My head is spinning.... What bandsaw blades to get.

[Bill Huber]

I have my 14 inch Jet all ready to go, bolted to the stand and installed the Carter Quick Release today.

Now the 3/8 blade that came with the saw is really junk, it will cut pine really well but that is about it.

So I am going to order 3 blades, now just which ones.

From all the searching and reading I will be Getting Timber Wolf blades.

I want one for small curves, one for general work and one for some resaw work.
So I would think I want a 1/4 for the smaller curves, anything that it wouldn't handle I think I would be better to use a scroll saw for.

A 3/8, not sure on pitch for general use.

A 3/8, not sure on pitch for resaw, I don't think the 14 in bandsaw can really handle a 1/2 in. blade will it?

So what do I need to order.

[Danny Thompson]

Michael Fortune, in an article named "Five Tips for Better Bandsawing" and published in Fine Woodworking, argues a standard carbon steel 1/2" 3 TPI skiptooth is the best blade for all around bandsawing. He says a 1/3 hp motor can easily handle such a blade, or 1/2 hp with a riser block.

The key, according to the article, is buying in bulk and replacing the blade frequently. He uses some fairly cheap blades manufactured by Starrett and distributed through www.bcsaw.com (http://www.bcsaw.com). They are only 8.95 apiece.

Interesting article: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuidePDF.aspx?id=24093

[Peter Quinn]

I get my Timberwolf blades from Suffolk Machinery, buy 3, get 1 free!

That saw will definetely tension a 1/2" blade, I like a 3th or 4 tooth hook blade for rip, 3th hook blade for resaw. I keep one blade for resaw that doesn't get used for ripping or curves. I use a 3/8" 6th for general purpose and a 1/4" 10P for tighter curves.

Check the confusing but helpful chart link below for other suggestions regarding the specific type of wood you are cutting and the work you are doing.

http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/silicon_steel_selection.asp

[Jim Becker]

I second Peter's reference to Suffolk. They are the manufacturer of Timberwolf and are a pleasure to do business with. Just tell them what kind of cutting you plan on doing and they will make recommendations for what blade configurations you should have on hand. Buying direct is also less expensive than buying blades from the same stock at retail. Do consider buying more than one of the blade you think you will use the most since band saw blades are "disposables" and it's a pain to run out of cutting in the middle of a great project weekend!

Oh, and your 14" machine will handle a 1/2" blade with no problem.

[Peter Quadarella]

I pretty much knew what I wanted, but took the easy way out and just called Timberwolf and had them sell me 4 blades based on what I told them. They have some kind of buy 3 get 1 free deal right now.

BTW, it is very weird to see another Peter Q around. ;)

[Lance Norris]

Bill, I buy all my bandsaw blades from my local saw shop. I like a 1/8" 14 tooth blade for small, tight cuts, like bandsawn boxes. I use a 1/4" 4tooth blade for general purpose, and a 1/2" 3tooth for resawing. If you decide to use an 1/8" blade, the Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer is a good add on. It really helps with the tight turns.

[Howard Acheson]

If you are new to a bandsaw, I suggest you purchase one of the bandsaw books by either Lonnie Bird or Mark Duginske. Mark's book is newly published and is really excellent. Either book will tell you how to set up and align your saw and will discuss the various blade types and when to use which. Bandsaw blades are fairly specific as to their use and your saw will perform much better when you use the correct blade. Both books will also tell you how to use your saw to its best advantage.

[Bill Huber]

I get my Timberwolf blades from Suffolk Machinery, buy 3, get 1 free!

That saw will definetely tension a 1/2" blade, I like a 3th or 4 tooth hook blade for rip, 3th hook blade for resaw. I keep one blade for resaw that doesn't get used for ripping or curves. I use a 3/8" 6th for general purpose and a 1/4" 10P for tighter curves.

Check the confusing but helpful chart link below for other suggestions regarding the specific type of wood you are cutting and the work you are doing.

http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/silicon_steel_selection.asp

Thanks that was the infor I was looking for, I guess I will be calling them tomorrow and see what the have to sell...

[Bill Huber]

Oh, and your 14" machine will handle a 1/2" blade with no problem.


Thats what I get for reading to much, I read that a 14 inch would not handle a 1/2 blade, so I guess the 1/2 would be the best for resawing.

Thanks Jim..

[Bill Huber]

Bill, I buy all my bandsaw blades from my local saw shop. I like a 1/8" 14 tooth blade for small, tight cuts, like bandsawn boxes. I use a 1/4" 4tooth blade for general purpose, and a 1/2" 3tooth for resawing. If you decide to use an 1/8" blade, the Carter Bandsaw Stabilizer is a good add on. It really helps with the tight turns.

How does the saw handle an 1/8 blade, it is stable, its just so small and the saw is so big..... :D

[Bill Huber]

If you are new to a bandsaw, I suggest you purchase one of the bandsaw books by either Lonnie Bird or Mark Duginske. Mark's book is newly published and is really excellent. Either book will tell you how to set up and align your saw and will discuss the various blade types and when to use which. Bandsaw blades are fairly specific as to their use and your saw will perform much better when you use the correct blade. Both books will also tell you how to use your saw to its best advantage.

Howard, I have the Bandsaw book by Lonnie Bird and am reading it. The problem is I just get so over loaded with information after awhile I still don't have any idea what I am doing.

[John Browne]

Don't sweat it. The blades are pretty cheap, and they don't last forever. Just grab a few and try them out. You'll soon get a feel for what works and what doesn't. I would recommend that over time you try different manufacturers like Timber Wolf, Highland Hardware's wood slicer, and Lenox. Some will definitely perform better on your saw than others.

Remember it's supposed to be fun!

[Lance Norris]

How does the saw handle an 1/8 blade, it is stable, its just so small and the saw is so big..... :D

It does so quite nicely. I have used an 1/8" blade for a long time, both with cool blocks and the Carter Stabilizer. With the cool blocks, you can bury the blade in them, but the turning radius isnt as good as with the Stabilizer. The Stabilizer allows the blade to turn and you can make cuts that almost turn back on themselves, maybe 3/16". You can help make even tighter turns by using a stone on the back side of the running blade and rounding off the edge.

I just ordered a couple 1/16" blades from Supercut. I dont have them yet, but look forward to using them. Ive never used a blade that small, so its going to be interesting.

http://www.supercutbandsaw.com/index.html

[Curt Harms]

I have a Rikon 10-325 and have been running a T'wolf 3/4" for resawing and 1/4" for curved work. I became aware of Supercut with their carbide impregnated teeth. A somewhat common complaint with Timberwolf & Woodslicer is they're not real durable. Some people run bimetal for greater blade life especially for woods with silica in them. I just got a 1/2" Supercut premium gold blade. I'd say the cut quality is about like the Timberwolf 3/4" 2/3 variable pitch blade. The Supercut blade seems like it will feed faster than the Timberwolf but will produce a smoother cut when fed slower. Neither the Timberwolf or the Supercut blade requires any drift correction on my saw so far. Neither blade will produce a cut as smooth as a table saw but a 1/32" pass thru a jointer or a swipe with a hand plane will clean it right up.

HTH

Curt

[Randy Klein]

I have the Rikon 10-325 and use a Lenox 1/4" Bimetal. I got the idea from this article (http://books.google.com/books?id=l_8xoBC2LSoC&pg=PA11&dq=lenox+%28bimetal+OR+%22bi+metal%22+OR+%22b-metal%22%29+%28bandsaw+OR+%22band+saw%22%29+blade&ei=5PPSR_-qD5O0yQSm18HnBg&sig=eB7sKwvkyACx6V3m7p71vRmfgHs).

[Richard Dragin]

I run the Timberwolfe blades also and have been very pleased with them. I have purchased through Constitution Saw and Suffolk of Washington. Both have been very helpful and will recommend blades based on your needs.

There is no one magic blade to do everything and getting the right blade with a good setup makes your bandsaw work the way you dream about. Figure what you plan on cutting and let those guys help you determine the best blade for the task. Then it's up to you to use the information from your books to get proper tension and alignment. After you try a few differant blades the learning curve smoothes out and you'll be an expert, posting on here like the rest of us.

[glenn bradley]

Thats what I get for reading to much, I read that a 14 inch would not handle a 1/2 blade, so I guess the 1/2 would be the best for resawing.

Thanks Jim..

I ran a 1/2" 2-3T Timberwolf on my old 12" C-man. The current owner is still running that blade.

[Greg Cole]

Howard, I have the Bandsaw book by Lonnie Bird and am reading it. The problem is I just get so over loaded with information after awhile I still don't have any idea what I am doing.

Bill,
If you take your BS book in the shop and stand in front of your saw that might help. Many of the pics-terms etc are sort of general so if you can see exactly what the book is referring to on your specific saw, that might be more helpful.
My wife bought me the new Duginski book for Christmas (she knew I just got a new BS, but didn't seem to remember I had one for a year or so, sold it and replaced it). It's a good book and honestly, I picked up some from it after having a BS for awhile it was a bit easier to get through. I wouldn't have bought it, but that's mostly from me not being a "text book" style guy....
Cheers.
Greg

[Wilbur Pan]

Hi Bill,

You may be overthinking things. Bandsaw blade selection really isn't that hard. There are only two things you need to keep in mind.

First, for long straight cuts, you'll want a wider blade. A 14" bandsaw should be able to handle a 1/2" blade, which most would say is as wide as you can go.

Second, the thinner the wood, the more TPI you want, and the thicker the wood, the less TPI. That's why for resawing, a 3 or even 2 TPI blade will work well. But for making basic cuts in 4/4 stock, a 6 TPI blade will work better. A good rule of thumb is to try to have 4-6 teeth in the thickness of the board, which is why scroll saw blades have such fine teeth.

If I picked out my three most commonly used blades, it would be a 3/4" 2-3 variable TPI blade for resawing (my bandsaw is a larger one capable of dealing with a 3/4" blade), a 1/4" 6 TPI blade for tighter curves in boards 1" thick or less, and a 1/2" 6 TPI for long straight cuts in boards 1" thick or less. Out of these, the 3/4" 2-3 variable TPI blade gets used the most by far.

In your case, you would want a 1/2" 2-3 variable TPI blade (or a 1/2" 3 TPI blade), since a 14" bandsaw won't be able to deal with a 3/4" blade. Add on a 1/4" 6 TPI blade and a 1/2" 6 TPI blade, and you'll be able to cut anything unless you are making very tight curves, or stock thinner than 1/2" or so.

All of my blades are Timberwolf blades, from Suffolk Machinery.

[Jerome Hanby]

My Shopsmith 11" bandsaw runs a 1/2" Timberwolf with zero problem...


Thats what I get for reading to much, I read that a 14 inch would not handle a 1/2 blade, so I guess the 1/2 would be the best for resawing.

Thanks Jim..

[Tom Henderson2]

Hi Bill,

You may be overthinking things. Bandsaw blade selection really isn't that hard. There are only two things you need to keep in mind.

First, for long straight cuts, you'll want a wider blade. A 14" bandsaw should be able to handle a 1/2" blade, which most would say is as wide as you can go.

Second, the thinner the wood, the more TPI you want, and the thicker the wood, the less TPI. That's why for resawing, a 3 or even 2 TPI blade will work well. But for making basic cuts in 4/4 stock, a 6 TPI blade will work better. A good rule of thumb is to try to have 4-6 teeth in the thickness of the board, which is why scroll saw blades have such fine teeth.

If I picked out my three most commonly used blades, it would be a 3/4" 2-3 variable TPI blade for resawing (my bandsaw is a larger one capable of dealing with a 3/4" blade), a 1/4" 6 TPI blade for tighter curves in boards 1" thick or less, and a 1/2" 6 TPI for long straight cuts in boards 1" thick or less. Out of these, the 3/4" 2-3 variable TPI blade gets used the most by far.

In your case, you would want a 1/2" 2-3 variable TPI blade (or a 1/2" 3 TPI blade), since a 14" bandsaw won't be able to deal with a 3/4" blade. Add on a 1/4" 6 TPI blade and a 1/2" 6 TPI blade, and you'll be able to cut anything unless you are making very tight curves, or stock thinner than 1/2" or so.

All of my blades are Timberwolf blades, from Suffolk Machinery.

Hi Wilbur-

I was delighted to see this thread as I have the same question. New-to-me 12" BS and wondering about blades.

The blade width and tooth count I understand.

But where I fall off the turnip truck is when the tooth design issues come into play -- "positive claw", "alternate set", Raker, etc.

Any comments that might help us newbies out?

-TH

[Bob Stegemann]

I've used a 1/2" blade on my 14" Jet for sometime it worked well. I just started using a 5/8" Olsen blade for resawing and it is great. Not only does it work great it cost half the price of the 1/2" blade.

[Wilbur Pan]

Hi Tom,

About the different tooth geometries -- again, it's easy to overthink things. If you look closely at the types of Timberwolf blades available, you'll see that for, say, a 1/4" 6 TPI blade you only have the choice of a positive claw. The 10 TPI blades only come in raker geometry. The only real choice you need to make is for some blades that exist in either positive claw or alternate set geometry, and all you have to know is that the alternate set gives you a thicker kerf, so it's good for cutting green wood, roughing out bowl blanks, or other really aggressive cutting operations. There's also an "alternate set special" that they say is specifically for veneer cutting, but I haven't tried this blade myself.

The various choices in tooth geometry are geared toward the thickness of the wood being cut. Raker geometry is good for thin pieces of wood and leaves a very smooth finish, as in scroll cuts. Positive claw geometry is good for thicker pieces of wood because it cuts more aggressively, which is what you need for cutting thicker pieces of wood.

So it makes sense for the tooth geometry to match up somewhat with the TPI. If you are doing scrolling type cuts in thin stock, you'll want to have a high TPI, but to then make that a positive claw tooth which is aggressive makes no sense. Likewise, if you are sawing thick stock, you want the cut to proceed with some speed, so using a raker geometry would be counterproductive.

The one exception I've seen to this rule of thumb is as a bit of a lark (there was a 5 for the price of four special, and I needed something for the fifth blade) I ordered a 3/4" 10 TPI blade that came with a raker cut to try on sheet goods. Again, there was only one choice as far as tooth geometry. That blade gave me a cut nearly as smooth as a tablesaw. But I wouldn't use this blade on solid wood.

Hope this helps!

[Tom Henderson2]

Thanks Wilbur -- I appreciate the smple explanation.

-TH