Bandsaw blade welding question

[Bernie Kopfer]

I have a 3/4" Resaw King blade that broke for no reason that I can detect. I use it on a Laguna 14SE and it has provided excellent cuts, I use it for straight cuts and resawing only. The blade is only 2-3 years old and is not used very much, perhaps once or twice a month. And is detensioned between uses. The break was clean and almost straight across.
My question is can this be safely rewelded? And if so by whom?

[glenn bradley]

Any supplier that sells bandsaw blades 'to length' can weld that. The question is, will they? I would contact Laguna first, then a local sharpening shop if available.

[John Lanciani]

If it broke anywhere but the original weld I wouldn’t bother with having it welded. The blade is fatigued and it will most likely break somewhere else in short order if put back in service. Time for a replacement.

[David Buchhauser]

I'm guessing that it failed at the weld joint. If not, I agree with John - best to buy a new one.
David

[Jim Becker]

I will add that running a 3/4" resaw type blade on a 14" saw is going to produce fatigue a lot faster than on a larger wheeled machine. I agree with the advise about the "where" of the break, too.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I previously had a Resaw King blade that had several years of use and when it broke there were obvious micro cracks in many of the gullets. This blade has had minimal use in my opinion and looks great upon close inspection. It did not break at the weld. I will take the advice of contacting Laguna and obtaining their advice.
Jim your observation about a 3/4" blade on 14" wheels is true. Are there good 1/2" carbide tipped blades available and from who? Thanks

[Erik Loza]

Bernie, I agree with Jim’s comments: Pretty much any 3/4” blade is probably too much for a 14” bandsaw. That’s really a 1/2” machine, IMO. Not sure what you are trying to do but I remember David Marks being a big fan of the 1/2” Lenox Die-master II as far as good finish quality without some of the “complications” of carbide/stellite-tipped blades. Hope this helps.

Erik

[Al Weber]

Supposedly you can buy a 1/2" Resaw King from Laguna. The name brand woodworking stores don't carry them; only the 3/4", but I located a dealer in the mid West who I won't name who had them listed on their website. I placed an order with them early in the May sales promotions period, the company billed my credit card but no blade arrived. I contacted them after about 2 weeks and was told it would be in a shipment they were due to receive during that same week. Another week and a half went by and no blade. Called them again and was told that the producer was behind. When I probed for the estimated delivery date, they couldn't provide one. They kept telling me the blade wasn't back ordered but had to be made????? I finally gave up and cancelled the order. I'm looking for a suitable alternative; maybe the Lenox.

[Richard Coers]

I've had very good luck silver brazing 3/4" bandsaw blades. Bought a little kit from Woodcraft. I bevel the seam for a skive joint on the blade, clamp in the provided fixture, liberally apply flux, cut a piece of silver braze rod and place it on top of the blade, then bring up heat from a propane torch from below to draw the braze towards the heat. Then sand off the excess and hardened flux with a Dremel with a sanding drum. Works so well that I bought a roll of 3/4" carbon steel blade stock on eBay and have made my own ever since. The fit of the joint must be very square to the back of the blade and with as much angle as possible side to side on the blade. I like the brazing heat better than welding. You have to anneal the weld to reduce brittleness, and the propane heat does that naturally.

[scott lipscomb]

"Jim your observation about a 3/4" blade on 14" wheels is true. Are there good 1/2" carbide tipped blades available and from who? Thanks"

Lenox Trimaster is available in 1/2" and 3/8". Very good (and pricey) blade. I run a 1/2" trimaster and like it very much, though on a much larger saw than yours. I got mine from Hastings Saw, to whom I have no affiliation, and all I will say about Hastings, from whom I have bought a number of blades, is that when I had a problem with a blade (it broke prematurely at the weld), they went waaaaay beyond what I thought was reasonable to make it right. Great service and great company IMO.

I'll add, too, that the weld that broke was not a Hastings weld, it was a a weld that came from the manufacturer.

[Erik Loza]

I wouldn’t run a 1/2” Tri-master (or any carbide) on any 14” bandsaw. Just my opinion.

Erik

[John Lanciani]

I wouldn’t run a 1/2” Tri-master (or any carbide) on any 14” bandsaw. Just my opinion.

Erik

Just one point of reference but I wore one out on a 14” Delta with no issues.

[Erik Loza]

Just one point of reference but I wore one out on a 14” Delta with no issues.

Wow, crazy.

Erik

[Jim Becker]

I'd worry about the TriMaster's thickness, even on the 1/2" version, for a 14" saw. The 3/4" version was chancy even on my 16" MM16. (And I ruined due to stupidity before even getting it broken in)

[Bruce Wrenn]

Give John over a Woodcraft Bands (800-582-1328) a call on Monday and ask what he recommends for what you are doing. Nice guy, and great service!