Bandsaw Blade solder repair kit

[Bart Leetch]

I am looking for a kit that has the clamp system & I think silver solder to solder band blades. does anyone know where I can mail order purchase this kit?

[David Rose]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=41049&category=1,41036,41048

David

[Phil Phelps]

Sounds too easy, Bart. I'd like to hear from someone who has tried and tested the solder method. I've been through several hundred bandsaw blades in my time.

[Carl Eyman]

I've had a kit for ten years or more. Never had much luck. When I had a no-name bandsaw with odd length blade I had to use it or get custom blades. It worked so-so with wider blades and not at all with narrow ones. Biggest drawback was a bump at the splice.

Lately. I've seen a fixture that will hold the blade when you grind the scarf. This may help. The silver solder seemed strong enough on wider blades, but I never seemed to get that grind flat enough. Carl

[Bruce Page]

Originally posted by Bart Leetch
I am looking for a kit that has the clamp system & I think silver solder to solder band blades. does anyone know where I can mail order purchase this kit?

Bart,

I have welded dozens of blades using the built in welders on the big industrial band saws. There was a little bit of skill required to get a good weld that would last, and some welders were better than others (I always thought the big “Do-All” brand machines had the best). Anyway, I have always been skeptical of the silver solder method being able to stand up to the required needed tension.

If you do get one, let us know how it works out.

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

at 1-800-645-9292 has them. I have been using a kit for years. The secret is to make a little jig to hold the ends of the blade so that you get a scarf of about 3/16" or more. If you need more instructions email me and I will send a diagram. It is pretty simple. With the clamping kit they have you can make a joint that is as good as any joint made. I have never had a blade break at a silver soldered joint.

[Bart Leetch]

Bruce

I have used the welders on the big band-saws when I was in a machine shop & yes they do work great. But alas I am no longer in a machine shop anymore.

[Mac McAtee]

in the good old days. My Father used to weld woodworking bandsaw blades with a blow tourch (one of those things that look like the Liberty Bell, it was the hottest heat that most folks had acess to), Twenty Mule Team Borax, a dime and some bricks. Dimes, at one time were real sliver. Borax is what silver solder flux is. Bricks hold the blade ends in place. The blow tourch provided the heat. It worked, no problem.

[David Rose]

I'll bet he never touched that scarf after filing it. Even the oil from a finger print can wreck havoc with a silver solder joint. Clean (and minimal clearance) is the name of the game.

David

[Bruce Page]

Originally posted by Bart Leetch
Bruce

I have used the welders on the big band-saws when I was in a machine shop & yes they do work great. But alas I am no longer in a machine shop anymore.

Bart, then you probably know the old 'reverse the blade before grinding trick'. It took me awhile for that one to sink in. Of course I knew everything back then....:D

[Bart Leetch]

Mac

I have 2 of those old blow torches. 1 is real old & almost all brass with the fill plug on the bottom , this 1 is used for decoration. The other I've used several times. I still like to use these torches I like the sound of them when they are burning.
I also have a propane torch & a torch which will use gasses like oxygen & map gas combined.

Bruce I know what you mean, we used to be real smart then Dad & Mom all of a sudden got a whole lost smarter. Then when we hit 50 or so we realize what we don't know will make a lot bigger book then what we do know.