I have 2 bandsaws, an industrial PM that cuts 6 inches high (cast iron top and bottom, cast iron wheels, and 1hp motor), and a Laguna 16HD (4.5 hp). When I got the first one, a woodworking friend told me to 'go see ole Duke at Oregon Industrial Supply, he will tell you what you need and make it for you.' Best bandsaw advice I ever got. For cutting out bowl blanks and rough resawing, you want a bimetal blade (the blade is a softer metal, and a harder tooth metal is fused or some how put on one side of it, and then the teeth are cut out of that harder steel). They make a number of styles, but generally a bit thicker and with more set than standard blades. The blade that comes with your saw is junk. For the little saw, a woodmaster 1/2 inch by 3 tpi. Great for cutting round blanks. If you get to less than 6 inch diameter, you have to nibble at the edges a bit rather than try to cut a perfect circle. For the big saw, a woodmaster 1 1/4 with teeth about 3/4 inch apart. Sorry I don't have model #, they have me in their files and I just call and tell them I need another blade. This is the same blade that the protable bandsaw mills use. Bimetal will handle nails with little trouble, and not be ruined by hitting a few, or even dulled up much. They can be resharpened. I found a little hole in the wall saw shop that will resharpen my blades. Last time in, 5 of my 150 inch blades, and 1 of my 96 inch blades cost me $30. I think they are way cheap. Another place cost me $10 per 150 inch blade. If a blade breaks at the weld, that is a faulty weld. Other than that, if they break, usually there are a lot of stress cracks else where in the blade. Mostly from the gullet towards the back of the blade. This comes from not having the thrust bearings properly set (not lined up with each other), and not lowering the guide to just above what you are cutting.
The Carbide tipped blades are for cutting veneers, and fancy resawing of boards that you want to bookmatch for flat work. The Lennox ones can not be sharpened. Laguna has them which are acutally Stellite (I think, and that is what the cutter on the Woodcut bowl saver is) and they can be sharpened a few times. Cost:150 inch bimetal, about $75, Diemaster carbide $180, Laguna about $240 or so.
I have one friend who is a production turner, who after hearing my ranting about my blades tried one. He now uses them exclusively. I believe he was using the Timberwolf blades before.
Why aren't bandsaws models sold like lathes? As in a 3520 PM is 35 inches between centers, and 20 inch diameter max. A bandsaw would be 6-14 or 6 inch height, 14 inch throat.
Oh, one other thing. For some reason, maybe the acid in the wood, wet black walnut really seems to dull the saws quickly. Bark can carry a lot of dirt, rock, sand and other gritty materials that can also do a number on your blades.
www.gooregonindustrial.com
robo hippy