WM 7 degree blades

4x4American · July 18, 2015, 08:47:05 PM

So I have pretty much only been sawing pine with these 7 degree blades. Now I have a nice job coming up at the end of next week that I'll be sawing all oak. He's got 50 big oak trees down so far, not bucked yet, and will be forwarding them to my mill. I am going to try these 7 degree blades on this job. Any of you have anything to say on these .055" 7° 1-1/4" blades for sawing oak?

I have 4° blades I can use too, but they saw kinda slow... I wanna be more like Mario Andretti, not so much like a tortoise.

Also, I have been in the process of converting my grinder to sharp these 7° blades. It's looking like I am going to have to use the Cook's DuraTooth SS cam for it. I can play with the rock best I can to get it to keep the profile, but getting it perfect is not gonna happen. Anyways, what set are yawl running on this setup?

Peter Drouin · July 18, 2015, 09:08:12 PM

That's what I use for oak, 7° on everything. :D :D :D :D

bkaimwood · July 18, 2015, 09:32:59 PM

I only use 7/39's...never tried anything else...answer to previous question on how they work on pine...I saw ALOT of pine, and can't imagine anything being faster...heavy exit fray...doesn't bother me, just my dad...I think his OCD is worse than mine...

Dave Shepard · July 18, 2015, 09:35:50 PM

I haven't been having too much trouble with the fray with the Turbos so far. It seems to be more related to speed and sharpness than band type for me.

bkaimwood · July 19, 2015, 06:55:55 AM

Hey Dave...I've noted that slowing feed rate decreases exit fray...but increases kerf marks...and vice versa... Have you tried or noted the same?

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 11:28:32 AM

what are you fellers setting the 7 degree blades to? im gonna start at .027"-.030" and go from there.

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 12:46:03 PM

also, anyone know what the slow speed chatter with these blades is particularly caused by?

Peter Drouin · July 19, 2015, 07:05:11 PM

Quote from: 4x4American on July 19, 2015, 12:46:03 PM
also, anyone know what the slow speed chatter with these blades is particularly caused by?

Slow speed. :

:D :D :D :D

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 07:28:51 PM

:D :D :D Gee whiz who'd have thunk that!!!

I was wondering if if was the profile, the thickness, the set, the hook angle, etc..

Anyways, we don't have to worry about slow speed. Today I was sawing some hard maple that's been down for a few years with my first of the resharps of these blades. I practiced sharpening them on the 4 blades I have that have struck metal and are missing teeth, etc. The first one was missing too many teeth and just gave me washboards. The second blade sawed good. The third blade also sawed good, and I was pushing it too hard in a wide-ish cut, and it popped off the backside of the bandwheels...BAM! it went.. It didn't break, just popped off. And this is with 3100psi on the blade. Then it started raining, gonna double check the tracking tomorrow. Kinda chewed up my wheel belt a little bit, gonna try and get a new one from Napa tomorrow. Anyone know which version is the right one? They have a kevlar B57 and a non-kevlar B-57.

Dave Shepard · July 19, 2015, 09:01:26 PM

It's my understanding that only WM B57s are the right belt. Not available elsewhere.

Magicman · July 19, 2015, 09:14:40 PM

Yup, they are flat rather than crowned and have no splice hump.

deadfall · July 19, 2015, 09:26:12 PM

What's the basic indicator for the time to replace those?

Thanks in advance.

Magicman · July 19, 2015, 09:32:34 PM

Until they get cut by a broken blade or thin down until the blade is near the bandwheel. Never allow the blade to actually touch/run on the bandwheel. B57's can easily run a year or more.

deadfall · July 19, 2015, 09:56:37 PM

I may have told you all this before: I have a less than perfect memory. It's been many years since I have seen what a new one looks like on the wheels. "Near" is a relative term. It's probably somewhere in the manual, eh? I just noticed that the drive-side belt came off the wheel pretty easily the other day when I did my most recent blade change. There's still a gap between the blade and wheels, but it didn't look wide.

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 10:06:25 PM

Thanks guys.

Deadfall, do you swap the belts each blade change?

deadfall · July 19, 2015, 10:10:13 PM

Quote from: 4x4American on July 19, 2015, 10:06:25 PM
Deadfall, do you swap the belts each blade change?

Errrrr... Why do you ask? Probably in the manual too, eh?

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 10:12:33 PM

:D

It will help them last longer as the drive side belt wears faster than the idle side. Unless you slice one with a broken blade like I did today, then it don't matter how new they are or how many times you swapped them!

Magicman · July 19, 2015, 10:38:15 PM

I have not noticed any measurable difference in wear from one side or the other. I flip them occasionally and have been known to even switch wheels with the B57's. :D Maybe I just do it to make the customer think that I know what I am doing. Sorta like coiling blades. ;D :D

Seriously, the recommendation is to flip and switch occasionally. ;)

4x4American · July 19, 2015, 10:52:48 PM

:D

Yea I don't do it every blade change, but I do it on an every so often basis.

deadfall · July 19, 2015, 10:58:08 PM

Quote from: Magicman on July 19, 2015, 10:38:15 PM
Seriously, the recommendation is to flip and switch occasionally. ;)

Doesn't include candidates for office, right?

I think these belts would be a part one should always keep two spares of. I think I will order a couple (or four). And I like saying "hi" to the UPS driver.

Magicman · July 19, 2015, 10:59:39 PM

Oh yes, flip them too. 8)

deadfall · July 19, 2015, 11:03:26 PM

New page. You probably missed all my witty edits.

petefrom bearswamp · July 20, 2015, 06:38:19 AM

GMMILLS been away fishing.
I have both 7 34 and 7 39 blades mostly 7 34.
I have been sending both to re sharp.
Am going to bite the bullet after i get my inventory sawed forthge year and experiment with an old cam I have to try to sharpen these blades.