Replies

1. 
   AZMO | Mar 23, 2010 11:15pm | #1

   Did you see this?

   You might check out this recent posting. Also a lot of discussion over the years as well

   http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-knots/power-tools-and-machinery/bandsaw-blade-thickness

   AZMO

2. 
   pictakinman | Mar 23, 2010 11:43pm | #2

   I recently posted a question about appropriate blade thickness for use on an 18" bandsaw.  John White, former shop manager for Finewoodworking magazine, said that due to the 18" wheel size, blades thicker than. 032 are subject to failure from metal fatigue.  I was using a Lenox Woodmaster B (Bimetal) blade 1", .035, 2 TPI.  The blade broke before the teeth became dull. Too bad as it cut very well and stayed sharp.  If you want longevity, use a .032 or even a .025 thick blade.  This usually restricts you to a 3/4" blade at .032 or a 1/2" at .025.  If you use a wider/thicker carbon blade, the teeth may dull before breakage.

3. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Mar 24, 2010 11:59am | #3

   My 18" BS will take up to 1

   My 18" BS will take up to 1 1/4" also but.. I won't run over 3/4" on it as that is all that is needed and I can say that from experience. I ran a 1/2" on my 14" for years before the upgrade to 18" for re-saw. I simply have a Lennox Classic 3/4" bi-metal on the saw with 3 tpi which is the correct amount of teeth per inch. I keep a back-up on hand in to change if it goes dull. I have never broken a Lennox 3/4" yet and don't expect to. But... I get a ton of miles off one blade. The current blade has over 1400 linear feet on it and going strong.

   Good luck...

1. 
   atmartin23 | Mar 24, 2010 09:01pm | #4

   Why does blade thickness matter?

   Why is there a problem with thicker blades? is it simply because you are turning more wood to sawdust? or is it due to the small diameter of the wheels causing work hardening to the blade? or is it something else all together?

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Mar 25, 2010 10:01am | #5

   Not a metal guy but I would think that especially with bi-metal and carbide where the tension has to be set much higher than on carbon blades combined with the smaller wheels which the blade has to bend around would be the reason for the metal fatigue. The larger a wheel the less stress on a blade.. thin to thick also increases stress as it has to be tentioned higher also... that's just my guess!

4. 
   jerry | Mar 25, 2010 10:05am | #6

   i ran a 1/2 lennox trimaster (carbide) on a mm16 for many years - thinking that the wider blades would crack on the smaller diameter wheels. i resaw lots of extoics for veneers.  then read that the newer steels are more flexible and just recently took advantage of the laguna's 1" carbide resaw balde ($75 for a 145" blade) - a remarkable difference - faster and cleaner cuts all around. i think the additional beam strength makes a huge difference.

   just my opinion, jerry

5. 
   JohnWW | Mar 26, 2010 09:43am | #7

   Use a wider blade.

   The 1/2" blade recommendation is for the proper blade size to use on the 14" wheel band saws found in most shops, it doesn't apply to your machine.  For your saw a 1" wide blade would be a good starting point.

   The 6 to 16 teeth in the stock concept sounds like it must have been taken from some article about ripping thinnner stock and pattern sawing curves.  For resawing you want a blade with coarse teeth and deep gullets to carry a lot of sawdust, something like a 3 TPI.

   A good place to start is to get in touch with Suffolk Machinery, their main business is blades and they can give you some good advice based on the specifics of what you are planning to cut.

1. 
   atmartin23 | Mar 29, 2010 02:59pm | #8

   Thicker blades aren't as much of a concern?

   It sounds like the materials used in the blades are no longer a concern for bandsaws below 24" (in my case 19") if i want to use a heavy blade. Thanks for all the great feedback. And i think we are all on the same page about the following:

   "The 6 to 16 teeth in the stock concept sounds like it must have been taken from some article about ripping thinnner stock and pattern sawing curves.  For resawing you want a blade with coarse teeth and deep gullets to carry a lot of sawdust, something like a 3 TPI."

   What i meant here wit hthe 6 to 16 teeth is...for example: if im ripping 10 inch stock i should use a blade that has about 1 TPI giving me 10 teeth in the stock at any given time.

6. 
   roundedover | Apr 04, 2010 09:55pm | #9

   Bi-metal blade size

   John,

   I am investigating bi-metal blades to use for re-sawing on my 14" BS (Grizzly G0555 w/riser).  I can't seem to find anything smaller than 3/4".  Are you aware of anywhere I can get a 1/2" bi-metal BS blade?  Would using the 3/4" bi-metal cause any problems for my BS vs. your recommendation of 1/2 blade width?

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Apr 05, 2010 10:34am | #10

   I am not aware of a 1/2"

   I am not aware of a 1/2" bi-metal source nor was I when I used my 14" for re-saw. I still have the 14" but I would not consider using a bi-metal on it as it requires a lot of tension. A carbide requires even more. I doubt the stock springs can handle the load and would bottom out. I also "suspect" it could happen even if you upgraded to a larger spring on the 14". And then you have a problem with incresing tension on that saw leading to flex in the back-bone or column.

   Call Lennox and see if they might have it or ask why they don't as there is a reason it appears to not be available....

2. 
   JohnWW | Apr 05, 2010 03:42pm | #11

   Lenox and Starrett both make bi-metal blades starting at 1/4 inch wide and you can get them from Iturra Design, a small company that specializes in blades, parts, and upgrade accessories for home shop sized saws.  They don't have a web site but they are easy to reach on the phone at 904-642-2802.  Their catalog is a great resource, it is really a book about band saws that also happens to have things to sell.

   I searched around, and talked to Louis Iturra, to get an expert second opinion, but bi-metal blades do not require higher than normal tension to work well, I am not sure where this idea first got started, but I have even seen it mentioned in books.

   I have only occasionally used a 3/4" wide blade on a 14" saw and I found that the saw's performance wasn't improved over using the same type blade in a narrower width and that the 3/4" blades could sometimes be difficult to make track well on 14 inch machines.

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Apr 06, 2010 10:06am | #12

   Interesting comment about bi-metal not requiring higher than normal tension to work well John. One that I have never heard as everything I have read says they do as you mentioned in books you have seen as have I. I have no scientific knowledge if they do or if they don't frankly but.. you certainly have raised my curiousity. I just finished a project and have some dead time between spring yard chores down south. I think I might try lowering tension on bi-metal blade for re-saw this afternoon to see what happens.

   That should prove interesting as again I have never heard it any other way and simply accepted that as fact. I also personally believe in beam strength from experience re-sawing and that lead me to not question about requiring more tension with bi-metal. Again.. I have to time to find out so I think I will test Louis's theory for myself...

2. 
   sapwood | Apr 06, 2010 11:28am | #13

   Right on

   Everything you say here confirms my own experience. I've been using bi-metal blades on my 14" Delta bandsaw that I converted to slow speed for cutting metal. I don't tension the blade excessively nor could I. It still has the original tension spring. I use high tooth count blades for steel, but they are still bandsaw blades undergoing the same stresses as wood cutting blades. I think my current blades are Lennox, but I'm not sure. They are 1/2" although I've also used 1/4" blades.