We have taken a few pictures of some spiral bits before and after service using a Macro lens on a digital camera. It is clear in most of the “before” photos what a dull tool looks like. It’s the dull grey rounded edge. The comparison is the nice sharp edge after service.

Some tools also show chipping or a wear line, these wear lines are usually caused by routing a hard laminate on the sheet goods. The more wear on a tool or the bigger the chips the more material needs to be removed to sharpen the tool.

Sharp tools dull at an even rate. You may get 100 sheets from a spiral router bit before its dull. Dull tools get more dull exponentially. You may only get 2 sheets from a dull tool before it breaks or just won’t cut any longer.

The idea for maximum tool life is to remove your tools at the point that they are worn. This will allow for the most sharpenings and reduce your cost per cut ratio over the life of the tool.

Next post we’ll discuss how to tell when to change your cutting tool

• We’ve had a number of new flyers take off with our sales team (Dowel Drills, Ripper 37, Extended Plus II) – all of which are available for download here or you can request a printed copy via info@bcsaw.com.

• A new bandsaw has come into stock (Ripper 37), the main feature of which is 37% longer life (hence the name). The band itself is coming out of England, with the welding being done here on site. Pricing can be obtained from the order desk, our usual quantity discounts will apply. Also, if you’ve been running these blades, we’d love to hear your feedback, also send to info@bcsaw.com.

• Our blowout specials section has launched on the website, it can be found here – so far the response has been positive, both items sold out in less than a week! Twitter is always the first place to find the announcement of the latest item, with out mailing list being second. The next item will be posted this coming Wednesday, and it’s a good one!

• Our spring service work is in full swing, and we’ve posted a price list for the sharpening of common yard tools online this year: here
  

Last, but not least, though I share this link for purely selfish reasons (we were kindly recommended in it), the site itself is actually pretty neat and they have a very lively forum along with video’s and a radio show: WoodTalk Online

Hope all is well with everyone out there – happy spring!

Sarah

It does not matter what kind of tool it is, or what you are cutting/machining – all tools will get dull and stop working effectively and efficiently. There are telltale signs – which are actually quite obvious – like burning, off-square cuts, or even sound changes. But I have found that with some operators, and in spite of these signs, they just push the tool harder to get the job finished despite the obvious fact that the tool is dull.

Being in the tool business I obviously like to sell new tools, but when I see that the tool could have had many more lives in production (and the tool life was cut short by some form of what I will politely call abuse) then I wish I could encourage a better tool management program. I am not just focusing in on the “weekend warriors” or the production shops but anyone who uses a tool. Even a lawn mower blade does a better job when it is sharp. Lawn experts will tell you that when grass is cut with a sharp blade then the lawn prospers. A dull blade tears off the grass and leaves behind a ragged edge – a version of this same principle applies to solid wood.

Back to cutting tools.

I have always said that, in spite of the fact that we are in the sharpening business, sharpening is the cheapest maintenance you can perform on any tool and it pays off in spades because of maintained cutting efficiency. I have a small bandsaw in my workshop and when I was cutting some premium mahogany I noticed that my fence side cuts were running all over the place and it was costing me valuable wood. I checked everything on the machine and considered new guides. The last thing I checked was the blade – yes sometimes in spite of all my years something so simple even sneaks by me – turns out I had a dull blade on the machine! I changed the blade and the problem was solved.

Happy Cutting

Lets focus on the customers and suppliers, the other could take a long time…..

Sometimes customers want to talk, rap, shoot the $%^&, or just chat about their business. Usually a good time to learn about the health of their business, their current and future plans, and their general mindset. The odd customer would like to jump through the phone and do bodily harm to whomever he could get his hands on. In this instance listening is the only option…until he’s calmed down and we resolve his issue.

A number of customers I’ve know for a long time have become friends and the conversation takes a more personal tact. Frequently they’ll want to talk about home life, sports, kids milestones and the like. Occasionally I’ll get a call from a new or potential customer. This is where the art of listening is most important. They may ask “what do you do?”. They may mention they found us on the internet and are wondering if we . Now, I’ve been doing this a long time and I could ream off what we do, what we sell and for how much in my sleep (my wife says I sometimes do…) so sometimes I have to remember the advice…listen. Really listen. Ask a few questions…what are you cutting, what machine are you using, what are your cutting issues, then listen to the answers.

This happened last week. A potential customer phoned out of the blue. Used to deal with us when he worked for another company years ago (although he didn’t have direct contact with us there he remembered our name). Moved to a new company and was having some cutting problems in a couple areas. I asked a few questions, listened to the answers and offered some solutions. Near the end of the conversation, he made an off-hand remark about needing blades for his multi rip saw. Nothing complicated, just standard blades. I asked for the specifications of the blades, which he offered. Remembering the earlier conversation about what he machines, where his plant is located, and the time of year, I asked how many and what type of strobs were in the saw blade.

Silence.

His turn to ask the question, what are strobs?

Now it was his turn to listen while I explained what strobs are, their purpose, and their benefit. He ordered the blades, has increased the efficiency and productivity of his rip saw and we’ve signed up a new customer…..all because I remembered the advice I received a long time ago and listened to the customer.