Help me choose a band saw blade.

[Richard McComas]

I have an 16 in Walker Turner band saw with a 3 hp motor. I have a bunch of 4/4 Blood Wood up to 10 inches wide that I need to re-saw down the middle. I've already tried a timber-wolf 1/2 inch 3 TPI blade which cut extremely slow and the band broke before completing a 32 inch long board. This wood is very dense and hard.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[David Weaver]

Not sure what you can use if a timberwolf doesn't do it - maybe a wider band? Can you run 3/4" or 1" blades?

I use a 3 tpi 3/4" timberwolf as a resaw blade and it works well.

I would think the next step up would be a lenox carbide blade, but I don't know if that would solve the problem of breaking the blade.

Is everything aligned and good to go in the saw? the 48 hardness, or whatever it is, steel in the timberwolf blades should be pretty good in terms of resisting breakage. I would at least call them and let them know of the occurrence and they might send you a second one to try.

One other comment - in my limited knowledge of bandsaw blades, and none of bloodwood, if bloodwood is hard and abrasive, your two options above and beyond the silica (silicon?) steel blades like the timberwolf blades are bimetal and the lenox carbide type. Ask the guys this at pswood if you call them about your blade, and they may be able to tell you that the wood is just too hard for a silicon steel and point you in the direction of something else. I've never resawn anything harder than hard maple.

[Roy Wall]

Lennox Tri-master in a 2/3 vari pitch is an excellent blade. Expensive, but super tough and resaws like a champ. I don't know if you can get it less than 1" wide though. Lennox also just came out with a less expensive bimetal blade that probably is 1/2" wide.

[John Thompson]

Probably the best re-saw IMO is the Lennox Tri-master offered for an and a leg. If I were you, I would get the Lennox 3/4" or 1" bi-metal in 3 TPI at around $40 before jumping onto a Tri-master. Excellent blade and will last much longer than a carbon blade (which is not made for re-saw) but won't last as long as the "Tri-master. And it won't leave quite as smooth a cut.

I use them to rip thick stock and ocassionally re-saw. Top notch on first and very acceptable on the second at about $140 less than the TRI. I ordered a new one yesterday, BTW. About $48 with shipping and a charge for welding to lenght.

Sarge...

[nick brigg]

I've been using a 16 dollar 1/2" 3TPI bi-metal blade and it's beautiful. should last a while too, not as long as carbide but hell 16 bucks!

[Bruce Page]

Richard, I run a 3TPI carbide tipped Lennox Tri-master on my MM16 for resawing. I have resawn white oak & Brazilian cherry and it handled both with ease. It’s a pricy but excellent blade.

[Doug Shepard]

What everybody else said. Lenox TriMaster. Lotsa money but it will be a very long time before you have to replace one too.

[Curt Harms]

http://www.supercutbandsaw.com/woodsaver.html. I may have to get one is nobody else is willing to be a "pioneer":).

[Thomas S Stockton]

I would second the bi-metal blade before spending big bucks on a carbide one. I was resawing elm using a regular lenox blade and couldn't get thru a 2' long cut without toasting the blade, went with a bi-metal and it did the job fine. I don't think going with a wider blade is going to help and 3 tpi should be fine.
Tom

[Richard McComas]

Thanks for the replies guys. I put on another timbewolf blade and had much better success. The first blade must have been faulty or my set up was faulty. However I may try the bi-metal or lexon blades.

[Wilbur Pan]

Sorry I came late to this thread, but for what it's worth, I have the same Walker Turner bandsaw, although with the original 1/2 HP motor, and I use the Timberwolf 3/4" 2-3 TPI variable pitch blade for resawing, and it works great, even with my little motor.