Resawing mishap

[Marcel in Longueuil]

I had to resaw some maple & cherry a couple of days ago.

In order to do so, I needed to change my bandsaw blade for a more appropriate one.

I took the blade I had had so much trouble folding in three loops ( I know there is a method to holding the blade that makes it easy, but can't remember what it is from one blade change to the other) unfolded it and installed it in the saw.

It looked weird, but I figured I must have purchased one of those negative angle toothed blade (like circular saw blades) that give a smoother cut.

Started the saw, and started cutting...

... no, correction: I started the smoke show.

Couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong with the setup.

You can't install a bandsaw blade upside down can you? I mean as long as the teeth face forward, the blade should be ok, right?

WRONG!!!

If you take the blade and fold it on itself 180 degrees (think turning it all on itself towards the center to face the other way) then all of a sudden my "negative" angle teeth became Positive angled when re-installed. And no more smoke.


So, so far I've managed to do a smoke show on my radial-arm saw, scrollsaw and now my bandsaw.

I'm telling you: there is nothing foolproof to a talented fool.


Shamefully,
Marcel

[tcleckler]

Join the club, just the other day I couldn't figure out why my shaper bit was burning the wood instead of cutting smooth as it has always done before. I was using a rabbiting bit with a bearing and had installed the bit upside down, the rotation was making the bit turn in reverse, it was cutting but smoking like crazy, took the bit apart, flipped it over and it cut with ease...DUH! It's the little things that make all the difference in the world.

[gmackay]

Marcel,

I have folded a bandsaw blade 180 degrees before and almost ran the blade untill I could see that something was wrong.

I was shown many years ago how to fold a bandsaw blade into 3 rings. Slightly hard to describe, but, here goes.............

Wear gloves when folding or unfolding any bandsaw blade, as it can cut you either way. Place the unfolded blade on a scrap of carpet, teeth away from you, and with right foot step on blade to hold down onto carpet. Wear tennis shoes or sneakers as I used to call them. Grab blade with right hand and turn hand clockwise while pushing down until blade folds into 3 rings.

Obviously harder to describe than to see someone actually do it, but, try it.

Gary MacKay

[Paul S WI]

Here is one example of folding a bandsaw blade.
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/sto...y/data/449.xml

[unixpro]

That's the folding method I use. Works like a charm!

[dale]

Isnt it nice that someone made those pictures on how to fold a saw blade for dummys like me..

dale

Marcel,

Look at it this way, you didn't fail, you just found a way that just doesn't work.

[ocm1952]

Hello Marcel.
Been a long time since I have folded a blade. but I used to hold it in both hands with teeth away from you, then twist blade teeth towards each other and twist one wrist 180 deg. and blade should coil into three loops. Hope I explained it right.

Red

[Marcel in Longueuil]

My problem isn't with the insructions...

It's remembering them when I'm in the workshop holding 105" of unwieldy sharp steel that just wants to bite some of my flesh off.

And honestly, how many of you wear gloves to change a bandsaw blade?

I think I've done it a couple of times, but most times I'm so busy thinking of the steps I need to do to get the pieces finished that the gloves are not a priority.

But I do thank you for the picture, I'll print them and TRY to put them inside the bandsaw cover in order to have them handy next time.

Regards,
Marcel

[FRETDUST]

Marcel, now you can sing the song " smoke gets in your eyes" *L* I have a friend that used his lawn tractor for over a year with the blades upside down.

Steve in Mi.