Does anyone make their own bandsaw blades?, ? on making 3 phase converter

[Ron Selzer]

Picked up a couple of boxes of bandsaw blades, way cheap, 3 tooth x 1 inch and 2 tooth by 1 inch and now need to figure out how to make blades.
Looking for advice on how to do this or where to get it done at Columbus, Ohio area
Also picked up a new 3 hp 3phase motor to make a phase converter to run the 1 1/2 hp 3 phase motor on my band saw.
Looking for advice on what else is needed to do this.
Thanks
Ron

[Kevin Jenness]

There's an article in FWW # 40 on brazing bandsaw blades.

WNY http://www.wnysupply.com/index.html(and others) have pre packaged kits for running a 3-phase motor as a phase converter. You may want to run your three phase through a subpanel so you can power other machines.

[Richard Coers]

I picked up a simple silver soldering kit from Woodcraft about 20 years ago. I've made all my blades since then. I skive the joint on a disc sander and use a MAPP gas torch. I've done up to 3/4" blades and the result is excellent. I think better than welding as the heat soaks further into the blade and there is no brittleness at the seam. For 1 1/2hp 3 phase, I would buy a VFD instead of the convertor.

[Ron Selzer]

Thanks for the responses. like the deal at WNYsupply and plan on buying the 3hp panel

[Ron Selzer]

ordered a 3hp panel to go with my 3 hp motor for a 1 1/2 hp bandsaw
Ron

[Charles Lent]

If on a tight budget, you can make a 1-3 phase converter using an oversize motor larger by about 30% larger than the motor in the tool that you will be powering. It must be larger to account for the starting current of the motor in the tool. Actually, once the tool is running, additional smaller 3 phase motors can be started and used with this 3 phase power, since there is power to spare for additional smaller motors, once the converter and large tool are running. In your case the converting motor is 2X so more than large enough, but you need a way to get this motor spinning at about the rated running speed by some external means, because supplying only single phase to a 3 phase motor will cause it to just sit there and hum without turning. A belt and pulleys or a coupling to a smaller single phase motor is a cheap way to get this larger motor spinning to be able to get 3 phase from it. Then, after the 3 phase motor is up to speed, power to this small single phase starting motor can be switched off manually or through a time delay circuit. This small motor will then just coast and need no power, except for the brief starting period of the larger 3 phase converting motor. Other than attaching this "starting motor" you should never try to attach loads to the shaft of this 3 phase motor that's being used to "create" the third phase. It must spin at it's rated motor speed to work properly. Additional loading will create problems.

Phase conversion like this doesn't create good 3 phase power, but it does work and the motors being driven don't seem to care. You only need to remember to make certain that any control circuits in the 3 phase tool are being powered from the two original single phase source leads of the 3 phase motor that actually come from the single phase power input. The third "created" phase should only be used to feed the third phase for the motor in the tool.

Charley

[Bill Dufour]

I do not recommend the onboard blade welders in a woodshop. They can throw sparks. Regardless do the grinding outdoor away from sawdust.
B ill D