Green wood bandsaw blade

[roger wiegand]

Getting a new bandsaw, which means a new blade opportunity. What do you like for cutting fairly big pieces of green wood? In past threads some have recommended the Highland woodturners blade, they don't sell it in a length long enough for my new saw, plus I suspect I'd prefer a wider blade for cutting 10-15" thick blanks.

The options on some of the sites seem overwhelming and poorly explained as to what you are actually getting. I'd think that having a larger set to the teeth to create a wider kerf, a low tooth count number and deep gullets to collect swarf would be good. I don't know what the effect of a thicker blade (0.035 vs 0.025 for example) would be. How you would choose among the various tooth shapes is shrouded in mystery for me. Toughness and longevity are, of course, good, as is good price/performance.

I've done well with the Lenox Diemaster in various sizes and 1/2" Trimaster carbide blades in the past, but I'll be able to cut much thicker pieces on the new saw; it will also tension much wider blades than I could on the old one if that matters. (1/2" has been my limit)

[Dave Mount]

I've used the Highland woodturner's blade on a 17" saw and been happy with the cut. I have not done any comparisons with other makers in similar tooth configurations. Seems like they don't last as long as I'd like, but that's probably not fair when you consider the potential for grit in the bark, the thickness it's cutting, etc., and compare that to blades I use for other things.

I think you've hit the main things. Low tpi for more aggressive cut. I think the Highland blade is a 3 tpi hook tooth. As I understand it, the hook tooth is an aggressive tooth shape that sacrifices smoothness for bite. You do want a wider kerf as green wood often fuzzes and creates drag. And I would opt for a thicker blade, because often when cutting blanks something isn't flat, and it's easy to accidentally put a lot of lateral stress on the blade; thick helps resist breakage. I believe you can tension them more too, though not positive about that. As far as width, the Highland blade is 3/8" -- the wide kerf and relatively narrow blade makes curved cuts easy. If your blanks are all big, I can see going to a 1/2", I don't see going bigger than that unless you're cutting really big circles.

My $0.02.

Dave

[Roger Chandler]

The extra thickness [.032" vs. .025"] gives the blade more spine, and also helps longevity. The 3/8" wide "Woodturners" Blade from Highland Woodworking is in my opinion about as good a balance in value/cost vs. longevity/performance. I have Used the Lennox Diemaster 2 blades and the Carter Green Wood Blade, which appear identical to me in metal configuration, and they only lasted a small bit longer than the Woodturners blade from Highland, but are a good bit more expensive. The WT blades do a great job, as the wider teeth set really do make a difference in performance.

A well tuned saw, is imperative in my opinion, and I cut log blanks regularly......for the money, the performance and value are there with Highlands "Woodturners Blade." Carter and Lennox Diemaster 2 perform well, but you'll end up in the long run paying more for minimal increase in longevity.

[Dave Mount]

I just looked at the Suffolk site (seller of "Timberwolf" blades): https://www.timberwolfblades.com/Blade-Selector.php They list 3 tpi in the thicker metal for green wood 3-12" thick (3/8" or 1/2"), and 2 tpi in 1/2" for green wood 6-15" thick.

The price for the band for my saw (131.5") is $29.95 from Suffolk and $27.50 from Highland for their woodturner's blade. Don't know about shipping.

Dave

[roger wiegand]

Unfortunately the highland blade is offered at a maximum length of 165", a couple inches too short for my new saw.

[Dave Bunge]

Getting a new bandsaw, which means a new blade opportunity. What do you like for cutting fairly big pieces of green wood?

I've had good luck with the Carter Products Green Wood blade. They are expensive, about 25% higher list price than the same length Highland Woodworking Woodturners blade. I got a discount and avoided shipping cost by buying mine at a wood show that made the price about the same.

I've got an old Delta, enclosed motor (1.5HP?) bandsaw with riser blocks. With a sharp blade, I can cross cut and rip green wood close to the full 12" height. Cutting circular round blanks is more of a crap shoot. Thick half logs are prone to binding the blade. A sharp blade helps a lot. Having a very consistent flat bottom on the log (from good chainsaw technique) helps. Having a larger saw table would help a lot.

Dull blades do not work nearly as well. They require more force pushing into the blade (potentially dangerous), create more mushy sawdust that sticks to the blade and tires, and seem more likely to bind in deep cuts. I've had some success resharpening the blade using a Dremel tool with a grinding stone. It's a tedious job on my saw with 105" blade, your blade would have > 500 teeth to sharpen!

As an aside, my woodworking club had an Interactive Remote Demonstration (IRD) with Alex Snodgrass (who is a paid rep/consultant to Carter Products). He demonstrated cutting veneer from a 10" wide piece of cherry using the Carter Products Green Wood blade. He said it's his go to blade for resawing wide boards.

P.S. What saw did you buy?

[roger wiegand]

P.S. What saw did you buy?

A Centauro-built MiniMax MM20 in like-new condition from a fellow Creeker. I don't have it yet, negotiating with movers to get it here. But I'm excited.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I just looked at the Suffolk site (seller of "Timberwolf" blades): https://www.timberwolfblades.com/Blade-Selector.php They list 3 tpi in the thicker metal for green wood 3-12" thick (3/8" or 1/2"), and 2 tpi in 1/2" for green wood 6-15" thick.

The price for the band for my saw (131.5") is $29.95 from Suffolk and $27.50 from Highland for their woodturner's blade. Don't know about shipping.

Dave

i
I believe this is the same blade that Highland sells. They work great. But Timberwolf also makes it in 1/2in size which works better unless you are cutting smaller diameters

[allen thunem]

i used to buy my bandsaw blades from saw service of washington.
make any size and configuration you need

[Reed Gray]

I have 2 bandsaws. The small one is a PM that cuts 6 inches high. It had the Lennox bimetal Diemaster, 1/2 inch by 3 tpi. The big bandsaw, a Laguna 16HD is for cutting slabs. I use another Lennox blade but they don't call it the diemaster, but it does have the bimetal teeth. 1 1/4 inch wide, and teeth are at about 3/4 inch apart. It walks through every thing I have cut on it. When cutting slabs, I lay the chainsawn slab down flat, check out my Chainsaw Chopsaw video, then stand the slab on end to cut blanks. I do get hairballs in the bottom of the bandsaw because the dust ports are not made to collect green wood.... I modified mine to help with that... another video, 'bandsaw dust ports do not suck'.

robo hippy

[roger wiegand]

Thanks, I'll have a look.

[Alex Zeller]

I bought several woodturners blades from Highland for my 14" cast iron saw. They worked good but they weren't consistent IMO. The first one cut dozens of blanks and then started to drift when trying to cut straight lines. The second one broke (not at the weld) on the second blank. The third one didn't last as long as the first one but was still usable when I sold that saw. For the replacement say I wanted to try a bi-metal blade. I went with a Diemater 2 1/2" .035" 3 tpi. I've cut at least as many blanks as I did with the other saw with just one blade as well as a lot of non green wood and it still cuts great. Some of it could be the fact that my saw is a 19" saw so the blade flexes less, it's longer so the blade heats up less, and it has more HP. I doubt I'll try a different brand. I cut blanks with the bark still on them. I think that makes it harder on the blade as you can't get all the blade dulling dirt off of the blank.

[John K Jordan]

Getting a new bandsaw, which means a new blade opportunity. What do you like for cutting fairly big pieces of green wood? ...

I have blades made up at the local Lenox shop. I primarily use inexpensive 1/2"x3tpi on my 18" Rikon, 8 or 10 at a time of the mostly the spring steel blades, and usually sharpen each one at least two or three times before I get down a new one. And I cut a LOT of green wood log sections with that blade to get turning blanks to dry. I do have their carbide blades but prefer the cheaper blades for green wood. Every time I sharpen one it gets cheaper!

Like many saws today this one will cut 12"+.

processing_B01.jpg processing_wood_.jpg bandsaw_blank_IMG_20180312_161447_777.jpg

JKJ

[Dueane Hicks]

Just be careful using those made for green wood blades as they are grabby. Always use a jig when cutting round stock on it's side. I got a surprise more than once using an aggressive set blade. In almost 30 years of using a bandsaw; I have found lenox bi metal 3tpi or 4tpi in 1/2", a very good and long lasting blade. Plus I can easily re sharpen them a couple times.