Lenox Bandsaw Replacement Policy

[Clay Fails]

I just had my Lenox Trimaster (3/8 inch, 3/4V) break at the weld. I was in the middle of an easy cut and the blade just snapped. Of course I'm really bummed because this wa my best (and most expensive) blade.

Anyone know if Lenox will replace this blade? I plan to call them Monday.

thanks

[david brum]

I doubt if they will replace it for you, although its always worth a try. More likely they might re-weld it for you. The real question is why it broke. You didn't say what kind of saw you're using. My experience with anything thicker than .025 on my Taiwanese 17" band saw is that the blades break prematurely because they can't be adequately tensioned. Thinner blades last until they get too dull to use, but the thick ones work harden and crack pretty quickly. In my case, I have found several smaller cracks besides the one that caused the failure. Lucky for me, I realized that before I bought any really high end blades.

[Tai Fu]

I guess it depends on the steel too, because I read older Lenox 1" Trimasters would break on a 18" bandsaw due to the steel they used, but the newer ones were made softer so it would work fine even on a 16" bandsaw.

[Scott T Smith]

Probably a bad anneal. Have a local company reweld it for you (only costs a few bucks) and put it back in use.

[Adam Diethrich]

Probably a bad anneal. Have a local company reweld it for you (only costs a few bucks) and put it back in use.

I agree, +1

A.W.D.

[Clay Fails]

I doubt if they will replace it for you, although its always worth a try. More likely they might re-weld it for you. The real question is why it broke. You didn't say what kind of saw you're using. My experience with anything thicker than .025 on my Taiwanese 17" band saw is that the blades break prematurely because they can't be adequately tensioned. Thinner blades last until they get too dull to use, but the thick ones work harden and crack pretty quickly. In my case, I have found several smaller cracks besides the one that caused the failure. Lucky for me, I realized that before I bought any really high end blades.

I contacted the supplier i purchased the blade from, and they said to return the blade and they will try to repair it. That sounds pretty fair to me. I have the Powermatic 14 inch saw, and was cutting 1 inch qsawn white oak when it broke. It cost over $200, the most i have ever paid, but man did it cut dead straight. No drift at all, and very clean. I will let you know how it works out.

thanks

[Tai Fu]

I think the 3/8" blade might be too thick for 14 inch wheels. You should have gone with 1/2" which has .025" bands.

[Clay Fails]

I think the 3/8" blade might be too thick for 14 inch wheels. You should have gone with 1/2" which has .025" bands.

Interesting comment. The 3/4 is 0.035; are you saying the 1/2 inch is the only trimaster one can use on a 14 inch saw? I might need to call Lenox to inquire about that. One thing i do know; for $220, it better work and last longer than mine did!

[Tai Fu]

Trimasters is weird, they make 1/2" with a .025" band but 3/8" is .032". Check the band thickness before you order it, this will work on 18" bandsaws but 14" wheels can only take .025" bands at the most. Also 14" bandsaws, particularly the Delta clones can't really tension a carbide blade properly. Laguna does have 14" bandsaws that comes with the resaw king blade, but the resaw king uses .025" band even though they are 3/4" wide, and their 14" bandsaw is welded steel that can exert more tension (it weights similar to a 18" bandsaw than any Delta clones).

I do not know if a resaw king will work well for your bandsaw... but it seems like a better solution.

[Clay Fails]

That is really interesting. Thanks for the info. I'm sad, though, because the 3/8 Tri master cuts beautifully, even if it is so pricey. I may just have to order the 1/2 inch size and see if that holds up better.

[Metod Alif]

Learn from those folks who get excellent results with low tension. A bandsaw works in the 'pull-mode'.
Best wishes,
Metod

[Tai Fu]

I heard trimasters must have very heavy tension... or does low tension work with trimasters as well?

I've heard of people breaking 1/2" trimasters on a Delta clone simply due to insufficient tension...

[Howard Acheson]

Typically, 14" band saws work best with 1/2" re-saw blades. Wider blades are thicker and develop metal fatigue from the sharp radius and bend as they go around 14" wheels. Second, blades wider than 1/2" do not get full width support from the tires on 14" wheels so they tend to not cut well.

[Clay Fails]

Typically, 14" band saws work best with 1/2" re-saw blades. Wider blades are thicker and develop metal fatigue from the sharp radius and bend as they go around 14" wheels. Second, blades wider than 1/2" do not get full width support from the tires on 14" wheels so they tend to not cut well.
Mark Duginske's excellent bandsaw book says what most of you are saying; blades thicker than 0.025 should not be used in 14 inch saws. So apparently my purchase of the 3/8 trimaster at 0.032 inch thickness was wrong. Thats a $220 mistake. Ouch. Hopefully others can learn and not make the same mistake.

[Phil Thien]

Mark Duginske's excellent bandsaw book says what most of you are saying; blades thicker than 0.025 should not be used in 14 inch saws. So apparently my purchase of the 3/8 trimaster at 0.032 inch thickness was wrong. Thats a $220 mistake. Ouch. Hopefully others can learn and not make the same mistake.

How long has you used it before it broke?

[Tom Giacomo]

I live close to a Lenox dealer and have broken a blade a couple of times, I just took it back and they rewelded it for me.

[Brian W Smith]

Plus whatever on the annealing causing issues.Others have spotted the .032 vs.025.....

We Tig our blades and anneal very carefully.......and one in say 20 welds there's failure at the weld's HAZ.We just weld'm back up and keep using them.

[Tai Fu]

Also .032 is quite a bit from .025... vs. say .032 to .035 (which isn't much difference at all). Now when I hold the Lenox Woodmaster CT I can tell it's quite stiff, a lot stiffer than the .025" blade of similar length. I don't know what .032" feels like but I imagine it's not that much less than .035" so it means it's definitely too stiff for a 14" wheel. Pick up the blade and feel its stiffness... if you really struggle to put it into your bandsaw because the blade feels so stiff, it's too much.

[Clay Fails]

I just put it on the saw when I started my Morris Chair build, and I'm about 3/4 of the way done with the project. So in my view, not long at all. It's only been used to cut quartersawn white oak. I would say the blade is almost brand new, really.