Bandsaw Blade Question

[Lamar Wright]

Hello turners.....I have a 14 in Rikon bandsaw an I was just wondering what tooth size (tooth per inch) is good for milling small logs on the bandsaw?

 

[Owen Lowe]

Usually mounted on my 14” w/riser is a Timberwolf 3/8 3tpi “AS” blade. It’s good for all roughing of green wood from slicing to bowl blanks.

http://timberwolfblades.com/proddetail.php?prod=3803AS

 

[Perry Hilbert]

Into boards? how smooth do you want them. My old 12 inch Craftsman did a fair job on making 3/4 to 2 inch thick boards. Of coarse limited to six inches wide. I sawed up a bit of cherry and red cedar from log sections about two foot long. Then planed them on a jointer. I did not need absolutely square lumber for fine furniture. It worked for me, at the time, but since then, I can get it for far less hassle from thee saw mill. At a woodcraft band saw demo six months or more ago, the guy was cutting very nice pieces of 1/8 inch thick boards. Nothing I would be interested in doing but for some folks it would be important.

 

[Mike Johnson]

3TPI and a wider blade if available for your machine will help make a smoother straighter cut.

 

[hockenbery]

For green wood turning blanks I usually use a 4 tpi 3/8” skip tooth blade. A 3 tpi would be fine.
I frequently use a 1/2” 4tpi because our club gets a great deal on a bulk buy if they are all same width.

I generally recommend cheaper less long lasting blades. A $20 blade and a $200 cabide tipped blade are both good for 2 unrusted nails.

 

[John Turpin]

I took an old dull blade off last week and replaced it with a new one. The new blade lasted one day until it hit a piece of metal and snapped. I guess I'll be getting that old blade on the bench tomorrow for a little sharpening session and then back on the saw. (BTW, 1/2" X 3TPI)

 

[Randy Heinemann]

I use a 3 TPI 1/2" blade for resawing. That same blade should work for cutting small logs. I own the same bandsaw (or at least a 14" Rikon). My current blade is the Woodslicer from Highland Woodworking. However, I've used others, including blades from Carter. None of them are special in any way, except they are all 3TPi.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Thank you all for your replys, I'll get a 3TPi 1/2 inch blade. I will be cutting down a dead cherry tree for a neighbor for the wood and of course cleanup.

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

Usually mounted on my 14” w/riser is a Timberwolf 3/8 3tpi “AS” blade. It’s good for all roughing of green wood from slicing to bowl blanks.

http://timberwolfblades.com/proddetail.php?prod=3803AS

I also have a Rikon 14" and use the same blade as Owen. It is the perfect blade for green wood for the money. It does great for cutting circles with blanks and even rips both vertically and horizontally in wet wood. This blade is an enabler...I abuse my bandsaw pretty hard and neither complain.

 

[john lucas]

I use inexpensive blades from my local saw sharpener. 1/2" 3TPI in 105" is $9 and they do a fantastic job of cutting green wood. They do leave marks when resawing but I'm usually not resawing that accurately and will plane the wood afterwords so I just allow a little extra thickness. I bought one of the woodslicer blades from Highland Hardware and ruined it the second time I used it to cut green wood. Not worth the money for me.

 

[Lamar Wright]

The blade I am currently using is a Timberwolf 3/8" 4TPi and the green log that I was sawing in half the blade somehow got twisted and bent. I have been milling green logs free hand and that may be my problem? I'm thinking about purchasing a Little Ripper or make my own sled for milling. I have ordered a 1/2" 3TPi blade.

 

[Jerry Maske]

I think this is a wide open Opinion Based thread. So, I'll offer my "Opinion" in contrast to what some of the others have said.

First, you're doing the right thing asking for experienced thoughts. My thoughts, however, are that you get what you pay for. So I'm a fan of Laguna. Expensive? Yes. But I've got one I use for lots of tasks that has been with me for over a year. Resaw, Accuslicing and lots of general work. Not much good for tight curves, but otherwise, it's a 3 TPI carbide tipped blade that just won't quit.

I'd bought one the Accuslice folks recommended and didn't like it at all. Went back to the Laguna and it goes through whatever I'm slicing like a hot knife through soft butter. I don't know how it would handle rusted nails, but that's probably not good for ANY blade, cheap or expensive.

Anyway, the Laguna cuts fast, no problem with drift and leaves very few marks. Any blade will leave some so you'll always have to do some sanding, but the Laguna leaves the fewest of all the blades I've tried.

In the Navy, I learned that opinions are like certain body parts, everyone has one and sometimes they stink pretty badly. Well, you've got MY opinion for whatever it's worth. Good luck.

 

[robo hippy]

My first blades were the Lennox Diemaster Bimetal blades. The teeth are M42 HSS, and the same metal used for pallet cutting blades. A nail might slow them down a little, but they cut straighter and longer than any other blade out there. I have had a couple of friends switch from the Timberwolf blades to the Lennox blades because of this. A 1/2 inch blade, 3 tpi, and the thicker one, but can't remember numbers... A 1/2 inch blade can comfortably cut a 6 inch diameter circle. The really fine toothed blades can not be resharpened unless you have a very tiny file. The 3 tpi are sharpened at my local saw shop and come back good as new. I tried it a few times myself, but not worth the effort. The carbide tipped blades are for cutting fine veneers, not for resawing logs. I had a Lennox one that had very tiny teeth and they could not be resharpened. I haven't seen the Laguna blades, but have a woodworking friend who has the 24 inch (I think) Laguna and cuts fine veneers, He used the carbide tipped Laguna blades.

Very important to have a flat surface when cutting with the bandsaw because if you don't, the piece you are cutting will roll and you bend and/or break your blades.

robo hippy

 

[Lamar Wright]

I think this is a wide open Opinion Based thread. So, I'll offer my "Opinion" in contrast to what some of the others have said.

First, you're doing the right thing asking for experienced thoughts. My thoughts, however, are that you get what you pay for. So I'm a fan of Laguna. Expensive? Yes. But I've got one I use for lots of tasks that has been with me for over a year. Resaw, Accuslicing and lots of general work. Not much good for tight curves, but otherwise, it's a 3 TPI carbide tipped blade that just won't quit.

I'd bought one the Accuslice folks recommended and didn't like it at all. Went back to the Laguna and it goes through whatever I'm slicing like a hot knife through soft butter. I don't know how it would handle rusted nails, but that's probably not good for ANY blade, cheap or expensive.

Anyway, the Laguna cuts fast, no problem with drift and leaves very few marks. Any blade will leave some so you'll always have to do some sanding, but the Laguna leaves the fewest of all the blades I've tried.

In the Navy, I learned that opinions are like certain body parts, everyone has one and sometimes they stink pretty badly. Well, you've got MY opinion for whatever it's worth. Good luck.

Very good opinion Jerry, never though about a carbide tip blade. Something to think about for future blades to buy. Can't go wrong with a carbide tip! Thanks.

 

[Lamar Wright]

but they cut straighter and longer than any other blade out there. I have had a couple of friends switch from the Timberwolf blades to the Lennox blades because of this.

Hi Reed, thanks for your reply.....Drift is my biggest problem cutting a green log. I'm sure that is what caused my blade to get bent. I do have a good flat cast iron table on my bandsaw although it could be a little bigger.

 

[Randy Heinemann]

Drift is more like a bandsaw setup issue rather than a blade problem. Michael Fortune uses an inexpensive Ridgid bandsaw and the results are to his satisfaction. A recent video by Mr. Fortune indicates that a significant cause of drift can be fence not being square to the blade. He demonstrates a process of squaring the fence to the miter slot and then adjusting the table based on the results of ripping after squaring the fence to the slot. So, this process might be something to try before replacing the blade.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Drift is more like a bandsaw setup issue rather than a blade problem. Michael Fortune uses an inexpensive Ridgid bandsaw and the results are to his satisfaction. A recent video by Mr. Fortune indicates that a significant cause of drift can be fence not being square to the blade. He demonstrates a process of squaring the fence to the miter slot and then adjusting the table based on the results of ripping after squaring the fence to the slot. So, this process might be something to try before replacing the blade.

Another issue that can be attributed to operator error is not detensioning the blade whenever the bandsaw isn't being used. This can affect the set on the teeth on the side that faces the tires and will cause the blade to drift in the cut especially if resawing wide boards.

Forcing a dull blade to cut can result in a number of problems.

 

[john lucas]

I've never detensioned my bandsaw and when we asked that question on another forum the vast majority never did either. I find drift is usually not enough blade tension and pushing the cut faster than it wants to cut. To find the proper blade tension I set the blade guide height to the maximum with the blade guides not touching the blade. Then I tension the saw until the blade runs without flutter. Then I adjust the blade guides back to where they should be. A sharp blade of course is absolutely necessary. Doing it this way I don't get any drift and it cuts easily and cleanly.

 

[Jerry Maske]

In all my travels I've not seen a subject beaten harder than Blade Drift. There are so many opinions about it that it's hard to even think about it. So I'll toss my story into the mess.

Some time back I did a LOT of research on this and wound up learning that blade drift was more a function of improperly installing your blade than anything else. Realistically speaking, there's only two settings to deal with; blade tension and upper wheel camber. Blade tension often has to do with what you're cutting than anything else, but the tension on the blade will cause it to move off plumb and drift especially in hard, thick wood. So it's worth looking at. But the REAL culprit is blade Positioning on the upper wheel. The back of the gullet needs to be centered on the upper wheel hump for the blade to stay lined up and run true. And that's where the upper wheel camber comes in.

I've visited a lot of shops where the crafter didn't even know what that adjustment was. Hence, he had to correct for his error. That's backwards. If you've got an error, FIX IT! Don't correct for it. Adjusting the tilt on the upper wheel will cause the blade to move forward or backward as the wheel turns. And as that happens, the blade WILL drift left or right. It needs to be centered. And when it is, there's no drift. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to get a blade to stay up on the hump, but it can be done. I run an entry level Delta with a riser and can resaw a 12 x 12 block in 1/4" strips without a fence because my blade is properly installed. Now I own an Accu Slice fence and can cut 1/32" pieces easily with a Laguna 1/2" 3 TPI blade. And that one centers up quickly because it's so large. Lining up the gullets is quick and I NEVER have a drift problem with or without a fence.

I've studied all the drift correction theories and think all of them miss the mark. Get the blade properly installed on that top wheel and drift is a thing of the past.

I know some of you won't agree with me and it won't be the first time I've gotten into animated discussions here. All I ask is that you try the wheel alignment and blade placement I've suggested and see what happens. I'd be glad to talk more with anyone that can't make it work.

 

[Lamar Wright]

I find drift is usually not enough blade tension and pushing the cut faster than it wants to cut.

When I get blade drift is when sawing say a 20" long log by 7or 8" Dia. free hand. Maybe I am trying to push the cut to fast? I don't get drift when sawing smaller material. Saw a you tube where turners are using a sled for re sawing green logs and shows the logs never touch the table and are secured so there is no movement with the log at all. Real neat idea.

 

[robo hippy]

Some blades drift more than others. As near as I can tell, drift comes from not having the blade correctly centered on the wheel. Most wheels are crowned. You want the teeth to be off of that crown. Some blades come with the set of the teeth being off, more set to one side than the other. You will never get these to cut straight. This is more common on the 'cheap' blades, and a comment I heard from friends who switched to the Lennox blades from the Timberwolf blades. You can hit a nail or hard spot, which can be on one side, and the softer blades will dull on that side, so more drift. Having the fence lined up with the blade is another factor. Some times, it is 'just because'....

robo hippy

 

[Lamar Wright]

As near as I can tell, drift comes from not having the blade correctly centered on the wheel. Most wheels are crowned. You want the teeth to be off of that crown.

Hi Reed..... last night read a PDF about Lenox blades...... title was "Guide to Band Sawing" very interesting read.... The article explained in detail about what you mentioned above about centering the blade with the teeth off the crown of the wheel.

 

[tdrice]

I agree with Jerry Maske. I was never able to cut a straight line until I was told to make sure the gullet was centered on the wheel. Some times there may be other problems but you must have that gullet centered!

 

[Bill Boehme]

The back of the gullet needs to be centered on the upper wheel hump for the blade to stay lined up and run true. And that's where the upper wheel camber comes in.

I agree that this is the best approach for mid-sized or smaller bandsaws such as the such as the 14" Delta and it's clones. One reason that the wheel is crowned is because the frame will flex slightly with variation in blade tension while cutting. Crowning the wheel keeps the blade tracking to the center. Large bandsaws such as MiniMax and Laguna have much more rigid frames and don't use crowned wheels. For smaller blades the camber is adjusted to center the blade on the upper wheel, but for blades that are one inch and larger the position of the blade is set so that the tips of the teeth slightly overhang the edge of the tires. If the wheels were crowned the blade would climb to the center of the tires which for an uncrowned wheel could lead to tire scuffing especially with blades that have carbide tips.

 

[john lucas]

Bill I have a minimax and that's exactly what the instructions say.

 

[Randy Heinemann]

Based on my understanding of bandsaw setup for resawing, good results is obtained from making sure the bandsaw is setup correctly, which includes the table being aligned vertically and horizontally, a sharp 3 or 4 TPI blade, correct tension, correct centering of the blade on the wheels (I center the low point of the gullet on the wheel.), correct positioning of all the guides, and a slow steady feed of the wood (maybe faster with a higher powered saw). The brand of blade, whether it's carbide tipped or not, and what the blade is made of are only significant in how long it stays sharp enough to give good results (although it is true that some cheaper blades may not be as effective as blades that are more in the average price range). Just my opinion based on experience with a 14" bandsaw and all the videos I've seen and material I've read. For me, once I made sure all of those things were right, the quality of my results jumped up significantly.

Also, with cutting logs, it is really important that there is some method of holding the log firm and stable. While, you can get away with cutting a log by just holding it, sooner or later you'll end up with a problem when a log shifts just enough to pinch and twist the blade. if that happens when your hands are near the blade (and I think shifting is more likely toward the end of a cut when your hands are closest to the blade), I would guess the bandsaw blade could do some damage to your hands. At best, the blade will most likely be ruined.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Also, with cutting logs, it is really important that there is some method of holding the log firm and stable.

Very true.......... I have ruined two blades free handing green logs through my bandsaw. The logs have to be secure to re saw safely for sure.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

This is the jig that I use for resawing

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTYP4lH0TZM


Now as to setting up the saw. Most people are way to intense on this. This video by Alex Snodgrass gets down to just the minimum you need.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU&t=10s

 

[Lamar Wright]

This is the jig that I use for resawing

Gerald.... thank you for this information.... That jig is exactly the one I have plans for to make. The video is most helpful on band saw set up......Thanks again!

 

[john lucas]

Very similar to the one I built. I also built a V shaped jig for sawing the ends off of round longs.

 

[Zach LaPerriere]

In all my travels I've not seen a subject beaten harder than Blade Drift. There are so many opinions about it that it's hard to even think about it. So I'll toss my story into the mess.

Some time back I did a LOT of research on this and wound up learning that blade drift was more a function of improperly installing your blade than anything else. Realistically speaking, there's only two settings to deal with; blade tension and upper wheel camber. Blade tension often has to do with what you're cutting than anything else, but the tension on the blade will cause it to move off plumb and drift especially in hard, thick wood. So it's worth looking at. But the REAL culprit is blade Positioning on the upper wheel. The back of the gullet needs to be centered on the upper wheel hump for the blade to stay lined up and run true. And that's where the upper wheel camber comes in.

I've visited a lot of shops where the crafter didn't even know what that adjustment was. Hence, he had to correct for his error. That's backwards. If you've got an error, FIX IT! Don't correct for it. Adjusting the tilt on the upper wheel will cause the blade to move forward or backward as the wheel turns. And as that happens, the blade WILL drift left or right. It needs to be centered. And when it is, there's no drift. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to get a blade to stay up on the hump, but it can be done. I run an entry level Delta with a riser and can resaw a 12 x 12 block in 1/4" strips without a fence because my blade is properly installed. Now I own an Accu Slice fence and can cut 1/32" pieces easily with a Laguna 1/2" 3 TPI blade. And that one centers up quickly because it's so large. Lining up the gullets is quick and I NEVER have a drift problem with or without a fence.

I've studied all the drift correction theories and think all of them miss the mark. Get the blade properly installed on that top wheel and drift is a thing of the past.

I know some of you won't agree with me and it won't be the first time I've gotten into animated discussions here. All I ask is that you try the wheel alignment and blade placement I've suggested and see what happens. I'd be glad to talk more with anyone that can't make it work.

I really like what Jerry said, on both tuning the upper wheel and opinions.

First: I would never use a blade that cost much more than 20 bucks unless I was resawing something very special. I just hit too many rocks to justify spending more money than the Timberwolfs cost when the blades treat me well. But I've seen what the Laguna blade can do, and it is breathtaking...I had to ask my buddy Jim again if that was really the finish of the blade.

Second: A blade can also drift when the guides are out or when the blade is dull.

And on opinions: True. Woodturners have more varying opinions than most woodworkers, and here's why. Our experiences and the variables in the wood and equipment/tools are far more varied than in flat woodworking.

I for one have followed all sorts of great advice that didn't work, because I turn woods that nobody else does. Pretty much every opinion and technique in woodturning needs to also carry with it the context. When the context is absent, you're just guessing that your conditions are the same, when they likely aren't.

Boy oh boy could I have save myself some time if I had understood that from the beginning!