[Daren]

Has anyone done it, or I guess even heard of it? Would you do it if there was an outfit you could trust to do a good job/with fast turnaround ?

I know I used to mail off my bandsaw blades to get set/sharpened. I am talking carbide tipped circular saws, planer/jointer knives, forstner bits...general woodworking tools now.

My sister in law works for a huge pet clinic in Florida, they used to mail their clipper blades all the way to California until they found a good local man.

I am just noodling this (taking mail in myself, if I could even get it that is). I know shipping could be cost prohibitive for ones and 2's, the guy I used to send my mill bands to had a 10 blade minimum. With gas at $3.50 and the nearest shop 30 miles...shipping is looking better from the customer end. On my end there would be shipping handling. But in reality I spend more time in the shop doing P.R. (or B.S.) with customers than putting it back in the same box and letting UPS come get it, they stop at my shop now anyway.

I am just noodling this, adding a page to my website and offering it. Sound like a waste of time?

 

[Nancy Laird]

No, Daren, it isn't a waste of time. There's a place in Arizona (Phoenix area) called Scott's that is apparently doing a land-office business with mail-order sharpening. The only decent sharpening places here in the Albuquerque area have closed, so we are definitely looking for a good sharpening service. Please let me know if you follow through with this. We are interested.

Nancy

 

[Daren]

Nancy, I am really considering it. I am going to stew on it for a week or so and get some more feedback, maybe I am missing the downside right now. I sold some of my tools so I can't replace carbide tips on saw blades anymore (unless I wanted to buy the stuff again, local it wasn't a big thing) just sharpen them. And like I mentioned planer/jointer knives up to 36" and the rest of the usual tools like turning and carving tools and handplanes, drill bits and chisels...stuff that some people just can't seem to get right on their own.

There are other markets too besides woodworking tools, hair clippers, knives, scissors, chainsaws....I am set up to sharpen anything.

I have a pricelist I have been using and for my area it is a little on the cheap side, but I think I will stick with it (for awhile anyway, right now my overhead is pretty low). Like $.25 a tooth for carbide saw grinding and $.50 inch for planer knives. I don't know what sharpening costs around the country are really, I am sure it varies like everything else. But I do guarantee my work.

Like I said I am just pondering it right now, thanks for the response. I could use more. I have said this more than once (and to some of our members in private ) I have had probably 6-7 "million dollar ideas" in the last 10 years...so far they have only cost me about $500,000 :laughing:.

 

[formula462]

i know around here the few people i have given tools to just screws them up ie saw/ router blades. i end up just buying new now instead of outsourcing,so yeah if i knew somebody that could sharpen/repair blades that would stay good for more than a week then i would send them out

 

[Daren]

i know around here the few people i have given tools to just screws them up ie saw/ router blades.

I think one problem is (even around here) some sharpening guys are working in a "machine shop", they are operating machines that sharpen tools. But don't really understand how the tools are supposed to work, just the sharpening machines. They are metal workers, not woodworkers.

There is an old riddle (or saying, some kind of thing) you go into a small town and there are 2 barbers. One has a nice haircut, the other is chopped up and funky looking...which one do you go to? The answer to the question is the one with the bad haircut, cause they cut each others hair. The guy with the nice hair gets it cut by the other with the messy mop. It is a corny old thing, but it kinda makes my point I think. Just because you have the sharpening tools does not mean you know how to use them.

I keep my tools sharp, I know they are expensive...but dull tools are not any cheaper just less productive. I mostly mess with figured hard woods, dull tools can cost $$$. Even for the average hobbiest it is a pain to have to pick out "the sharp one". Keep them all sharp, it is less investment than new and it can be done several times for the same money (maybe even sharper than new)

 

[ewils91]

Hi Daren,
I would be interested in that type of service. Don't let my low post count scare you, I spend most of my time listening and little time talking... learn more that way. I've got a few dedicated blades just waiting for you. :thumbsup:

 

[Daren]

Hi Daren,
Don't let my low post count scare you, I spend most of my time listening and little time talking... learn more that way.

I can respect that. Don't let my high post count relative to the small amount of useful information they contain scare you :laughing:.
You can p.m. or email me for details like where to ship. I may add a post in the classified section in a day or 2 and make it formal.

 

[tpd586]

The only mail order business I have done in my shop was a carbide blade I did for a relative I picked up during a visit and mailed back to him. I packaged it up and padded it up every way I could think of and then insured it. Turned out that was a good thing because when it arrived the packaging was destroyed and so was the blade, three tips bent visibly out of line and one shattered. I have been sharpening for about fifteen years and when I was starting out I took Foley Belsaws on site course at KCMO. The instructor was asked about this and his concern was safety in shipping. He did give some ideas on packaging which I used with the above results. If you figure out a good way to do this let me know.

 

[Nancy Laird]

We have some plastic blade carriers that have wing-nut bolts to hold the blade in the carrier. We'll be shipping ours in those, and probably putting planer/jointer blades in boxes.

Nancy

 

[TexasTimbers]

Alright Daren I asked you if you wanted some mail order business right after you bought all that stuff and you said no. Maybe because I forgot to offer to pay for it. :laughing:

You'll be getting a box of dull stuff from me too. I do have a question about one thing. I have some edger blades. 11" You can see the amoiunt of rust. No deep pitting though. Are these salvageable?

 

[Daren]

Maybe because I forgot to offer to pay for it. :laughing:

I prolly would not have took your money anyway, seems like there has been more than my fair share of wood "just show up" from Texas. I didn't take you serious I guess, sure I will sharpen your stuff Kevin. As far as the edger blades, I think I can save them (they may only be 10" when I get done though :laughing

I have given some thought to shipping safely and have a few ideas. I am more worried about the customer not packing stuff well and it shows up with broken teeth for example. I know I have bought plenty of sawblades/planer knives...mail order and they come undamaged. I have shipped much more delicate things than steel tools for the last 5 years, it is a concern but not a big worry. I will keep this discussion in mind though as a potential downside.

 

[Daren]

Well I might as well give it whirl. I posted a link in the classifieds section. I guess that is OK with the moderators, if that is a problem I understand just let me know.
The link is to a page I just added to my website.

 

[TexasTimbers]

. . . seems like there has been more than my fair share of wood "just show up" from Texas. . .

Yeah, well, count all the time you've spent on the phone with me when I had a question about kilns alone, and I might need to send some more wood to even things up.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

I'd be up too..... there's none left around here either.............. and I know a few of us at work have been looking............. Can ya do Draw knives (straight) ????

 

[Daren]

.. Can ya do Draw knives (straight) ????

Piece of cake :thumbsup: I just did 1 the other day...and a sickle (?) for the same guy, The whole time I was thinking about the movie "Sling Blade". Then I got thinking about another good Billy Bob Thornton movie "A Simple Plan". Has anyone else seen that movie?

 

[TexasTimbers]

I haven't seen A Simple Plan is it good?

 

[Daren]

I liked it. It is a dark comedy type movie, somewhat disturbing. I have different taste in movies, I don't really like the "Happy Ending" movie that you have the whole thing figured out 5 minutes into it.

Nobody eats 50 eggs or spends a night in the box :laughing:, but I think you would like it too.

 

[solidwoods]

Work that is delivered by USPS or ups or any is just fine.
I sharpen band saw blades through the mail,, just sent out a qtr sawn white oak order for a mission style bed via ups. The ups charge was about 350 same as the lumber price (N. central TN to Colorado)

Customers want stuff and the little bit of postage costs are long forgotten about quickly.

Long items or heavy loads become a problem (I ship lumber and the load can quickly go ltl truck to save $ ,, but no door to door for the customer)
ups is about $8 per week for a dailiy pickup.

 

[Daren]

I use https://www.freightquote.com/Default.aspx for ltl, so far so good. I have an online UPS and USPS account so I can schedule/pay for shipping in my boxers (or while eating lunch or something). They both pickup at my shop now anyway. I sell some lumber online. I used to ship finished woodworking, mostly cedar chests and stuff...but UPS hosed me a few times. They would say $45 when I printed the packing slip and payed for it (and I would charge the customer $45) Then at the end of the month I would get my monthly statement and it had all the "extra" charges. One month alone they tacked on $75 to a cedar chest and $60 to a desk, along with the $3-$15 they like to add to anything small for whatever reason...that came right out of my pocket:furious:. I just quit shipping woodworking all together, too much hassle. Now it is just lumber or local work.

 

[solidwoods]

FQ. com hung me out to dry because of their mistake (real simple mistake, they goofed, but made me eat another truck delivery) .
They get an F. from me jim mckee.
Old school F. for failure, do it over and please try to learn it this time,

I'd have paid extra for someone moving my cargo to have cared just a little. But the trucking system is set up so everyone says the driver isn't responsible for anything.
I had cargo shipped from a shipper that had been paid, driver don't care if he picks up 1, 2, or 3 pieces,, when he's released he''go now.

It's hard not to rant about fair behavior.

Its a sign of a Fat economy, customers are disposable to some businesses.
jim