# bandsaw blade sharpener



## PJwood (Jul 9, 2008)

I have seen several very clever home made band saw mill blade sharpener. Has anyone posted or made plans for one? I would much appreciate!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

It sure seems like someone would have invented such a thing. Then again, with new blades less than twenty dollars, it's pretty easy to just replace the blade.

Carbide blades are easier to find now. I used to think they were overpriced, until I watched a video of how they are made. Wow, there are a lot of steps to make a carbide bandsaw blade.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Just for reference, I've used the method a fellow suggested on UTube. All he did was hit the top to make the hook sharp again. I tried it and a blade destined for the trash turned into a keeper, over and again.

I found doing this on a blade that was starting to drift in six inch sycamore also came back to life.

A jig to repeat the same grind on every tooth would make used blades into pure band saw gold.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I Wonder if the HF chain saw sharpener would work for this? I got one for my chain saw, and it works pretty well. The grinding wheel is only about 1/8" thick, and a bit rounded. There is lots of adjustability for bevel and hook angle. You'd probably have to work out a blade holder, but that shouldn't be hard to improvise.

I wouldn't bother trying to sharpen a blade with more than maybe 4 tpi, as that would give you a lot of teeth to sharpen.

I did try once sharpening a blade by hand, but it was tedious and didn't turn out that well. That was many years (decades) ago. Back then I usually sharpened my circular blades by hand, without a jig, and they turned out okay. Those were not carbide, of course.


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## PJwood (Jul 9, 2008)

I did not express myself well, what i meant was bandsaw mill blades, not just band saw blades. The band saw blades are easy to sharpen, i use a dremel tool clone with a cut off wheel. Tedious but it adds life.

The band saw mill blades are a lot tougher and getting the tooth and gullet right is harder. There is an ideal setup here:






but no plans. With plans and a CNC it would seem quite feasible.

Yes I also love the HF chainsaw sharpener, very easy to use and excellent results.

So anyone can make the plans for the gizmo in that YouTube ?

Pretty pleeeaaaseee ?


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## MerylL (Aug 24, 2014)

Interested in seeing followups.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I looked at several examples on U Tube, and some were sharpening the back of the tooth, not the face. That seems wrong to me, as it did to some commenters. But I did see one guy using a modified HF chain saw sharpener, the same one I talked about in an early post.

I've got to give that a try.


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## MerylL (Aug 24, 2014)

Isn't "back of the tooth" required to ensure you do not change the shape of the tooth? Same as with router bits? (I'm asking… I sure don't know!)


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

As for router bits, I only hone on the face of the carbide. In fact, I don't see how you can sharpen the "back" of a router bit.

No matter how you do it, you will be shortening the teeth on the BS blade. The linked video of the automatic sharpener shows the main grinding being done to the leading face of the tooth. It does dip into the gullet to start the next tooth, and thereby keeps the gullet at the same depth. It's a nice design, and looks very efficient.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Sharpening bandsaw blades by Matthias Wandel (woodgears.ca) for those of us who just have a dremel tool 

Cheers,
Brad


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

John Heisz made a prototype for an automatic sharpening jig for his bandsaw but it only sharpens the top of the tooth not the gullet. Norwood Blademate Pro Sharpener is an automatic sharpener that you can buy (~$1200) that grinds the top and gullet. You can see a demo on Youtube here. If you look at how complicated it is, you can see why you probably haven't seen anyone make a DIY version.

EDIT: Here is the John Heisz (corrected spelling) video for the prototype.


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## PJwood (Jul 9, 2008)

Yes, Mathias is again for band saw blades. These are ready but tedious to do.
I have seen the commercial band saw mill blade sharpener by yet are a little pricey! That is why the system designed on the YouTube above is so great. It does the leading edge, and the gullet and maintains the site of the tooth!


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

You could try contacting the guys how made DIY version directly through YouTube to see if they have plans that they would sell you. The part that seems difficult to figure out (Ha! like there is only one) is the cam that makes the grinder follow the gullet up to the top of the next tooth and then plunge back down on the face.


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## MerylL (Aug 24, 2014)

> As for router bits, I only hone on the face of the carbide. In fact, I don't see how you can sharpen the "back" of a router bit.


OPE! Sorry - As noted above by RunsWith - My mind's eye was (obviously) a bit clouded last evening. In the l ight of day, I'm not sure why I was 180-deg off. Thanks for the correction… it is only by cleaning up the face that you can be assured of not changing the shape. (I was sipping only tea!)


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