WoodSaver Carbide Impregnated Bandsaw Blades

[jim oakes]

Has anyone here used them? They are sold thru Grizzly too, but factory direct looks a bit cheaper.

They also have the "Gold" Carbide Impregnated blade , a bit thicker kerf but about the same price as a Timber Wolf.

Of course the big questions are do they last as long as full carbide or close?

How smooth is the cut compared to woodslicer or full carbide ?





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

[Curt Harms]

Hi Jim

I bought the "premium gold" 1/2" our of curiosity. The sales person indicated that the "woodsaver" blades may not last as long as the premium gold blades. I don't know the reason, the thinner kerf might run warmer or maybe not. I don't resaw high value stock and the kerf of the premium gold blade is still pretty thin. They seem to do a good job, comparable to the 3/4" Timberwolf blade I have, and like the Timberwolf has no apparent drift on my Rikon 10-325. I haven't been home enough to use it much. My reason for buying the Supercut is that the Timberwolf & Woodslicer are not know for long life.

I wondered if the "carbide impregnated" was so much hocus pocus but a guy who's pretty up to speed on manufacturing technologies feels it'd be possible to sort of sinter carbide particles onto a blade. It cuts well anyway, one pass thru a drum sander would remove the saw marks. Slower feed speeds help with smoothness as well. One possible problem might be the lack of a wider blade, like a 3/4" or 1" but on my 14" saw a 1/2" blade works well and doesnt' seem to bow in the cut or otherwise misbehave.

HTH

Curt

[jim oakes]

Thanks Curt,

Is the surface of the cut as smooth as a woodslicer? Hopefully it will stay sharp longer.

[Curt Harms]

Thanks Curt,

Is the surface of the cut as smooth as a woodslicer? Hopefully it will stay sharp longer.

Hi Jim

I've never used a woodslicer so I can't say, sorry.

Curt

[jim oakes]

I just looked up the March/April 2004 Fine Woodworking blade tests and the gold (carbide impregnated) didn't even beat the carbon from the( same)Supercut company!


The gold costs twice as much as carbon so hopefully it will last longer at that price.