A bandsaw is a powerful piece of equipment, and one of the most unique aspects about it is its blade.
Bandsaw blades are long and circular, as they are one continuous piece of metal. However, when you need to store the blade, finding room for it somewhere safe and out of the way can be challenging.
So how exactly do you store a bandsaw blade? You fold it! Better yet, folding a bandsaw blade is simpler than you may think.
In this article, you’ll learn how to safely fold a bandsaw blade in just a few easy steps so that you can keep it somewhere secure until you need it again.
How to Fold a Bandsaw Blade
Folding a bandsaw blade is important for both storage and safety reasons. You want to ensure that your blade is easy to store, but you also want to keep it out of the way of others.
There are a few different ways to fold a bandsaw blade, and everyone has their favorite way. The main thing to know is that the process isn’t as intimidating as it seems.
Folding a bandsaw blade is easier than you may think. In fact, this simple method produces a folded blade in three easy steps. The steps are as follows:
- Put on your safety gear.
- Get the blade in position.
- Twist the blade into a circle.
Read below for more detail on each step of the process.
1. Protect Your Skin
The most crucial step to complete before attempting to fold your bandsaw blade is to protect your hands and the rest of your body adequately. You should never try to handle a bandsaw blade with your bare hands, or else you risk seriously injuring yourself.
The key is to cover as much of your skin as possible while folding the blade, but the most important part to cover is your hands. After all, you’re playing with a blade! The gloves you choose should be thick safety gloves.
Beyond that, you should wear a long sleeve shirt and pants to ensure as much of your body is covered as possible. If you want to take extra precautions, wear safety gear such as a safety jacket for additional protection.
2. Grab the Blade and Get Into Position
Now that your safety equipment is on, it’s time to fold your bandsaw blade.
To start folding a bandsaw blade, hold it with one hand, keeping the sharp blade edge towards yourself, and set it upright in a vertical position on the ground. Put one foot down on the blade to hold it, and cup the top of the blade with your hand.
3. Twist the Blade
Once you’re in position, you’re ready to fold the blade.
This is going to be one seamless motion. With the hand holding the blade, twist inward and push down. As you push down, the blade should fold into a circle. From there, grab both sides of the folded circle with your hands.
Finally, it’s important to remember to secure your sharp blade with a twist tie to ensure that it stays folded and prevents injury from it springing up again.
In theory, you should be able to do all these steps using just one hand. However, for some people, this could be daunting at first. It’s a good idea to use both hands when first learning how to hold a bandsaw blade to have the most control possible over the blade.
Wondering how to unfold your bandsaw blade to get ready to use again? Let’s walk through those steps.
How to Unfold a Bandsaw Blade
Unfolding a bandsaw blade is just as easy as folding it, if not easier. Here are the three easy steps to unfolding your bandsaw blade.
- Your blade should be folded in three parts. While wearing your safety gloves, remove the twist tie, take the folded blade, and separate it in two hands. You should have two blade parts in one hand and one in the other that resembles a figure eight.
- Grab the middle loop with the hand holding only one part, and carefully let go with the hand holding two parts. You should be left with the blade looking like a figure eight in one hand.
- Grab the middle of the figure eight with both hands, and slowly pull the two parts of the blade apart. Your blade should now be fully unfolded and ready to be put in your bandsaw.
Folding your bandsaw blade is one thing, but where do you store it once it’s folded?
Where to Store Your Folded Bandsaw Blade
Although your bandsaw blade is folded, it still poses a dangerous risk of injury. It’s essential to find somewhere safe and secure to store it.
Hanging your folded saw blade on a hook that’s out of reach is the safest way to store it. This is the perfect place to store your blade. They’re light enough not to exhaust your ceiling and are still somewhere safe and out of reach.
You may also want to hang your saw blade from the wall of your shed – as long as it is truly out of reach, especially from children and pets.
Conclusion: Fold It and Forget About It!
Bandsaw blades are extremely convenient, and they’re easier to store than they may seem. Hopefully, you know not only how to fold a bandsaw blade but how to safely unfold and store it as well.
At Ecenrode Welding Supply, we have everything you need to fold your bandsaw blade safely. From a wide range of gloves to face shields and other safety gear, Ecenrode Welding Supply is your one-stop shop for everything welding related.
Check out our products to see what we can offer.