Bandsaw Blades - what/where to buy?

[Matt Meiser]

I'm in the process of tuning up and improving my long-neglected 14" bandsaw including order new blades since the ones I have are close to 10 years old, and even though lightly used, they've been banged around enough that I doubt they are in very good shape.

I'm looking at 3 blades--a 1/8" 14TPI blade for fine work, a 1/4" 6TPI blade for general use, and a 1/2" or maybe 3/4" 3TPI blade for resawing. Open for suggestions on all of these as well.

Four sources have come highly recommended:
Timberwolf
BC Saw
Olsen Saw (MVP bimetal for resaw)
Highland Hardware (Woodslicer for resaw)

For shipping cost reasons I'd like to use one source since all :gasp: charge for shipping. (Joke--I'm spoiled by Amazon Prime's "free" shipping)

It sounds like the Woodslicer probably gives the "best" resaw results but maybe not the best life. But I'm not sure about the rest of the blades from Highland? A friend of mine says he won't use anything but TW. A group of guys from my club bought from BC Saw and the few reports I've heard were glowing. The Olsen blades are recommended in Mark Duginske's book and old posts here, but then I discovered he's in business with them (he invented Cool Blocks and licensed them to Olsen) so I can't help but wonder.

Or are they all good and its just personal preference?

[Harvey Pascoe]

Woodslicer probably gives the best cut IF your saw is set up right. If not no blade does. Timberwolf is okay and less costly if you don't demand a very smooth cut. Both last about the same in my experience. Resawing wide boards runs blades down fast and it gets expensive. I finally switched from WS to the Lennox carbide tipped as I was going thru $60-$90 a month on blades. The Lennox was $138 and supposedly lasts 5-10x longer. Jury still out on that.

One thing people never do is define what they mean by smooth cuts. What one man t hinks smooth, another may think rough. Define it by whether a resaw veneer is good enough to glue w/o any further prep. IMO the answer is yes with both the WS and the Lennox Trimaster, with TW, I say no. The Trimaster is amazingly smooth, say +/- 0.005"

[Terry Beadle]

I used the woodslicer exclusively for about 15 years. Really happy with it but I went to a wood working show and they had the Olsen's on sale. I bought the 1/2inch 3 tpi. True it doesn't cut as smooth a resaw as the wood slicer but it really cuts well and after a couple hundred feet of cherry , it's still cutting like new. The Olsen's were about 1/2 the price of the slicer. Just my experience.

Re Mr. Ducheski - he doesn't strike me as some one who would sell out. He's just too much a craftsman IMO.

[Neil Brooks]

I think Van Huskey did a bang-up job of providing direction in this thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?149862-Lets-talk-bandsaw-blades%21).

I've pretty much picked FROM his list, so far, and have been extremely happy with the results.

Good luck !

[Bill White]

Matt, you're gonna get good service from all the brands mentioned. Woodslicer is a winner in the home shop. Timberwolf is good stuff.
I use an industrial bandsaw shop in my area that suppliers the furniture industry. They cut and weld to my dimensions.
Bill

[Todd Bin]

I have used Olsen, Timberwolf, Woodslicer, and Lenox in that order. I will say that the woodslicer was an eye opener for resaw. Very smooth and quiet compared witht he timberwolf. But I do agree it doesn't stay sharp all that long. I started using the Lenox blades and they are NICE. Go to bandsawbladesdirect.com The bi-metal diemaster 2 is really good and is in the same price point as the others -- $36 for 105 inch blade.

Caution with wider than 1/2 inch blade on a 14 inch bandsaw. 3/4 inch is really pushing the limits of most 14 inchers.

[Matt Meiser]

Funny, the Diemaster 2 is the blade I usually buy for my 4x6 metal bandsaw in a variable TPI configuration.

[lowell holmes]

I've had good luck with BC Saw.

This question is a lot like do you like blondes, red heads, brunets, or do you like them all.

You never will get total agreement. :)

[David Kumm]

You need good tensioning and a strong motor to push a trimaster. I like them the best- with the lenox ct 1.3 for resawing but you will have all you can do to tension even a 1/2 trimaster. I would try the others and see how you like first since the carbide blades are expensive and may be too much for your saw. Dave

[Matt Meiser]

The saw is a late 70's Delta/Rockwell with a riser kit. I've installed a Carter Cobra Coil spring, and I've got a 1-1/2HP Leeson motor on its way to replace the stock 3/4HP motor.

[Neil Bosdet]

+1 for Timberwolf. I love their blades. For resawing, I like the lennox but others are right, it may be too much for your saw. Try Laguna's resaw blade. It's much thinner and a really good carbide blade.

[Harvey Pascoe]

I also have the Delta 14 with 1.5 hp and the Trimaster is NO problem even on 10" stock and I use the same tension as on the other blades. I think tension is greatly over-rated and a proper tune up and blades running on the center of the tires is most important. If, not you get lousy results no matter what your tension is.

[David Kumm]

I hear you Harvey. I have found that my 1" lenox resaws straight and true with fairly low tension- less than 15000 but at that pushes against the back bearing which heats it up and greatly shortens its life. With the trimaster I would tension until the blade stays put or barely uses the back bearing unless really pushed. A little too much is better than too little unless you bottom out the spring. Whole other problem then and really hard on the blade. Dave

[Bruce Wrenn]

For me it is a one blade choice. A 1/4", 6 TPI, hook pattern, bi metal blade. I've had this blade on my saw for over 12 years now. I know that one day it will have to be replaced, or sharpened. Check with Woodcraftbands for your blade needs.

[Bill Huber]

I to am a Timberwolf fan, I have very good luck with them. Now I will say that awhile back I needed a 1/4 blade and the Timberwolf I had was really dull and I just picked up a Ridgid are HD and I was really happy with it and the cost is 1/2 that of a Timberwolf. I don't know how long it will last but it has been cutting really good.