Page 3 of 6 FirstFirst 123456 LastLast
Results 31 to 45 of 78

Thread: Lets talk bandsaw blades!

  1. I am a novice to the bandsaw and really appreciate all the information here... and the time it took for you to write out the details.

    I have a 14" Delta with a riser. How do I know what tension I can/should use? Is this saw in the category of "Cast Clone"?

    I calculated the length of the blade that was on the saw that I need to replace and it seems it was 106", but you reference that it should be the standard 105", so I am a little confused? Is it possible that the previous owner put a 106" blade on the saw? Perhaps I calculated the length wrong, (Pi*D) plus 2 times the distance between the wheel centers(31")?

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by Dean Ousterhout View Post
    I am a novice to the bandsaw and really appreciate all the information here... and the time it took for you to write out the details.

    I have a 14" Delta with a riser. How do I know what tension I can/should use? Is this saw in the category of "Cast Clone"?

    I calculated the length of the blade that was on the saw that I need to replace and it seems it was 106", but you reference that it should be the standard 105", so I am a little confused? Is it possible that the previous owner put a 106" blade on the saw? Perhaps I calculated the length wrong, (Pi*D) plus 2 times the distance between the wheel centers(31")?
    The Delta is a cast 14" saw the original Delta's going back over 70 years are the saw all the modern 14" cast iron saws are based on, they are the clones but they are very similar in many ways. I have yet to see a Delta with a riser that didn't take a 105" blade. Due to the way bandsaws tension blades a blade can vary but a short blade may not fit onto the wheels and a long blade may not allow enough remaining travel to tension it properly, the wider the band the bigger an issue this is. I am 99% sure you will be fine with a 105" blade.

    As for the tensioning not knowing the vintage or exact model it is hard to tell but you probably have a tension gauge that is calibrated to blade width, for the most part with Carbon or spring steel blades just use that, you may increase it by up to the next blade size up for thick material or if the blade is getting dull, this is something you just have to play with. Never bottom out the tension spring though! There are a lot of variables but I or someone will give specific advise for the saw and a specific blade if you like. In the end I basically suggest start with the correct mark on the tension gauge and work up or down from there to get the quality of cut you want in the material you are using.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Beantown
    Posts
    2,831
    Thanks Van. I think a new carbide blade is in my future! My saw has a 2hp motor which isn't huge, but I've never really strained it much either so I should be fine. Not sure which blade I'll get but I'll post back when I have some results!

    thanks,
    Jeff

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Duncan View Post
    Thanks Van. I think a new carbide blade is in my future! My saw has a 2hp motor which isn't huge, but I've never really strained it much either so I should be fine. Not sure which blade I'll get but I'll post back when I have some results!

    thanks,
    Jeff
    With 2hp you will be fine.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    1,417
    Not a day goes by that I don't wish someone had found this thread using the SEARCH function... I need to bookmark it so I can just paste the link to it. And the more folks we get here with Q and A, the more useful the thread will be. Thanks again!
    Thread on "How do I pickup/move XXX Saw?" http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=597898

    Compilation of "Which Band Saw to buy?" threads http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...028#post692028

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    santa cruz ca. transplant to ga.
    Posts
    164
    I'm just in the market for a re-saw blade .
    Grizzly cast iron 2hp motor with 17 in wheels.
    Sound like I can get away with a 3/4 in. blade widest they suggest. With all the great information her I suspect I will not go wrong getting a blade.
    I read a 3/4 blade takes about twice the tension as a 1/2 in very substantial I think.

    With regards to three wheelers I know they are not the preferd, but I have one, a delta, small but very useful. As the wheels are small I would think the thickness would be most important like the .022(bi metal ??) from Iturra Design . I assume others will due well, but how much would this factor play in regard to small wheels. I'm not talking re-saw here just general purpose 1/8 - 3/8 blades.

    Great review on saw blade information, probably save me much money.
    Thanks people.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by raul segura View Post
    I'm just in the market for a re-saw blade .
    Grizzly cast iron 2hp motor with 17 in wheels.
    Sound like I can get away with a 3/4 in. blade widest they suggest. With all the great information her I suspect I will not go wrong getting a blade.
    I read a 3/4 blade takes about twice the tension as a 1/2 in very substantial I think.

    With regards to three wheelers I know they are not the preferd, but I have one, a delta, small but very useful. As the wheels are small I would think the thickness would be most important like the .022(bi metal ??) from Iturra Design . I assume others will due well, but how much would this factor play in regard to small wheels. I'm not talking re-saw here just general purpose 1/8 - 3/8 blades.

    Great review on saw blade information, probably save me much money.
    Thanks people.
    I have not used the older larger than 14" cast saws but I would imagine you will be fine with a 3/4" blade, but one with thin backing material (.020-.025") would make the most sense.

    As far as the little three wheeler goes the thinner the better!!! Carbon would probably be better for that saw since Bi-metal likes more tension and you don't want to punish the saw.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    santa cruz ca. transplant to ga.
    Posts
    164
    Ill due that thanks.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    santa cruz ca. transplant to ga.
    Posts
    164
    OK,
    AS MENTIONED I HAVE THE Grizzly G1073Z 16" 2HP WITH 17 IN.WHEELS .
    YOU MENTIONED ECONOMY WITH THE LENOX BLADES.
    IF I WHERE TO RE-SAW WET 9-12 INCH OAK/CHERRY LOGS, WHAT BLADES WOULD YOU SUGGEST FROM LENOX, ..... AND A BLADE FOR DRY WOOD, ( IF NOT THE SAME). I KNOW THEY MAKE EXCELLENT HACK SAW BLADES. ANY BETTER SUGGESTION ?
    I FIGURE THIS SAW IS IN THE CAST CLONE AREA BUT PERHAPS A LITTLE LARGER.
    MUCH APPRECIATE. ID RATHER TAKE A CHANCE ON EXPERIENCE THAN A WALK IN THE DARK.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by raul segura View Post
    OK,
    AS MENTIONED I HAVE THE Grizzly G1073Z 16" 2HP WITH 17 IN.WHEELS .
    YOU MENTIONED ECONOMY WITH THE LENOX BLADES.
    IF I WHERE TO RE-SAW WET 9-12 INCH OAK/CHERRY LOGS, WHAT BLADES WOULD YOU SUGGEST FROM LENOX, ..... AND A BLADE FOR DRY WOOD, ( IF NOT THE SAME). I KNOW THEY MAKE EXCELLENT HACK SAW BLADES. ANY BETTER SUGGESTION ?
    I FIGURE THIS SAW IS IN THE CAST CLONE AREA BUT PERHAPS A LITTLE LARGER.
    MUCH APPRECIATE. ID RATHER TAKE A CHANCE ON EXPERIENCE THAN A WALK IN THE DARK.
    For the green (wet) wood my favorite is not a Lenox, it is from Highland: http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/w...aw-blades.aspx It has a lot of set and doesn't bind.

    For dry wood resawing it depends on your budget. For the best VALUE I would say the Lenox Diemaster 2 (1/2" x .020" 4TPI). If you want to spend more then I would recommend a carbide tipped blade like the Laguna Resaw King.

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Anderson, SC
    Posts
    129
    This is what I know about band saw blades. I tried the woodslicer the timberwolf, and the delta (later being the worse by far) the woodslicer and the timberwolf cut fine on about 10 to 15 boards. After that the blade would drift badly. I spent hours and hours with this saw. I figured this saw was not capable of doing any better. Then I bit the bullet and bought a Lenox 3/4" carbide tipped blade. Also changed the tires. It is like a different saw.
    Paul
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Meridianville, AL
    Posts
    22
    Van,

    Thanks so much for your summary. I consider myself a good woodworker, but still fairly new to the craft. I just recently bought a Grizzly 14", but I put the extension on it so that I can cut up to 12" widths. I really wanted to use it for re-sawing but found that my blade was dulled just after the adjustments to it, for both the 14" and extension blade. At first I thought I was doing something wrong, but quickly realized that you get what you pay for; not positive, but they probably sell the cheap stuff (Spring Steel). I plan on getting more proficient with my band saw but right now I use my table saw to re-saw for thinner pieces.

    So what blade is my best bet for the money? What is the best source, book, website or other to learn more about band saw techniques?

    Once again...Thanks!

    Greg Myers

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by paul dyar View Post
    This is what I know about band saw blades. I tried the woodslicer the timberwolf, and the delta (later being the worse by far) the woodslicer and the timberwolf cut fine on about 10 to 15 boards. After that the blade would drift badly. I spent hours and hours with this saw. I figured this saw was not capable of doing any better. Then I bit the bullet and bought a Lenox 3/4" carbide tipped blade. Also changed the tires. It is like a different saw.
    Paul
    You found out in person how quickly cheap blades (Delta), hardened spring steel (Woodslicer) and silicon steel (TM) dull quickly then go haywire. These blades have their place particularly the hardened spring steel but they are just too soft to last, carbide on the other hand...

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    LA & SC neither one is Cali
    Posts
    9,447
    Quote Originally Posted by Gregory Myers View Post
    Van,

    Thanks so much for your summary. I consider myself a good woodworker, but still fairly new to the craft. I just recently bought a Grizzly 14", but I put the extension on it so that I can cut up to 12" widths. I really wanted to use it for re-sawing but found that my blade was dulled just after the adjustments to it, for both the 14" and extension blade. At first I thought I was doing something wrong, but quickly realized that you get what you pay for; not positive, but they probably sell the cheap stuff (Spring Steel). I plan on getting more proficient with my band saw but right now I use my table saw to re-saw for thinner pieces.



    So what blade is my best bet for the money? What is the best source, book, website or other to learn more about band saw techniques?

    Once again...Thanks!

    Greg Myers

    For the blades or blade you use most often a bimetal blade is the way to go for long term value. I use Lenox but Olson, Starett and others make great ones too.

    As for books: "The new complete guide to the band saw by Mark Duginske get it from Amazon for $13.57 shipped, it is THE book but Lonnie Bird's book is also good.

    As for videos I will make you a deal, if you PM me your address I will send you Mark Duginske's DVD on bandsaws (may take me a week or so this time of year to get it out) BUT you have to promise me when you are fully finished with it to come back on make a post and pass it along to someone else and make them make the same "promise" so it moves around to people that want to see it. Make sense?

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Meridianville, AL
    Posts
    22
    Van,

    Wow, how can I pass up a deal like that! This is what woodworking communities should be about, sharing knowledge and helping each other out. I will definitely send you a private message with my address, so look for it shortly. Also, I'll definitely check out the band saw books you referred me to. I'm really excited about going to the woodworking show in Atlanta this year, and hopefully I'll meet other passionate people like you.

    Keep them rolling and thanks!
    r
    Gregory Myers

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •