Question About Band Saw Blade Changing

[Harvey Pascoe]

Before I installed a DC system on my Delta 14, I used to do very frequent blade changes as I was cutting a lot of brass and aluminum parts but I had to quit doing that because it just took to damn long removing the DC collector box. Now I'm going to have to return to doing that.

I find that it is impossible to change blades without dragging the teeth of a steel blade over all the steel and iron saw parts. Doesn't this dull the teeth when this happens? I don't worry about this with a carbide blade because the carbide is harder than steel, but with a blade like WoodSlicer, I may be inadvertantly dulling it with frequent changes.

Any thoughts on this?

[Myk Rian]

I guess the question is. why are you hitting metal with it?
The only metal my blades MIGHT touch would be the table slot.

[Harvey Pascoe]

Because on my saw it is unavoidable with all the bending and twisting one has to do to get it around the table, the fence rail, the upper guide support and blade shield and all. If you can get it on without touching anything I'd sure like to see how.

[glenn bradley]

I bump a few things but this is quite minor. On my saw I put the guard height in a position to allow the most room, have the guides backed off, throat plate and table pin out, etc. With gloves on I then grip the blade above and below the table and move it forward of the guides where there is plenty of room. I then hold the business area of the band while I steer the opposite portion out of the spine and slide it out. Any contact is rare and very minor. If you are banging into things or getting caught and applying tension as you steer your band out, do some practice runs with an old blade. You will find a method that minimizes tooth contact. The trick is in remembering to use that method next time ;-)

[Chris Fournier]

Yeah you're right Harvey, if your HC or bimetal blades are whacking the metal on your saw as you install them, then they are potentially being dulled. Changing B-saw blades makes me weak and whiney!

[Harvey Pascoe]

I forgot to add, I have oversize table and extended fence rail which makes it all the more difficult as a lot of twisting and bending is involved. Perhaps I should look into putting protection like tape onto all those surfaces where contact happens. That clear packing tape perhaps?

The steel blade shield attached to bearing guide post is the worst. The blade shield on the other side is aluminum.

[Frank Drew]

I used a thumbscrew to attach my blade shield so that it could be removed easily during blade changes. It had been a straight slot round head machine screw that a previous owner had braised or welded a flat piece of metal into the slot.