Bandsaw Blade Sharpening?

Ed Nelson

Member
Messages
1,486
Location
Charlotte, NC
What are you guys paying, ballpark, to have bandsaw blades sharpened?

I was setting mine up to bookmatch a piece of birdseye maple and using a cutoff of a laminated workbench top as a test piece. Now I have sliced and diced this bench top every which way, I used it for my workbench, and there was no metal anywhere in the top until i got to this piece. Yes, I know..."get a metal detector"...and I probably will soon. Anyway it's a 105" Timberwolf 3 tpi blade that definitely needs a good sharpening.
 
Kind of what I thought, but someone said there was a guy around here that resharpened them and I wanted to check. Thanks!

One more quick question. I have a 14" BS with a riser. Can I use a 5/8" or 3/4" blade on it? The one I dinged up is a 1/2".
 
I make my own...

Costs around $5 per blade for half inch. Probably more now that steel has gone up a bit. Finish doesn't come out as nice as with a carbide or a woodslicer, but the price is right.

John
 
ed, the "books" say you can put a 3/4" blade on the 14" saws........i`d stick with the 1/2" 3 tooth it`ll do ya` well.....tod
 
John, $5 does sound nice, but I've got my nose in too many fires as it is. Don't think I want to tackle that project yet!

Tod, Thanks for the advise!
 
I have never had bandsaw blades resharpened, maybe because I use cheap ones. I asked my local sharpening guy and he said it just wouldn't be cost effective to sharpen them.

On the other hand, I attended a seminar given by Michael Fortune and what he does is to take 10 identical blades at a time to his sharpener - apparently then the setup cost is justified. Michael said you can sharpen them once or twice.
 
Ed, There's a guy over in Mount Holly that is a distributor for Timberwolf blades (Suffolk) His name is Gordon (704-460-9479) He buys Suffolk bands in bundles that are +1000' long and welds the blades you see in the local supply stores. If you've ever been to the woodworking shows or demo day at Woodcraft or Klingspors in Charlotte, he's the guy doing the band saw demo's.

But I don't think he sharpens bands...only welds them. They have a sharpening place in Georgia but I would think it would be more cost effective to buy a new blade.

FYI - I ran a 3/4" Timberwolf on my 14" "old iron" Rockwell. It worked well but I had brand new tires on the wheels and the saw was tuned to run real straight. When I replaced it, I dropped back to 1/2" and it cuts just as well. I don't have the riser.

FYI - Even if I had a metal detector...I probably would forget to use it until the first "accident";)
 
Hey John, Thanks for the info. I'll give the guy a call. I just noticed tonight that you are here in Charlotte too. Are you involved with the Charlotte Woodworkers Assoc? I have gone to a couple meetings and am thinking of joining. I also think some of the guys at NCWoodworker are planning to get together up in Greensboro next month. Don't think I'll make that one but it would be nice to get together with some fellow woodworkers in the area.
 
I send out the blades for Big Blue, the sharpening cost is about $15, I can get it resharpened 4 or 5 times, but it is carbide tipped :D

Well worth the time and effort to me, as each blade cost over $100.

Cheers!
 
Hey Stu,

Big Blue is an impressive machine! I would say I can't get anything that big because I don't have the space, but you probably aren't the the one to use that excuse with!
 
Well Ed, Big Blue is not all that big, smaller than most 14" saws in the US, I would think..................

not_portable.jpg


Not that big, but is sure is not "Portable" :D

It is a specialized tool that does one job very well, and I do like it.

Today, with that new sharp blade on there it just cuts hard dry wood like nothing doing :thumb: :D

Cheers!
 
Stu,

It's an impressive workhorse, for sure...

How much does it weigh, and what is the HP of the motor? 100 or 200VAC?

The fence is also impressive...stock or ?

Maybe a thread about it with more details? Story?

Thanks,
 
Big Blue weighs "Heavy" :D

The motor is a 100V universal unit that it geared down, I was wanting to change it out for a 200V or even three phase motor, but my buddy John Lucas told me not to. It seems he worked with a similar saw and said I'd have trouble beating that motor, and he was dead right! :thumb:

The cutting capacity is about 12" both ways, maybe a little more on the table width, but it is for resawing, and at that it excels.

Some more pics for you...........

motor_plate.jpg

Motor plate

blue_framed.jpg

Just the frame


blue_open1.jpg

Nakid!
You can see the wheels and the fence, the fence is cast iron, just like the table top.

table_top.jpg

Table top, that sucker is not "light"


bs_before_after.jpg

Before and after pics :D

Yep, I do sometimes go into "Overdrive" and Git-R-Done :rolleyes:

chopping_block_cut1_done.jpg

Big Blue at work! :D

The saw cost me 55,000 yen used and a new blade cost about $100 so for about $560 I got it going, worth every penny to me, and then some.

Birth of Big Blue <- a little more detail and more pics there.....
 
Ed, I live near Matthews and it's a bit far to drive (traffic) to get across town to the meetings. I've been invited and have met a few members and thought about joining, just never did. I hear they get a group together every so often and make a trip up to Steve Wall Lumber. I think they changed the meeting location. Used to be at Klingspors then at some art building... Do you know where it is now?
 
Ed, I live near Matthews and it's a bit far to drive (traffic) to get across town to the meetings. I've been invited and have met a few members and thought about joining, just never did. I hear they get a group together every so often and make a trip up to Steve Wall Lumber. I think they changed the meeting location. Used to be at Klingspors then at some art building... Do you know where it is now?

The new site is in a Lutheran church off Archdale. Here's a link.I think it is the 3rd Tuesday of each month. I am going to sit in on a few more before I commit to joining. I live down 51 near Calvery. Hope to meet you sometime!
 
Thanks for the info Ed. I hadn't checked up on this group for a few years. The 3rd Tues this month is the 16th, I'm in town then but "entertaining" a client so can't make it.

Lutheran church :eek: ...Hmmmmm. Lutherans are well know for good food. Any chance they have FOOD at these meetings? My arm twists reaaal easy when foods involved.:D

We're not to far apart. I'm a couple miles up Sardis Rd off of 51. It would be great to meet a fellow FW guy...maybe for breakfast (food again). But since Stu was so involved in this thread...do you think we should invite him? How about it Stu... You could just stop by and pick up that small band saw while you're here.
 
I haven't seen any food at the meetings other than some chips:eek: I may try to make the meeting on the 16th, but I'm pretty tied up through the end of next week. I'd like to get together some time though. Stu, you are welcome to join us:D We'll let you know the time and place and you can come back in time:thumb:
 
Boy did this thread swing off topic :eek:

Maybe I should make you guys stand in the corner or something.............:rolleyes: :D :rofl: I guess I'd have to join you..... ;):)

Hope you two get together, and if you do, remember, no pics.....................didn't happen :thumb:
 
Top