Bandsaw Blades

[Nick Sorenson]

I know this is like an oil thread on an automotive forum... I'm sure it's over discussed. But it's sort of a current events question... things are always changing. It seems like 4-6 years ago almost every thread mentions TW as the best bandsaw blade.


Now I'm seeing people say that they're not the greatest. I've used them and really been pretty satisfied but I have noticed what this guy noticed on my TW blades as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrxBP8YBKYM

I've also noticed the bands breaking at welds.


BUT that said, they cut just fine. I have used smaller blades for outlines and their 3/4" resaw blades and both have cut fast. They go dull after moderate use (probably 10-15 hours of actual cut time in hardwoods) but I think that's not terrible.

So I guess the question I'm asking is this, is there something that others have found to work better?

[glenn bradley]

I don't know that they are considered the best. Certainly a great blade at the price point. I have used them for years and I too have read recent posts about bad welds. I just received a set of four. The 3/4" is going back for a bad weld. Laying flat on its back the blade has nearly 1/16" gap at the weld. I think they better hire back that expensive guy they let go to "save money" because the returns will pay his salary.

[Jim Rimmer]

Check out this thread of replies to a post I started when I had a TW blade break and then the second one wobbled (or walked). Both attributed to bad welds (even by TW). Lots of coments about TW and other preferred vendors.



http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=148506

[glenn bradley]

I called Suffolk this morning. They are sending a new blade tomorrow and had me keep the goofy one for my trouble. It will work fine for rough resaw.

[Chris Padilla]

I bought a few TW blades...didn't care for them. They didn't seem to cut very smooth and dulled rather quickly IMO.

I then discovered Lenox blades and I don't see a reason why I would ever change from them. Of course, it depends on what you are mostly doing on your bandsaw but my chief task is slicing veneers--resawing.

For that, I've found the spendy carbide Trimaster to be and excellent blade that cuts rather smoothly. However, it is expensive. I then discovered the Diemaster2 bimetal blade and it cuts almost as nicely as my Trimaster and at 1/5 the cost and wow, it sure does stay sharp for a long time.

[Thomas love]

Chris, who makes the diemaster, I would like to check them out.
tom

[Ted Wong]

I've been using Lenox for over 10 years and have been really satisfied. In that ten year period I have tried other brands (TW included) and saw shops but keep coming back to Hastings Saw in Rohenert Park, CA. Dave is a good blade welder and only once have I had to send a blade back. Blade welding is a semi-automated process and bad welds usually mean the machine settings are off or the operator set it incorrectly so chances are if you get a bad weld there are most likely other poorly welded blades in the same batch.

[Van Huskey]

First, Thomas, Lenox makes the Diemaster.

Chris, high silicon steel (Swedish) blades dull quicker than standard carbon but are initially sharper. That seems to be the allure but unless you need an uber-sharp blade for a few cuts it is false economy, even worse are the hardened spring steel blades like the Woodslicer et al, very sharp initially but dull even faster than silicon steel. The only blade I use besides Lenox for 1/4" and above is the Resaw Master, a little better for wood IMHO than the Trimaster and you can get it resharpened, still looking for a TM sharpener...

Also consider the 1" Woodmaster CT great blade and cheaper than the TM.



I bought a few TW blades...didn't care for them. They didn't seem to cut very smooth and dulled rather quickly IMO.

I then discovered Lenox blades and I don't see a reason why I would ever change from them. Of course, it depends on what you are mostly doing on your bandsaw but my chief task is slicing veneers--resawing.

For that, I've found the spendy carbide Trimaster to be and excellent blade that cuts rather smoothly. However, it is expensive. I then discovered the Diemaster2 bimetal blade and it cuts almost as nicely as my Trimaster and at 1/5 the cost and wow, it sure does stay sharp for a long time.

[Eiji Fuller]

I just put a new woodmaster CT. 2tpi on my Felder 540.

It is fantastic. The cut is amazingly smooth and I barely have push the wood thru.

[Ben Abate]

I have to agree about the Trimaster blades. Great blade but I find myself cleaning it often. You can tell when it needs cleaned. Especially when you have a 24 inch bandsaw that's a lot of blade to clean. But all in all I like the Trimaster for resawing, in fact at times I'm pretty amazed at the quality of the cut. One light pass on the belt sander and the veneer is or what ever is cleaned up. Like Van mentioned, can the Trimaster be sharpened? I've heard that the one that Laguna sells can be sharpened.

[Thomas S Stockton]

I've been using Hasting's for over 25 years they do great work and lenox is a nice blade. All I use is the diemasters they seem to last a long time and are well worth the price.
Tom

[paul dyar]

I tried a lot of band saw blades in the past 10 years. They all (except Delta) cut very well for a short time. I finally bit the bullet and bought the Lenox carbide tip blade last year. So far it was worth the price.
Paul

[Van Huskey]

Like Van mentioned, can the Trimaster be sharpened? I've heard that the one that Laguna sells can be sharpened.

The Laguna RM can be resharpened by them for $45, will take 3-4 sharpenings.

I have NOT found a sharpener for the Lenox, even ask Lenox at IWF, I have a name and number for THE Lenox sharpener guy who as they said can if anyone can. I have yet to find the time to call him and verify: 1 that he can do it and 2 does he want hordes of internet hobbists sending him blades since he is an industrial sharpener.

[glenn bradley]

I thought it would be appropriate to post an update. The replacement blade showed up from Suffolk day before yesterday. I just checked it. The weld is perfect. That's 2 wonky welds in 5 years for me.

[Dan Karachio]

I then discovered Lenox blades and I don't see a reason why I would ever change from them. Of course, it depends on what you are mostly doing on your bandsaw but my chief task is slicing veneers--resawing.

For that, I've found the spendy carbide Trimaster to be and excellent blade that cuts rather smoothly. However, it is expensive. I then discovered the Diemaster2 bimetal blade and it cuts almost as nicely as my Trimaster and at 1/5 the cost and wow, it sure does stay sharp for a long time.

Chris, you peaked my interest with this and another thread. I went to their site and started an order, but I am at a loss for which set I need. For example, for resawing and for a general purpose blade. Can you make a suggestion? Also, what gives with the 3 different 1/2" widths ( what does the .20, .25 and .30 note?)? I suppose I could just ask the company, but we have you right here! :-)

[Van Huskey]

Chris, you peaked my interest with this and another thread. I went to their site and started an order, but I am at a loss for which set I need. For example, for resawing and for a general purpose blade. Can you make a suggestion? Also, what gives with the 3 different 1/2" widths ( what does the .20, .25 and .30 note?)? I suppose I could just ask the company, but we have you right here! :-)


I assume you mean .020, .025 and .030. those are the thickness of the band not counting the set of the teeth, the width of the teeth set is the kerf. For resaw I would suggest a 3 TPI hook BUT they only make it in .030 I think, if that is the case what size are the wheels on your saw, it may or may not be able to handle a .030 band well. I am of the mind there is no such thing a general purpose bandsaw blade, so what encompasses general pupose for you?

[Peter Quinn]

I have been using timberwolf blades for the past 5 years, I have not had any problems. No bad welds, no broken welds, just sharp blades that cut wood. Are they the best? Not sure about that. But they work fine for my needs. Ultimate resaw blade? Not really, but the cost of entry on a give day is easy to absorb.

[Joseph Tarantino]

FWIW, the video in the opening post of this thread is my saw and a .025" 1/2" 3tpi TW blade. while it did cut fairly well, i just couldn't believe that the "blade loping" (a term used by editors @ wood magazine to describe my condition) was normal. that constant back and forth movement had to eventually adversely affect the upper and lower thrust bearings.

after much grief to address what i thought was a problem with the saw (after all, those were new TW blades), i got a lenox from iturra design, same size and configuration. this is how the saw performed with the new lenox blade and non-copolanar wheels, thanks to a botched alignment by an authorized jet dealer(note the nickel to the left of the blade):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67s4qtbxHsk&feature=related

in response to nick's original question about finding things that work better, for all things band saw related, i go to iturra design and nowhere else.

[Chris Padilla]

Chris, you peaked my interest with this and another thread. I went to their site and started an order, but I am at a loss for which set I need. For example, for resawing and for a general purpose blade. Can you make a suggestion? Also, what gives with the 3 different 1/2" widths ( what does the .20, .25 and .30 note?)? I suppose I could just ask the company, but we have you right here! :-)

Van has it mostly right. Those numbers are the KERF of the blade: i.e. how much wood they remove while sawing.

For the Diemaster2, I got the following: 1/2" blade, 6 tpi, hook style. The kerf is likely the 0.30". It really is a nice blade for not too much money. While I have used it primarily for resawing, it tends to be my general purpose blade as well (mostly because I'm too lazy to change it out) and seems to do fine. (FWIW, after studying numerous Woodworks shows, I believe this blade is extremely close to what David Marks likes to use on his big blue bandsaw)

[Dan Karachio]

Van has it mostly right. Those numbers are the KERF of the blade: i.e. how much wood they remove while sawing.

For the Diemaster2, I got the following: 1/2" blade, 6 tpi, hook style. The kerf is likely the 0.30". It really is a nice blade for not too much money. While I have used it primarily for resawing, it tends to be my general purpose blade as well (mostly because I'm too lazy to change it out) and seems to do fine. (FWIW, after studying numerous Woodworks shows, I believe this blade is extremely close to what David Marks likes to use on his big blue bandsaw)

Oh, I would kill for that big blue bandsaw! Thanks to you and Van. By general purpose I mean not resawing and used for ripping and cross cutting, tapers and wide curves. Sounds like you are having good luck for resawing as well and that sounds good. I have noticed a little too late that yes indeed, the Wood Slicer does dull out quite rapidly.

[Van Huskey]

Van has it mostly right. Those numbers are the KERF of the blade: i.e. how much wood they remove while sawing.



I am 99% positive that it is NOT the kerf but the backing material width that is designated by the .020 etc for the Diemaster 2, I say 99% because I mainly use carbide tipped blades and I am much more familiar with the Lenox carbide blades. I am 100% sure that with Lenox carbide blades that number is the backing material width and the kerf is a bigger number. I will verify this with Lenox tomorrow now that I am intrigued.

Dan, you didn't mention the saw you have nor the wheel size, this is important to determining what blade to get. For example if you have a saw that can properly tension a 1" blade a much better resaw blade would be the Woodmaster B (the B is for bi-metal, they also make it in carbon C and carbide toothed CT) they make a 1" wide blade on .035 backing material but it does have a .072 kerf (not the greatest for wood savings but about par for the course for good resaw blades that are not carbide tipped) it comes in both 1.3 and 2 TPI tooth spacing this blade will be in the 45 cents and inch range, where the 1/2" Diemaster 2 is about 35 cents an inch. As for your GP use if you can tension the Woodmaster B then that will work very well for ripping assuming you are not talking about ripping thin stock. For the rest of what you mention a 1/2" 3 TPI would be my choice.

If you have a 14" cast saw I think you can do most anything with three blades, 1/2" 3TPI hook, a 1/4" 6TPI standard and a 1/8" 10TPI standard, if you have a bigger saw or a steel spined 14" saw I would add a wide resaw blade, the widest the saw can tension, carbide something close to 2/3 TPI variable. It is nice to have a different blade for every function but changing bands takes more time than a table saw blade so most people avoid the task as much as possible, which is the reason so many people have 2 (or more) bandsaws.

David Marks Delta Rockwell is indeed and an awesome saw BUT I lust after a Yates Y-42 snowflake, if I ever get one I am going to paint it pink, since like a pink M1 Abrams you can laugh at it but only as long as it allows you to. :D

[Van Huskey]

the Wood Slicer does dull out quite rapidly.

Yep, they are spring steel with hardened teeth, still only Rc. 38-42 compared to carbon @ 64, bimetal @ 66 and carbide @ 68, keep in mind that an increase of 1 point on the Rockwell scale is a doubling of abrasion resistence so it becomes clear how quickly they will become dull. The Woodslicer and its ilk have a place, either for instrument makers or anyone else that needs a VERY thin kerf for resawing precious wood or those that want a resaw blade but really aren't going to use it much. They are much sharper than the rest initially though. Speaking of blades that are sharp initially but dull quickly the silicon steel blades (Rc. 60) fit this mold also, this is one reason why I never have understood the number of people that swear by Timber Wolf et al when for literally a few dollars more you can get a bi-metal blade that will last 10 times as long and be sharper after the first 20 or so feet of cutting. That first few feet the silicon steel blades will indeed be better.

[Van Huskey]

I checked with Lenox tech support, the number in question is indeed the thickness of the backing material and not the kerf.

[Jim Rimmer]

I know this is like an oil thread on an automotive forum... So I guess the question I'm asking is this, is there something that others have found to work better?
Look at what a can of worms you opened. :D Lots of good info, though, and a thread title that should be easy to search.

[Dan Karachio]

Dan, you didn't mention the saw you have nor the wheel size, this is important to determining what blade to get.

Thanks Van. If you don't mind with more advice, I have a Rikon Deluxe 14" saw (with the original green color, no pink for me, I am not secure enough in the manliness of my saw). I have always believed that 1/2" was all I needed for resaw and that 3/4 would be too much and 1" would kill it.

[Van Huskey]

Thanks Van. If you don't mind with more advice, I have a Rikon Deluxe 14" saw (with the original green color, no pink for me, I am not secure enough in the manliness of my saw). I have always believed that 1/2" was all I needed for resaw and that 3/4 would be too much and 1" would kill it.

My general rule is always use the widest blade a particular saw can tension properly for resawing. To illustrate the point take a look at any vertical (or horizontal) resaw bandsaw such as the Laguna Resaw Master, they will accomodate very wide (in our terms) blades of 2" and up. I don't think the Rikon is rated for a 1" blade but being steel spined I would get a 3/4" resaw blade. Given the 14" wheels you need to be aware of the band thickness, .030 would be as thick as I would suggest BUT there are a LOT of people who run thicker 3/4" blades on 14" saws such as the Laguna RK which a lot of people got in the Deals forum. The thicker band won't hurt the saw just fatigue the band quicker.