How to Make Custom Length Bandsaw Blades Without Welding

[TomG]

I've been silver soldering my bandsaw blades for quite a while now and finally got around to making a proper fixture to do it. Here's a little video on my technique.

Tom

[f350ca]

Another great video Tom, Thanks
Need to get one built and give it a go, the last 93 inch bimetal blade I bought for the horizontal saw was about 50 bucks.

[Micktoon]

Hi Tom , thanks for another really good video I have brazed bandsaw blades in the past when I have been stuck but just messed about with make shift bits of angle to line things up but this jig looks like the proper way to do it
Looks like my 'to do list' just got one item longer lol
Thanks again Mick

[Arbalest]

Very helpful Tom, thanks for that!

[TomG]

Thanks guys.

I used a makeshift fixture as well and it was always a pain to use, plus it never got the alignment quite right. This one does it well and does it quickly.

Greg: A a 100 foot roll of the hard carbon blade that I welded is only $80. That'll make 12 blades with some left over for an emergency splice.

Tom

[stevec]

I've done a few bimetal blades and made a jig based on the clamp arrangement on my "CRAPPY" car battery powered welder.
But I do it only when I need to do some "internal" cutting. I find that my bimetal blades last so long that their high cost is justified.

[TomG]

(01-21-2014, 08:06 AM)stevec Wrote: I've done a few bimetal blades and made a jig based on the clamp arrangement on my "CRAPPY" car battery powered welder.
But I do it only when I need to do some "internal" cutting. I find that my bimetal blades last so long that their high cost is justified.

The bi-metals do last. I have one that I use for straight cuts in steel. Unfortunately, they don't go around corners very well so I use standard hard carbon blades for everything else.

Tom

[chucketn]

Tom,
Thanks for another great video. Could 1/2" Aluminum be used for the fixture plate? I don't have any steel big enough in my scrap box. I would guess the cutout for the torch would have to be a bit bigger to keep from melting the aluminum.

Chuck

[TomG]

(01-21-2014, 03:29 PM)chucketn Wrote: Tom,
Thanks for another great video. Could 1/2" Aluminum be used for the fixture plate? I don't have any steel big enough in my scrap box. I would guess the cutout for the torch would have to be a bit bigger to keep from melting the aluminum.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck.

Aluminum will work fine, and keep the cutout on the narrow side for blade alignment. A little solder joint like that doesn't require near enough heat to melt 1/2" plate, even if you use oxy-acetylene. My original fixture was 1/4" aluminum with a 1/2" wide slot.

Tom

[awemawson]

Even though my band saw has a welder, I too many years ago made a clamp / jig thing to hold the blade ends whilst silver soldering.

However mine is a crude poor relation to yours Tom

Andrew