Need Help Folding Band Saw Blade

[Jeff Wright]

Does anyone know of a good resource on the internet on how to fold a band saw blade? Maybe a site that features a good film clip showing CLEARLY how to do it. I have a ONE INCH non-carbide blade I want to fold for storage, but I don't want to take my nose off while attempting what should be a simple matter. I have found a few sources on the web, but none are clear enough for this simpleton to understand. Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

Check the Fine Woodworking site...they may at least have the diagram that I have "somewhere" around here on their website. And wear gloves... ;)

[Michael McCoy]

Wood magazine has a pretty good and simple article.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/449.xml

[Jim Becker]

Michael, that's very similar to the diagram I was thinking about!

[Mike Armstrong]

That diagram is the technique I learned, but of course unwinding it never seems to be quite as simple. And a 1" carbide? I hang it as is on the wall before I hurt myself or ruined the blade :eek:.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Mike, that actually does work with a 1" carbide blade...in fact, I just wound mine up yesterday. Take a "regular" 1/2" or 3/4" blade and just practice the technique for 10 or 15 minutes...the wrist action will become automatic.

And as I mentioned before...wear gloves...:)

[Bill Simmeth]

This might help...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7075428382230489484

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Easy. Hold the blade in front of you with the teeth pointing up and your hands palm up and about 16" (plus or minus a couple) apart. Raise the blade slightly and give it a sharp snap down. Be sure to stop the downward thrust abruptly. The blade will fold up nicely and you just take hold of the folded blade and go hang it up. I did this with small blades for my 14" Taiwan band saw and also for the 1 1/4" blades for my portable band saw mill. Works like a charm. In years of work I never had a blade cut or scratch me. I could take a blade off the saw and fold it while I was walking to the hook to hang it on. Try it, you will like it.

[Jeff Wright]

This might help...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7075428382230489484

Bill . . . that video is one of the best I have viewed. I'll give it another try next year (tomorrow), but only after I make certain I am not wearing shorts. I've already chewed up my shins with the blades razor sharp teeth tonite!

[David Kauffman]

I start like the guy in that video, loop out in front of me, teeth facing away from me, but then I simply put one foot on the blade holding it to the floor and twist a full 360 as I push down. That automatically makes the three loops and it's done. I do it in 2 180 degree twists with my wrist. The first 180 makes the first loop, the second 180 makes the second and third. Seems a little easier than making all three loops at once as the guy in the video does, but then I've never tried it like he does, so just don't know.

[Philip Duffy]

Please note that the guy in the viedo is not wearing gloves. That is Confidence, and foolish. I am a stepper, like David, and proud to say it works every time. Phil

[Alfred Clem]

First, take your bandsaw blade in your left hand (wear leather gloves!) palm up with the teeth facing away from you. Lower the blade and place the lower portion of the blade under your left shoe while you hold the top of the blade in your hand with the palm facing away from you. Twist the blade as you lower it. The blade will coil itself as you lower it. Tie it with twist ties or a short piece of wire. When you reverse this proces -- remove the ties while you still hold the coiled blade -- toss the blade to the floor. It will uncoil like a rattlesnake, but it won't bite you.

Al Clem
Sedona, AZ

[Neil Lamens]

Hey Jeff:


Here's a page with another video that somebody posted here previously.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/coilbsblde.html

[James Carmichael]

Dunno about 1" carbide, but the link earlier works for up to 3/4" x 105 carbon steel blades

Hold the blade in one hand, foot in the bottom of the loop, and twist while moving the hand towards the floor. The blade naturally folds into three coils and doesn't even need a tie to hold it. Glove are probably a good idea (especially with carbide), but I've never used them.

The part where I'm dangerous is the uncoiling.

[Jeff Wright]

Hey Jeff:


Here's a page with another video that somebody posted here previously.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/coilbsblde.html

Neil . . . I finally got it! This video did the trick for me. Thanks!

[Ted Christiansen]

I haven't tried coiling bandsaw blades, I just hang them on the wall as is.

To uncoil, I toss it in the grass or on the carpet downstairs (with enough space around the blade), and it uncoils itself.

Ted

[Dan Lee]

I use the method referenced in the Wood link.
When I get new blades from Iturra they are folded into 5 coils how do they do that? :confused: