Dispose old bandsaw blades

[lowell holmes]

I have some old blades that need to be discarded. I hate putting them in the garbage because I wouldn't want some sanitation worker injured from an unexpected hazard.

I would appreciate any suggestions on how to do it. I am considering cutting them into 24" lengths. I suppose that would give me an abundance of scratch stock.

[Ryan Wood]

What I do when I throw away a old dull band saw blade is coil it up and put 2 zip ties on it to keep it from springing open and then just put it in the trash

[Ron Jones near Indy]

What I do when I throw away a old dull band saw blade is coil it up and put 2 zip ties on it to keep it from springing open and then just put it in the trash

And if this isn't enough protection, wrap the coiled blade with newspaper and masking tape.

[John Lanciani]

Just coil them up and then squish the coil flat. They bend quite easily and it takes all of the danger away.

[Van Huskey]

Just coil them up and then squish the coil flat. They bend quite easily and it takes all of the danger away.

Try that with a 1 1/4" .035" blade... :D

I coil them then put them in a cardboard box (thats needs to be tossed out anyway). Here no one picks trash for recycling so as soon as the can gets dumped in the truck hands are never near it again.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Mine go into the metal recycle bin at local waste collection center.

[Phil Thien]

If they aren't broken, sharpen them and continue to use the things!

[lowell holmes]

Do you use a Dremil tool to sharpen them?

[Phil Thien]

Do you use a Dremil tool to sharpen them?

I do. With a diamond burr.

[Ryan Wood]

how do you use a dremil to sharpen them, I have 3/4 resaw timber wolf resaws blade that I used on some blood wood and that made it so dull that it has trouble cutting through a l inch thick pine board and i would love to be able to sharpen it back up

[John Lanciani]

Try that with a 1 1/4" .035" blade... :D



I do, it's no big deal at all. I've also been known to cut them up with tin snips when I'm feeling inspired...

[Steve Griffin]

If a sanitation worker is handling your trash in such a way they can get cut by a bandsaw blade, they deserve it and should be dismissed.

I know in our area, the last person to ever intimately touch trash is the homeowner, and I can't imagine that not being the case everywhere since the the 1930's.

[Bill White]

Cut 'em up, tape, done.
I also cut one up from time to time for use as a buffing wheel rake. Tape 4 or 5 sections together on the ends, dip 'em in a plastic coating for tool grips. This does a great job.
Bill

[Ryan Wood]

good point its not like a sanitation worker goes through your trash so there probley is not a real chance of one of them getting hurt.

[Ryan Hellmer]

Cut into short sections and taped together they make a surprisingly effective rasp, even pretty dull.

Ryan

[Phil Thien]

how do you use a dremil to sharpen them, I have 3/4 resaw timber wolf resaws blade that I used on some blood wood and that made it so dull that it has trouble cutting through a l inch thick pine board and i would love to be able to sharpen it back up

Not my video, but pretty close to my technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_akVVJo3G0M

I don't actually touch the front of the tooth, just go into the gullet to get the bottom of the tooth.

[Ryan Wood]

I am going to have to give that a try next time a blade breaks.

[Matt McColley]

The same safety issues come up with disposing of metal banding and at work we have a machine that cuts the banding up into ~6" pieces, so we just run broken band saw blades through there as well.

Most cities of any size have sharpening businesses. Check google with the name of the nearest city and the word "sharpening" or "carbide" (as sharpening carbide cutters is usually where these outfits make their real money).

Often times the retailer like Woodcraft offer sharpening service, but what they really do is have the sharpening guys pick up at their store once a week and mark up the cost.

I'm lucky in that we a sharpening business pick up weekly where I work, so I can piggy back my personal jobs on top of the ones for my employer and just reimburse the company.