hi,
(serached through the old posts, but couldn’t find an answer to this)
what’s the narrowest blade that people have used on a 21″ bandsaw? i’m looking at buying a european saw which recommends blades 10mm (just over 3/8″) and wider. i’m wondering if a 1/4″ blade will work, or if i’d be courting trouble. specifically, i’m thinking about curve cutting on a tighter radius than what a 3/8″ blade can comfortably do. i don’t have the space for a second bandsaw, and i like the idea of the 21″ saw for resaw capability. any thoughts/experience?
many thanks,
bert
if it’s worth doing at all, then it’s worth doing well.
Replies
Call Sam Maloof in California. He takes calls. Seems like the blade he uses on one of his big old bandsaws to cut out his arm rests is really narrow from the videos I have seen.
Could be hard on the tires on the big wheels if the tension wasn't just right. Be sure you go over the tensioning parts of the saw and they work smooth and you have enough control not to over tension.
Wow what a find. Have fun !
PS: be sure it has some good guards on the blade in case it comes off even if you got to make some. Other wise you may find out what it is like to be "beside your self"
Edited 9/18/2008 1:01 pm by roc
hi roc,
had no idea sam would have time to take phone calls. very cool indeed. i'm in norcal, so i'll try to look him up.i'll get to check out the saw this weekend, and i'll definitely check the tire condition and tension parts. the saw is purported to be in "like new" condition, so we'll see... i think i can get a manual also, so i'll have a look and see if it has any wisdom on tensioning. there are blade guards to keep the blade from the user, again, i'll look carefully at it.seems like quite a jump from a 14" bandsaw, but i'm really looking forward to the upgraded resaw performance. i just hope i don't have to give up too much on the curve cutting performance.thanks for all the great ideas,
bert
if it's worth doing at all, then it's worth doing well.
Bert,Bert was my favorite uncle's name. He was a tool and die maker in Denver. I think I inherited some of his interest and ability with tools and machines.>DrChops sounds like a dentist.Big old band saw: I have always admired the big antique bandsaws. I was afraid you were getting one of those. They look dangerous because of no shrouds over the wheels but I could look at them all day. Man what a period in time.I hope you find Mr Maloof doing well. Hey if you feel like it let me know what he says.
The size of blade you can run has little to do with the wheel diameter, and mostly has to do with the blade guides. You can buy cool-block style guides. Or you can make your own cool-block clone. Start with a little block of teak or other hard slippery wood. Cut a kerf in it the width and depth of your blade. Use the machine's euro-style blade guides to clamp the hardwood block in place. The block becomes your blade guide. It works very well. If you do a zillion miles of cutting and the blocks wear, make new ones. You get slightly better lifetime if you orient the block so that end grain is the thrust bearing.
Jamie_Buxton>to do with wheel diameterI think in the back of our minds (and the saw manufacturer recommended against a blade as small as 1/4) we were thinking that a stress source stack up could work against us: if the bigger wheels are out of round further than smaller wheels and the bigger (heavier) wheels have extra momentum and the bigger saw has more power all of these factors may over stress the 1/4 inch blade and could break blades. Could be dangerous, or it may just be more expensive than it is worth or it may work well.It isn't that it can not be done . . . but is it a practical thing to do in the long run?I recommended Sam Maloof because he chucked the rule book in the bin and uses a band saw in ways no one else has (or they didn't live long enough to tell anyone about it). Mr Maloof has explored the limits of his bandsaws for fifty years and would say 'possible but don't try it' as with allot of his work. He does things that he can get away with because he is intuitively tuned to what he is doing. The person who doesn't "get it" would just create a disaster.Or he may say do it there is no problem. I hope he can be reached. His book says talking with people often is an enjoyable thing for him.Edited 9/22/2008 11:42 pm by roc
Edited 9/22/2008 11:44 pm by roc
I have no idea.
However, I would 'think' if that is your primary blade (used often) it will set inself into the wheel as it wants to.. Wider blades 'I would think' would not harm it's 'sweet' spot.
I've had problems running any blade under 3/8" on my 20" minimax, but reading these posts I was wondering if my Carter guides are the problem... and Jamie Dixon answered that. I run a 3/16" on my 14" bandsaw almost exclusively and would really like to run that size on my big saw.
I'd say.. the same here on my 18" Ricon. I 'think' mostly because the compound on the 'wheels' is to hard and the ball bearings are to large. One half inch is good but anything smaller I gave up using! Life is to short!
I have a Laguna LT16HD which is a European saw having a 16 3/8" resaw height. I run 1/4" -- 1 1/4" blades with the stock ceramic blade guides. You can mount a smaller blade (down to 1/8") but you'd have to buy a separate guide assembly specifically for blades smaller than 1/4"
You can run as thin as you want-even on a huge bandsaw. Jamie has nailed the things to watch.I have 5mm wide blades that I run on the saw pictured-no problem .(The second picture shows a 1/4 inch blade). There should not be a tire wear problem either because you will not be putting much tension on narrow blades, they have small teeth with little set and you just run them in the middle of the tire.The so called danger in blades breaking is exaggerated , I think.
The only advantage seen in a small machine such as a 14 inch or less is the fact that there is comparatively little distance between upper and lower thrust supports- less flexing /strain on the blade. But then they impose more strain on the blade due to more flexing over the tighter radius of small diameter wheels.Philip Marcou
Edited 9/25/2008 2:50 am by philip
That is one beautiful saw. I am jealous. I bet you don't have any long tailed animals in the room when it is running. ha , ha, ha.Not much for side blade guides near the cut. I would make up a second arm modified to run the wood block guides Jamie_Buxton mentioned.sure is a nice saw.
I did have this type of bench dog: he was very savvy about spinning wheels, belts etc. Excellent safety record...Philip Marcou
Now that is a GOOD dog.>"Bench Dog"ROFLMAO
Edited 9/26/2008 5:50 am by roc
Glad you know a good hound when you see one...That one I had to leave behind in Zimbabwe, where he is still a legend in his own time what with his affinity for catching and dealing with horse box wheel thieves, wild pigs, any cat not of his liking etc etc.
His name is Mr. Wadkin. R. Dog. (Wadkin being the name of industrial British woodworking machinery superior to the likes of Oliver etc and R stands for Ridgeback) . When I called him I used the Dog word, which is easy to project far and with authority-yet he would not respond to anyone else using that name. Sadly missed here, but I am sure he would have taken a dim view of sheep , although he was good with horses.Philip Marcou
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