Storing Bandsaw Blades

[John K Jordan]

To safely uncoil blades I usually go outside, stand on the grass, and just throw them away from me into the air. They uncoil before they land in the grass.
John

I'll have to try to try your method. But on first reading it sounds more complicated that what I do.

I coil most blades inside but use the "throw on the grass" method to uncoil the big bands for my Woodmizer. Those are wicked, less than 1 tpi, thick, wide, very strong spring, could sever an artery. If it's raining I throw them in the grass anyway. Getting them wet hurts nothing - my mill is outside and the blades get wet anyway.

They make a wonderfully distinctive sound when uncoiling in the air! Would make an interesting audio recording. Throwing one in the vicinity of cat might be interesting. I'm not brave enough to uncoil one near one of the horses.

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

I find doing a three loop coil to be relatively easy, but a four loop coil is less than fun. But regardless...WEAR GLOVES!! And long pants... LOL

[Ken Krawford]

Thanks everyone for all the posts. Seems it's pretty much unanimous - leave the blade coiled.

[John TenEyck]

I've taught it many times, but in person and in a message or two. Sorry I don't have good pictures. Coiling with 3 loops takes about 4 seconds once you know how. It's all in the wrist. I don't even wear gloves for the 1/2" 3tpi blades.

Here's a picture one where I've coiled three loops, expanded one loop in preparation for holding the three on the floor with one foot to coil with 5 loops shown in the second photo. The third picture is one coiled with 7 loops (just to see if I can do it). 7 loops is never necessary it's mostly for showing off.

Attachment 495213 Attachment 495214 Attachment 495215

I can coil three loops in the air but it's easier to hold the blade vertically with the bottom of the band against the floor, step on it with one foot, grab the band on the sides with both hands, and bend so the top of the loop moves towards me while bringing both hands together and crossing. Like my piano teacher always said, "everything's easy once you know how."

For me the challenging blades are for the Woodmizer sawmill - long, wide, thick steel, wicked teeth. My bandsaw blade-making guy can coil these in the air with no effort. I have to think about it and take my time so I don't get hurt. Wear heavy jeans, leather gloves and eye protection!

If I can find the time I could probably make a series of photos that the procedure.

JKJ

I don't even attempt to coil up my sawmill blades. I just hang them on a wall in the shed until needed. Even if I travel with the mill, I put them in my Subaru uncoiled, taped in the middle. They don't even come coiled from Woodmiser. They pinch them in the middle with a U shaped piece of metal and then bend the ends towards each other to get them into a box.

I wonder how they ship those monster bandsaw blades used in sawmills?


John

[John K Jordan]

…. They don't even come coiled from Woodmiser. They pinch them in the middle with a U shaped piece of metal and then bend the ends towards each other to get them into a box.

I wonder how they ship those monster bandsaw blades used in sawmills?


John

Hmmm. I haven’t seen that method. My Woodmizer blades are shipped differently. Every one I’ve ever bought from them came coiled into 3 loops held together with two pieces of twisted soft iron wire. They come stacked in a square box separated by layers of cardboard. I still have a few new blades coiled like this in the bottom of my last box. (I think I bought about 10 at a time) Maybe they’ve changed recently or maybe different Woodmizer distributors package them differently. Or perhaps some sizes are shipped differently - my saw is a 2003 LT15.

When the local Lenox shop makes blades for my sawmill they also coil them the same way (and secure them the same way with iron wire.)

I once saw one of those monster bandmill blades transported on the interstate. Looked like it was folded in a bunch of loops. One blade strapped to a flat bed truck. I can’t imagine handling the thing without some equipment or mounting one without a crane. I’d like to watch them change one at the huge local commercial sawmill. (it’s fascinating to watch the whole operation in action

JKJ

[Zachary Hoyt]

I found it hard at first to figure out how to coil bandsaw blades but once we got a sawmill I had to learn, and got so I could coil and uncoil in my hands. It was safer with gloves, but not impossible without. We had 12' long 1-1/4" blades with 7/8" tooth spacing. If I bought a box of 10 blades they came bent in a u with a clip but if I bought 5 or fewer they were coiled. 1/2" and smaller bandsaw blades take so much less force to coil that I never wear gloves for that anymore. I bought 10 TimberWolf 133x1/2 3 TPI blades a couple or three years ago and still have some left that have been coiled in the box the whole time.

[Tom M King]

Here's the method I use, but didn't know anyone had made a video. I put the blade on a scrap of wood instead of concrete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nIjGLJ5sbo&t=5s

To uncoil, pull one loop away a little bit, and hold the other two where they cross. Let the single loop drop, and it's easy from there.

[John K Jordan]

I find doing a three loop coil to be relatively easy, but a four loop coil is less than fun. ...

Four loops? How is that possible? I can coil a 1/2" blade into 3, 5, and, just for show, 7 loops. I've never seen one coiled with an even number of loops. When I tried I always got a big twist that could not be nested with the other loops.

JKJ

[johnny means]

I fold mine by holding the blade like a steering wheel and twisting both wrists either inward or outward.

[Jim Becker]

Four loops? How is that possible? I can coil a 1/2" blade into 3, 5, and, just for show, 7 loops. I've never seen one coiled with an even number of loops. When I tried I always got a big twist that could not be nested with the other loops.

JKJ

I could swear I got a band or three with four loops, but perhaps I was mistaken. It was more than three, however, and made the band really compact for shipping.

[John K Jordan]

…. It was more than three, however, and made the band really compact for shipping.

I suspect it was 5 loops I didn’t take a picture of 3 loops but here
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....05#post3240005 I show 5 and 7 loops photographed against an 8-1/2x11” notebook.

These are 142” long 1/2” blades, it gets less reasonable to coil more than 3 loops with significantly wider blades!

[Jim Becker]

Yea, my bands would be 145" so similar situation.

[Edwin Santos]

Here's a video from WoodMizer that might be useful. It demonstrates good methods for unfolding and folding large blades with control and safety. Some folks here defer to the manufacturer so this one should be credible since it's coming from WoodMizer.
For people who don't have a lawn available or don't care to throw the blade to uncoil it.
Kinda fun watching the dynamic of this old school veteran teaching a millennial how it's done. I was not familiar with the walk-towards-it folding method. It would be very good for a long blade.