1/2 inch or 3/4 inch blade for a bandsaw?


TheFatBaron

Recommended Posts

I'm pretty much settled on my bandsaw choice (Laguna 1412), and I'm going to pick up a couple blades as well. I'll get a 1/4" blade for tighter curves, but I want to pick up a bigger blade for rip cuts and occasional resawing.

 

Assuming I go for a quality blade like a Woodslicer or the Laguna blades (not a resaw king)... is there a practical reason to go for a 3/4" blade over a 1/2" blade, or vice versa? Let's assume I'm talking about pure straight-line performance, with a blade that's otherwise identical -except- for that one dimension. Thinking about the mechanics of it, a 3/4" blade is more stable in a straight line, but also takes more effort to move through the wood. Is there something else I should be thinking about?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The website and saw manual clearly states that it can take up to 3/4" blades. If you go to http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws/1412-Bandsaw, scroll down a bit and look under "capacity."

 

Is there something else I should be measuring/looking at? (I don't have the saw yet, so I'm going off of what materials I can find online).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The website and saw manual clearly states that it can take up to 3/4" blades. If you go to http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws/1412-Bandsaw, scroll down a bit and look under "capacity."

 

Is there something else I should be measuring/looking at? (I don't have the saw yet, so I'm going off of what materials I can find online).

Most exaggerate blade width. You have to measure the tire.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok. I'll double check the tire width before I actually order the 2nd blade. I'm guessing I need a tire that's wider than 3/4", assuming the deepest part of the gullet rides in the center of the wheel. Otherwise, assuming the saw can actually handle that wider blade, are my assumptions about stability/mechanical effort correct?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The website and saw manual clearly states that it can take up to 3/4" blades. If you go to http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws/1412-Bandsaw, scroll down a bit and look under "capacity."

 

Is there something else I should be measuring/looking at? (I don't have the saw yet, so I'm going off of what materials I can find online).

 

I think you would struggle to find a 14" band saw where the manual doesn't state that it can handle 3/4" blades.   The reality is that many simply cannot provide adequate tension reliably.  Some will require an upgraded spring, some will break part of the mechanism with that spring.

 

BTW, there are 5/8 resaw blades.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, so, again - what should I be looking for to determine if the saw can actually handle a 3/4" blade in semi-regular, long-term use? (I've seen people use them with this saw in reviews, but no details on long-term usage). The question is largely academic at this point.

 

Sorry I haven't been following this thread..  Have you checked with the manufacturer?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First you need to understand bandsaws and blades. The manufacturer is just going to quote you the specs out of the manual.

For example a 3tpi blade is pretty much a universal blade for woodworking. From the same manufacturer they may come in 1/2, 3/4 or 1" but will all have the same teeth and gullet depth. Look at the photo below that is a 1" 3tpi general purpose blade. Notice there is 7/8" behind the gullet so it needs 1 3/4 wheel to run that blade and track properly. 

The width of the blade just makes the back stiffer. The reason you need a stiffer back is to run higher feed rates other than that the blade is going to be the same. To run a wider blade you need tension and horse power. If you dont have the HP it really makes no sense to install a wider blade.  If your saw can't pull the tension the you can't use the blade. Then you add friction/heat with a small saw the bands are to short so they get hot with wider blades shortening the life. Even if the manufacturer told yo you could use a 1" blade it would make no senesce because your not going to have the HP to increase feed rates  your just smoking the blade. 

Its no different than the exaggerated resaw capacities and is all hype and marketing. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, so, again - what should I be looking for to determine if the saw can actually handle a 3/4" blade in semi-regular, long-term use? (I've seen people use them with this saw in reviews, but no details on long-term usage). The question is largely academic at this point.

 

I would agree in broad strokes with PB, wheel width is important, horsepower is important, plus basic robust construction.  Knowing Laguna's reputation, it is probably fine, the wheels look fairly wide.  I would suggest the only real way to know is to correspond with other owners.  But as an extension of what PB says, you can experiment to find which blade makes the most sense for your use case.  If it turns out a 3/4" is a bit too much, you can just step down to a 5/8 or 1/2, a single blade is fairly inexpensive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ordered a 3/4" Woodslicer blade for my Laguna 1412 this past weekend, I will report on how it works once I get it.  I measured the tire and it is 13/16", and yes according the Laguna a 3/4" blade should work.  

 

I also have a 1/2" that I use for general purpose, and I bought a 1/4" for curved work.  The 3/4" will be for resawing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Laguna LT14SUV. It claims it can use up to a 1" blade and, in fact, they sold it to me with a 1" blade on it. What I found is that the 1" blade is so wide that you end up with one edge or the other of it hung off the wheel because the blade is basically exactly the same width as the 1" blade. It doesn't give you any room to adjust anything without things getting pretty hairy. So, as several in this thread have suggested, take Laguna's specs with a grain of salt. Marketing wrote the specs and likely asked the engineers "What's the largest blade you could run?" not "What's the largest blade you should run?".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

williaty - I agree, particularly with what Josh G. said.

 

Josh G. - I'll be curious to know your results long-term, but I think short term I'll stick with a 1/2" or 5/8" blade. 1/16" of leeway does not inspire confidence.

 

Nick - I know, I saw. Unfortunately, this will be going in my basement, and I would have a significant amount of work to do to even get the bandsaw in there until I get some of the patio furniture outside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   0 Members, 0 Anonymous, 59 Guests (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    421.8k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,758
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    R Parekh
    Newest Member
    R Parekh
    Joined