How to fix a broken and dull bandsaw blade

Have you ever had your bandsaw’s blade broken and you just run out of blades? Well this is a quick fix, to let you continue your work, until you get a new blade.

We are gonna need some silver solder, flux, a propane torch, a rotary tool and a broken bandsaw blade.

First of all I clamp the blade on the bench and use the rotary tool with a sanding drum bit to clean the joint.

I will but joint the two broken edges, so I use my rotary tool to shape them in a wedge type shape.

Next I clamp the blade on a brick ( heat resistant surface ). I add the flux and I heat the blade at red hot temperature as evenly as I can. Then I add the solder. The heat and the flux should lead the solder to it’s position.

I then let the blade cool down on it’s own.

Next I use the rotary tool again to clean the joint.

I then place the blade on the bandsaw for the sharpening process.

I add a cutting disc on my rotary tool. I add a starting point on the blade. I just touch the back side of each tooth with the rotary tool. When I reach back to the starting point I am done.

And it works just fine! 

I hope you found this one useful!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, that at no cost to you, I get a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

DIY wooden slingshot

I had a piece of hardwood, a bicycle tire tube and a piece of leather and I decided to make a slingshot and ammo for it.

First of all I cut a wooden block to size using my table saw. For the cross cuts I used my sled.

I designed the vector template of my slingshot in illustrator.

I used spray adhesive to glue the template on the sides of my block.

I made the vertical cuts on my bandsaw. I added  few drops of hot glue to keep the pieces in place and then cut the rest of the piece on my bandsaw.

Using several sanding blocks, my drill press sanding jig and my rotary tool, I cleaned the piece from the saw marks and burns.

I cut 3 stripes of rubber from a bicycle tire tube. I cut two slots on the slingshot’s body for the rubber. I secured the rubber in place with zip ties. 

I made the nest for the ammo using a piece of leather. I passed the rubber through it and added a few more zip ties.

I finished the piece, with a few coats of teak oil. 

I took a square piece of the same hardwood and kind of removed material from the corners, using my bandsaw.

I secured the piece on my DIY drill lathe. After rounding the piece. I used the skew chisel to make 6 balls. Those wooden balls would be my ammo.

I cut the balls on my bandsaw and gave them a rough sanding.

My slingshot is ready and I tested it on Scrapy!

You can download a free vector template of my slingshot here.

How to make a saw, using a broken bandsaw blade

For this project I used a few scrap spruce pieces I had on the shop. 

Using my miter box I cut two pieces around the same size. 

I glued those pieces temporarily, using double sided tape.

Using a ruler and a compass, I designed the arms of my saw. You can cut those with a fret saw but I cut them on my bandsaw.

Using a hand plane and sand paper I cleared the saw marks. I also drilled a few holes on my drill press.

I followed similar procedures to make the main cleat that unites the two arms.

All the saw pieces are joined with screws, washers and butterfly nuts. 

I then trimmed a broken bandsaw blade to size using my wire cutter. I heated up the blade to reduce it’s hardness and drilled holes on it’s sides, using my drill press.

I used my bandsaw to make the slots for the blade to sit in.  I also used my bandsaw to make a little stop block so that one arm won’t move. I attached that block, using screws. I also made pilot holes to prevent the wood from splitting.

I added the blade using screws as shafts.

For the blade’s tightening mechanism, I added a paracord kind of string which through rotation tightens the blade. This is the same technique we find on bucksaws and frame saws. 

I also used a scrap wood piece to act as the string’s stopper. 

Once my blade is tight I can start sawing!

How to make a plywood piggy bank

I designed this piggy bank and used several layers of 8mm birch plywood to make it.

First of all I glued four pieces of plywood together. I then glued the inner template of my design on the pieces, using spray adhesive.

I cut the inner piece on my bandsaw. To remove the template I used WD40 rust remover.

In order for the bandsaw to cut the inner shape, I had to make a cut on the external side of it. When I finished cutting, I glued that cut, using glue and a clamp.

After that, I glued two 8mm plywood pieces together, using double sided tape. I glued the front and back template and cut the front and the back at the same time on the bandsaw. I also cut the ears and the nose of my piggy.

I glued the front piece first. 

The back piece is screwed in place, so I can remove it to open the piggy bank when necessary. To do that I pre drilled a few holes with my drill and counter sinked them on my drill press.

To make the slot, I drilled a few holes and then cleaned them up with a chisel and sandpaper.

I sanded my pieces, using several scrap wood pieces as sanding blocks, in order to sand all the different areas of the piggy.

On my drill press I made a few holes to act as eyes and nose holes.

I glued the nose and the ears in place.

I did a final sanding.

I finished the piece with two coats of latex paint, while sanding with 240 grit sand paper, between coats.

My piggy was ready.

You can download a free vector template of my piggy bank, here.

Vintage drill powered bandsaw

My friend Sotiris gave me this old bandsaw that gets it's power from a regular drill.

I am trying to restore it. It needs a little greasing, a new blade and a safety cap for the top part.

Apart from that it has a tilting table and a tension screw for the blade.

You add a nut bolt in the special place then you secure the drill in place and lock the screw on the chuck.

I hope I'll give it a try as soon as I make it usable and safe.