Which bandsaw blades

[Dean S Walker]

I know, I have been searching through the forums looking at bandsaw blade likes and dislikes and I am all messed up now. I looked on timberwolf site and others and I have been using timberwolfs 1/2 3tpi for green. I noticed they have a 3 and 5 blade packages but I do not know how their other blades perform. There are so many blades out there I am turning to you guys to help here. What I am looking for. I just bought a laguna 18bx after selling my little 14 cast critter. I gave all the blades to the new owner so I am starting over in blade supply. I want a good solid resaw blade. wide, narrow, carbide what are your suggestions. I did have a woodslicer on my little 14 but my only complaint was it did not stay sharp very long. I will consider the carbide but would also like to know how or where to send it to get it sharpened. Maybe this isn't possible please let me know. Next is a good green wood blade and then a curvy capable blade. Maybe more but what do you folks think is a good set up for all the things bandsaw do. I would like to get a specific set of blades like 3 or four types but I do not want to have 12 different blades if you can get my meaning. I do not have a jointer or a tablesaw and just a lunch box planer, so I use bandsaws often. I have a lathe the rest is hand tools. Most flat work I do is smallish items so a good resaw finish equals saved time with the planes. Thanks folks

[Paul Williams]

Prior to upgrading my 12 inch sears bandsaw to the Laguna 14 BX I shied away from wide blades. I found the 1/4 or 3/8, 4 to 6 tooth the best all-round blades for my smaller saw. I stayed with the smaller blades for a year after buying the Laguna. Then I had a larger piece and switched out to the Laguna 1/2 inch 3 tooth blade. I haven put a smaller blade on since. Yes it doesn't corner as sharp, but the finish cut is smooth and it really works well in most situations.
Just my experience and somewhat limited so take it for what it is worth.

[Roger Chandler]

If you want really good blades for cutting blanks from logs, you can’t hardly beat the “Woodturners Blades” from Highland Woodworking. They are especially made for green wood/log cutting and out perform Timberwolf blades hands down! I’ve used many brands, but the Woodturners Blades are the best I’ve used, and are very reasonably priced, and last 3 or 4 times longer than any other blade for cutting blanks.

They are 3 tpi, .032 thickness for strength, rather than the standard .025, and they have hardened teeth, a wider tooth set for clearing the kerf, are 3’8” wide for great maneuverability in cutting circles, can even resaw boards from logs. They wil make them custom length for your particular saw at no extra cost, and Highland Woodworking has first rate customer service! On their web page put in the length you need and they will show you the price.

[Van Huskey]

For the resaw blade I suggest either a 3/4" Resaw King or 3/4" Lenox Trimaster. The RK can be sharpened by sending it to Laguna and Daily Saw in Fullerton CA can handle the Trimaster, there is a saw shop in CT that also sharpens them but the name escapes me right now. The RK will give a better finish off the saw the Tri-master will be a little faster and have a finish similar to the Woodslicer (which you can get the same blade stock from a couple of suppliers for significantly less if you decide not to buy a carbide blade). These options excel at veneer cutting if most of your resawing is not veneer there are better (faster) options.

For green wood, the conventional wisdom is the Highland Woodturners blade, I do have to snicker about the hardened tooth hype since they are Rc 64 which is the hardness of a standard quality carbon blade. The thinking outside the box blade is the Lenox bi-metal Diemaster 2 in 3/8" x 4tpi. I know several production turners that use them. They will outlast the Highland blade at least 5 to 1 and cost about twice as much, but if you are that guy that breaks blades regularly it is not for you. The Diemaster will benefit from a higher speed saw but the 18BX should be OK. The 3/8" Diemaster can also handle the vast majority of your contour cutting in 3/4" and thicker stock. To supplement this for thinner stock and tighter curves a 1/4" x 6tpi will work for most of the tighter work or thinner stock most will encounter. That covers you down to 5/8" radius curves. Tighter than that you will need to address the saw guides as well as the blade.

[Wally Wenzel]

go bandsaw blades.com and tell the man what you want and he will tell you what you need, about three days later you will have a goodblade. Wally

[Reed Gray]

Not sure what the teeth are on Laguna blades. Best blades I have used are Lennox Diemaster Bimetal blades. The teeth are M42HSS, which is the same material they use on the pallet cutting bandsaw blades. They cost a bit more, but if you hit a nail, they are not ruined. The 3 tpi blades can be resharpened several times. I have a local saw shop do mine. Really fine teeth don't resharpen because it is difficult to bet a sharpener that small. Carbide blades are for cutting fine veneers. The 3 tpi blades are for rough cutting, like for bowl blank slabs. On my 16HD, I have a 1 1/4 inch blade with teeth at about 3/4 inch apart, and bimetal.

robo hippy

[Van Huskey]

Not sure what the teeth are on Laguna blades.

robo hippy

The Laguna Resaw King has C4 carbide tips in a 2-3 variable pitch configuration, they have relatively large shear faces without a lot of clearance which produces very clean cuts. The Lenox Trimaster uses a triple chip geometry so it doesn't polish the wood quite as much but the edges last longer which is an advantage in abrasive woods.

[Dean S Walker]

Thank you gents I'll give the "Woodturners blades" a try. I do not do a lot of veneering at least not much thinner than 1/8 inch or so So we have the diemaster and the trimaster and the RK and I seen a carbide tooth that highlander carries. I think I should mention I do saw a good bit of ply and occasional MDF. This is generally hard on blades will the carbides be a better option.

[Chris Parks]

Van, where is that BS blade guide you wrote some years ago? It deserves another airing for those who have joined since.

[Van Huskey]

Van, where is that BS blade guide you wrote some years ago? It deserves another airing for those who have joined since.

Here is a direct link but it is in the Sticky Thread post at the top of the General Woodworking and Power Tools sub-forum.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....andsaw-blades!

[Chris Parks]

Here is a direct link but it is in the Sticky Thread post at the top of the General Woodworking and Power Tools sub-forum.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....andsaw-blades!

Thanks, I don't see the stickies because I always use new posts to monitor the forums.

[Van Huskey]

Thank you gents I'll give the "Woodturners blades" a try. I do not do a lot of veneering at least not much thinner than 1/8 inch or so So we have the diemaster and the trimaster and the RK and I seen a carbide tooth that highlander carries. I think I should mention I do saw a good bit of ply and occasional MDF. This is generally hard on blades will the carbides be a better option.

The Trimaster is the choice for use in engineered woods especially MDF, the triple chip grind is perfect for that application.

[Dean S Walker]

Well I feel like a dope. All that searching around and never looked at that sticky. Great info Van. Eight years has gone by sense that was written has your opinion changed at all?
I'm thinking the diemaster for green wood. It appears that they do not make a 3 TPI seams to start at 4. will this slow the feed by much? I'm all about longer lasting.
the Trimaster seams the be the ply/MDF blade of choice but I am somewhat confused, can these be sharpened? Reed has a place to do his can we use your guy or is there other options? Reed, what does he charge to sharpen? comparable to RK?
I also want to get a band for finer cut dry wood I have a desk project on the list and I will cut long slow curves in the legs. I do want to do some smaller work but I am thinking a 1/4 band for that probably 6 TPI. at least that is what I used on my old saw and it worked fine. is the diemaster a good choice here as-well.

All this said I have a laguna 18bx I think it will tension these bands we are talking about I guess the question is; what width would be reasonable on this saw. I think it is rated to 1-1/4 but 1 inch s what I had in mind for the carbide bands? The RK seams like the best value because of the resharpening is this still the case?

Also does anyone have a particular place they to purchase from?

[Reed Gray]

I think my 150 inch resaw blades are about $9 each. The carbide tipped blade I got from Lennox was not resharpenable due to the teeth being tiny. There are several options for self sharpening bandsaw blades, but I never had any luck with them, it ended up being more of a minor touch up job rather than resharpening and making sure the teeth had the proper set. I don't do much plywood or MDF, but I would think the 1/2 inch by 3 tpi Diemaster would have no problems. Worst for me in dulling all my tools is black walnut. Best guess is that it is acidic... If you have a local place that makes blades, talk to them. They may be able to recommend a sharpening service.

robo hippy

[Van Huskey]

Well I feel like a dope. All that searching around and never looked at that sticky. Great info Van. Eight years has gone by sense that was written has your opinion changed at all?
I'm thinking the diemaster for green wood. It appears that they do not make a 3 TPI seams to start at 4. will this slow the feed by much? I'm all about longer lasting.
the Trimaster seams the be the ply/MDF blade of choice but I am somewhat confused, can these be sharpened? Reed has a place to do his can we use your guy or is there other options? Reed, what does he charge to sharpen? comparable to RK?
I also want to get a band for finer cut dry wood I have a desk project on the list and I will cut long slow curves in the legs. I do want to do some smaller work but I am thinking a 1/4 band for that probably 6 TPI. at least that is what I used on my old saw and it worked fine. is the diemaster a good choice here as-well.

All this said I have a laguna 18bx I think it will tension these bands we are talking about I guess the question is; what width would be reasonable on this saw. I think it is rated to 1-1/4 but 1 inch s what I had in mind for the carbide bands? The RK seams like the best value because of the resharpening is this still the case?

Also does anyone have a particular place they to purchase from?

I would have to reread the post to see if anything has changed. In all seriousness, the post was mainly to remind people there are a lot of options in BS blades and if you understand the basics you can pick a proper blade for most any situation, it wasn't intended as specific recommendation thread though I did make them. I think the major revelation I have had sense them in relation to your thread is the number of production turners I have talked to that use the Diemaster instead of a blade with more set for green wood. Moving up to 4tpi from 3 will indeed slow the feedrate BUT tpi is only part of the feedrate another large factor is blade speed. Not sure of the 18BX blade speed but I am guessing it is in the 3500-4000 fpm range. The Diemaster's thick backer and preference for high tension near twice the average carbon blade does have benefits for cutting blanks. It also is far less likely to be ruined hitting some metal and being dulled by all the nasty stuff in bark.

The Trimaster can be resharpened, Daily Saw in Cali does it and this time I remembered their name, it is Connecticut Saw and Tool in Stratford. Now many if any saw shops sharpen carbon and bi-metal blades, it isn't very cost effective though there may be a few out there. Most of the time when people mention sharpening them they are doing it themselves. Plenty of youtube videos on the "art". It is simple although time-consuming and I personally don't bother. Carbide blades will run 50-70 bucks to sharpen with the shipping in very general terms.

The 1/4 x .025 x 6tpi Diemaster is an excellent contour cutting blade. I tend to use a 3/8 x 4tpi Diemaster for most of my contour cutting and use standard Lenox Flexback 1/4" blades when I need tighter cuts or I am cutting thinner than 3/4" stock. My point is that if you get the Diemaster for cutting blanks it will almost certainly do what you need for the legs as well plus no change over time.

3/4" is definitely as wide as I would go with the Trimaster but you could get away with the 1" RK since it has a thinner backer. People talk a lot about wide blades for resawing but it really isn't the width of the blade that is important it is the beam strength. A more narrow blade with a thicker backer may actually have more beam strength at the same tension as a wider blade with a thinner backer.

The RK and Trimaster are very similar in value considering sharpening BUT if you plan to cut ply and MDF with this blade get the Trimaster, the triple chip grind will stay sharper longer cutting engineered wood products. The RK has a thinner kerf and leaves a slightly better finish but this is mainly of benefit when cutting veneer.

I buy my Lenox blades from Spectrum Supply but their shipping can be high for just a couple of blades. Woodcraftbands.com is an excellent source for Lenox blades as well and cheaper on small order shipping, though I don't know if they carry the Trimaster. You could also check with CTsaw.com. Other people may have other sources. Also, don't rule out your local industrial supply houses, that depends on where you live though, you might have great luck in say Houston but if you live just south of middle of nowhere Texas the local options may be lean.

In the long term don't be afraid to experiment with different blades. Given that bandsaws are usually hand fed and no two people work exactly the same way (especially cutting turning blanks) and turners are more likely to use a lot of local wood that has its own unique characteristics it pays to try different blades, as long as you understand the basics of blade type, size, and geometry you can choose blades to experiment with. I have one particular saw that I tend to use as a blade test bed, I have over 60 different blades that I have tried on it over time. I am always looking for the next great thing but there is far less innovation in woodcutting blades versus metal cutting. The only place you see much R&D money going into with woodcutting is for highspeed bandmills. Funny enough the Trimaster and Diemaster were designed as metal cutting blades and for years wood was an off-label use, today Lenox labels both for use with wood. At the correct speed the Trimaster can be used to cut titanium alloys.