Smallest Blade on Large Bandsaw?

[Andrew More]

Just wondering what the smallest blade people have run on a large bandsaw might be. I just bought the Laguna 18 BX, and I noticed that they claim it can run a 1/8" blade, but I struggle with that. True you can bring down the guides quite a ways, and they have special guides for much smaller blades, but I still think it's going to be a bit like squashing an ant with a sledge hammer.

I've also got a little 14" Delta that was my bandsaw prior to this, and I'm thinking I might keep it, though I'm in a small shop, so space is at a premium.

What's your smallest blade?

[al ladd]

When I need to cut tight curves I use narrow blades (I think 3/16") on my Davis Wells 20" with great results. The DW has double blocky guide blocks that work fine with no need for special blocks for narrow blades.

[Mike Kees]

Andrew the difference in size of my two bandsaws is different than yours but keeping two is a great way to go. Having a small saw with a small blade set up is way more fun than changing blades.

[Jim Becker]

I have a MM-16 from about 2004. 16" wheels. (flat tires) While I own and have actually used a .125" band on it a couple times, it was not a pleasant process because it required completely re-tracking the machine to run that narrow band...there's no choice but to re-track such a narrow band to run in the middle which is not normal for flat tires. I have also run .25" bands, but they are narrow enough that it's tricky getting the teeth just off the edge as is preferred with a flat tire machine. So in most cases, I don't go below a .375" band and usually keep a .5" band on for general purpose cutting.

Honestly, I wish it had been possible to keep the 14" Jet I had (comparable to your Delta 14") to run narrow bands for scrolling type cutting, but at the time, I just didn't have the shop space. I had another 14" saw a friend left with me when he moved across the country that I intended to recondition, but never got around to it before moving. I gave that to another 'Creeker to give to a family member (his daughter I think) and it's working fine there. Once I have a shop building up here at the new location, I may just pick up a small bandsaw if I deem I need it, but a lot of things I might have done with a small bandsaw now get cut with my CNC, so the jury is out.

[Andrew More]

Changing blades is a good reason to keep both. I finally got the tracking right on the 1 1/4" Resaw king after much testing, and "ruin" scrap. For now I think I've got the space, but it's a bit "cozy" :)

[Mike Wilkins]

it's worth it to have a second smaller machine for those times when a smaller blade is needed. I have a Laguna LT18 and have only used a 1/4" blade once. I picked up a Rikon bench top machine which holds a 1/4" all the time just for such times. Blade changes are a lot of work.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have a 1/4 blade on my 20 inch Bandsaw I bought for resawing. I had to sell my 14 pm when things got tough.
I really like the how long the 1/4 6tooth blade is lasting. It’s 14ft long so it’s like have 3 small blade welded together.
Like Jim mentioned it tracks almost in the middle of the tire. Flat tire saw.

[johnny means]

Doesn't a sledge hammer leave the any just as dead? IMO, a bigger saw means a bigger table and a bigger throat, which actually comes in a lot handier for the scrolling cuts you would do with a smaller blade. How often does one need room to maneuver when using a 1" blade?

[Mike Kees]

Doesn't a sledge hammer leave the any just as dead? IMO, a bigger saw means a bigger table and a bigger throat, which actually comes in a lot handier for the scrolling cuts you would do with a smaller blade. How often does one need room to maneuver when using a 1" blade?
Johnny you are absolutely right. I am going to give this a try sometime when it would be useful.

[Warren Lake]

wanted to check minimum blade width in the manual on my larger bandsaw and could not find it. Did find this chart.

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[Edwin Santos]

Doesn't a sledge hammer leave the any just as dead? IMO, a bigger saw means a bigger table and a bigger throat, which actually comes in a lot handier for the scrolling cuts you would do with a smaller blade. How often does one need room to maneuver when using a 1" blade?


Johnny you are absolutely right. I am going to give this a try sometime when it would be useful.

If your bigger saw has euro style guides, it can create a challenge setting them up to support a very narrow 3/16 or 1/8" blade. But there's a solution that I use which is to make a block with a thin kerf which supports the blade when clamped in the guides. I think I cut the kerf with a Japanese hand saw. I've attached a few photos to illustrate. A poor man's Carter stabilizer. Using this setup I have cut dozens of name signs.

475959475960475961475962

[Warren Lake]

mcGiver would be proud, that is pretty neat.

[Andrew More]

Neat jig Edwin! I've got the Laguna 18 BX, which has a set of guides they call the "mini guides" for $150. It would also be another ~$50 per blade if I decide to buy another blade for the saw, while it's about $5 for a 1/8" blade for my Delta.

If I'm understanding the point that you and Andrew are making, it appears that my premise is flawed and there is no issue with running a smaller blade on a large saw, IF the guides are setup appropriately.

[Holmes Anderson]

Jim, do you run the 1/2" band in the middle of the wheel or at the edge? My MM16 manual says to run 1/2" and smaller in the middle. I have tried both ways and the middle seems to track better. Do you still have the Euro guides on that 2004 saw?

[Jim Becker]

If your bigger saw has euro style guides, it can create a challenge setting them up to support a very narrow 3/16 or 1/8" blade. But there's a solution that I use which is to make a block with a thin kerf which supports the blade when clamped in the guides. I think I cut the kerf with a Japanese hand saw. I've attached a few photos to illustrate. A poor man's Carter stabilizer. Using this setup I have cut dozens of name signs.



That's a great ideal Edwin!!


Jim, do you run the 1/2" band in the middle of the wheel or at the edge? My MM16 manual says to run 1/2" and smaller in the middle. I have tried both ways and the middle seems to track better. Do you still have the Euro guides on that 2004 saw?

Anything 1/4" and up has the teeth over the edge. I don't have to re-track things that way. And yes, still using the Euro guides, even though I bought the "cool blocks" for it back in the day...they are still in the plastic bag they came in.

[Robert LaPlaca]

If your bigger saw has euro style guides, it can create a challenge setting them up to support a very narrow 3/16 or 1/8" blade. But there's a solution that I use which is to make a block with a thin kerf which supports the blade when clamped in the guides. I think I cut the kerf with a Japanese hand saw. I've attached a few photos to illustrate. A poor man's Carter stabilizer. Using this setup I have cut dozens of name signs.

475959475960475961475962

Thats’s pretty cool Edwin, thanks

[Mike Kees]

Not sure why so many think that other types of guides are superior to the Euro type guides, they look excellent to me. I actually wanted to buy the '456' guides for my saw but the cost was to high. Ended up with Carter "Zepher" or "Zenith" (Can't remember which ) guides. They as configured give me 14'' inches of Resaw height on my Centauro CO 600 from 1980. With the wide blades I have run on this saw tensioned properly I honestly don't think the guides do much anyway.

[Edwin Santos]

Not sure why so many think that other types of guides are superior to the Euro type guides, they look excellent to me. I actually wanted to buy the '456' guides for my saw but the cost was to high. Ended up with Carter "Zepher" or "Zenith" (Can't remember which ) guides. They as configured give me 14'' inches of Resaw height on my Centauro CO 600 from 1980. With the wide blades I have run on this saw tensioned properly I honestly don't think the guides do much anyway.

I happen to like the euro guides a lot, but if I were consistently running narrower bands, like 1/4" and under, I would prefer cool blocks. I've seen people get excellent results with all types of guides.

[Jim Becker]

Euro guides really are good in most situations, Mike. The only place they struggle is with very narrow bands due the nature of the guides which is why some creativity like Edwin shows is interesting.