[TheForge] Re: Vise squad

[Ralph Sproul]

Hi Mike,  Once again I'm impressed with the progress as you've gone from a
chevy cavelier friction wheel to a line shaft and flat belt
drives............      You must be a master tinkerer as I can barely keep
everything going that run off direct electric motor drives at my place!  Is
your whole place run off a line shaft? 0r was the band saw that vintage - so
you were test firing her for blade testing?

I've had very limited success when welding blades together myself on the
"Blade Welder" that came with an old Walker Turner band saw I have.  I've
ground the edges square and flat for a resistance butt weld - then hit the
power button to anneal like Bzzzzzzzzzt,  Bzzzzzzt, Bzzzzt,  Bzzt, Bzt.
Letting the red go out further on the blade less and less each time.  I
found on that whole role of blade stock that I bought that I did give it an
honest effort - but found my success rate just didnt' merit buying a second
roll and have bought factory "premade's" since then on.

My question to you on the brazed blade repairs is the slight bevel your
mentioning is square to the blade? or did you bevel them like you'd weld a
truck frame and angle that slight bevel with the length of the blade to get
more surface area for the braze?

I'm guessing this was a but weld with the butt being square but slightly
beveled in the vertical height of the blade not the length.

I think this is one of those if I saw it we wouldn't be writting so much -
but such is keyboard show and tell.

I did feel mastering the blade welding thing to be economicly better than
buying premade ones - but I got frustrated with my success rate and the time
I was taking to prove to myself I could do it.  I do know how to braze, and
there is a little bit of that blade stock left on the roll, so I'd give
myself a second chance if you feel this works well.  I think open flame
brazing at less than half the temperature on high carbon or bimetal blade
stock would take away that electric annealing process that I could never get
consistent with.  Some would last months, others wouldn't make the first
turn.  :-(

The jig I'm guessing is just a way to hold the blade flat and straight while
brazing? are you leaving the center open for flow? or is it tight to a
ceramic surface or something so it won't stick?

The ability to take a blade that someone using your saw and breaking a tooth
cuz they dropped the head to fast or cut too close to a torch cut would be
great to cut out the broken tooth section of a $50 blade and rebraze it for
some continued use........instead of tossing it begrudgingly into the
trash - or in my case.......putting it on that pin sticking from the wall
where there are five "repairable" blades for when I'm real bored and want to
try my hand at electric annealing - or Mike gives me the true secret to
success in brazing blades.   :-)

Ralph

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Spencer" <mspencer at tallships.ca>
To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 12:24 AM
Subject: [TheForge] Re: Vise squad


>
> > I almost hate to admit this, but I was standing there one day with
> > four of these really thick 0 rings...
>
> Good yarn, Ralph.
>
> > I think this qualified for one of those rare and treasured moments
> > in the shop when ignorance turns to bliss...
>
> Yes.
>
> BTW, some time ago -- I forget how long -- I asked advice about
> brazing bandsaw blades.  After several failed experiments, I went with
> my "ordinary" brazing rod, a jig and a slightly beveled joint,
> i.e. just a little overlap.  And tehre it sat for months.
>
> Yesterday I finally dragged the saw over to where a flatbelt would
> reach from the lineshaft and fired it up.  Works like a charm.  Blade
> didn't go !SPUNG!.  Home-made clutch arrangement needed one mod to
> keep the belt on.
>
> Horrible location, blocking the walk-way and no room for a long
> workpiece but it's proof of concept.
>
> - Mike
>
> --
> Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~.
>                                  (902) 543-8375            /V\
> mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
> http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>