one on average every 1,5 hours of cutting. In the case of cutting dirty wood, this time will be shorter.
Can Diablo blades be sharpened?
To ensure your Diablo cutting tool continues its high performance standards, please contact one of our approved “Authorized Sharpening Service Centers”.
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.
What can I do with dull saw blades?
You can use a hand file, crank sharpener or automatic sharpener on saw blades you’re going to sharpen yourself. While automatic sharpeners will get the job done faster, they can also be rough on your blade’s teeth. They might overheat or lose the correct angle of the teeth they are sharpening.
Why does my bandsaw cut crooked?
When the band saw cuts crooked, a dull blade, improper feeding, loose blade tension or not using a work piece guide could be the cause. Use the rip fence or miter gauge to guide the work piece uniformly through the cutting blade to make straight cuts.