Woodmaster C Blades

shortlogger · January 27, 2012, 11:19:34 PM

Has anyone used the woodmaster C band blades ? I can get them right at $10 per blade cheaper than the logmaster blades I am using now if I buy 11 or more at a time it sounds to good to be true , wondering about the quality shure would be nice to save that much on blades.

WH_Conley · January 28, 2012, 06:04:48 AM

I have used them and had no problems. I would not hesitate to use them again.

stumpy · January 28, 2012, 10:29:08 AM

I own about 40 blades and at least 30 of them are woodmaster C. Never had a problem with them. Oh yea, the first time I bought one I put it on the mill and started a cut. It didn't even cut in fact it started to smoke. I then realized, they ship them turned inside out.(why I don't know) Flipped it over and never had a problem.

LOGDOG · January 28, 2012, 10:34:55 AM

I tried one box. Never went back.

ladylake · January 28, 2012, 05:38:04 PM

Hey Logdog. You never went back to you old blades or never bought any more woodmaster c. I'm confused like usual. Steve

LOGDOG · January 28, 2012, 07:22:29 PM

I never bought any more Woodmaster blades after that box. They didn't resharpen well. Shortlived ....cracked, and snapped. On the other hand, both Woodmizer and Timber Wolf/Suffolk saw blades were awesome and I could get an unreal amount of sharpenings out of them. Price and cost are two different things. ;)

WH_Conley · January 28, 2012, 09:19:58 PM

I guess that is where everybody's circumstances are different. On the sharpening, the profile is different, I use WM cam, can't do a full profile sharpening the first couple of times. If I try it burns the tips.

I use WM, Timber Wolf , Cook's. I would put the Woodmaster in the next tier simply because of the sharpening.

I got a box of blades a few years ago and the set in the garage a few months because I was working a public job, got laid off and started sawing again. Never took the first blade off because it was dull. They broke, none in the weld. I don't know what brand they were as the dealer had put his own name on them. He would not make them good. He is out of business.

Forgive the ramble. LOGDOG, might want to try them again. Just to make sure it wasn't a bad batch. On the other hand, if your are satisfied, why change?

LOGDOG · January 28, 2012, 09:57:03 PM

It's possible I got a bad batch or maybe they changed their steel recipe since I bought them. It's been many, many years. But like WH_Conley says, "If you're satisfied, why change?".

I got the impression that Woodmaster's blades may be geared to run in a pallet operation on resaws with narrow, clean cants running through them. Run them for "X" amount of time, they break, throw them away, put a new one on. Disposable like ...

I have to say I learned the most about blade dynamics from Timber Wolf/Suffolk even though I love WoodMizer as a company, their mills and their blades. That said, I've got probably 10 boxes of Woodmizer blades on hand and no Timber Wolf's on hand, nor have I ordered any in a good long while.

WoodMizer fixed a hole in their blade setups when they added the 4,7 and 9 degree hook angles. I gladly pay the extra for the performance I get.

LeeB · January 29, 2012, 08:59:16 AM

I tcould also have been something to do with where you got them. I got some from one dealer a couple of times that were troublesome. Others were ok. Haven't used any in many years though. Could be thier quality is better now. I'm pretty sure that is the brand Tom used to use on his Baker mill.

LOGDOG · January 29, 2012, 09:22:33 AM

I thought Tom used Monks blades ...Moksforsager or something like that? I know that spelling has to be wrong.

LeeB · January 29, 2012, 09:29:29 AM

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,3283.msg42859.html#msg42859

Just remebered this post was the reason I say he used them.

LOGDOG · January 29, 2012, 09:40:38 AM

I must be thinking of someone else then....

Nomad · January 29, 2012, 08:21:14 PM

Later, I'm pretty sure Tom switched to Simond's Red Streaks.

wlf89 · January 29, 2012, 09:45:15 PM

thats what im using now, and having trouble with them breaking after 2 maybe 3 sharpenings. i think this batch is from 08.

Ludo · January 30, 2012, 08:57:54 PM

I cut a lot of "urban" lumber so I hit a lot of metal. Due to the low cost I only use Woodmaster "C" blades. The price is low enough that I do not resharpen them. I would say that 3 out of 4 are ruined by metal. If you feed real slow they go through nails with out too much problem. I pay about 16 shipped for a 1.5"x 12' blade and it runs about $13 shipped to resharpen them. I run either liquid soap with water (hard wood) or Pine-sol and water (soft wood) as a coolant. If I am careful and the logs are power washed with no metal, I can cut 500-600 linear feet of hard wood before the blades starts to slow enough to warrant a change.

Migal · February 06, 2012, 11:05:43 PM

I guess with that last statement tells me a power washer idea I've had will be a good investment for my new mill!

bandmiller2 · February 07, 2012, 07:30:49 AM

Does anyone here know about the band industry,how many steel suppliers make bandstock est. Mayby it all comes from a couple of mills.Woodmizer makes their own,probibly cut the teeth set and induction harden bandstock they buy bulk.Are bands air hardening or must they be quenched.Wish I still had my contacts at Simonds.I've had good service from all the bands I've tried some just seem to live a little longer. Frank C.

buildthisfixthat · February 07, 2012, 09:26:33 AM

lenox has a plant in springfield mas s ,dont know where they have the coil stock made ,though is made spicific for each lenox blade

Dan Sawyer · February 08, 2012, 02:39:22 PM

Lenox blades are all made in East Longmeadow, Mass. It is just outside Springfield. Carbon wood cutting blades go through several processes, depending on the manufacturer, these can differ, but for the most part they consist of:

1. Heat treat - Can happen before the blade is toothed or after it is toothed depending on the manufacturer
2. Toothing - There are several methods to this. Some include milling, grinding, or cut out.
3. Setting - The blades must then be set. Again keep in mind, heat treat may happen after toothing and before setting with some manufacturers.
4. Tooth hardening - There are different options in how to tooth harden the teeth; the most used being induction hardened

All manufacturers buy raw steel stock from a number of different mill sources. The main companies that actually make their own blades are Wood-Mizer, Lenox, Simonds, Munfors, Starrett, MK Morse, Timberwolf (Suffulk). Cook's private labels his blades. Logmaster blades are private label as well.

Lenox has a new blade called Woodmaster C-Sharp developed specifically for the portable sawmills. It is only being released now. It has had great results testing in the field.

ladylake · February 08, 2012, 02:44:08 PM

Welcome Dan and good info. Steve

bandmiller2 · February 08, 2012, 08:43:42 PM

Thanks Dan and welcome,sounds like your on the inside.I'll have to try some of the c-sharps seeing as Lenox is a local co. Frank C.

Dewey · February 09, 2012, 09:53:39 PM

I was one of the mills that tested the woodmaster C-Sharp blade..... I loved it !!! Lenox actually came to my mill for an afternoon... And filmed my sawmill ect.... I think the C-Sharp is worth a try !! ;)

Art_H · December 16, 2012, 02:52:46 PM

Woodmaster C-Sharp, is there a profile cam from Lenox for this blade? They advertise a flatter gullet so I assume there should be a unique cam profile etc?

There also doesn't seem to be a lot of testimonials of this new blade vs. others ie; Timberwolf etc.

Thanks.

Art

hamish · December 16, 2012, 05:12:07 PM

Quote from: Art_H on December 16, 2012, 02:52:46 PM
Woodmaster C-Sharp, is there a profile cam from Lenox for this blade? They advertise a flatter gullet so I assume there should be a unique cam profile etc?
There also doesn't seem to be a lot of testimonials of this new blade vs. others ie; Timberwolf etc.
Thanks.
Art

Art,

The profile cam would come from the manufacturer of your sharpener, not the band manufacturer.
I have been using Woodmaster C-Sharps for about 6 months and am very impressed thus far. Cant compare it to other bands as what works for one doesn't always work for the other. The hardback design allows me to increase the tension, and have been sharpened on a profile grinder near 8 times now with no noticeable change or failures.
Tooth spacing at the weld is spot on and set is extremely consistant.
Normally I run flexback bands, mainly Goldlines and MK Morse Quiksilvers, the Lenox Woodmaster C are letting me increase my feed rate all the while getting nice clean cuts.

My .03 cents.

bandmiller2 · December 17, 2012, 08:03:02 AM

Prehaps I'am a crude dude but I usally leave the same cam on my cats claw and do all brands with it ether a simonds or timberwolf cam,some times it takes a couple of sharpenings to completely clean the gullet.Do believe its the hook,set and sharpness of the band that matters more than minor gullet differances. Frank C.