Bandsaw Blades

[Greg Just]

When you are cutting bowl blanks on your bandsaw, what size blade do you use? Do you change sizes for a 6 inch bowl versus a 12 inch bowl? Thanks!

[Ken Glass]

I use a Timberwolf 3/8" -3TPi

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a 1/2" 3 tpi blade on all. I don't change for size.

[bob svoboda]

Same as Ken

[Wally Dickerman]

1/4 inch Timberwolf skiptooth 4 TPI. I never change blades. Easily cuts a 2 inch circle or a 16 inch bowl blank. The skiptooth works well on wet wood or dry wood. 4 TPI is better than 3 on thin wood. There should always be at least 2 teeth in the wood for smooth cutting.

Wally

[Bill Bolen]

I've been using the 3/8 3 tpi timberwolf for years but they seem to have dropped it. Just got a new 1/2" 3 or 4 tpi timberwolf. The minimum radius isn't quite as tigh as the 3/8 but no real problems so far. I've also used the 1/2 woodturners blade and it is much less expensive but I have to sharpen it a lot more often. Think I'll stick with the timberwolf blades...Bill...

[Reed Gray]

I use the Lennox bimetal blades, called saw master or some thing like that. A half inch 3 tpi blade for cutting the circles is fine, and will cut about a 2 1/2 inch radius. Most important probably is keeping the blade sharp, and making sure the blank is flat and doesn't rock while you are cutting. I have a big bandsaw for that, which cuts 16 inches high. Much better than a chainsaw.

robo hippy

[Greg Just]

thanks for the feedback. Next question is where do you buy your blades?

[Reed Gray]

Just about every bigger city has some one who can fabricate them for you, check in the yellow pages. Saw shops who also may be able to sharpen them for you, and cutting supplies. There are a few places on line that I am sure that others will mention. You can call, and talk to a tech, and they can tell you what you need.

robo hippy

[Wally Dickerman]

thanks for the feedback. Next question is where do you buy your blades?

The best blades I've used are Timberwolf, made by Suffolk Machinery. They will answer any questions you might have.

suffolkmachinery.com

[Neil Strong]

Had to go up to 1/2" 3tpi when I changed over to bi-metal blades. 3/8" 3tpi before that. Couldn't find anyone supplying 3/8" 3tpi in bi-metal.

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[Neil Strong]

Most important probably is keeping the blade sharp....

Reed - do you resharpen yourself or send out?

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[Jack Mincey]

I've been using 3/8" 3TPI Timberwolf blades, made by Suffolk Machinery for the last two years and I like them a great deal. They out last the blades I get that are called woodturners blades by around twice as long. If you order 3 on your first order they use to give you a forth blade for free. It would be worth checking out. Releasing the tension on the blades when not in use also helps your blades last their max.
Jack

[Nathan Hawkes]

I gotta add another plug for Timberwolf. I really like the 1/2" 2tpi alternate set blades. I do a lot of roughing of fairly large log pieces; the 1/2" 2 TPI blades are a lot more stout that the 3/8" for me.

[Reed Gray]

I send my blades out to be sharpened. I found a local saw shop that does an excellent job. You can touch them up your self. I take a bunch in at a time. For 5 150 inch blades, and 4 96 inch blades, cost was about $40. Not all saw shops are equal. Also, the bimetal blades are fine for resharpening, not all other blades are. Bimetal means that the blade is one type of steel, and a harder steel is bonded to it. The harder steel is what the teeth are formed from. If you hit a nail, you don't ruin your blade. It will dull it a bit, but it doesn't total it.

As to the Timberwolf blades, I have one friend who used them for years, and then tried one of the Lennox blades. He switched to the Lennox.

robo hippy

[Nathan Hawkes]

Thanks for the info on the blades, Reed!! I'd wondered about whether they were worth the price; I'll try them as soon these give out. By the way, I'm really jealous of your bandsaw!! My shop is on my parents property now while I'm in school; I hope one day I can obtain an old 30" or larger bandsaw with a big worktable, but a minimax or scmi would do the job too!

[Reed Gray]

Most of your older bandsaws will have a max 12 inch cutting height. A 30 inch old bandsaw will cut 30 inches deep/throat depth, more for cutting curves in large flat pieces. One of the 'round-2-it' projects I have is a larger table for my bandsaw on both infeed and outfeed sides, and out the front. Formica, and rollers maybe. Perhaps a sled as well, but lining up a sled with a blade that moves every time you put a new one on isn't easy. I don't really need much more than about 12 inches of throat depth, I need more height. Can't beat a bandsawn bowl blank with any chainsawn one, no matter how good you are with a chainsaw.

robo hippy

[Neil Strong]

I send my blades out to be sharpened. I found a local saw shop that does an excellent job. You can touch them up your self. I take a bunch in at a time. For 5 150 inch blades, and 4 96 inch blades, cost was about $40. Not all saw shops are equal.

Thanks Reed.

Yeah, I wouldn't bother sharpening mine if I could find someone who could do a good job for that price.

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