Green wood bs blade revisit

[Bernie Kopfer]

I picked through what the site search engine turned up about blades for cutting green wood for bowls etc. There did not appear to be a recent discussion about what blade works better than another. We all know that few teeth per inch with deep gullets work well leaving us with few options, Suffolk or Timberwood.
I’d like to hear more recent opinions from others who have used successfully or not, these and any other blades. Full disclosure: My current blade is the Timberwood 1/2” AS but the 3/8” has worked well under 10 in height.

[Reed Gray]

For cutting rounds, I use the 3 tpi Lennox diemaster bimetal blade. The teeth are made from M42 HSS. It cuts longer and straighter than any other blade out there, and can be resharpened a number of times before you have to toss it. If you hit a nail, it cuts through it no problem, and does not ruin the blade. I have a Laguna 16HD which cuts 16 inches high. I have another Lennox bimetal blade on it, 1 1/4 wide and teeth at about 3/4 inch apart. It walks through just about anything...

robo hippy

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Been using the Woodturner's blade from Highland for several years now. 3TPI, 3/8" wide with deep gullets and an aggressive set to the teeth make a wider kerf. I don't often round my blanks before turning (knocking the corners off with a chainsaw is my usual practice), and my bandsaw is a lowly Grizzley 14" with riser - the combination of saw and blade gets the job done when I need it...works well when I use it. The blades do seem to last a long time, but that could be because I don't use it on every piece...

[Jerry Rhoads]

I use the Timber Wolf Green Wood blades. 3/8" and the 1/2". Have been very happy.
I personally did not like the Woodslicer blades. I though they were too thin. But a lot of people do like them. And they do cost less than Timber Wolf.

[John K Jordan]

Bernie,

Hard to state positively what blade works "better" but many work well.

I process a LOT of green wood into turning blanks, mostly cutting 12". I use Lenox Flexback blades, 1/2", 3TPI. I buy them from a local Lenox Certified Weld Center. They cut and weld the blades, sometimes while I wait, always by the next day. If they don't have the stock in hand I order a 100' coil and have eight blades made, enough to last for a year or two but I don't keep records.

These places are all over - enter a zip code and look for the "Certified Weld Center" logo with the company.

https://www.lenoxtools.com/FindRetai...stributor.aspx

I have used their bimetal blades and carbide blades but I'm happy with the spring steel - they stay sharp a long time with thick green wood then I generally sharpen them myself several times. I use an 18" Rikon saw and mostly cut blanks for drying for boxes, vessels, spindles, etc, but also for bowls. If you want to see this in action, send me an email and I'll send you a link to a video I just finished for our turning club on processing log sections into turning blanks for drying. The video is unlisted on YouTube since I am still making some changes as I have time.

JKJ

I picked through what the site search engine turned up about blades for cutting green wood for bowls etc. There did not appear to be a recent discussion about what blade works better than another. We all know that few teeth per inch with deep gullets work well leaving us with few options, Suffolk or Timberwood.
I’d like to hear more recent opinions from others who have used successfully or not, these and any other blades. Full disclosure: My current blade is the Timberwood 1/2” AS but the 3/8” has worked well under 10 in height.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I’m a bit surprised that Lenox has not made a blade specific for green wood cutting. Recently I forgot that a 1/2” blade does not cut 5in diameters well particularly in thick wood! It was a newer Timberwood blade so I did my best to straighten it out and realign the teeth set. Works good enough for green wood and larger curves. Don’t think I would have been able to “fix” a bimetal blade. Soft steel has its place.
Thanks to everyone for chiming in. When I wear out my present blade stock I’m going to try some of the others mentioned here.

[John K Jordan]

I’m a bit surprised that Lenox has not made a blade specific for green wood cutting. Recently I forgot that a 1/2” blade does not cut 5in diameters well particularly in thick wood! It was a newer Timberwood blade so I did my best to straighten it out and realign the teeth set. Works good enough for green wood and larger curves. Don’t think I would have been able to “fix” a bimetal blade. Soft steel has its place.
Thanks to everyone for chiming in. When I wear out my present blade stock I’m going to try some of the others mentioned here.

After using a number of blades, I think Lenox 1/2" 3TPI Flexback blade works exceptionally well in thick green wood. I don't know if it was made "specific"ally for green wood but it might as well have been.

I have cut 5" diameters with this blade in fairly thick green wood but not often. Usually I'm cutting larger diameters. How thick is thick in your comment?

bandsaw_blank_IMG_20180312_161447_777.jpg

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

When I got my first bandsaw, on advice from another woodworker and turner, was to go to a local shop that made the blades. They asked me what I was going to be cutting and I told them I was a bowl maker and might do some resawing as well. They suggested the 1/2 inch 3 tpi Diemaster blades from Lennox. The teeth have plenty of set for clearing swarf, and can cut a 5 inch diameter circle with no problems, as long as blade is sharp, and I am not trying to force things. I guess I should add that the surface of the blank that sits on the table needs to be pretty flat.....

robo hippy

[Bernie Kopfer]

"I have cut 5" diameters with this blade in fairly thick green wood but not often. Usually I'm cutting larger diameters. How thick is thick in your comment?"

The blank was about 10in tall and I was freehand cutting it, not turning it on a point of any sort. Probably pushed/twisted too hard and the blade left the wheel. Considering th momentum behind 18" wheels I was pleased it did not bind up or it would have had multiple folds. Tore the hell out of the table insert and Rikon has a fancy $$ insert. Gave me an excuse to build a 2 section insert out of wood.
So now we've listed 4 different blades that have been used successfully for green wood. Good to know.

[John K Jordan]

Yes, that's pretty tall for a 5" diameter chunk of wood. The blade has to be sharp and the feed slow. But I'm curious how it came off the wheel - with the thrust bearing behind the blade top and bottom did it somehow come off the front of the wheel?

You probably do this too: if I'm cutting round and start to get a little outside the circumference a bit, to avoid twisting the blade (to get it back on "track") I simply cut forward a bit, back up a smaller bit and take another bite. Have to be careful not to back up too much or it can pull the blade forward, especially if the wood is soft and the ends of fibers are left in the kerf. The curve is not necessarily beautiful but suffices for woodturning. Sometimes I'll make straight cuts to the other side of the blank and very close to the radius to take of the corners, making the radius cut a lot easier with thin wood to the outside.

Also, I haven't heard much talk about in a long time but for tighter radii it used to be common to "stone" the back of the blade with the saw running. Rounding the back of the blade lets it move a bit easier through the curved kerf. (and may make it easier to back up a little if needed)

For those who haven't cut a lot of thick rounds on the bandsaw, green or dry, I found it easier and more controllable if I stand at the side of the saw instead of at the front as normal. (I always cut freehand, no jigs or anything.) From the side (with the blank on the side of the blade towards me) I think it's easier to hold and turn the blank.

My saw is an 18" Rikon. After making a number of inserts out of thin birch ply (I stacked square pieces and turned the stack on the lathe to fit) I started buying cheap plastic inserts made for the saw, put in the setscrews for leveling, and cut the slot for the blade. I usually have to sand/file them flat since the plastic is seldom flat enough to suit me.

JKJ

"I have cut 5" diameters with this blade in fairly thick green wood but not often. Usually I'm cutting larger diameters. How thick is thick in your comment?"

The blank was about 10in tall and I was freehand cutting it, not turning it on a point of any sort. Probably pushed/twisted too hard and the blade left the wheel. Considering th momentum behind 18" wheels I was pleased it did not bind up or it would have had multiple folds. Tore the hell out of the table insert and Rikon has a fancy $$ insert. Gave me an excuse to build a 2 section insert out of wood.
So now we've listed 4 different blades that have been used successfully for green wood. Good to know.

[Reed Gray]

I have no clue how think my blade is. Being an old concrete guy, I am exceptional as I can measure to less than 1/4 inch.... That is a good question to ask your supplier. As John said, cutting 5 inch diameter that is 10 inches tall raises potential for problems. Doesn't take much for some thing like that to tip over just a tiny bit, and can ruin the blade. Any long piece like that, I prefer to use split or cut blanks, and never bowl grain/side grain type blanks. If I want to 45 the corners, I will use the table saw, but only if I am doing a number of them. For just one or two, I generally don't bother. There are all sorts of sled designs that can help trim up a piece of wood like you seem to be talking about. If you try to freehand a branch that size, it can be done by using a sled, but having learned from experience, I would not attempt it by hand.

robo hippy

[Bernie Kopfer]

I have been told (and by friends,no less) that my DDS stands for Doctorate in Doing Stupid. Possible example is my aforementioned adventure in small dia cutting. Oh well, all’s well that ends well, and this has provided information about different blades, a new and cheaper insert, and the opportunity to confess sins to the community.. Its going to be a good day.