James Nugnes
06-13-2014, 10:05 PM
I know that there is a lotta' knowledge here about the Rikon 10-305. Bought mine mainly off the stuff I read here. Use mine to make woodcarving blanks and have the Carter scroll attachment on it and an Olson 1/4" x 70.5", 4 TPI blade. The 4 TPI is about the only Olsen Flex back I can find for it any longer. Not sure if the blade type is an issue.
As my carving expertise has gotten better I have found myself using thicker blocks of basswood as my subject matter has just grown in that direction.
Anyway, I have just started to cut on some 3" basswood and I notice the little guy is struggling a bit with it. Granted it is a little band saw. Heck these little guys just barely deserve to be called band saws. But I was a little surprised that it is groaning a bit at 3" basswood. Cuts cross grain easily enough but anything angle on to the grain or with the grain is something of a struggle for it.
Just for clarification purposes, it seems to cut through 3" tupelo easily enough but tupelo is way less dense than basswood. Does not have much trouble with 2" basswood. Fight it a little but not so as you would care that much. But it does not seem to like 3" basswood much.
Is it just time for a new blade maybe? I put a new blade on last summer and I do a lot of woodcarving. So while it does not get tons of work since it is only used for one thing....i have probably cut out about 60-70 blanks since changing the blade. I also cut the blanks pretty close to the pattern on the band saw so 60-70 blanks is more cutting than it might seem.
Anyway, what do you guys think....just time to change the blade? I do wonder if it would be happier with more teeth per inch. First Olsen I put on it was more like 1/8", 14 TPI and while 1/8" seemed a bit light I don't wonder that it would be happier with more teeth. Maybe time to change the blade and change the blade type. Please let me now what you guys think.
As my carving expertise has gotten better I have found myself using thicker blocks of basswood as my subject matter has just grown in that direction.
Anyway, I have just started to cut on some 3" basswood and I notice the little guy is struggling a bit with it. Granted it is a little band saw. Heck these little guys just barely deserve to be called band saws. But I was a little surprised that it is groaning a bit at 3" basswood. Cuts cross grain easily enough but anything angle on to the grain or with the grain is something of a struggle for it.
Just for clarification purposes, it seems to cut through 3" tupelo easily enough but tupelo is way less dense than basswood. Does not have much trouble with 2" basswood. Fight it a little but not so as you would care that much. But it does not seem to like 3" basswood much.
Is it just time for a new blade maybe? I put a new blade on last summer and I do a lot of woodcarving. So while it does not get tons of work since it is only used for one thing....i have probably cut out about 60-70 blanks since changing the blade. I also cut the blanks pretty close to the pattern on the band saw so 60-70 blanks is more cutting than it might seem.
Anyway, what do you guys think....just time to change the blade? I do wonder if it would be happier with more teeth per inch. First Olsen I put on it was more like 1/8", 14 TPI and while 1/8" seemed a bit light I don't wonder that it would be happier with more teeth. Maybe time to change the blade and change the blade type. Please let me now what you guys think.