When you need to cut the curve and irregular into the even block of lumber, a bandsaw can provide the unmatched versatility. Through the passes of the year, a bandsaw blade may get dull. Sometimes you may feel to struggle to keep them sharp. I was wonder when I saw that; I just put a new blade on my band saw last week. And I resize some lumber for my new project work. The edge worked nicely, but after some days, the cutting rate slowed down, and I found that the blade of the band saw getting dull and need to sharp again for increasing its performance. So, now the main concern is how to sharpen band saw blades? The bandsaw can cut the materials faster than others, depending on the materials that you want to cut.
You can found that there are a ton of teeth of a band saw blades. For example, if you have 10 bands with 6 TPI, then you need to sharp 60 teeth. Coarser blades with larger teeth need less time to sharpen the then smaller blade with fine teeth. Sharpen the finner teeth is more time consuming than you can see.
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How to Sharpen Bandsaw Blade?
Here I will give you an excellent solution to sharp your bandsaw blade. A dull blade can start to cut like wavy. If you set up a new blade, then it will cut nicely. But this process is too expensive; if you resharpen your blade again, you can get the same performance as a new one.
If you want to sharpen your bandsaw blade, you have two options. One is to sharp manually, and the other is to sharp by machine.
How Can You Manually Sharpen Your Blade?
Manually sharpening is a massive task considering the total number of teeth. However, this is very simple and easy and, at the same time, relatively low expensive project if you don’t shape blades frequently. Sometimes you may sharp only the dullest part of the blade, or you may prepare to sharp the entire blade. Here I will try to discuss both of the process steps by step, and it will be constructive for you actually.
Before start manual sharpening, you need to arrange and use the following tools-
- Sharpening stone with a flat surface
- Gloves and perfect eye protection
- Dremel tool
- Hand file
- Pencil grinder
- Band saw or homemade jig
- Dusk mask
- Use good lighting and take a chair or tool
Arrange all the tools, and now you are entirely ready to start your sharpening job. Remember that you need to maintain the original edges of the blade without changing the angle of each blade. With your powerful eye and hand, follow the following steps and make the blade to its previous position.
Step-1The Back of the Tip
Take a sharpening stone and move it against the top side of the tooth. You can also use a file or a Dremel tool at a slight backward angle from the top of the tip to open the new metal. But don’t do the process on just the very top side. Do the circle down the backside of the tooth.
Step-2 The Underside of the Tip
If you finish the top and the back of the tip, then do the same process for the underside. Now you need to use a round file or half-round file for the curves of the tooth. Start this process from the left side and go across the right side. This process is useful to maintain. If you use Dremel and perfect sized sanding drum, you can work properly. Here you can also use a small mounted point and even the larger grinding disk. Remember that you don’t use it too much and just a touch of use. Try to use two or three small contracts rather than one long run.
Step-3 Cut the Area Behind the Tip
This area is just below the tip, which is only the outside edge of the gullet. The edge area of the feathered from the middle side is thinner of the tooth, inside of the edge of the gullet. Here the process is that the tip of the tooth digs in that is followed by the cutter edges. This may be dressed with the round file or with the Dremel.
Step-4 The Gullet Area
If you sharpen the band saw to such a point where there is a change in the gullet depth and also the tooth rake angle, then you need to address the gullet. Some materials of the gullet and the blade can leave a residue. You can remove these materials during the sharpening process. For this process, you need a wire brush or a Dremel tool. If you want to increase the blade life, you need to clear the gullet and make it gum-free, and then you can cut with this smoothly. If you’re going to dress the gullet area, you need to keep the edge of the gullet flat and perpendicular to the sides of the band.
How to Sharp your Bandsaw Blade on the Mill?
If you want to save your valuable energy and time and enjoy the right solution, you can sharpen your blade by machine on the mill. The bandsaw blade can perform in the right way when it sharps appropriately. The shard blade can cut the lumber quickly with smooth finishing and can save your time and energy as well.
A machine sharpener can give its highest result if it has the following factors included-
The teeth profile must be triangular, the thickness of the band saw is 0.5 to 1.5 mm, the width will be 10-70 mm, the sharpening pitch will be 5 to 30 mm. And the sharpening speed must be 54 teeth per minute. To keep a sharpening machine with the other tool in your toolbox is a wise purchase. There are lots of sharpening machines you can see in the market. A specialized sharpening machine is more manageable and also saves your fuel as well. So you can now invest your money in a good quality sharpening machine.
How To Install A Bandsaw Blade?
With the cutting of the curve cuts of wood, the incredible versatile tool, the bandsaw can cut big lumbers in small pieces. Actually, to do the whole job correctly, you need a right blade; for the straight cut, you need a wider blade, and for the tighter curves, you need to use narrow blades, which is 1/8-inch in width.
However, for the proper cutting, you need to know not only about the correct blade but also understand the changing and the process of the saw blade. That means you have excellent knowledge about the whole installation process of the bandsaw blade.
Since we are trying to install a new bandsaw blade, we have to follow the following adjustment first. You may feel that this process is quite complicated, but I will assure you that this process is straightforward too.
- At the begining, unplug the saw from the wall
- Loosen the blade tension
- Disconnect the table leveling bar or pin
- Remove the blade
- Then retracts all the guides and also the thrust bearings
- Now its time to install the new blade
- Check the tracking
- Position the upper and lower guide bearings
- First, adjust the upper and lower thrust bearings
- Then adjust upper and lower guide bearing
- Set the blade tension
Bandsaw Blade Installation Guide
Video: Related with the Installation Guideline
By following the step- by- step installation tutorial, you can learn how to install the new blade and adjust them for your job to keep your bandsaw blade properly.
Step-1 Open the Cabinet
First of all, you are going to disconnect the bandsaw from the power source. It will create an accident if you tun on the band saw while changing the blade. Now open the top and bottom cabinets and revealing the two tires to know which blade tightened enough. Clean all the excessive chips and dust to change the blade quickly.
Step-2 Lose the Blade Tension
After opening the cabinets and cleaning the sawdust, you have to loosen the blade tension. You have to locate the tension on the top of the band saw. That is typically on a vertical to the above side of the top of the band saw’s cabinet. Then loosen the tension on the blade by turning the knob and must do this process on counterclockwise. Then the blade gets to relax.
Step-3 Now Raise the Guard of the Bandsaw Blade
After removing the tension of the bandsaw blade and the blade gets loosen, the next step is to raise the guard of the blade—the guard designed to adjust when you cut various thickness stocks. The guard is in an up and down position. The blade guard of this tool is always in the lowest place without interfering with the stock because you can keep the blade from distracting. Now turn the tightening of the knob that you can see it on the top of the guard. This guard exists on the backside of the cabinet. You have to slide the guide up to the height position and then tight the knob for security.
Step-4 Remove the Blade Guard
The blade guard always covers the blade. It moves from the down tire to the tire and can protect the blade from breakage. To remove the blade guard, just remove the screws which hold the blade guard in place, for the time being, keep the guard and screws just beside you.
Step-5 Lose the Undertable Blade Guard
When you remove the rare blade guard, then you have to loosen the under table guard of the band saw blade. You can found some blocks and adjustment wheels here. Also, you have found a wrap-around guard to keep the blade in position. In this way, you can also control the blade from breakage. With the help of a screwdriver, then pop off the plastic center from the middle side of the saw table and then set it on the center side. Then see the holes and put the crews to hold them in position. Loosen the screw to rotate the guard at a 180-degree angle till it is out of the way.
Step-6 Remove the Bandsaw Blade
After removing all of the blade guards, now you have to remove your bandsaw blade. Pull the blade off from the tracking tires. After that, rotate it at a 90-degree angle so that the blade teeth keep on your right side. Guide the blade in the saw table until it is clear properly. When you remove your blade, it is good to fold the bandsaw blade in thirds and then tie the blade for storing it properly. Fold your blade correctly; otherwise, you may get hurt.
Step-7 Slide the New Band Saw Blade
After removing the old band saw blade, you should place the new one. How you pulled the old blade, like that way, just slide the new blade through the slot in the saw table. After through the blade slot in the center, cut out the table, then place and try to rotate the blade over the top and bottom tire. To keep it in the right position, tensioning the blade tightly. But don’t tight the blade too much.
Step-8 Adjust Bandsaw Guide Blocks
After adjusting the new blade on the right track, lose the bandsaw guide blocks and the roller to keep the blade tracking accurately. There are mainly two sets of guide blocks and rollers. One set found in the sliding blade guard and the other one found in the beneath of the table. Lose the set screws and holds the blocks on both sides of the blade on the sliding guard. In this way, the block can move freely from left to right position and also towards the blade. Also, lose the screw and rotate the roller away from the blade. Repeat the process.
Step-9 Tension the Band Saw Blade
This is the step to install a band saw blade to apply the proper amount of tension to the blade. You need to check the blade to track properly in the center position of the tire. After that, tight the tension knob. When you are tightening the tension knob, rotate the top band saw wheel. You have to see that the blade tracks in the center of the tire. If the blade tracks too far to the rear, locate the tracking adjustment knob at the backside of the upper cabinet. Rotate that knob slightly and notice the difference between the centering of the blade. Remember that the significant adjustment of the knob means a huge difference in how the blade tracks on the tire. After monitoring the blade properly, look on the back of the band saw’s upper cabinet for the tensioning gauge. Adjust the tension till the gauge indicator position properly. Remember that the wide blade needs more tension than the thin blade. The indicator can show accurate marks for every blade size. Now it’s a perfect time to place a combination square on the table and also align the opposite edge of the square of the band saw blade. If the blade isn’t established the square on the table properly, the table adjustment knob will loosen. So, tighten the knob for the security of the table in position.
Step-10 Position the Guide Blocks
Now, you have to re-position the guide blocks and roller. You have to adjust the lower blocks to keep it touching each side of the blocks. Tight the set screw to hold the blocks in proper place. Now, adjust the forward position of the blocks because the blocks are riding just behind the teeth. It lives on the flat side of the table; after finishing this adjustment need to readjust it again of either block. Now adjust the position of the rear roller to ride just behind the blade. Tight all of the screws to place the guards and rotate the wheels. Let’s see how the blades track through the blocks and rollers. If they guide correctly, then they may fix accurately. Now, reinstall the spacer in the hole of the center of the table. Lower the blade guard about the halfway toward the top of the table and do the block and roller adjustment steps again. And now, it’s the high time to replace the blade of the band saw that you already remove.
Step-11 Test the Band Saw Blade
When you are going to turn the wheel by hand, this is the final step to reinstall the blade after finding all the process correctly. See the tracking of the blade across the tire and listen for the binding of the guide blocks. If you can see any miss positioning of the roller or the guard blocks or the blade itself doesn’t track in the middle of the tire, just turn off the saw. Then power off it and make the proper adjustment again. If you are satisfied with the adjustment of this tool, then close the cabinets, lower the blade guards to the right Hight and work with it.