Best blade to use

[Jerry]

What blade is best as for as width for a lt40 with a 28hp the 1 1/4" or the 1 1/2" just wondering what the differance was           Thank you All

[Ohio_Bill]

I think the 28 hp would work well with the 1 1/4.  I ran that blade on mine and it had a 25 hp .  On Woodmizers Web site they have a blade selector app , that will  help you select the correct  blade .

[woodmills1]

1 and 1/4 10 degree blades will cut just about every thing you will put on your mill, except...wide big knot pine, spruce, or hickory.  for those good luck with 28 hp

[Tom]

Your bandmill is not like a shop band saw where thinner bands are used for curve sawing and wider bands for ripping straight lines.   The saw is designed to run a certain width band.  It's band dependence is more on the width of the band wheels and the size of the guides.  Inch and a quarter widths have been used on Woodmizer products for years, with great success.  You can play around with set and hook with quick results and even band thickness for stability, a long time before resorting to wider bands.   Woodmizer's standard band (1 1/4x.021x10°)  will get you through most any project without modifying the saw, if the saw is properly tuned.  Try to stick with it  (one band) and your life will be simplified.

[customsawyer]

I agree with Tom but would like to add that the wider you go with the blade and the thicker you go with the blade takes more HP for each. My first thought when I read the topic was "A SHARPE ONE".

[Jerry]

I realize that it needs to be sharp. Just wondering what the differance was between width. I knew that the different thickness in the blades would make a differance in the amount of HP it would use . If the thickness was the same what would be the differance be in the life of each blade. I will be staying with the 1 1/4 . I do have a lot of sawdust left between boards and cants. I have been sawing a good many 28" to 30" SYP logs. The 4 degree blades seem to cut better than the 10 degree was wondering if the 7 degree would work any better than the 4 degree. thanks for the info.

[Bibbyman]

We've settled on the Wood-Mizer DoubleHard 1-1/4" by .045 with 7° face angle.  We cut mostly oak - sometimes fresh and sometimes dry. 

We could and have run .055 and 1.50 wide and they do cut the real tough stuff better.  But they don't last as long.

[customsawyer]

Like most things if you gain in one area you tend to lose some thing in another area. If you are interested in trying a blade most of the companies will send you a blade to try for free as long as you don't abuse the gift and try to get a free one every couple of weeks.