Best bandsaw blade for green wood

[paul vechart]

I just bought an 11 year old General 15" bandsaw (model 490 made in Canada). This saw is in great condition and is listed at $3500 to $4000 new, paid $400! Anyway...what is the best blade for cutting green bowl blanks for turning? I have read a lot of good information on bandsaws and blades here so any recomendations would be appreciated for green wood.

Thanks,:)

Paul

[Van Huskey]

First of all GREAT find on the 490!!!

Second what you are looking for is a blade narrow enough to make the curves you need, a relatively thick gauge and with a LOT of set to the teeth. The best one that I am aware of is the one that Highland sells. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/woodturners-bandsawblade.aspx

[Peter Quinn]

Suffolk machine, who makes timberwolf blades, has a blade designed for cutting green wood as well. I've always been happy with the timberwolf blades I've used, but have not used the green wood blade. You can contact Suffolk machine for more info, real nice people over there.

[Bob Varney]

What Van said

[John Coloccia]

Why do you need a blade? I don't see a bandsaw.

[Van Huskey]

Why do you need a blade? I don't see a bandsaw.


Good point!! We do need pictures.

[Rod Sheridan]

I use a 1/2" 3/4 TPI for bowl blanks, although Diann isn't fussy and used the band saw for bowl blanks when 1 had a 1" 3TPI on the saw for sawing ash logs into lumber...Rod.

P.S. Since I don't know where you live, I can't reccomend anyone, however R&D Bandsaws have a good web site and I buy some of my blades from them

[Prashun Patel]

I use a 3/8" 3tpi, raker set blade. I get 10 of them in bulk from Bandsawblades.com. They last for a good long while.

I can't imagine that the more expensive "Green Wood" blades are made so much better to justify the pricing. I mean, you'll be able to get 10 above for the price of maybe 3 of the branded ones.

If you haven't cut a lot of bowl blanks on the bandsaw, there are a couple other things I'd consider. I apologize if you know all this, but bringing logs into blanks on a bandsaw has some challenges:

If yr using dust collection, get a preseparator. The strings (you'll see what I mean when you cut) can be wet.

Your blade is only as good as the flatness of yr log. What I mean is that even a slight rock on the bearing surface to the table will cause blade twist, which'll make it harder/dangerous to turn a log.

Don't use the saw to cross cut a flat on a log. I've done that, and without a sled, the log can roll, twist the blade, and crush a finger. That happened to me. Learn from my stupidity.

Vaccuum yr bearings religiously. Wet logs can gum up bearings.

[Ben Martin]

I agree with Prashun, get cheap blades. Way too easy to kink them. I have ruined two of the Timber Wolf, they work well but aren't cheap..

[paul vechart]

Ya I should of included a picture right away! Thanks for the tips and suggestions on blades everyone. Does anyone know why the price of this saw has tripled in price in 11 years? The only change that I know of is the motor is now a 1 hp...where it was a 3/4 hp before. Now I have to find a home in garage for the saw.



237802

[Van Huskey]

Gorgeous saw, enjoy it until the cops show up because you STOLE it!!! :D

The price has gone up due to volume going down and production costs going up. The rise of Asian machines including Generals own International division put serious pressure on the Canadian built division so much so they are stopping production of everything except their Canadian built table saws. The basic table saw was their best selling machine BUT its volume has dropped to about 400 a year from 10 times that 10 or so years ago. I am guessing they probably sold less than 100 of the 490s last year. While the 490 is an EXCELLENT saw it is nowhere near a $4,000 saw, you can get a 20" Italian resaw monster built every bit as well for less money. Price just killed these saws just like it did the other last NA built high quality small saw, the Powermatic 141 which ceased production IIRC 1989 when it's price got to $2,000.