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Blade thickness

Started by trumpets3u, March 31, 2010, 07:34:57 PM

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trumpets3u

I have a Norwood mill 15 HP 1/14 blades.  I saw Knotty softwood,  spruce is the hardest wood for me to saw strait. I'v been using the cooks super hard but I don't see them being any better then others. I'v been looking at the Woodmizer blades The double hard ones, are they really that much better? And can you tell me if the .035 would be better than the .042  that I have been using.  Also they have a .045 with a 7* and 9*,  would they work better with spruce?                            Thanks Brian
                                    Greenwood, Maine

P.A. RESHARP

Hello, You would not want to go with the 7* blade, the 7* takes a lot of horsepower to work right. I wouldnt go with the 035 either. 15 horsepower and a 9* 045 i think would suit you well, if you are talking woodmizer blades, dont know a whole lot about the other brands.      P.A.

Puffergas

I have good luck with standard Lenox blades. 7/8 spacing and I think .042.

Jeff
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

west penn


  Spruce was always the hardest wood for me to do a good job sawing.   Started using more set and fixed the problem.   I use 1-1/4 blades with 10* hook but set them at 28 per side. I can't get a good job on spruce  with a new blade out of the box

Tom

QuoteAnd can you tell me if the .035 would be better than the .042  that I have been using.

The .035 band was used for small engines to allow for the lesser horse power.  Being thinner, it didn't take out as much wood and didn't need the horses.  The other side of the coin was that its period between sharpening might be less, it didn't handle aggressive sawing as good as a thicker band and the mill had to really be "right" for it to perform correctly.  It is still a good band, is usually cheaper, saws moderate jobs well and might be a choice if you know your mill well and have it aligned properly.

Fifteen Horsepower will pull a .042 band.  The original standard 21 thou. set will do a good job if the band is sharp.  The "backbone" of the thicker band makes up for some little alignment problems on the mill and helps to get through tough areas, like knots and errant grain, dust in the bark, etc.   If your band is following the grain or pushing off of the knots, a little more set might help, but don't get carried away.  Every degree of set takes out more wood.  That increases the kerf and pulls on the engine too.

trumpets3u

Thanks for the info here that helps alot.
                          Brian

Dodgy Loner

Never sawed spruce, but white pine is the toughest wood for me to saw straight. Lots of sap to gunk up the blade, and the knots are a whole lot harder than the clear wood. I use a blade with a 9o hook and lubricate with straight diesel. The diesel keeps the blade clean, which seems to be the main reason it wanders. It works quite well!
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

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TimJr

I use the 9* on my lt-15 with a 15 kohler. I also saw knotty soft wood and I have found this blade works the best for me.
Live each day like it's your last. Your never promised tomorrow.

sdunston

I did some spruce last fall 10* just had to slow down a little at the knots
Sam
WM LT28, American fordge 18x8 planer,Orange and white chainsaws, NH TC33, IHT6 dozer, IH-H tractor and alot of other stuff that keeps me agravated trying to keep running

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