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.
The sawmill bandsaw blade has bigger teeth than a regular bandsaw blade. You can sharpen a sawmill bandsaw blade with an automatic sharpener or you can use a circular saw blade sharpener. Sharpening a bandsaw blade is tricky and frustrating, but not everyone can afford a bandsaw blade sharpener.
Since bandsaw blades are expensive, I usually sharpen them once or twice to extend the life. Sharpening as described above made the blade cut like new again. If you haven’t tried sharpening your own blades and want to save some money, or simply need a sharp blade on a weekend evening when your last blade is dull, you might try this.
best way to sharpen bandsaw blades Related Question:
Is it worth it to sharpen 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.
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.
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.
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.
What can I do with old bandsaw blades?
There is life for those old, broken, and dull bandsaw blades. Just cut the old blade into sections about 12″ long. Stack the pieces together, alternating the teeth so that they don’t touch their neighbors. Use either same tape, or just braze the ends together,.
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.
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.