Saw Blade Painting Lesson

With saw blade painting, it's essential not to skip over the preparation of the surface you'll be painting on. If the saw blade has any oil or rust on it, you need to get this off before you start painting. Skip this in your rush to start painting the saw blade and you'll regret it later.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: Variable

What You Need

• Saw blade suitable for painting
• Steel wood or glasspaper for cleaning
• Paint and paint brushes
• Varnish

Directions

1. For painting, the saw blade needs to be completely clean of rust, dirt, and oil. If the saw blade has any rust on it, use some steel wool, a wire brush, or fine glasspaper to get as much of the rust off as you can. (An angle grinder or wire-brush attachment to an electric drill gets the job done with less effort but considerably more noise.)
2. Wash the saw blade thoroughly and leave it to dry.
3. Apply a coat of metal primer (either paint-on or spray-on primer, it doesn't matter) and leave it to dry.
4. Apply a base coat (or undercoat) of acrylic or enamel paint so you've got a nice even layer of color before you start painting. (If you're going to be painting the saw blade using acrylics, check that the enamel you use is water based and not oil based.) This coat of paint will be the layer you draw your design on. Some people prefer a dark color, others a light; it's a matter of personal preference, there is not "right" choice. Leave it to dry.
5. Draw your design and start painting. Either acrylic paints or oil paints can be used. Acrylics dry considerably faster than oils, so if you like a long working time, consider using oils.
6. Once the painting has dried completely, seal it with at least one coast of spray-on or paint-on varnish.

Tips

• Be careful working with saw blades—those pointy edges aren't just decoration!
• Know your limitations and don't try to carry blades that are too heavy for you.