[TheForge] Bandsaw blade joint (Was: Odd Vise)

[Peter Fels And Phoebe Palmer]

Mike Spencer wrote:

>me> Just failed to close a 1-1/2" (wood-cutting) bandsaw blade with
>me> Silfos, failed again with US silver coin metal (1964 I think).
>me> Both snapped when bent a little.  Succeeded with my ordinary
>me> everyday green-coated brazing rod.
>
>PF> I grind long opposing tapers on the blade as joint prep..seems
>PF> to help a lot.
>
>I would think so.  So how do you do that?  By eye?  With an angle
>grinder?  Bench grinder?  Fixture of some kind?  I found it very hard
>to get a good match on a long taper.  Finally ground and filed the
>ends square, then made a very short bevel about (eyeball) 30-45 deg,
>giving a very slight overlap.
>  
>
Yes, using a bench grinder or belt sander. I take the ends, flip one so 
they match and grind them both at once so they're close to the same.

>PF> Also clamping the sides firmly in place so it doesn't shift as the 
>PF> solder reaches solidus and cools is  important
>
>Did that.  Made a jig from angle iron and other bits, Vise Grips.  Got
>it nice and straight.
>
>You say "solder".  What, exactly, do you use?  
>  
>
Silver solder that i've hoarded forever. Ought to be available at any 
jewelry supply like Rio Grande.
Try
http://www.jewelrysupply.com/
http://www.riogrande.com/
Silflos ought to work too though.
With the long bevel and close fit up there's a lot of surface area and 
strength of solder isn't as important. The solder joint is thin so 
flexability is less of an issue..

>I had some left-over ends of "silver solder" given to me by an old
>geezer 40 years ago that eventually got used up.  Never knew exactly
>what they were but they worked great on hard-to-join little jobs.  Now
>they're all used up and my supplier offers "Silfos" (sp?  Silfloss?)
>which is super strong but brittle. Also seems to have a pretty high MP
>compared to ordinary brazing rod.  Apparently HVAC guys like it for
>joining refrigerant tubing and the like.  Melted coin silver is also
>brittle.  Jewelry friends have "silver solder" meant to match the
>color of sterling plate and wire.  Would it be too high in silver, too
>weak for saw blades and the like?
>
>[End YAK]
>
>- Mike
>
>  
>