Replies

1. 
   BruceS | Mar 22, 2009 09:17pm | #1

   It will be a little slower going with your 3/4hp.  But I use an Olsen Allpro  1/2" 3tpi hook.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

2. 
   Rich14 | Mar 23, 2009 03:18am | #2

   I agree with the 1/2" 3 tpi recommendation. Any high-quality blade will do. I like Starrett blades from BC Saw. For a 14" saw they should be about $12.

   http://www.bcsaw.com

   (I have no association with them other than they provide high-quality products at very reasonable prices)

   Rich

3. 
   BioHaz1906 | Mar 23, 2009 05:27am | #3

   You will get many responses here, but speaking from recent experience.  Go with a Timberwolf 4 TPI 1/2" BS blade.  It will blow your mind how it helps your 14" saw and the quality of the cut.  Yes, they are a little expensive, but you will find that they work GREAT!

   Bio

1. 
   Napie | Mar 23, 2009 09:09pm | #6

   I second the Timberwolf brand, great product. I'd lean toward a 3 tpi 1/2" for green wood.  I cut a lot of green bowl blanks and have had one of those last through an entire cherry log and still be sharp.  A bit of lube (wax) on the blade really helps with green stock also.

1. 
   Tinkerer3 | Mar 24, 2009 06:36am | #18

   "A bit of lube (wax)....."

   Is that paraffin wax or floor wax?

1. 
   Napie | Mar 24, 2009 06:47am | #19

   Either will work fine.

2. 
   postonja | Mar 26, 2009 07:55pm | #25

   Thanks to all who responded to my band saw question

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 27, 2009 04:56am | #26

   As is often the case, there are some details missing in some of the posts.  A simple "3tpi" blade may not answer the question of "what blade to use".  How are the teeth set?  What is the body thickness? 

   I tend to turn to Suffolk Machinery (Timberwolf blades) because their staff can steer me to the best-suited blade, with the right combination matching my intended use (see John's post above).  Certainly, those who are very experienced with selecting these blades are less in need of this help.

    forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

4. 
   Jammersix | Mar 23, 2009 08:30am | #4

   You don't need a million dollar blade.

   Use something that is proven. Skip tooth, hook tooth, what matters is a steady, even feed.

   You can't buy skill except by hiring it.

1. 
   dgreen | Mar 23, 2009 08:47am | #5

   Horse puckey, you need a blade that you can properly tension, with the right amout of teeth per inch and of the right configuration ie. hook,skip etc. for the task you are looking to accomplish.

     

    

   ................................................

   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot

5. 
   Don01 | Mar 23, 2009 09:29pm | #7

   I use Viking 1/2" 3TPI but do not dabble in green wood. I think Viking and Timberwolf have common characteristics.

   Don

1. 
   Jammersix | Mar 23, 2009 11:02pm | #8

   Don, I haven't seen an advantage to either brand.What is it you like about those brands?

1. 
   Don01 | Mar 24, 2009 02:17am | #13

   I bought my band saw at a trade show. When I asked the distributor about blades he walked me over to the Viking (Mike's) booth and told me to buy my blades from Mike. Mike only sells Viking the brand. I have not had any problems whatsoever with the Viking product. I have bought a couple of Tuff Tooth and they are OK to.
   I recently added a riser block and bought 3 - 3/4 X 3TPI Viking blades.
   I went to 3/4" just in case a little more beam thickness on a 10" cut might be good.
   Are they any better than the other manufacturer's blade? I don't know.
   I have resawn some interesting pieces of wood and the blade keeps on cutting and cutting straight - none of this drift nonsense.Don

1. 
   zolton | Mar 24, 2009 03:21am | #14

   Speaking of bandsaw blades...

   I had a conversation with a luthier and cello bow maker the other day, and he described to me what is known in luthier and bowmaking circles as a "fish blade."

   These are bandsaw blades that are designed for cutting up frozen fish. They are extremely thin and thus don't make much of a kerf. Some bow makers use them to slice up their precious pernambuco (am I spelling that right? It looks pretty close) so as not to waste any. Apparently, it's no longer available, so everyone who uses it is trying to make it go as far as possible.

   Bow makers don't use very thick blanks, so the fish blade is fine to use for that purpose.

   Zolton If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon

2. 
   Jimurock | Mar 24, 2009 06:28am | #17

   I guess you're right about the common characteristics.  LV sells Viking brand which it describes as "previously identified as the Timberwolf brand."

   Jim

1. 
   jeffs | Mar 25, 2009 06:10am | #20

   I think Woodcraft is also selling Timberwolf blades... does anyone know if they are  the same as from Highland Hardware?

2. 
   Jimurock | Mar 25, 2009 04:08pm | #22

   I'm in darkest Canada where Timber Wolf is known as Viking and neither Woodcraft nor Highland is to be found.  I'd guess that it's the same blade, as the description is identical.  The maker, Suffolk Machinery Corp., also sells directly to the public,  http://www.suffolkmachinery.com/

   Jim

3. 
   BioHaz1906 | Mar 26, 2009 03:06am | #24

   The ones at Woodcraft are PS-Wood which says, "From the makers of Timberwolf".  I can promise you these are GREAT blades and GREAT customer service from PS-Wood. 

    

   Bio

2. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Mar 24, 2009 04:48am | #15

   Don, call Suffolk  and tell them what you need, they are very smart folks  who have never failed me. Their low tension blades come in many modern tooth combinations that work very well. Paddy 

6. 
   JohnWW | Mar 24, 2009 12:25am | #9

   Contact Suffolk Machinery, they're the U.S. distributor for Timberwolf blades, and talk to their rep. They carry a special blade made especially for sawing green wood and it makes a world of difference. Green wood doesn't make sawdust, it creates a fluffy shaving that can easily overwhelm the abilities of a conventional blade to clear the debris.

   John White
   Shop Manager for FWW, 1999-2007

1. 
   danmart | Mar 24, 2009 12:41am | #10

   John

   I took your advise a ways back and I have been pleased with Suffolk. I also like the Lenox stuff.

   I think the key is 3tpi/4tpi hook. With green wood, as you stated, the unusual waste is the concern. On a small bandsaw, the fewer the teeth the better.

   I put the urethane tires on and a TW blade on the 14" and it works very well time after time. For the big stuff, I resaw with the Lenox 3tpi on my 20" (green and dry) and it just keeps going. I would add the Lenox out lasted the Homestead Hardware blade 3:1.

   At this point: when in doubt, I go with the Lenox stuff after a ton of resaw work. I cut the crotch in photo for a lid with the trimaster blade. 16" wide. The 8/4 board cut right on the scribe line end to end. Can't beat it.

   
1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 24, 2009 01:01am | #11

   Beautiful piece of wood. Did you mean the blade with a shorter life was from Highland Hardware (not Homestead Hardware)? The Highland Hardware Woodslicer blades seem to have earned a reputation for very smooth cuts but that they dull quickly.John W.

1. 
   danmart | Mar 24, 2009 04:49am | #16

   I did mean Highland. Sorry for the confusion. In the last year I have been cutting lots of walnut(12/4, 10/4, 8/4) to 4/4 stock. In the process, I have used several blades to get it done. I had a chance to see what blades really deliver under heavy use and produce good quality cuts. I like the Suffolk stuff and the Lenox bimetal blades for the buck. For beautiful quality cuts, the trimaster by Lenox is tough to beat. When I get some extra money, I'll have a few of these.

   Thanks for the reply.

2. 
   Don01 | Mar 24, 2009 02:05am | #12

   I sent Suffolk an inquiry regarding their VPC blade. They never responded, so I didn't take it any further.
   I don't need their blade for any reason other than to try something new.Maybe someone else will have better luck.Don

7. 
   BrianDerr | Mar 25, 2009 09:15am | #21

   If you haven't yet, try a coarse hook blade. It really helps suck the stock through, and you don't need a lot of width, either. I like 3/8 with relatively high tension. This is basically resawing/fast cutting advise, and won't yeild an especially smooth surface. My source is the Sunbelt Industrial 'furniture' blades--cheap and good!

   Brian

1. 
   Jammersix | Mar 26, 2009 01:30am | #23

   I just ordered two 3/4 blades from Sunbelt!There are cheaper prices, but I'm not willing to work hard enough to get them. I like Sunbelt's website, they made finding and ordering the blades I wanted easy.Places like Amazon, and even McMaster-Carr, on the other hand, think I'm going to sift through 2,000 hits to find the blade I want...