Very Narrow BandSaw Blades?

[Bill Webster]

Has anyone here had experience running very narrow bandsaw blades? I was thinking about dedicating a bandsaw for use with 1/16" and 1/8" blades only. The plan was to use an upper V-roller guide only and track the blade to run back against the V-roller lightly. If that works, it would be very easy and quick to swap blades.

[Jim Becker]

I have a 1/8" band that I've employed a couple of times...over the last decade and a half. Due to the setup for such a narrow blade, having a dedicated machine isn't a horrible idea if you have the money and the space.

[Bill Webster]

Jim, Did you use a V-roller for the 1/8" blade?

[Paul F Franklin]

Carter makes a guide system designed for smaller blades: https://www.carterproducts.com/band-saw-products/band-saw-stabilizer

No experience with it, other than seeing a demo of it somewhere....

[Tom M King]

I keep one on one of the 10" saws, and run a Carter Stabilizer on it. The Stabilizer sounds like what you're talking about. It's just a since bearing with a groove in it. I thought about making one, but the time I'd have to put in finding the stuff to make it out of made paying the high price seem reasonable. The stabilizer allows the blade to twist any kind of way, and it's almost like the blade has no width.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, Did you use a V-roller for the 1/8" blade?

No...this was on my MM16, believe it or not, which is more complicated because of the flat (not crowned) tires. LOL

But a guide system that's well suited for a narrow blade would be a good investment for a dedicated setup like you propose. I envision a v-roller would be really good with something narrow that just isn't suitable for most other guide systems, although you could conceivably also use cool blocks. The v-roller, however, also takes care of the back of the blade all at the same time.

[Tom M King]

The Carter Stabilizer is used by itself. Unlike a normal back roller guide, it puts a little pressure on the blade all the time. The side guides are taken off.

[Larry Frank]

I have a 10" Rikon with a Carter Stabilizer and works great with small blades. I run a 3 /16" blade on it. For more intricate cuts I have a Hegner scroll saw.

[Frederick Skelly]

Carter makes a guide system designed for smaller blades: https://www.carterproducts.com/band-saw-products/band-saw-stabilizer

No experience with it, other than seeing a demo of it somewhere....

I have one of those that I bought to use with 1/8" blades. It works ok. I just dont use 1/8" blades much.

[Bill Webster]

Jim, Not sure if you want a crown on your MM16, but if you do, you can make one with progressively wider strips of Gorrilla duct tape. That is what Sulphur Grove use to recommend. On my 20" Delta, I put the crown on the tire (crown on the wheels wasn't enough for smaller blades), but when I replace the tires I am going to try the tape crown. I think a person would have to be careful not to mess the tape up when installing. I made a tire installation wooden wheel that would prevent that problem and makes it much easier to install the tires.

[glenn bradley]

Carter stabilizer on a 14” Delta works well with 3/16” blades. That’s the limit of my experience with it.

[Bob Jones 5443]

I have a 10" Rikon with a Carter Stabilizer and works great with small blades. I run a 3 /16" blade on it. For more intricate cuts I have a Hegner scroll saw.

Sounds better than buying and finding shop space for a scroll saw. Does the stabilizer change out with the saw’s guides easily back and forth?

[Mark Rainey]

Sounds better than buying and finding shop space for a scroll saw. Does the stabilizer change out with the saw’s guides easily back and forth?
Carter stabilizer changes out easily, perhaps 5 to 10 minute change over. I run a 1/8 inch blade, smallest blade i could find for bandsaw. Works good.

[Larry Frank]

I have no problem with space and use my scroll saw a lot. I just leave the Carter Stabilizer on the 10" Rikon. My other bandsaw does the larger stuff and resaw.

[Tom M King]

The 10" saws show up fairly frequently on CL. The Craftsman, that is no longer sold under that name, is the exact same saw as the Rikon. New, the Craftsman ones were $165, so those go pretty cheap on CL. I paid $100 for my second one, because it was pretty close by. They don't take up much room, and are easy to move around if 65 pounds is not a big deal to you. I saw one yesterday on CL for $75. I don't spend any time swapping guides around on any of the bandsaws.

[Bradley Gray]

I have a 12" Craftsman from the 50's that I use exclusively with a 1/8" blade. I use lennox 5 tooth pattern (left right left right raker) 14 TPI. I have "cool blocks" installed - graphite guides that run tight against the blade.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, Not sure if you want a crown on your MM16,

I do not...it runs great "native" and generally has a 1/2" or 3/4" band on it. I've literally used that 1/8" band twice in two decades. :)

[Edwin Santos]

If I may ask, what type of work are you doing with such narrow blades?

The common objection I hear with the Carter Stabilizer is that it is a pain to frequently install and remove. If you are thinking about mounting one permanently on a dedicated narrow blade saw then you've solved the main complaint, and it should be a great solution for you.

The other thing to consider is that while some of the big Italian saws mentioned can technically run a 1/8" blade, the problem is that those machines have been designed with a low table, great for resawing, ripping and handling large pieces of wood, but not so great if you're going to spend hours hunched over fine detail work with a narrow blade. Unless a Chiropractor lives in your household.

So this is why I think the classic Delta style 14" machines with the significantly higher table lend themselves to fine scroll and curve cutting work. This is part of the reason I was asking about your application.

[John K Jordan]

Has anyone here had experience running very narrow bandsaw blades? I was thinking about dedicating a bandsaw for use with 1/16" and 1/8" blades only. The plan was to use an upper V-roller guide only and track the blade to run back against the V-roller lightly. If that works, it would be very easy and quick to swap blades.

I knew of a guy who ran very narrow blades. He made blade guides by "squeezing" the blade between two blocks of wood. I don't remember but I suspect he grooved the wood to provide clearance for the blade.

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

The other thing to consider is that while some of the big Italian saws mentioned can technically run a 1/8" blade, the problem is that those machines have been designed with a low table, great for resawing, ripping and handling large pieces of wood, but not so great if you're going to spend hours hunched over fine detail work with a narrow blade. Unless a Chiropractor lives in your household.

So this is why I think the classic Delta style 14" machines with the significantly higher table lend themselves to fine scroll and curve cutting work. This is part of the reason I was asking about your application.

I agree with this. If I were going to run narrow blades for scrolling a lot, I'd have a second saw dedicated to narrow blades. While I have used that 1/8" blade on my MM16, I would not want to have to employ it frequently because I have to completely change the setup and tracking to accommodate it from what it's set at for the normal wide blades. I actually have a 14" saw in the garage bay that a friend left with me when he moved to Idaho years ago. It needs some reconditioning and a motor and if I suddenly decided I needed a second saw I could easily employ it. But I don't do that kind of work on a bandsaw much and it's even less likely with the CNC.

[Bill Webster]

My application for a narrow blade is general woodworking, but more often something shop related. I have a 20" BS that I keep a 1/2" blade on and use it for most BS work. I have a 14" BS that I keep a 1/4" blade on, but I think it would be better to keep an 1/8" blade on it for smaller radius cutting. I also have some 1/16" blade stock that might be interesting to use. I ordered the stabilizer guide, so will know soon how it works.

[Edwin Santos]

My application for a narrow blade is general woodworking, but more often something shop related. I have a 20" BS that I keep a 1/2" blade on and use it for most BS work. I have a 14" BS that I keep a 1/4" blade on, but I think it would be better to keep an 1/8" blade on it for smaller radius cutting. I also have some 1/16" blade stock that might be interesting to use. I ordered the stabilizer guide, so will know soon how it works.

I think the Carter Stabilizer will meet your needs very well. I keep a 1/8" blade around and I use it mainly for cutting sign letters. If the work you're cutting is any thicker than 1/2" or so, you might be happier with a 3/16" blade for tight curve needs. I say this because the only 1/8" blades I have been able to find have been 14tpi. A fine tooth pitch like that is great for thin materials, especially splinter prone plywood but do not clear sawdust well enough to excel in thicker or harder wood in my experience.
3/16" blades are available in 4tpi which will clear sawdust much better in thicker stock with very little sacrifice in the tightness of radius you can cut, especially with a stabilizer. It would be good to have both on hand.

I have never even seen a 1/16" blade and didn't know they were available.

Good luck, I admire any man with three (or more) bandsaws!

[Tom M King]

To answer the question about what use: My main use is cutting the copes on muntins when I'm making just one, or few of reproduction sash for old houses. It's a lot faster than a jewelers saw, and I find it more controllable than a scroll saw, or at least, leaves cleaner cuts.