Hammering

[toquin]

Need address of someone that Hammers blades Mid Mich

[Jeff]

Welcome toquin!

I take it you used to use Lavafe's in saginaw? Have not used the new guy yet but I have been told he is good.

Michigan Knife and Saw
Mike Naser
989-687-9316
Sanford Michigan

Tell Him www.timberbuyer.net sent you!

[Gordon]

This is a question from someone who uses little saws of the chainsaw type and if you have to hammer on a little saw it's best to put it back in the truck.  

What is the purpose for hammering on a large saw blade?

Gordon

[Jeff]

Maybe we should go back to wood science! A circular sawblade is much more then simply a large round, sharp plate of steel. If that were so, the saw would wave, and wander, and take the path of least resistance as it cut through the wood.

The saw is actually dish shaped. This is achieved by hammering the saw. Actually hitting it in strategic places, pushing the metal and putting the dish shape in the saw.

Another word for hammering, would be tensioning. The saw is tensioned so that it will open up out of it's dished state and run straight and true at a certain RPM. The faster the saw turns, the more tension it requires.

A saw also achieves tension by the tooth holders, and sawteeth. The teeth fit in very tight, actually making the outside perimeter of the saw longer, also giving dish to the saw.

All these forces must be right for the saw to run, and saw true. (among many others). If the saw gets hot from friction, it will change these properties and cause the saw to wave about wildly. I have seen a very hot saw wave at the top at least 6 inches. Usually when a saw gets hot like that, it will need to be re-hammered because the metal actually changes, and you can loose the tention required to run.
Have you ever fried a piece of baloney?

[Gordon]

A very hot blade can wave 6" at the top----I think that bullet proof glass would be a nice feature to any saw booth. I think I'll stick with what I know the small saws.

How often do you need to have the blade done?

Thanks for the info.
Gordon

[Kevin]

Jeff;
Send that puppy up here, I`m pretty handy with a hammer.

[toquin]

Thanks Jeff, Do you know if there is a Mill around Morley (N. of G. Rapids) that works on blades ?

[Jeff]

This is the only other one we have dealt with, and that was years ago.

 Michigan Saw & Tool CO
3053 West Pasadena Avenue, Flint, MI 48504
(810) 235-9133
(810) 239-5703
(810) 235-4622 (fax)  

Lafave's in Saginaw was THEE place for saws. They closed this year due to the owner retiring. They worked on saws from hundreds of miles away.

You might try calling one of the mills in your area and asking who they use. One of The Networks members is Buskirk, but I am pretty sure they are a band Mill

[Ron Wenrich]

Gordon:

How often you need to have a saw hammered will depend on how much crap you hit inside of logs, and how often and how hot you get the saw.

Heat can be caused by several reasons.  Running a dull saw, insufficient lead are a couple.  I usually get a small sliver of wood that gets stuck between the saw and the offbearer.  A lot of heat in a short amount of time.

Hitting nails will almost always damage your teeth.  But, it actually springs the saw in the opposite direction.  Its only momentary, but, do it enough and you can loose your tension.

Feeding too fast can cause a saw to bend off line.  That will shorten the amount of time between hammerings.

I saw one mill where they used to throw water onto a hot saw.  The saw got hot because they didn't know how to sharpen a saw (swage every time, file every other time???).  This is really bad for a saw.

Every time you change shanks, a saw should be hammered.  I get mine done about once a year, right before winter sets in.  I saw a lot of oak and ash, which erodes the shanks pretty quick.  Softer woods wouldn't have as much effect.

[Gordon]

Thanks for the info so it boils down to skill of running the saw, with alittle luck figured in as well.

Sounds like hammering is becoming a lost art? Or just such a small demand only afew people do it well.

Gordon

[Jeff]

I believe it is becoming a lost art. Mostly due to the advent of the bandsaw. It's something I wish I could have had a chance to learn.

[Jeff Lesak]

Send your blade to me, if you still need the work done. See sawdoc.com for info.