Bandsaw Blades

[Gary Garmar]

I need some help in purchasing the correct blades for what I want to do with the BS. I need blade(s) for resawing and for sawing out turning blanks. Needs to be durable and pretty much a do all blade(s). Thanks in advance.

[James Carmichael]

Gary,

Your question will probably get much more action in the General Woodworking and Power Tools forum. You'll also need to give details on your saw, make, model, wheel diameter, HP, etc.

[TYLER WOOD]

for resawing you will want a really wide blade. It will give you a more sturdy blade for stability purposes. You will get a better result than with narrow blades.

For sawing blanks you will want a medium width blade so it will turn easily. Wider blades do not like turning circles for blanks. A wide blade would work for both if you wanted to just cut the sides of instead of getting the piece round.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Gary

A 1/2" wide blade with 3 to 4 tpi will resaw and 'round' blanks to as small as 5 or 6" diameter comfortably. If you have a bigger than average band saw you you can go bigger for the Re-sawing.

I bought a box of 20 new blades to fit my saw at an estate auction for $28, they are Olson blades. At this price I can discard easier than if I was buying a brand new Timberwolf every time I thought I was getting a little dull.

Frank

[George Guadiane]

Gary

A 1/2" wide blade with 3 to 4 tpi will resaw and 'round' blanks to as small as 5 or 6" diameter comfortably. If you have a bigger than average band saw you you can go bigger for the Re-sawing.

I bought a box of 20 new blades to fit my saw at an estate auction for $28, they are Olson blades. At this price I can discard easier than if I was buying a brand new Timberwolf every time I thought I was getting a little dull.

Frank
If you can't get an estate auction deal, you might want to call Suffolk Machine. They are the sellers of Timberwolf blades. They were recommended to me by Ukulele makers and bowl turners alike... When I called, it was to complain about their website, I couldn't figure out how to order on line. The VERY helpful guy who answered the phone started asking me questions, what kind of bandsaw, what do you want to do with these blades, wet wood, dry wood, how thick, resaw or bowl blanks... After substantial 3rd degree, he told me what I should ordered and that he didn't sell on the internet because he wanted to make sure his customers got the blades they needed for the jobs they intended to do. I have been a devoted customer ever since

OH, the blades work like a dream for me.:D

[Paul Andrews]

I will second what Frank said regarding Suffolk machinery. Great people to deal with. All you need to do is call them and provide the details of what you want the blade to do and what equipment you are working with, and they will tell you what you need to order.

[Gary Garmar]

Thanks for all the information, I will order from Suffolk today.

[Don McIvor]

Gary-

You're definitely looking for two different blades. Spend a little money on the resaw blade and get something good--you'll be happier with the results. Specs mentioned elsewhere in this thread for bowl blanks are accurate. But sawing bowl blanks is hard on a blade, so I recommend something on the cheaper end. I use Olson blades for bowl blanks and am generally happy with them (but would be a lot happier if I'd found a box full at an estate sale!).

You didn't mention which BS you have. Be aware that a 14" band saw (what most folks have, including me) will not properly tension a blade that's over 1/2" wide. This might affect your decision on the re-saw blade, where you might be tempted to go with a wider blade.

Don

[Jim Becker]

For your turning blank work, which is usually green wood, you want a blade designed for cutting wet wood. The Timberwolf AS series from Suffolk Machinery is what I use for that--usually a 1/2" blade on my saw, but if you're working with smaller piece, you may need a narrower blade. For resaw work, you'll want a different blade configuration based on your actual saw. Suffolk can make a recommendation for that with your input.

[Reed Gray]

I have never tried a Timberwolf blade. My saws take a 96 inch and a 150 inch blades which are unusual sizes. I have a dealer who has the Lennow bimetal blades, and will make them up to order. They will cut through a nail without too much damage. They take longer to dull than other blades I have tried. I wanted a carbide blade to try out, and the guy told me that they are only good for resawing veneers. I tried one out anyway, and they don't cut wet wood as well as a resaw blade does, and on a properly tuned up bandsaw will give a much smoother cut than you can get on your table saw.
robo hippy

[Jim Becker]

Reed, Timberwolf blades from Suffolk Machinery (http://www.suffolkmachinery.com) come in whatever size you need...these are not the retail packaged ones from PS Wood you see in Woodcraft in "common" sizes. Same blade material, but custom made to exact length. And at a lower price. ;)

[joe greiner]

Best to use two different blades for straight and curved cuts. Curved cuts, always cut in the same direction, wear the teeth on one side more than the other; the set becomes eccentric, and straight cuts develop more drift as usage progresses. You can reduce this tendency by alternating the direction of cut for bowl blanks: clockwise, counter-clockwise, CW, CCW, ...

Joe

[Jim Becker]

Best to use two different blades for straight and curved cuts.

ABSOLUTELY! Thou shalt not use one's resaw blade for any kind of curved cutting including even the most gentle of curves...

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use the Timberwolf 3 tpi AS blade for green wood and cutting bowl blanks. For resaw I haven't found a much better blade than the 1/2" Woodslicer from Highland Hardware. It gives a smooth straight cut and works well.

[JerHall]

IMHO it is a waste to get Suffolk or Highland bands for bowl blanks. I have used them and I can't see any difference in longevity vs basic hardened carbon blades when cutting green, thru bark, and god knows what else. On a value basis just get an inexpensive blade. BC Saw and Tool was recommended by Fine Woodworking as a great value, and they have a nice tutorial for picking a blade. I ended up just going to my local saw shop and had some 3/8 x 3tpi welded up from Lenox basic carbon bands. Under 15 bucks each as I recall for 145" bands.

This way I don't begrudge putting on a sharp blade. And mine have resawn up to 12" pine and alder perfectly. Too lazy to change to my expensive resaw blade, and got away with it.

Also I use my electric chain saw as much as I can. It can actually be safer for roughing out a blank. Daniel E. doesn't have a bandsaw per his video! Lathes are pretty good at getting things round.

[Jim Becker]

Jerry, I believe that the last AS I bought from Suffolk was about $15 which isn't materially different than the locally purchased blades. (My saw is a 2003 MM16 and it takes 145" blades) And it's slightly thicker kerf lasts a bit longer in wet wood for which it was designed.

[JerHall]

Jim,

I too have a 16" saw, a Laguna, but your MM I believe is the better bandsaw! I do have the MM combo saw and have been delighted with it.

It's been a while since I bought the Suffolk blades, but I just
looked at ebandsaw, a distributor of the Timberwolf bands and found:
Wood/Metal Cutting: AS 3/8" x .032 x 144" $24.25
Which, if I read it right, is the blade specified at the Suffolk Machinery Site as appropriate for green wood.

Also they had a thinner blade:
Wood/Metal Cutting: PC 3/8" x .025 x 150" $23.07

Maybe other suppliers are cheaper.

Fine Woodworking issue 169 June 2006 did a test of 19, 1/2" band, suppliers. This is the one issue that I seem to have misplaced! But I recall they saw no great value for the increased price, or heavily marketed claims for Timberwolf or Highland. They did mention BC Saw as the best value, I believe. Timberwolf was highlighted as fast cutting but fair in other respects:

SUMMARY REVIEW

"To test bandsaw blades for resawing, we selected 1/2-in.-wide blades, a size well suited to resawing on a 14-in. bandsaw. The same saw (Delta model 28-241) was used for all of the tests. When it comes to resaw blades, most woodworkers have only three demands: that the blade be reasonably fast and that the cut be both reasonably flat and reasonably smooth. To measure speed, we timed low long it took to cut through a section of 9-1/2-in.-wide soft maple, with short times equating to fast-cutting blades. To assess flatness, we measured the amount of barreling on the test block using a straightedge and a set of feeler gauges. To find the smoothest cutters, we measured how much sanding had to be done to remove the blade marks. The Timber Wolf P.C. was one of the fastest, in 9-1/2" maple resaw, completing the speed test in 18.54 seconds.

Editor Test Results
Flatness Test Fair
Quality of Cut Fair
Speed of Cut Very good"

This is no biggie, especially if you don't go thru a lot of bands, or are mainly doing finish cutting on expensive seasoned lumber, but I do a lot of turning green natural edge oak, and I just don't see a difference in my use of different band suppliers, so price rules. YMMV

I am not saying they are not good bands. But for turners are they worth the price? Do they live up to the hype and slick demos?

Thanks for your thoughts, and I certainly respect them.

[Jim Becker]

Resellers of Timberwolf charge higher prices than Suffolk direct...and the latter often has "buy x get one free" deals, too. I buy them 'cause I get good long life, don't have to crank the tension so high to get good results and because when I call them, they know what I bought last time and deliver the next batch fast. But are they a panacea? Nope. Just decent blades that I have been happy with. Everything else I've tried have been disappointing outside of the Lennox TriMaster carbide I use for resaw work.

'Glad you're happy with your Euro gear, Jerry! Me tool....as it were...:D

[joe greiner]

Lathes are pretty good at getting things round.

Amen. Eight-sided is round enough for mounting; and the bandsaw won't remove a heavy off-axis clump anyway - even four-sided for small blanks. Ditto for spindle work. I've turned many triangular splits of firewood; hold the spindle roughing gouge so that the wood hits it on the way around; after about 50% contact, you can just about ride the bevel.

Joe

[JerHall]

Jim,

I see what you mean. Currently they have a 4 for 3 special. That brings my 145" 3/8" blades in .032 to about $20 each. The .025 blades would be a couple bucks cheaper. That is closer and it is a good blade. Maybe I will give them a try again on my next order. I too like the thicker blade, known as "furniture bands" by some, also available as a standard carbon blade, but at more cost. So apples to apples it looks like they is around three bucks or so difference in price. Good information and good discussion.

Jerry

[Reed Gray]

I did check the prices here on the Lennox bi metal blades (which do outlast the other types, and are worth getting resharpened) and found them to be cheaper than the ones from Suffolk.
robo hippy

[Dick Strauss]

Gary,
You made the right choice by going with Timberwolf. I'm still on my first Timberwolf blade (3/8" 3tpi AS) after a whole year. I've cut at least 100 wet turning blanks averaging 8-10" in diameter. I've also cut at least a dozen nails while chopping up some old construction debris found in a crawlspace. I can't say enough good things about the folks at Suffolk and the Timberwolf blades!!!!!

FYI-I suggest you use standard guides for wet wood instead of roller guides. Roller guides tend to compress the wet wood residue onto the blade causing buildup that results in the blade walking on the tires.

Good luck,
Dick

[Hilel Salomon]

I have had good success with Timberwolf but better luck from blades I got specifically for cutting green wood from Highland Hardware. They correctly tout (sp?) them for cutting green wood for turning. I have an18" jet in SC with timberwolf blades and a 14" delta with risers and the Highland blades in VA. I prefer cutting green wood up in VA.
Good luck, Hilel.

[Jim Becker]

Hilel, are you comparing the "wet wood" blades from Highland to the Timberwolf AS? Or the PC? Only the former is designed for wet cutting and you will see a difference. It's good to know that Highland has a wet wood blade, too! Choices are good.

[Dale L Hoover]

A good place to get bandsaw blades.
They will size an blade for you and the prices are good.
I buy all my blades from them.


http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/ (http://www.bandsawbladesdirect.com/orders.cfm?u=0B314B0A-123F-2031-87270788F2CF48F4)

[Hilel Salomon]

Jim,

The truth is I don't know. I'll check the next time I go to Mann Tool where I buy my Timberwolf blades. It may be that I'm comparing apples to oranges.
Thanks for pointing out the possibility, Hilel.

[Wilbur Pan]

I need some help in purchasing the correct blades for what I want to do with the BS. I need blade(s) for resawing and for sawing out turning blanks. Needs to be durable and pretty much a do all blade(s). Thanks in advance.

Others already have made good recommendations, and I get my blades direct from Suffolk Machinery as well.

But you really should have two separate blades for these two operations. To ask one blade to be a "do all" for these two purposes is like trying to turn spindles and bowls with only one gouge.

[David Elsey]

buy Swedish Silicone blades, they are sharp and stay sharp for quite a while when resawing. Timberwolf is one brand but there are cheaper brands that are just as good.

Check the model number on your bandsaw for the size or the manufacturer's plate.

Good luck and happy sawing.

David

[Gary Garmar]

I purchased the 1/2" 3tpi AS and received them today. A bit pricy but should be just what I am looking for in a bowl blank blade. Try saying that 3 times real fast. Anyway, I will install the blade tomorrow. Thanks for all the suggestions.