Shopsmith Forums

Silver 'Soldering' is a brazing process similar to gas welding, but at a slightly lower temperature and uses a 'solder' that is does not contain the yellow brass/bronze... that is used in gas welding. Hence the name(it is 'silver colored).

The 'soldering' procedure using for sweating copper plumbing was historically a tin/lead alloy that melts at a much lower temperature and is similar to the solder used in electronics, the major difference being the flux used either as a core in the solder or applied with a brush. "Modern" plumbing solder is lead free, but melts at a somewhat higher temperature.

Jewelers use a solder with a different composition since tarnished lead is not very attractive. I do not know if it actually contains 'silver'.

FWIW brazing usually involves heating the object being 'brazed' to 'red hot' temperatures. Both soldering and brazing require the use of flux to coat the object to prevent oxide forming at the elevated temperatures.

I've done a fair amount of solidering, but somehow making my own bandsaw blades isn't my idea of a good time. Something about the thought of a failure at a bunch of RPM isn't worth the chance. Just sayin...

beeg wrote:Here I thought they were welded together.

Me too I would not think that simple silver soldering would be string enough but I guess it is as Dubnik says he has done it successfully.

Silver soldering does work and Woodcraft sells the kit for making or repairing your blades, I have done it when I had smaller table top Bandsaws but I have not tried it since I got my SS bandsaw. I learned how to do this a long time ago from a friends dad that had a woodworking shop for a living. He made and fixed all of his own bandsaw blades. I still prefer and factory welded blade.

Fine Woodworking magazine has an article about soldering bandsaw blades. You can view the article hereif you are a member of their online community. There is also a 14-day free home trial of their online membership.

The article also has the plans to make a fixture to hold the blade while soldering.....similar to the commercial jig tdubnik referred to. And, there is information on how to make a jig to sharpen bandsaw blades on a grinder.

I have seen a similar article within the last year of so in one of the woodworking magazines that I get.....just can't remember which one or when.

I did a google search on the subject and came up with the following which may be useful for someone contemplating repairing a band saw blade or making one up from coiled stock. I have a number of blades around that don't fit anything I own, so perhaps this is something I'll attempt.

On this page you'll find a PDF tutorial on soldering a band saw blade --
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=977831

Another -- http://homemetalshopclub.org/news/dec03/dec03.html

Here's a video on making your own jig for holding the blade while soldering -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PICf6iJnSuk