Laguna ResawKing vs Lenox Woodmaster CT

[Dan O'Sullivan]

Lenox Trimaster 1" : 2/3 var tpi, 1/16" kerf, carbide
Lenox Diemaster2 1/2": 6 tpi hook, 0.035" kerf, bimetal
Lenox Woodmaster CT 1": 1.3 tpi, 0.051" kerf, carbide

In my experience, I've found the Woodmaster CT to leave a much rougher cut over the Trimaster and the Diemaster2. The Diemaster2 costs ~20% of the Trimaster and CT (roughly). By my best estimates, the Diemaster2 is pretty darn close to the type of blade David Marks like to use to resaw veneers on Woodworks.

Interesting conclusion. I have used the Diemaster and the Trimaster a bunch. I like the DM for cost but the performance of the TriM is clearly superior. I would recommend the Lenox blades to anyone wanting to resaw quality veneers. What I mean by quality is: consistent thickness veneers, minimal clean up and confidence in cutting expensive woods. When you invest in a 10.00/bf or more board, you don't want surprises if you can avoid them. For me, the Lenox Tri-Master is a winner on my 20" ancient Rockwell.

I am not a believer in all the fence gizzmos, the blade is the key for me. Additionally, I need a resaw blade that works like a champ for a long time. Longevity is a must for me. I know its a bit tougher to get the Lenox stuff resharpened but the quality is worth mentioning here.

dan

[Van Huskey]

Two things:

1. can anyone verify a Trimaster sharpener, cost and quality of the returned blade

2. I was pretty sure the "carbide" on the Laguna blades was actually stellite

[Billy Stray]

This is a great thread! I just bought a resaw king 1 1/4 x 150 " it was defective out of the box (dull on 1 side) at $185 with shipping, im gun shy about replacing it with another. I guess Lenox got wise and raised their prices since this thread came out, because they're about $30-$40 dollars more not including shipping. I'm wondering if I'm shopping in the wrong place. Kinda blows the whole value theory right out of the water..

[Scott T Smith]

This is a great thread! I just bought a resaw king 1 1/4 x 150 " it was defective out of the box (dull on 1 side) at $185 with shipping, im gun shy about replacing it with another. I guess Lenox got wise and raised their prices since this thread came out, because they're about $30-$40 dollars more not including shipping. I'm wondering if I'm shopping in the wrong place. Kinda blows the whole value theory right out of the water..

When Laguna moved their blade manufacturing and sharpening operations from CA to SC, they had a lot of problems with the new staff getting up to speed. Perhaps your band was old stock that was made back then?

At any rate - they will stand behind their product. Simply let them know of the problems that you're having with it and they will take care of it.

BTW, I prefer their bands once they have been resharpened at least once.

[John TenEyck]

This is a great thread! I just bought a resaw king 1 1/4 x 150 " it was defective out of the box (dull on 1 side) at $185 with shipping, im gun shy about replacing it with another. I guess Lenox got wise and raised their prices since this thread came out, because they're about $30-$40 dollars more not including shipping. I'm wondering if I'm shopping in the wrong place. Kinda blows the whole value theory right out of the water..

Lennox blades are still a bargain, at least for the ones I buy which includes the CT, at Spectrum Supply in Ohio. Roughly half the price for a CT vs. a Resaw King.

FWIW, the CT can be resharpened. If you want to have it professionally done, Connecticut Saw and Tool will sharpen Lennox blades, including the CT. Or you can do it yourself, as a couple of folks here have posted about.

John

[Dave Fitzgerald]

Gotta put in a good word for Laguna's customer service. I bought a resaw king about a year and a half ago but didn't have occasion to use it until recently. I could not get the blade on my saw. After I mostly ruled out the possibility that I was doing something stupid, I measured the blade and found it was in fact an inch and a half shorter than it was supposed to be.

I got in touch with Laguna. Very quickly I was copied on an email from tech support to customer service saying that there was a known manufacturing problem at the time I ordered, and they should send a replacement. About a week later Fedex brought me a new blade. (It fits.) No pushback, no fuss - they just fixed the problem. They didn't even ask me to send back the original blade.

Couldn't ask for a better response.

[Paul J Kelly]

John,

Thanks for the tip! I just bought a new SCM bandsaw and the blade is 205" long! Was gonna be pricey.

You just saved me some solid coin!

PK

[Julie Moriarty]

I have some Lennox CT blades and a couple of Resaw King blades and a bunch of others. My bandsaw is a Jet JWBS18. I think I bought it new around the late 90s to early 2000s. Resaw capacity is a bit under 10".

I've done a lot of resawing over the years. And it seems I am forever looking for that perfect resaw blade. The Woodslicer was impressive but it quickly dulled. So I went carbide. The Resaw King was first up and if I remember correctly it was around $275. Ouch! When that got dull I tried a 1" wide Lennox CT Woodmaster. I called them, gave them the specs on my saw and that's what they suggested. I did a thread on a cabinet refacing about ten years ago here, using that blade, including this pic

I remember being very impressed as it quickly took this stack of 8/4 sapele down to 1/2" thick

But that blade eventually dulled and another new blade soon arrived. In the process of looking for the perfect resaw blade, I even purchased a 1-1/4" Lennox Tri-Master blade. For my bandsaw, it was a waste of money. What I learned along this costly way is this:

• The blade must be properly sized for your bandsaw. That doesn't necessarily mean according to the manufacturer's specs. My bandsaw specs say it can handle a 1" wide blade. My experience says 3/4" wide is the max. The tag on the motor says it's 1-1/2 HP. IMHO, a 1" blade is too much for such a small motor.
• The other thing to consider it how the bandsaw is constructed. In order to get the proper tension to resaw wide boards, the capacity of the frame is critical. Such as, will the column that connects top to bottom handle the tension required for the operation at hand? That tension can be enormous and not only does the frame have to be able to handle the tension but so does everything else under tension. How are the wheels attached to the frame? Is the spring capable of applying sufficient tension to the blade? All these kinds of things come into play. I recently cranked the tension up on my bandsaw while resawing 8" wide plantation teak to the point it crushed the tires and slices of tire came flying out.
• Once you've determined your bandsaw is capable of handling the blade you've chosen, then it's just the basics..
• Make sure the gullet is wide enough to clear the waste.
• Sharp blade
• Proper feed rate. I've done a lot of work for my neighbor. He's a big guy and I appreciate his help when feeding the boards. Last run was the plantation teak above. I kept telling him to slow down the feed rate. He couldn't. I was actually pushing against him and he just pushed harder. So I further tensioned the blade, thinking the blade would track better (it didn't) and the tires shredded. Feed rate is critical and everything above plays a part in determining what that will be.

Well, that's been my experience...

And yes, if I keep going, I'll need a different bandsaw.