1/8" (or less) bandsaw blades?

[Brad Olson]

Does anyone out there run 1/8" blades on a 20" bandsaw? I have a Grizzly G1258 20" bandsaw and would like to use a 1/8" blade for bandsaw boxes.

This saw has euro style guides underneath with bearing guides on top. I know there may be a small issue with the bearing guides on top and an 1/8" blade, but I'd like to get some feedback from those running a similar saw setup and a 1/8" blade.

Thanks for the input

Brad

[Michael Ballent]

I was under the impression that they bigger the saw they less they liked skinny blades... Do they even make 1/8" bandsaw blades? You may need to change guides to Cool Blocks to run it, if you can...

[Dev Emch]

Yes.
1/8 in blades seems to be the limit however. The oliver 416, for example, lists the smallest useable blade as 1/8 in in its litrature and this is a 36 in bandsaw.

The first issue with 1/8 inch blades is that they are not bi-metal. In a bi-metal blade, you have a strip of very hard M-42 alloy brazed onto a soft backer strip to form the blade ribbon. When the teeth are cut, the bottom of the gullet kisses into the backer ribbon which improves the blades flexibility as M-42 is not very flexible. Its an excellent cutting alloy but what makes it excellent for cutting does not help in bending it around saw wheels. Thus, the best blades are bi-metal. You can't really make a 1/8 inch bi-metal blade. So the ones out there are conventional alloy.

These small blades are sensitive to tension. They tend to break easily as its easy to overtension them.

Now, companies like Grob in WI have been making metal cutting bandsaws for many years. They have developed a blade which is more like a round file than a blade. This file blade can be made up into various lengths and welded. Info has it that it does not damage the rubber wheels of your bandsaw. But it does cut in any direction and I do mean any direction. It is lousy for use in resaw applications but its supposed to be the cats meeow for contour cutting.

[Lee DeRaud]

Now, companies like Grob in WI have been making metal cutting bandsaws for many years. They have developed a blade which is more like a round file than a blade. This file blade can be made up into various lengths and welded. Info has it that it does not damage the rubber wheels of your bandsaw. But it does cut in any direction and I do mean any direction. It is lousy for use in resaw applications but its supposed to be the cats meeow for contour cutting.What about guides? Sounds like they would need something exotic, or at least a dedicated set used for those blades only.