Three most versatile BANDSAW BLADES to order with new Band Saw?

[Tom Overthere]

I'm gathering steam to buy a bandsaw, probably the Grizzly G0514x2 (http://www.grizzly.com/products/g0514x2) which takes 143" blades from 1/8" to 1-1/4" wide.

Not sure what blade size or quality comes standard with the tool (not expecting much...). I figure I have budget for maybe three good blades.

Can you guys recommend what three configurations of bandsaw blade (width and tooth pattern) would cover me for everything from scroll work (narrow) through resawing (wide)?

Also, Griz sells their own blades and Timber Wolf brand. Is the Timber Wolf blade considered a good value, and is it worth paying 40% more than the Griz version?

Thanks

[Ray Dockrey]

Order the timberwolf blades directly from Suffolk Machinary. They are awesome to do business with and if you buy three blades from them you get the fourth one free. And yes, they are awesome blades in my opinion for the money.

[Thomas S Stockton]

The blade I use most is made by Lenox it is a diemaster 2 4tpi and 1/2" wide I use it for all my resawing and it is on the saw 99% of the time this is a bi-metal blade. If I want something smaller I use a 4 tpi 1/4" wide blade in regular steel also by lenox.
I think you will find that everybody has their favorite blades and your going to have to figure out what you loke best by trial and error.
Tom

[Tom Overthere]

Thanks Ray, for the tip about Suffolk Machinery. Do you have any opinion re. most useful sizes?

Thanks Thomas for the configuration tips, but aren't bi-metal blades bad for breaking off teeth? Maybe that's just the metal cutting bi-metal blades...

If naming "manufacturer favorites" is likely to cause a lot of backwash, just forget about that and just tell me which sizes and tooth configurations will serve best for scroll work, general cutting and resawing.

Thanks

[george wilson]

I use Starrett bi metal blades for cutting steel.Never had a tooth break off in many years.

[Dewayne Reding]

I bought about five sizes from 1/8 to 3/4 with my Rikon a couple years ago. Most never made it to the saw yet. Got a Timberwolf 3/4" 2-3TPI for resawing , but the Woodslicer 1/2" I got from Highland ended up staying on the saw 75% of the time because it does most general cutting, and seems to resaw just as well as the bigger blade. The rest of the time I use a 1/4 when I need to scroll a tighter curve than a 1/2 can cut.

[glenn bradley]

I have the G0513X and run 3/4" TW for resaw. I have a 3/8" and 1/4" that I ordered at the same time. I've been through a couple 3/4" and have barely used the others. It helps that I picked up a little 9" Delta BS at a yard sale. I use it for most of my curves.

Thomas speaks true about finding your favorite. Now that I use the larger saw almost exclusively for resaw, I may try a Lennox or some such after I burn through the two TW 3/4" I have now.

Actually that brings up a good point. Most "plain" blades only last so long but I would stick with those till you figure out what you are going to be doing on the saw. I always think I know what I'll be doing but frequently, I'm wrong just enough to make anything I've "bought ahead" of little use to me ;-) I've now used enough $25 blades to know its OK to buy a longer wearing one of that type.

[Tom Esh]

...Also, Griz sells their own blades and Timber Wolf brand. Is the Timber Wolf blade considered a good value, and is it worth paying 40% more than the Griz version?

Yes. As good as the Griz machines are, the blades they ship with them definitely do not live up to the same standard. If it comes with a blade already mounted I might leave it on long enough to make sure everything works. Otherwise they're not worth the time it takes to mount (really). The Suffolk Machine (Timber Wolf) blades are an excellent value. I would not put any $$ into super premium (Lenox, etc) initially - at least not until you figure out which blades you use most.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The blades that ship with new bandsaws...even my MM-16 are generally poor quality. The salesman warned me when I ordered the saw.

I ordered 3 Olson bi-metal blades from Olson at Mark Duginske's recommendation. I haven't had the opportunity or need to change to one of them so I can't comment on their quality.

[Wilbur Pan]

just tell me which sizes and tooth configurations will serve best for scroll work, general cutting and resawing.

Quick answer:

Scrolling work: 1/8" x 14 tpi
General: 1/4" x 6 tpi
Resaw: 1/2" x 3 tpi. Maybe up to a 1" x 2 tpi or 3 tpi if you're not getting good results from the 1/2" blade.

Longer answer:

For the majority of bandsawing applications, all you have to do to figure out which blade you want is to answer two questions:

1. How tight of a curve do I want to cut, or conversely, do I want a straight cut, as in resawing? The tighter the curve you want to cut, the narrower the blade should be.

2. How thick is the piece of wood I want to cut? The thicker the wood, the less tpi you should have.

So for scrolling cuts, the 1/8" blade will give you the tightest curve.

For resawing, a wider blade (1/2" and up) with a coarse tpi will give you better results.

And for "general" use, which I've never quite understood what people mean, but I usually take to be cutting gentle curves in 4/4 stock, a 1/4" blade with a medium tpi is what you want.

[Fred Belknap]

Tom I would go with the Timber Wolf. Call Suffolk Machinery and they will help you select the blade you need. Their prices are reasonable. 1-800-234-7297

[Tim Boger]

If you do call Suffolk Machinery for the 4 for 3 deal be sure to mention you saw the offer online, if you don't mention the deal and where you saw it they won't offer it.

Tim

[Paul Demetropoulos]

And for "general" use, which I've never quite understood what people mean, but I usually take to be cutting gentle curves in 4/4 stock, a 1/4" blade with a medium tpi is what you want.

I take general purpose to mean a blade you can leave on and do the lions share of your sawing with.

A good general purpose blade for my purposes would be a 1/2" 3tpi with deep gullets. Blades with too many teeth that won't clear sawdust from the gullets cause tracking problems.

I get blades from BC Saw & Tool, they're Starrett blades welded and distributed by BC. http://www.bcsaw.com/

[Gordon Peery]

I'm running a 3/8" x 4 tpi (Lenox or Timberwolf) on a 16" Grizzly about as tight as I can crank it.... for resaw work, in soft or hardwoods.

The other day I ran some 4" high x 30" long maple and hickory. The waste pieces coming off were about 3/32" thick with no visible variation in thickness end to end and side to side. Drift? What's that? That from my 13 year old saw (admittedly low mileage) that I haven't tuned in ages; stock tires, blocks, bearings. I did notice that my lower thrust bearing was hanging up. Can't remember when I put that blade on there, so it was not mainly because of a brand new blade.

In the past I have noticed that a less than super taut blade will deliver a wavy, drifty cut.

Needless to say, I won't be touching anything on that rig for a while. I dunno......perhaps it was because Pluto, Jupiter, and Bush - were all lined up! (I hope he's out there somewhere!!!)

Gordon