Anyone using 1 1/4" BS blades?

[Rick Fisher]

I have taken to ripping all my lumber on my Bandsaw. Its just as fast, (or faster) than the tablesaw, and much safer. Smaller kerf.. and I like doing it.. :)

I have been running a 3/4" blade, but wonder why I wouldnt just go to 1- 1/4" ??

I am thinking wider because it would be even easier to keep straight.. Other than curves, is there any other reason not to put a big blade on??

(tensioning shouldn't be a problem).

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Rick, I used a standard 1 1/4" in my old Oliver for quite some time, then switched to a 1" Trimaster becuse it was easy to source from my supplier. I don't really think that the width effects the preformance all that much, but I do think that the wider ones are more durable. One thing that a wider blade does do if your blade gets dull is force the back of the blade into the side of the kerf, leaving a streak quicker than a narrow blade. I don't count that as a problem personally becasue I shouldn't be using a blade that dull anyhow.

I wonder if the wider blades little bit of extra mass might aid in cut induced vibration control if you hit a knot or something?

[Jim Becker]

I think that Steve is correct that there will be little advantage to that extra quarter inch, especially with a really nice blade like the 1" TriMaster. (What I use for serious ripping and resaw on my MM16) Do note that you absolutely need to dedicate your ripping (and/or resaw) blade to straight cutting for best results over the life of the blade.

[Andrew Joiner]

Rick,
How much are you ripping? What are you using the material for?
Don't you have to surface each edge?

Ripping on the table saw leaves a glue joint edge so I'm curious.

[Rick Fisher]

I have been using all 8/4 rough stock and need very little finished wide stock. The last project needed 24 pieces of 1 3/4" wide stock. So I face jointed the board, edge jointed and ripped off a 7/8" x 2" slab..

The planer cleans them all up.

The only wider stock is in the lid, which I did use the table saw to square up once glued, but that was it.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I was wondering if anyone has a band saw that can make rips that don't have those vertical markings on it. (Or very minimal)

I wonder if my bandsaw tires need to be trued, or if I need a better quality blade to make the edges cleaner. Or do all band saws make somewhat rough edges.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I was wondering if anyone has a band saw that can make rips that don't have those vertical markings on it. (Or very minimal)

I wonder if my bandsaw tires need to be trued, or if I need a better quality blade to make the edges cleaner. Or do all band saws make somewhat rough edges.


Chris, try a good carbide tipped blade. I like Trimaster by Lennox, but there are other good ones. You should be able to get a clean enough cut that the normal prefinish sanding or planing would clean the bandsaw marks up. Some woods are easier to cut cleanly then others too, so I should qualify that by adding that mine can do this on poplar, pine, walnut and white oak. Those are all that I have cut with this blade. Knots do cause deeper score marks as well.

[Chris Tsutsui]

About 5 or 6 years ago I saw a carbide tipped bandsaw blade on an industrial 20" band saw. I was told that the blade cost $400 so at that time I never considered getting a carbide BS blade.

Now that I see that the lennox can be had for around $100-150, it might not be that bad of an upgrade.

[Chris Padilla]

Rick,

What is the size of your bandsaw? I don't think I'd contemplate using a 1 1/4" blade on anything smaller than a 20" wheel. Blades start getting pretty spendy as you go wider and wider and, really, I don't think it will buy you anything. My MM20 already requires a 14' long blade and THAT makes blades pricey, too! :)

Many, many people find the 1" Lenox Trimaster to run very satisfactorily as a general ripping and resawing blade. It's 1/16" kerf is nice, too. Mine has the 2-3 variable tooth pitch.

I've been experimenting with a 1/2" Lenox Diemaster2 (6 tpi, bimetal, hook style, 0.035" kerf, 20% the cost of a Trimaster) in resawing and have to admit it has done very well for me and it has an even smaller kerf over the Trimaster however I find it needs a bit more clean up from the planer than the Trimaster...I think. By my best estimation, this is the kind of blade David Marks uses on his big bandsaw for slicing veneers.

I'm still not sure which blade gives me the most veneers from a plank of wood, however!

[george wilson]

I bought a very expensive carbide bandsaw blade years ago. It did not feel as sharp as a steel blade.Carbide is not as sharp as steel. I never was real happy with its performance.The weld broke and totaled the blade.I would rather use a few steel blades than spend the kind of money that a carbide blade costs.

[John Thompson]

Rick,

What is the size of your bandsaw? I don't think I'd contemplate using a 1 1/4" blade on anything smaller than a 20" wheel. Blades start getting pretty spendy as you go wider and wider and, really, I don't think it will buy you anything. My MM20 already requires a 14' long blade and THAT makes blades pricey, too! :)

Many, many people find the 1" Lenox Trimaster to run very satisfactorily as a general ripping and resawing blade. It's 1/16" kerf is nice, too. Mine has the 2-3 variable tooth pitch.

I've been experimenting with a 1/2" Lenox Diemaster2 (6 tpi, bimetal, hook style, 0.035" kerf, 20% the cost of a Trimaster) in resawing and have to admit it has done very well for me and it has an even smaller kerf over the Trimaster however I find it needs a bit more clean up from the planer than the Trimaster...I think. By my best estimation, this is the kind of blade David Marks uses on his big bandsaw for slicing veneers.

I'm still not sure which blade gives me the most veneers from a plank of wood, however!

I use the Lennox Classic bi-metal to re-saw with 3 tpi and am very happy with it, Chris. I can get 4 1/2 of them for the price of one Tri-master. It Will stay sharp almost half as long and the carbide so I come out well ahead on what I pay in comparison.

Sarge..

[Larry Edgerton]

I used to have a Hitachi set up to run 2" blades and it was awesome, you could just shove stuff through it and it came out straight. I sold it with intentions of buying a different, quieter saw, but I have tried several that don't cut as well, so I am now looking for a used Hitachi. I will get rid of the motor/gear drive that makes all the noise and install a three phase.

So.... I would say that a wider blade makes a difference, at least on the Hitachi. Oh ya, the Hitachi has different guides when using the 2" with double bearings.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have used the Lenox TriMaster, which is an excellent blade. However, the Lenox Woodmaster CT does about as well, slightly thinner kerf, and only costs about 60% as much as the TriMaster. The carbide tips as smaller and fewer, so I don't expect it would last as long, but the results are great. I just paid $115 for a 178 inch CT.

The 1 1/4 inch blades are thicker and have a wider kerf, so I have stayed with the 1 inch blade. (Besides, the woodmaster CT only comes in 1, 2, and 3 inch widths :eek:)

With both Lenox blades, I have been able to cut veneers that I can often glue down without sanding the glue side ... then sand the "outside" after the glue is dry.

[Rick Fisher]

Its a 24" Italian saw with a 5hp Baldor motor.
It will tension a 1.5" blade and the wheels are wide enough to handle it.
Its basically an older MM-24.

The goal is just more precise ripping of hardwood. I have taken to using 2" rough stock and dont really prefer ripping hardwood on the table saw anymore.

I can totally see how a slider and a big bandsaw would be a great setup for cutting plywood and hardwoods..

The wood just goes from the bandsaw to the planer, so the saw marks are irrelevant to me.

[Chris Padilla]

Rick,

Bandsaws, due to their design, aren't really 'precise' ripping machines. Think about it, a table saw has a very very very very stiff cutting blade versus a bandsaw's cutting blade (no matter how much you tension it). It also has a significantly wider/deeper cutting surface so your thoughts might be that making the bandsaw blade wider could help. I just don't think it could be made wide enough to help and by its very nature/design will never get it stiff enough to cut like a stiffER table saw blade.

However, I'm with you...I love ripping on the bandsaw and find it very scary on the table saw. But, I don't expect a jointed surface from a bandsaw....

[Rye Crane]

Rick,

I also have a MM24, it's the newer one and I'm with Charlie on the Lennox Trimaster & CT bands. I also would not go larger than 1" because of the kerf size increase on wider bands. Why spill more blood (wood) than you have to.

I get excellent resaw results, just make sure if you are using the Lennox carbide bands that you tension them well that will keep them from wandering.

Good Luck,
Rye Crane
Pittsburg, CA.

[guy knight]

make sure that your bandsaw will be able to properly tension a 1 1/4" blade it takes allot to tension one