Help -- Bent BS Blade

[Tony Falotico]

Was cutting some turning blanks from logs this morning on my 18" jet BS w/ a 1" blade, when the blade grabbed and brought the machine to an immediate halt as the blade jambed in the log. I had to split the log to get my blade out. The blade now has a twist in it, enough to make it unusable as is. It is not kinked. Is there anyway to straighten it (heat it, beat it, stretch it ??) or do I trash it??

Sorry, I forgot to mention I tried to un-bend it by gently twisting it back but it wouldn't stay.

[Kyle Kraft]

Being a good Yankee, I would try to straighten it first. If that doesn't work, pitch it.

[Jim Becker]

Likely toast but no harm in trying. That said, a 1" blade is a bit wide for cutting circles and curves...a 3/8" or 1/2" 3tpi blade is a better choice for the kind of work you are doing, IMHO.

And be very careful working with rounds on the BS...build a jig to hold the workpiece if necessary and never just "roll" a log into a blade for crosscutting...very dangerious, not to mention risky to the blade.

[Montgomery Scott]

Trash it. Blades are inexpensive and the amount of time you would spend trying to fix it is worth more than the blade.

[Dennis Peacock]

a 3/8" blade works best for cutting turning stock. It will handle curves better and will greatly reduce your "grabiness" during the cut. Be extra careful when cutting turning stock on a BS. I've ruied at least 2 blades that way...kink and all. :o :(

[Tony Falotico]

I was cross cutting a roughly 6" log, making a straight cut. I think Jim was right, I probably rolled it when it jambed. Oh well, chalk it up to expensive lesson learned.

Thanks for the replies, I kinda figured the blade is a total loss.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Next time, place a wedge in the kerf. If it falls out, no harm done. If it gets grabbed, you may have saved another blade.

[Joe Foggia]

You should be able to straighten with some ingenuity. Bandsaw blades are made of good quality steel and do not represent a safety hazard so just take it of the saw and you will see where it needs to be bent and if you got it done or not. I must be Scotch/Italian. Joe