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Band Saw Blade Review

Started by rd roberts, April 25, 2013, 08:16:00 PM

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rd roberts

Ok fellow forum, I am sure this subject has come and gone but I need to ask. Has anyone compared brands of band saw blades? After sawing more than a thousand board feet of pine with one blade, I wonder is there better? Has anyone compared? thanks for humoring the new guy.
RD Roberts
AKA: CEO Woody Sawyer
Roberts Sawmill
New Hampshire Timber Owners Association Member
Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer LT10, 24" wood planer and the best Ford tractor.

Magicman

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, rd roberts.  Since I am a WM blade user, I will yield the discussion to those who have used various manufacturer's blades.

I did agree to trial and report on Lenox C Sharp blades, which I will do when weather permits.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

woodmills1

I got one free blade at a show, all the rest woodmizer
first .043  1 1/4,  then .045 1 1/4  all 10 degree
Now .055 1 1/2 7 degree
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

FeltzE

RD,

Probably as many answers as there are forum members here.  But here is my 2 cents

I have a WM HDG35 with 1 1/2 inch blades.

I ran the stock 1 1/2 blade with 7/8 pitch .042 thickness initially, good results.

Moved to Lennox woodmaster C 1 1/2 w/ 3/4pitch .042   I really liked it, resharpening my own blades, excellent flex life. Cutting alot of Knotty SYP often older logs. Finding it difficult to keep a true cut across 4+ inch pine knots.   OVerall rating, excellent (lesser expencive than the Stock WM blades for me)

Recently I was at the Paul Bunyon show and visited with the Lennox guys who suggested I try their "super sharp" (I think that was the name) .055 blades.

   I tried 4 of the 1 1/2"w  1" pitch, .055 blades.  WOW are they a stiff blade! Excellent for cutting big hard knotty pine.  But I don't have the cam to sharpen them. Considerably shorter fatigue life than the .042 thickness blades and a higher cost per blade.

   I called my blade supplier and ordered a case of 1 1/2w 7/8" pitch .055 2 different manufactures with a slightly different price.   I couldn't see a difference between the manufactures blade appearance, or performance on those blades.

The last 2 wks I have been cutting grade oak and pine, I switched back to the .042 3/4 pitch blades after running a .055 7/8 pitch. 

My position today. 

- Run .042 3/4 pitch blades in the grade logs.  Great flex life and lower cost per blade to buy.

- Run .055 7/8 pitch on the larger knotty difficult pines, poorer flex life, higer cost per blade, straighter clean cuts in that hard pine



Eric

dgdrls

welcome rd, 

I'm going on your screen title you run an LT 10, I ran an LT 10 for a season last year.  My experience was with WM 9 & 10 deg silvertip bands.
They ran fine in soft woods,  I wanted less hook angle to run the harder woods however WM indicated they only specked  9&10 deg bands for the LT 10.

I ran out of season and wood before I had a chance to try other bands, then sold the mill and recently purchased a Lucas.
No more bands
FWIW WM does make 7 and I think 4 deg bands to fit the 10 they are just a bit thicker material.

Other shops also spec bands with less hook and most will build what you want.

Best
DGDrls


millstead

i have used woodmizer blades lenox woodmaster c and c sharp and simmons red streek they where all good but i prefer the simmons red streak. mostly because i can buy them 5 miles from my house for 18.00 a blade and get them sharpened for 6.00. the woodmizer blades are a great blade and they offer the resharp service

dail_h

Have run just about every kinda band on the market at some point.Some do very well,,others not so much so. My current favorite band is the "Lennox Woodmaster C Sharp". Currently running 1 1/4 in ,,either 8 or 10 degree. When these run out,,goin back to 1 1/2s
FWIW,,I run a norwood mill
World Champion Wildcat Sorter,1999 2002 2004 2005
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cutterboy

Hi rd and welcome. I run Munkforssager and Cook's Super sharp blades. Both at 1 1/4 and 7/8 pitch. I like them both very much. Both are very sharp out of the box but the Cook's stay sharp longer but they cost more. You can get the Munkforssager at Menominee Saw (look at the ads on the left side of this page) and other places. The Cook's you can get at Cooks Saw. (also a Forestry Forum sponsor)
   Good luck with your quest for the perfect blade. smiley_horserider
To underestimate old men and old machines is the folly of youth. Frank C.

ladylake


I like Simonds red streak, cut straight and last a long time.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

thecfarm

rd roberts,welcome to the forum. Ever been around a sawmill before? What's all the lumber being used for?
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

rd roberts

Thanks to everyone that responded. You guys are great with some great input. To answer a questioned asked of me, i saw hemlock (knotty) and pine mostly but have sawn cherry, oak and maple. I do plan on sawing more hardwoods in the future.
I am looking to get the most bang for my buck so to speak. That is why i ask.
I do hit the occasional nail and once an eye bolt half inch in diameter (ouch). cost me a blade that day. It was four inches below the surface of the bark.
RD Roberts
AKA: CEO Woody Sawyer
Roberts Sawmill
New Hampshire Timber Owners Association Member
Proud owner of a Wood-Mizer LT10, 24" wood planer and the best Ford tractor.

dboyt

rd roberts, welcome to the forum!  For a small mill like the LT10, I'd strongly recommend the .042 blade thickness.  The small band wheel means more flex, which is hard on the thicker (.055) blade, plus it takes more power to bend the blade around the bandwheels.  That means less power available for cutting.  Look at maybe a 10 degree hook angle for the softwoods and a 7 or 4 degree for the hardwoods.  Bi-metal blades are expensive, but good for cutting through nails, wire, clamps, etc.  Getting blades properly sharpened and set will be key to your sawing success.

Daihl_h, what is a wildcat sorter?  Sounds like a good way to get pretty scratched up!
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

hackberry jake

A band manufacturer that doesnt get brought up much is suffolk. They make the timberwolf bands. I got 11 timberwolf bands when I got my mill and they performed very well. I have tried a lot of different bands and it is hard for me to find one that I dont like.  ;D
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EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

tyb525

I have been using WM 7 degree blades on my LT10, .045 thickness, I like them better than the 9/10 degree .042 blades for general purpose.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

FeltzE

Quote from: rd roberts on April 26, 2013, 09:07:02 AM


I do hit the occasional nail and once an eye bolt half inch in diameter (ouch). cost me a blade that day.

There is one of my trade offs, I get a lot of tramp metal, so a lower cost blade which I resharpen rather than send out is much more economical for me. I'll keep the .055's on hand for the big hard knotties.

redcedar

My two cents, only tried three brands of blades cooks super sharp, munkfors, and kasco, woodmaxx.  By far and above kasco woodmaxx, best.  I was sent two free test blades both 10 degree hook angle,seven eights pitch 050 guage. I run inch and half blade, 16 ft. 10 inches.   Talked to a kasco representative, suggested I set my blade, using my lennox tension meter, on 28,000 p.s.i. could not be happier with results, second choice munkfors.  Blades, 25dollars, some cents, each. As of yet can not tell you about number of sharpenings.
millitary five ton with bc loader 8000 hood   79 treefarmer cable skidder , two 575's husky

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