Coiling blades

[Jerry]

It may sound stupid but what is the secret to coiling bands. I have tried every way I thought possible to do it the way woodmizer explains it but it never comes out right. Maybee I am missing something. Maybee someone can explain it a little better to me . Thanks all for any help you can give me.

[Tom]

Man!  Have I got a surprise for you.

There are posts with verbiage explaining it and still pictures and even videos.  I'll go see if I can find some that I made and I'll put in some from others too, if I find them. 
Turn the coiled blade such that the teeth face you.  Hold the coils with your right hand and drop a free coil with your left.

wrong loop has been pulled down.  It locks.

Right loop has been pulled down.  It is free.

Turn teeth toward you.  Grasp a leg of the "X" in each hand.

Open the band


Now to coil it back up.

This is the move that some sawyers orchestrate to "wow" their customers.  Violent whipping of the blade isn't necessary though.  Hook the teeth beneath your belt. A little bit of bouncing up and down with your hands might help to get the blade to "break" and begin it's coiling.  Lift the hands and roll them together.

  By rolling your hands together, your thumbs will point to one another and you will be creating an "X" in the band.

Hold the "X" in one hand and lift the free coil with the other.

And there you are back at the beginning again. 

Now!  Wasn't that easy?

Here is Dan Shade's Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btOSZNjWMyk

And some explaination on the Knowledgebase.

uncoiling

coiling

[moonhill]

I don't know how you do it without gloves.  With all the safety issues that is brought up in other related threads I am surprised that gloves are not used.  Put some gloves on and it will go much easier for the newbies and oldies.  This is one place where you don't have to man-up.

Tim

[customsawyer]

Tom I only started the hard flip of the blade when I went to 1 3/4" X .055 blade it is a bit stiff and you have to do a bit more than bounce it to get it started.

[Nomad]

I don't know how you do it without gloves.  With all the safety issues that is brought up in other related threads I am surprised that gloves are not used.  Put some gloves on and it will go much easier for the newbies and oldies.  This is one place where you don't have to man-up.

Tim

       Safety is always important!  Not a matter of "manning up;" if you feel more comfortable wearing gloves, do so.  Personally, I'd be more concerned about safety glasses.  Nice description of handling a blade, too, I might add.

[Dan_Shade]

Gloves?  what are those???

if you go to the youtube page, there is a bit of debate over the safety of my video.  I figure it's best for each person to make up their own mind about anything they do.  If you want to wear gloves, wear them.  

I never wear gloves.  the teeth are far enough apart to put your fingers in the gullets.  

coiled up bands are kind of like a ticked off cat!

Be careful out there.

[Jeff]

I hate gloves. I only wear them to stay clean or warm. If I am not worried about those two things, No gloves. They get in my way and that makes ME unsafe.

[jason.weir]

funny this topic comes up today - I had to look it up myself this afternoon as I could not for the life of me remember how.

In the past I had coiled them as Tom described but I found a way easier for me.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/skills/folding-bandsaw-blades-simple-as-one-two-three/

as for un-coiling them I still toss them into the grass and stand back...

-J

[nas]

I tell people that uncoiling bands is the most dangerous part of my job ;)

Nick

[Jerry]

I want to thank all of you for your help I knew there had to be an easy way to do it. Thanks again. I am retired and have a Woodmizer LT40 manual mill . I am cutting and sawing enough to build a cabin on the lake. Using pine for all the framing and have enough red cedar to bord and batten the whole cabin. I will try to do some pictures when I can if I can figure out how to post them. Thanks again.

[Radar67]

In the past I had coiled them as Tom described but I found a way easier for me.

I would think this method would be hard to do with a 13 foot plus band. Could you provide pictures or a video of coiling on that size with your foot and one hand?

[ohsoloco]

I would think this method would be hard to do with a 13 foot plus band. Could you provide pictures or a video of coiling on that size with your foot and one hand?

That's the method I use for my Norwood blades (12' long blades), 'cept I use two hands side by side.  Once you do it a couple times it's effortless. 

[jason.weir]

In the past I had coiled them as Tom described but I found a way easier for me.

I would think this method would be hard to do with a 13 foot plus band. Could you provide pictures or a video of coiling on that size with your foot and one hand?

Not sure about a 13' blade - I'm using a Turner mill with probably a 7'-8' blade - That's why I said easier for me - Tom's way seems great for longer more flexible blades..  Mine are short and stiff..

-J

[moonhill]

I fold and unfold my 13' bands similar to Toms method, I plan ahead so the teeth are pointing away from my shins when it is completely unfolded.  Even with gloves my fingers find the gullets as mentioned above.  For the most part I only fold it up if it is cracked, I sharpen my own and leave them unfolded, it is better for them I have heard. 

Tim

[ladylake]

I have 12'  6" blades, use my left foot and left hand, takes about 2 seconds  Steves

[bandmiller2]

You mean to unfold them you don't just throw them out on the lawn and run??Seriously the heavy bands I don't even try to coil,if I must compact them I copy woodmizer with the metal clip.Best way for learning is a big stiff old "V" belt, coil and uncoil then transfer to the ones with the teeth,they always get you. Frank C.

[Burlkraft]

I hate gloves. I only wear them to stay clean or warm. If I am not worried about those two things, No gloves. They get in my way and that makes ME unsafe.

We all know ya got anudder use fer gloves  ;D  ;D

My local WoodMizer guy sharpens blades and he does not want them coiled. I have to wishbone them for him.
I'd rather be coiling  :-\  :-\  :-\

[bull]

Woodmizer sells a flatbox of uncoiled blades 15 per box, only way to fly (buy)...... No more coiling blades for me since 2000........ I have enough scares !!!!!

And yes Bandmiller 2, the only way to uncoil blades is throw and run !!!!

[Todd]

My bandsaw takes 244"x1" blades, and the guy who makes them for me coils them double (6 loops). I asked him how to uncoil them, and he suggested cutting the strings and tossing them!! ;D  (i don't do that, but i'm pretty careful with them.  I still cannot figure out how to re-coil them like he does though)

[Tom]

As much trouble as people go to, to get an ultra sharp tooth tip, and as much money as manufacturers spend on advertising the sharpness of their band teeth, I can't believe that "throwing a band out into the yard" would be an approved way of opening it.  ???

[Dan_Shade]

I'd also like to know how to coil into the 6 hoops instead of three.  if anybody knows how to do that, give it up!

[Todd]

Roy (the guy that does my blades) showed me once, but the DanG smart-aleck did it in about 1.8 seconds and refused to show me again!! >:(

[Jeff]

What, does he figure its a trade secret?   

[Todd]

No, i reccon he just likes to annoy me sometimes! ;D   (don't tell him it's working)

[Banjo picker]

My bands are just over 17 ft. long...I used only Cooks SS when I first got my mill 1 1/2 inch bands that were .050.  I looked at all the pictures I could find and read all the post I found , and still could not coil a band....Then I bought some .043 bands and found that I had no problem getting them to coil back up....After getting the hang of it on the thinner bands the .050 's are not any trouble either.....Tim