Band saw Blade

[Mike Hill]

For some time now I have had a band saw. It's a RIKON 14" Woodworking type. Have not used it much since I can do most things on the table saw. Now I am in need of the ability to resaw lumber for boxes and furniture since it is supposed to be more economical. I built a higher fence and spent most of the day getting it square with the table and adjusting for drift. I was saved by apack of "Ole Maid" playing cards the Grandkids left here. They make great shims. The blade that comes with the saw is a 93 1/2" 5 TPI and tends to wander when resawing. A book I have on Workshop machines recommends a Carbide 4 Pitch, hook tooth 1/2 inch blade for resawing hard woods. Is this correct? Would appreciate any other recommendations on blade speed, tension etc. Picture of the higher fence shown below.
Mike

44048

[tod evans]

mike, before you plunk down the cash for a carbide blade call suffolk machine and ask their recomendations, use the steel blades for a while and if you find yourself resawing alot then look to the carbides. the carbide blades do a better job but are really expensive and a 14" saw is pushing the limits on wheel size to get good life out of one.....02 tod

[Loren Hedahl]

I use a 14 inch Delta which is comparable to your Rikon. For re-sawing and most other ripping I prefer an even coarser blade, a 3 tpi.

I also started out with finer blades. These did a lot of twisting and I had problems following a line and getting a straight cut.

Then one of the magazines came out with an article about band saw use. The author recommended a 1/2 in. (or 3/8 inch for lighter duty saws) blade with 3 teeth per inch and large gullets for ripping and re-sawing. He also recommended a complete and exact alignment of the saw.

I tried it and have never looked back.

[Fred Woodward]

I agree with Tod. 14" is too small a radius for the carbide blade.
I got a Timberwolf blade from Suffolk for my resawing with a 14" Rikon. Great blade and Suffolk is very helpful in getting you with the correct blade for what you are cutting.
I bought a 93 1/2" PC blade 1/2" width 4 TPI for dry hardwood resaw to 6" and the same blade with 3 TPI for green wood.
You'll really like the Timberwolf with it's lower tensioning. Cuts like butter. :D

[Dennis Peacock]

Yup...I too use the Timberwolf line of BS blades and have never looked back. Those babies cut very well and seem to last a lot longer than some of the others that I've tried. 1/2" PC blade is very good for resawing.