Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Duane C.Leach

>Try doing a better job with chain saw. Makeing wood round is what the lathe is for.

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Lyn J. Mangiameli

>I am a fan of the Timberwolf blades, but keep in mind that these blades can be had in a number of configurations. For roughing out blanks, whether wet or dry, I think the Timberwolf 3 tooth 1/2 inch blade is very good as long as you get it in the A S version (stands for Alternate Set, though I think it functions more like it has Added Set). Call up the Timberwolf folks and they will help you obtain the blade that is apt to work best for you.

Your answer...

DW

>From the Suffolk Machinery (Timberwolf Mfgr.) web site:

"THE AS: This series of blades are unique in their body thickness, set, and rake angle. They are .032" thick, have a full alternate set and a unique rake angle of 8.5�. They also utilize the unique geometry of our PC gullet. These blades are primarily used in the furniture industry. They have been designed to cut both fast and accurately in very thick wood such as stacked lumber. Wood-turners use these blades to cut turnings out of large burls and green logs. Their applications are endless. Their performance is excellent if the thickness of your material exceeds 6 to 8 inches These blades are not meant to be used on three wheel band saws or any saw with less than a 90" blade length or a wheel diameter of less than 14". These blades are available in 3/8" and 1/2" widths and 3 tpi only. These blades are specially priced."

Good luck.. No affiliation, just satisfied customer

DW

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

jchristman

>I just got a WoodSlicer from Highland Hardware in Atlanta. It's 1/2", 3tpi. Properly tensioned, it feels like it sucks the wood through.

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Lyn J. Mangiameli

>The Woodslicer is a great blade for most resawing. I keep one of these and a Lenox carbide tipped on hand for resawing boards into thinner flat stock. I haven't found it a good value for roughing out blanks. Too little set for green wood, too short in life, very hard to touch up sharpen, and too expensive to have get kinked or lost to hidden steel when dealing with some problematic green blanks. Do think about saving this very nice blade for resawing and get a cheaper Timberwolf AS or others for plowing through the green stuff.

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Peter Teubel

>Personally, I buy bulk coil stock and weld up my own bands. I prefer a 3/8" 4 TPI hook tooth. I go thru so many bands that buying them in coil stock is far more economical. When I get a load of wood, I usually go on a bandsawing jag to blank-out the whole load. The saw will be running for 6 hours straight...never shut off except to change bands (which is about one per hour).

Timberwolf!

Dominic Greco in Richboro PA

>George,

Remember when you stopped over and I sawed up that Box elder for you? The blade I used is the same blade Lyn is talking about. Except I use a 3/8" x 3 tpi AS blade in lieu of the 1/2" he uses.

This was also the first blade I bought for the new 18" Jet bandsaw. Since I have installed it, I have cut numerous wet logs up into blanks with nary a hitch.

I've also used this same blade for milling cherry logs into slabs.

See ya around,

Dominic

CAUTION

TDaniel

>George, 2 kinked blades in one day tells me that there is a possibility that you are doing something wrong. I know that you are an experienced woodworker so that probably isn't the case here but for those who are less experienced and are watching this thread I caution that a round bottom or a bottom that is smaller than the top should never go against the table. We must remember that a bandsaw was not designed for us turners; we are adapting it to our needs. A kinked blade tells us we are doing something wrong and a kinked blade can cause lost fingers. Bandsaws were also not designed to saw a log stood vertically where you might be following the growth rings. If sawing vertically you must be careful to avoid sawing unless you are crossing growth rings; otherwise the removed wood will not evacuate the blade and will cause it to act like a dull blade. When these wood fibers fill the blade our tendency is to push harder against the blade and this is very dangerous. One might escape injury on a low powered bandsaw but with a 1.5hp or above this gets really dangerous. For anyone getting kinked blades I would suggest that you get some coaching quickly as this is a very dangerous signal.

TD

Thank you !..

Fred in NC

>

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Jim Pugh in Elyria, OH

>George, I very much agree with TD's post. It probably isn't the blade you are using altho the Timberwolf 3/8" AS 3 tpi is a good way to go. Blade kinking is mostly caused by the piece being unsupported in the area of the cut. I suspect you are cutting with the bark side down so you can see a scribed circle??? If so, always cut with the flat side down. Make some circle templates out of 1/8" masonite, 1/4" plywood or such. I have a set that range from 4" diameter up to 14" diameter. Drill a hole in the center large enough for a 8 or 10 penny nail. Position the template by eye to give you the best yield, side to side and end to end. Tack it on just to the point that the nail won't fall out while cutting. Now, saw around the edge of the template but not touching it. If you are within 1/8" to 1/4" you are doing well.

Because you are mostly watching the blade and the edge of the template, be very aware of where your fingers are at all time. Try it. Oh yes, when you remove the template from the bark side, you obviously have a hole at the center of the piece. Now turn the piece over, position the template by eye to center on the flat side. Using the nail, make a hole in the center. You now have both centers located and can mount the piece between centers if you so desire for roughing out. I take a marker and draw a square around the center point, then wax the blank to keep it from cracking before I get to it.

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Hi George

I don't know how badly the blades are kinked, but they can be unkinked with two pair of pliers or vise grips. I have done this a number of times if a blade bends before the end of its useful life. I have never had one break, although they do thump along, and are not really suitable for resawing veneer anymore!

In my experience, the blade usually bends when there is no support under the top edge of the wood, and it grabs. This is not the safest way to cut, but if you are rounding blanks on a bandsaw, it is going to occur.

Bill

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Dale Stansbery

>I agree with Jim and Terry. If the piece you're cutting isn't flat on the table, and can rock even a little bit, you can experience catches. I cut with a just a 1 Hp saw and it scared the heck out of me the first time or two it happened. Then I figured out what was going on. I split blanks with a chain saw, and now take more care to make sure they're flat.

Re: Recommended Band Saw HBlade

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>After using a 3/8 inch blade for years, I tried a 1/4 inch and find that it suits my needs the best. I use and recommend a Timberwolf 1/4 inch, 4 skip tooth. It works very well on large or small blanks, wet or dry, and it works very well on small pieces such as glue blocks and even small ebony collars. 4 teeth per in. works better than 3 teeth on thin pieces. The 1/4 inch skip tooth is less apt to bind when cutting small, wet blanks.

Wally

Thank You!

George@Colonel's Workshop-Havertown PA

>Good Evening Friends,

I didn't know about the AS blade, and will order a couple tomorrow together from Timberwolf with the replacements for the ruined bands. Some of you were correct in assuming I was cutting with the bark down. Mea culpa. I won't do that again. Bill, I tried to bend the bands and successfuly got the kinks out. Trouble is the blades wobble front to back, making the guides and thrust bearing less effective. I don't want to use them any more, and they will go out in tomorrow's trash. BTW Dominic, I finished off that walnut blank which you gave me with the box elder. Bill saw it last week as a work in progress. My youngest daughter spoke for it, and it is her's. I used simple tung oil on it, and then steel wooled the gloss. Thanks.

George

Re: That says it all, folks!

Doug Trembath

>

Cool news George!

Dominic Greco in Richboro PA

>I forgot about the walnut. I bet it looks great!

Hopefully you'll be healed up enough to finish them up soon.

See ya around,

Dominic