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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Echatham on December 09, 2013, 09:52:00 AM

Title: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Echatham on December 09, 2013, 09:52:00 AM
well the blade that came on my 14" grizzly is wore slap out... basicly it burns its way through wood now.  if you were gonna have just one blade, for mostly roughing out staves, but also for cutting out forms from lumber and misc tasks like cutting shafts to length or cutting out a boomerang blank or makin antler buttons and whatnot... what would ya get? and if you would want two...
i most likely won't be cutting any glass, and if i were i would get a blade just for that.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: macbow on December 09, 2013, 10:22:00 AM
I'm not in the shop to check but the 3 to 4 tooth grizzly blades.
I used to buy the more expensive blades grizzly sells but decided the cheaper blades do about as well.

There are much more expensive blades available from other vendors that may well be worth the extra cost.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 09, 2013, 10:22:00 AM
4 tpi skip, 1/2" blade. Will do all I need it to do.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Echatham on December 09, 2013, 10:43:00 AM
Thanks guys
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: T Folts on December 09, 2013, 12:00:00 PM
What PD said. Good all round blade unless your doing a tight radius.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: 2treks on December 09, 2013, 12:06:00 PM
3 of 4 TPI skip or hook, but I prefer a 3/8" wide blade. This works just a bit better in some tight radius cuts for me.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 09, 2013, 12:07:00 PM
X's 2 what Pearly Boy said.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: macbow on December 09, 2013, 12:25:00 PM
I've been using the 3/4 inch blades because I do a bit of re sawing.
Does the 1/2 inch blade do well with re sawing? And for staves?
Don't mind saving a few pennies.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 09, 2013, 12:29:00 PM
For staves a 3/4" blade with 3 tpi is better. 1/2 will work but 3/4 rocks.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: michaelschwister on December 09, 2013, 09:34:00 PM
I like a 3/4" in 4 TPI skip. I prefer timberwolf
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Bowjunkie on December 10, 2013, 04:56:00 AM
I too have settled on using 3/4" 4 tpi skip tooth blades for 99% of my work. It's got more backbone so is less prone to twisting, especially when the saw is opened up to cut big pieces, works better for resawing lams, roughing out staves and logs. It saws a small enough radius that I use it for cutting handles, flares, and dips to outline, and it is a rare instance that I have to ever take it off and put on a smaller blade.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Crooked Stic on December 10, 2013, 05:18:00 AM
You guys using 3/4 blades on a 14 in. saw? I always though there was an tightness issue there?
I have used bi-metal blades on everything from the get-go. They have enough backbone for less flex when resawing lams against the fence. A 6-10 variable pitch gives a real smooth cut.Then when they dull use them for cutting glass  limb taper.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 10, 2013, 06:37:00 AM
You guys using 3/4 blades on a 14 in. saw? Yes..
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: michaelschwister on December 10, 2013, 11:01:00 AM
I am using 3/4" on a 17" Jet
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: JamesV on December 10, 2013, 11:55:00 AM
I use 3/8-1/2 4-6 tooth blades on my 14" saw with good results. Buy them on the big auction site for cheap and they work as good as the expensive blades for me
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: Echatham on December 10, 2013, 12:08:00 PM
sounds like i might get a 3/4" 4 tpi skip, and maybe a smaller blade for tight curves if im ever so inclined.  how much will a 1/4" blade handle?  it should cut inch thick boards no problem right?
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: eflanders on December 10, 2013, 10:00:00 PM
I use a 3/4" x 3 TPI blade on my 14" band saw for 99.9% of the work I do and that includes boatbuilding.  I think its been 3 years or more since i used some other style.  Timberwolf blades are my preferred make and i have tried quite a few...
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: scars on December 10, 2013, 10:30:00 PM
I have no problem with changing blades as needed. I use from 3/16 to 3/4 with a wide array of tooth count. A couple minutes to change and tune 4 or 5 if it is new and needs the back burnished. Be sides it makes me open up the machine and inspect the rollers and inards. On 1/2 and 3/4 I have the local sawshops make them the welds seem to be truer. But if I had to choose just one blade,, 1/2 12tpi timberwolf reasoning less chipout on the bamboos less likely to runout of the line good follow on arches less kerf ridges on fast cuts.
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: eflanders on December 10, 2013, 10:43:00 PM
I use a 3/4" x 3 TPI blade on my 14" band saw for 99.9% of the work I do and that includes boatbuilding.  I think its been 3 years or more since i used some other style.  Timberwolf blades are my preferred make and i have tried quite a few...
Title: Re: bandsaw blade question
Post by: JamesV on December 11, 2013, 09:08:00 AM
If you are using a 3/4 blade on a 14" Ridgid saw or any saw built by the same company, the tention adjuster is made of pot metal and will break very easily. After replacing mine twice, I had to custom build an adjuster made of steel, problem solved.