13 degree blades and set for softwood

[Percy]

I notice most hardwood guys prefer a less agressive hook angle on their blades...up here I cut 95 % softwood so my results are skewed. I tried a 4 degree blade in the softwood and my feedrate was slower than that goat everyone keeps talking about. It did go thru the neck sized sitka spruce knot pretty much strait but my 13 degree blades can do that too at that particular feed rate. If you get a chance, try a 13 degree blade on pine, spruce , cedar etc. If the wood is green, twist that rooster knob to about  2 oclock on a 16-20 inch  cut...Mind you if its sitka spruce , youd better run about 37 thou set or she will wave like the queen. You will be impressed. Today I had to use some 10 degree blades and it was frustrating as the feed rate wasnt there....Im spoiled I guess

[octam1]

I have not had much luck with the feedrate on 10 deg either, been using the WM T7 with really good results and good feedrates as well!

[petefrom bearswamp]

Right coast Pete here
What in the world is a rooster knob?
Must be the mill you are using?
Never used a 13 degree here on my soft and hard woods.

[Larry]

I had just started sawing basswood some years ago.  ElectricAl suggested a band with a more aggressive hook so I started with 13 degrees...I had to run to keep up with the saw.  Fastest I ever flew. :D :D

[Dave Shepard]

I have three 13's in my garage. They only come in 1.5", so I've never tried them. I've heard that you can slide the 1.25" guide rollers back and that will work. I'm on my last sharp 1.25" band, so I might end up finding out if I don't get some sharpened soon. :D

[redbeard]

Good info on the 13s  A 30hp gas engine should be able to push through the cut. I see most of you have diesels.

[Percy]

What in the world is a rooster knob?

Its that speed control thingie on yer woodmizer..Looks like a rooster head to me...heh

[Percy]

I had just started sawing basswood some years ago.  ElectricAl suggested a band with a more aggressive hook so I started with 13 degrees...I had to run to keep up with the saw.  Fastest I ever flew. :D :D

Ya..they kinda feed themselves sorta....I cut birch with them and had great results....they dont like sharpening burs....CBN works well but when I used  the old style sharpener, the burrs would cause a dive unless i removed them....

[Percy]

I have three 13's in my garage. They only come in 1.5", so I've never tried them. I've heard that you can slide the 1.25" guide rollers back and that will work. I'm on my last sharp 1.25" band, so I might end up finding out if I don't get some sharpened soon. :D

Givem a try. I used the 1.25 guides for a long time and they worked fine with proper adjustment.

[Percy]

Good info on the 13s  A 30hp gas engine should be able to push through the cut. I see most of you have diesels.

No doubt. 30 hp is serious. More than enuff to over power the blade...

[YoungStump]

Glad for this thread, I saw mostly dense hardwood but occasionally I'll do a run of straight aspen and basswood, and was wondering if I could get a faster feedrate with the 13 degree profile. Think I'm gonna try a box next time I do softwood.

[Larry]

While the 13 was the fastest band I ever used in basswood there is no free lunch.  It also dulled the fastest.  That pointy little 13 tooth just doesn't have the mass of say a 7 even a 10 to remain sharp.

They are worthy of a try in some species, than only you can make up your mind on the best tooth to use.

[Ox]

While the 13 was the fastest band I ever used in basswood there is no free lunch.  It also dulled the fastest.  That pointy little 13 tooth just doesn't have the mass of say a 7 even a 10 to remain sharp.

They are worthy of a try in some species, than only you can make up your mind on the best tooth to use.

This is well said.  Common sense prevails here.  Experimentation is usually the name of the game if you're able to do this.  What works for one fella sometimes won't work for you even on the same species.  I've noticed the logs even vary from hill to hill up here to some degree.  Just have to play around till you find what works to your satisfaction.  I think if you strive for the absolute best perfection you'll drive yourself nuts and waste time and money.  I think there comes a time when your time/money vs. any gains becomes a moot point.

[Dave Shepard]

Looks like I'll get a chance to see how the 13's work. Broke the last of my 4's. :D

[Percy]

Glad for this thread, I saw mostly dense hardwood but occasionally I'll do a run of straight aspen and basswood, and was wondering if I could get a faster feedrate with the 13 degree profile. Think I'm gonna try a box next time I do softwood.

Ya it would be worth a try....On some woods, like frozen for instance, youd do better with an axe...:D but if you have alot to cut of a species that the 13 degree agrees with, they will get it done quickly. Even if you have to change them more often as Larry suggests.

Here is a vid that I posted here somewhere a while back cutting cottonwood with the 13 degree .050x1.5 blades.....Was making  9 pieces of 4x4x16(190 bdft)about every 6 miniutes with the right sized log
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGVWx5fD4Us

[Dave Shepard]

Looks like I'll get a chance to see how the 13's work. Broke the last of my 4's. :D

8) More at 11:00, as they say.

[Dave Shepard]

I set the mill up for the 1.5" bands this afternoon. I moved the guide rollers back a quarter inch, then put the band on and spun it up to speed. I actually had to move them back almost all the way to where the were before. Maybe the 1.5" needs a different tracking adjustment on the outboard wheel, but it seemed to run well. Or should I say really, really well. I was blown away by how fast and straight I could saw with this band. In the video below, I was using a 1.25"x.055" 10° band. I was sawing about as fast as I wanted to in 16.5" pine that was fairly clear. In the end of the third cut you can hear the the engine is working. With the 13° in knotty 20" wide cuts, I was going quite a bit faster, and the boards were flat as could be, even around the knots, and the engine was barely working. I was actually afraid of pushing any harder as fast as it was going. This may be my new go to band for sawing pine. 8)

https://youtu.be/TlMTxUwF-YY

[Percy]

I set the mill up for the 1.5" bands this afternoon. I moved the guide rollers back a quarter inch, then put the band on and spun it up to speed. I actually had to move them back almost all the way to where the were before. Maybe the 1.5" needs a different tracking adjustment on the outboard wheel, but it seemed to run well. Or should I say really, really well. I was blown away by how fast and straight I could saw with this band. In the video below, I was using a 1.25"x.055" 10° band. I was sawing about as fast as I wanted to in 16.5" pine that was fairly clear. In the end of the third cut you can hear the the engine is working. With the 13° in knotty 20" wide cuts, I was going quite a bit faster, and the boards were flat as could be, even around the knots, and the engine was barely working. I was actually afraid of pushing any harder as fast as it was going. This may be my new go to band for sawing pine. 8)

https://youtu.be/TlMTxUwF-YY

That wireless system is awesome.....is the feed rate(very quick by the way) wirelessly controlable??? and, when are you gonna put on that 20 foot extension I see back there??? ;D

[Dave Shepard]

I can control all head functions. Hydraulics and Accuset you still have to do the normal way. I really need to pour a slab before I hook the BX24 up again.