Based on suggestions in this forum, I purchased 4 Timber Wolf bandsaw blades from Suffolk Machinery. I have a 10″ Craftsman tilt head band saw (3 wheel)…..
I used the stock blade until it was nearly dull then put on one of the new Timber Wolf blades & made all the adjustments according to the owner’s manual…it didn’t last 1/2 dozen cuts on 3/4″ stock RedOak & broke in 2 places…away from the weld….
I have E-mailed Suffolk & was advised there was nothing they could do since I have a 3 wheel band saw, and they don’t warrant blades for them ?? Could someone give me the technical reasons as to why a 3 wheel band saw would be worse/different than the 2 ??? I have asked Suffolk for a response & have not received one in nearly a week……
I am dissapointed in the blade breaking, but more disappointed in the fact that they won’t give me a response….
Also, I wanted to post this in the tool talk forum but the post new message icon isn’t there when I log in? What can I do about this ????
Replies
I have had good luck and they have been very responsive in my dealings with them.
I looked on the web site and sure enough in the letter from the CEO it states
"Give us a try, you have nothing to lose. Everything we sell has an unlimited time and performance guarantee. We guarantee all of our welds except on blades shorter than 65" in length or any blade that has been improperly sharpened. We do not, however, guarantee blades that are run on any three-wheel machine. If you do not like our blades we will refund your money and pay the freight upon their return. This also gives us a second chance… the opportunity to analyze the blades in order to determine why they did not meet your satisfaction.
Sincerely,
Art Gschwind
CEO and Founder"
I never noticed this before. When you ordered did you call and speak to them first and explain you had a 3 wheel saw. If they knew and did not tell you about the warantee issue, I would ask to speak with a manager. Call the company (not E-mail) and ask to speak to the supervisor of CS. If that person does not give you satisfaction ask to speak to the department manager. Climb the ladder until you get to someone. I bet if you get to the right person, you will get satisfaction. Thanks for sharring the info for those out there that have three wheelers. Good luck and let us kow how it goes.
Edited 11/8/2005 3:25 pm ET by bones
Your answer may lie in your question: "I made all the adjustments according to the owner's manual..." Timberwolf blades are made to run at a lesser tension than others. If you cranked the tension to the point of a normal blade, then the fault is yours. The blades need to be stressed to the level that they don't "flutter" and 1/4 turn after that, only.
I have had great success with them at re-sawing all kinds of hardwoods. The advice above is good to contact a company representative, but be aware that the blades require a different setting than others. Be sure to release the tension after use by using a certain number of turns (I use 8) and re-tension it when you go to use it again. Good luck!
Dances,
I have a three wheel Sears BS over in the corner of my shop...it holds up my apron. The tension you can put on a blade from a three wheeler compared to even a 14" saw is so much less...not even close. I put lots of tension on my timberwolfs with my 14" Delta and they work fine. I strongly suspect, given their warning, the blades cannot handle the tight curvature about the small wheels...but it would be decent to clarify that issue for the customer...and why do they sell blades less than 65" anyhow?
It's a good point as to why they sell blades less than 65". I do have the idea that you must be able to put some stress on the blade though or I don't believe it could have broken. And then again, it could have been a bad piece of steel or tempering.
I still believe that if you were to adjust the tension properly you would find it a good blade on any saw. So take your apron off the Craftsman and try a new one. They can be a pain to adjust because you're using hand-eye input rather than the mechanical setting on the machine. I find the reward is worth it.
thanks for all the input....the tension applied on the blade is controlled by a cam that won't allow me to overtighten it. If I go too far, it takes tension off the blade.
Also, the blade is 63 1/2" but I missed the info you posted when I read their website before I bought the blades....I called & spoke with a nice lady at Suffolk before I purchased the blades but I never recall her saying anything about the short blade or warning me about the fact that I had a 3 wheel bandsaw......
Does anyone have a recommendation of another source where I can get bandsaw blades made @ 63 1/3 " ????
I'm sure this band saw is like a toy compared to many that are used on this site...but I'm just a weekend warrior with limited space & it fits those needs.....
On a Three Wheel Bandsaw it is not the tension what breaks a blade it is the radius of the wheels that kills them. In other words the blade has to bend more on a three wheel then on a 14" or larger wheel . I don't know what the diameter of your wheel is.
Hilmar
Edited 11/13/2005 10:47 am ET by h12721
Sell it and look for a good used Delta 14".
Just me so.. Three wheels have a tight radius and flex the blade to much.. They are GOOD blades... See if you can get LENOX blades for it..
I do not have a three wheel saw so I may be 'full' of it.. Just my thoughts...
Bill,
All the info you have gotten regarding the problem lying with the saw, not the blades is correct. Sorry to tell you this, but a 3 wheel bandsaw is an exercise in frustration. Timberwolf blades are among the most trouble-free designs you can buy. They will last for an incredible length of time when correctly set up, as long as they are used on a "real" bandsaw.
No blade is really designed to take the stress inflicted by the small radii imposed by your saw. Once metal is stressed beyond its design parameters, its crystal structure fractures and that's the end. Operated just below that point, it can withstand impressive stresses seemingly forever.
Get any commonly available 14" saw, make sure it's in proper working order and adjustment, and Timberwolf blades will work beautifully for you. But you must adjust them by the "flutter test" method which allows them to run a low tension. Fact is, most bands operate better at low tension, despite the prevailing practice that dominates woodworking, dictating that the tension be cranked up as far as possible short of permanently warping the saw's castings.
Sorry to be yet another one to tell you that you have a dog of a saw. I've never seen a 3-wheel model that did the job (even a very expensive model made by Inca many years ago).
Rich
Thanks for all the responses. I know the blades are good...too many experienced woodworkers sing their praise in these forums....
I was looking for some reasons why the 3 wheel isn't as good as a 2 wheel & I have been provided with that.....As money allows I will replace the 3 wheel, but since I just got it this past summer it will be a while.......
Thanks again.....
No problem, Bill, the best is you stick with the blades recommended by the Mfg. of your saw.
Hilmar
SpartyBill,
I ran into the same situation. Bought the three wheeler on sale thinking ..hobby, cut curves, etc. and paid the price from SWMBO. Bought the book on bandsaws to learn the "how to"...really didn't apply. Perhaps Danceswithwoods is correct, I did not give it enough of a chance but I coldn't get the darn blade to stay on the machine. Finally I bought a Delta on sale (made in Taiwan)in January when the deals are best. Maybe a used machine would have been better but I was pretty leary at that point and the whole bandsaw mystique of adjusting for drift...
Let me tell ya, it's been a piece of cake and I never adjust for drift. I resaw all the time and recycle woods...usually quarter saw poplar, maple, oak into rails, styles, panels and avoid buying even plywood for projects. My point is over the past two years the bandsaw has more than paid for itself in savings from wood purchases. It will be worth it once you get there...
Hmmm, I am in process of designing a three wheel band saw. After reading this and other comments on three wheel band saws on the web I think I should go back to two wheels. I was, in the design, having trouble resolving the problem with the tracking mech. so that when it was adjusted it would move the blade the same distance (or angle) on each of the other wheels. Geometry is a killer for this on a three wheeler. I wonder if that is why it seems there are so many comments about tracking problems. Oh well, back to the drawing board!
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