"Best" 1/4" band saw blade?

[Peter Kuhlman]

I have a 14" Jet band saw with riser and am looking for recommendations on 1/4" blades. Carbide tipped I only find on 1/2" and up sized. Is there any 1/4" blade with extra long life? Have used Timberwolf primarily and maybe I should stick with them but wanted to see if there were better options out there.
Thanks

[John Lanciani]

Lenox Diemaster bimetal, 1/4" x 6tpi, $2.75 per foot (cut and welded to your length); http://www.woodcraftbands.com/Pricing%20page.htm

This is my standard blade for everything except resaw use on both of my small bandsaws (10" & 14")

Not affiliated, just a happy customer.

[Jason Neal]

After a couple of years with a Rockwell 14" saw doing hobby work, I homed in on a 1/4" x 6tpi bimetal blade as the go-to blade for about 90% of the work I do with both thin and thick stock. No doubt bimetal is the best value for the weekend warrior, and who am I to argue with Van Husky? I'd love to have a carbide blade but that represents a big investment and I worry the backer will fatigue on the 14" wheels well before a tiny fraction of the life of carbide is used up.

Anyway, I have heard good things about Woodcraftbands so I ordered one of the Lenox Diemasters that John describes. I've gotten a couple of blades elsewhere with questionable welds so I wanted to try them out before placing a bigger order. They were out of the band stock at the time I ordered and I was not in a rush so I asked them to just backorder it. That was 3 months ago. Guess I better give them a call.

[jared herbert]

I have used the Lenox diemaster blades and they are good. They seem to last a long time, a lot longer than the timberwolf blades. When I ordered them they came right away. Jared

[Bruce Wrenn]

Lenox Diemaster bimetal, 1/4" x 6tpi, $2.75 per foot (cut and welded to your length); http://www.woodcraftbands.com/Pricing%20page.htm

This is my standard blade for everything except resaw use on both of my small bandsaws (10" & 14")

Not affiliated, just a happy customer.Same answer, just different poster.

[Van Huskey]

The Lenix Diemaster is my go to bi-metal blade and about the best 1/4" bands you can buy. The Starrett Intenss Pro-Die is a slightly better blade but harder to find and usually more expensive.

[Peter Kuhlman]

Thanks for the replies and info. Will try the Lennox Diemaster 2 blades.

[Mark W Pugh]

Lenox Diemaster bimetal, 1/4" x 6tpi, $2.75 per foot (cut and welded to your length); http://www.woodcraftbands.com/Pricing%20page.htm

OK, just trying to get my bandsaw set up and I'm a newby with it. Looking at the web site, you get these options.

4H or 4S or 6H or 6S or 10R or 14R

I assume the H = hooked, S = skip, R = regular. Which is the best for day in and day out cutting? Usually thinner materials. What do you guys recommend? Thanks.

[Van Huskey]

OK, just trying to get my bandsaw set up and I'm a newby with it. Looking at the web site, you get these options.

4H or 4S or 6H or 6S or 10R or 14R

I assume the H = hooked, S = skip, R = regular. Which is the best for day in and day out cutting? Usually thinner materials. What do you guys recommend? Thanks.

How thin? I prefer a skip tooth blade for general contour cutting. You want 3 teeth in the material so 4 TPI will work for 3/4", 6 TPI for 1/2" and higher TPI for thinner material. I hate the concept of one blade does all, there is not the equal of the 40T combination 10" table saw blade for a BS (thats a compromise for a TS as well, just not as much).

For some general BS blade info: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?149862-Lets-talk-bandsaw-blades!&highlight=lets+talk+bandsaw

[Bruce Wrenn]

1/4", 6TPI, hook pattern, bi-metal blade. The last one I replaced had been on saw for about 12 years.