Green wood bs blade revisit

[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.