What bandsaw blade

[Dave Fritz]

What type of bandsaw blade do you use when cutting biscuts off the end of a log? I'm using a sled to secure the mostly round piece but find the 1/2 inch by 3 TPI blade is too aggressive. Will I be better off using a thinner blade with more teeth per inch?

[Prashun Patel]

I wouldn't do this with a bandsaw. I would use a chainsaw. I tried doing this with a log and despite my attempt to clamp and hold the log, it rolled, ruined the blade, smashed my finger and ruined a pair of underwear.

You are IMHO better off hand sawing these or chainsawing them and cleaning up after.

If I just HAD to do it, I would likely use a finer tooth blade with a ridiculously slow feed rate.

[Peter Blair]

That will often ruin more than just a pair of underwear Prashun!! I typically fasten a 2 by to the end with screws to prevent rolling but even then I go real slow and carefully.
I do have a 'Little Ripper" that I have modified to act as a cross cut sled as well it works really good and I feel safe using it but it takes a bit too long to set up each cut if you are making lots of cookies!

[David M Peters]

A 1/2 x 3TPI blade is about what I'd try if cutting cookies off a log. What does "too aggressive" mean?

[Dave Fritz]

Thank you for the additional replies. I find that with my 1/2 inch x 3 TPI blade it seems too course. For example, when I'm cutting a 12 inch bowl blank if the bottom isn't perfectly flat the piece will bump and try to twist when I cut it. Doing the same piece with a 1/4 inch x 6 TPI will not do that. I'm making the cookies out of a three inch max tree branch. I do have a sled that I secure the piece to but it still bent the blade and broke open the piece. The blade is from Ellis. The 1/2 steel and the 1/4 inch bimetal if that makes a difference.

[Reed Gray]

Well, with a carbide tipped blade, you can get pieces that will need very little sanding. With a 3 tpi 1/2 inch blade, you will have to start at 120 or less. A V sled to hold the round is a must, and set it up so it will run on the track. I did see some guy on You Tube who made slabs that were cut on about a 45 degree angle. He had his chainsaw on a pivot of some sort so it would cut straight and keep the same angle and thickness of each slab. I would think those would have been best sanded on a drum sander.

robo hippy