Bandsaw blades

[nikbrown]

I'm about to pull the trigger on my first bandsaw. A Grizzly G0513X2 17". I KNOW NOTHING about bandsaws. I've always just used a jigsaw or a bow saw for cutting curves and have avoided resawing as much as possible.

Now it's time to get a bandsaw though. So what do I need to know? What blade brands are the best, where can I order them, etc? The saw uses a 131-1/2" blade. I know Mr Fortune recomends a 1/2", 3tpi, skip tooth, .025 thick as a general purpose blade.

I know nothing about what I need to order for a few good blades. Please point me in the right direction

I guess I need a good general blade and a good resaw blade.

[Vic]

Nik, for resaw I really like the Timberwolf 3/4" (my max blade width) 2-3 alternating TPI skip tooth blades. I can't yet comment on my Laguna Resaw King, as the first was improperly sharpened and drifted like crazy. I use a 6 TPI 3/8" for most curves. Also, a Timberwolf. I use the Michael Fortune method and get great resaw results. I'll let you know about the Resaw King when I get around to installing the replacement. I believe it requires the high tension method. I tried it both ways before I contacted Laguna and they sent out a new blade.

The Resaw King is supposed to kick butt for cut quality, but I have really good results resawing with the Timerwolf blades. Usually no more than a couple passes with my drum sander to remove any saw marks.

(null)

[dwacker]

The resaw king is just that the king of resaw blades but price accordingly. Alot of saws will not tension properly for carbide saw blades. The wood slicer blades from highland are more affordable, do a good job but dont last near as long as the Laguna. For cheap multipurpose blades the timberwolf is a good all around blade for curves, pretty much anything you would use for a narrow blade.

Don

[nikbrown]

Thanks for the tips. I dont think I can swing the price of a resaw king right now. Not with ordering the bandsaw and a new dust collector. (not to mention redoing all my ducting to 6" pipe)

I'll take a look at the wood slicer and the timberwolf blades. I understand for resawing you would need a 3tpi blade so the gullets dont fill up. For a general purpose curve cutting blade what kind of difference does TPI make? I see recommendations all over the place it seems.

[wilburpan]

I use a 1/2" 3 tpi Timberwolf blade for 98% of cutting on my bandsaw, and of the remaining 2%, I'm using a narrower blade to cut tighter curves than the 1/2" blade will allow. For curved cuts, higher TPI = smoother finish, but the TPI really won't matter a whole lot, as you're probably going to be cleaning up your curved cut regardless of what the TPI is.

Resawing is more technique, sharp blade, and patience more than anything else. Here's a picture of a resaw through 9+" of cherry using a 1/2" 3 tpi Timberwolf blade. My bandsaw has a huge honking 1/2 HP motor on it (that's right — 0.5 HP, baby!), which goes to show that motor HP is a relatively minor factor in quality of cut. I did take my time with the cut, but it took minimal cleanup with a hand plane to get rid of the saw marks.

[wilburpan]

P.S.

I guess I need a good general blade and a good resaw blade.

If you are using a 1/2 3 tpi blade as a resaw blade, it is also a good general blade.

[Morton]

I like the highland blades due to cost (low) and cut quality (good). They last quite awhile if you treat them correctly, but they do dull - I'm sure the carbide tipped blades last much longer. You'll have to learn your bandsaw when you first get it - practice, try stuff, figure it out. Bandsaws are way more finicky than table saws, which is why I love my Sawstop

[nikbrown]

Yea I think I may just start with a 3tpi 1/2" highland blade and go from there. I'll see what I need as situations present themselves. I'd love a Sawstop but the bandsaw, better dust collection, and a decent planer are WAY higher on the list.

[dwacker]

Also look at the econimics of your purchases. For smaller saws its something to think about. A 14" saw will get half the blade life of a 24" saw. Also look a sfpm, a smaller saw will not move at the rated sfpm. Some blades like the resaw king require 3800 sfpm. If you dont run at the rated sfpm you loose even more life and drift. For curves and things not reasawing a good rule of thumb is keep 6 to 8 teeth in the material. 3 tpi on 1" material you loose stability.

Don

[Fred Leo]

There is no general purpose blade. There is an ideal blade for a specific material you are cutting.

Check www.sawblade.com, they have a guide chart on which blade works best for a certain material.

Also, check www.bandsawblog.com . Their articles are very informative about band saws and saw blades.

[HuxleyWood]

Yea I think I may just start with a 3tpi 1/2" highland blade and go from there. I'll see what I need as situations present themselves. I'd love a Sawstop but the bandsaw, better dust collection, and a decent planer are WAY higher on the list.

The Woodslicer from Highland (Atlanta Sharptech stock) is available from Iturra (Bladerunner) and Spectrum Supply (Kerfmaster) for a good deal less money. Be aware it is a spring steel blade with hardened teeth so it WILL dull quickly. It is good for smaller low HP saws (particularly the 14" cast saws, but it is still somewhat relavent to the 513) because it it thin gauge, and has little to no set. The lack of set means it is good for cutting in a straight line. Although there is no true general purpose bandsaw blade the Woodlsicer et al definately are NOT remotely general purpose, they will not cut curves effectively due to the low/no set.

Also I would suggest buying quality bands from Lenox and Starrett, I am not a fan of the high silicon steel blades like the Timberwolf. Not only will they dull faster than a standard carbon blade but I have seen more poor welds from Suffolk/Timberwolf than any other company.

One could write for hours or days about bandsaw blades but you have to know how you plan to use a blade to decide which one. I suggest since you are a BS newbie get Mark Duginski's book, Amazon has it for about $14. I don't agree with Mark 100% but it is the best done BS book out there and will give you plenty insight on what I consider the most versatile machine in the shop.