What blade to use on a Woodmizer band mill

PAmizerman · February 14, 2018, 09:04:49 PM

I started out with a 18x18 box to send blades back to resharp. If I remember correctly I could only get 10 blades in the box? And it was bulky. I switched over to flat packs and get fifteen in a box. They take up less room and I just take them out as needed. I have them on a shelf in my shed and Mark the side of the box as to what's in it. ( Dull, turbo, 7* ect) that way I don't have to pull all the boxes down and check to see what's in each one. When I had bad boxes I'd just make one. I'd get a piece of cardboard that is used for covering 4x8 sheets of plywood from my dad. He builds kitchens and always has a pile of it. Then when I got them back they were in a new box. Or if it wasn't too bad I'd just tape it up good. Hope this helps

Southside · February 14, 2018, 09:22:11 PM

@Magicman if you have not tried the Blu Emu stuff it might be worth looking into - my father in law strongly suggested it and I tried some - it works - and I don't stink!!! :D :D

Well - not from that stuff anyway!

Magicman · February 14, 2018, 09:29:46 PM

Well I had to Google dat stuff. :P

WV Sawmiller · February 14, 2018, 09:31:51 PM

I don't have near the hp you do with your mill but I use the 4 degree double hards for any hard wood like oak or ash and also in soft wood like pine or spruce with plenty of knots. I use the 10 degree for poplar and a few 7's I have for poplar. As I wear them out I will replace all with 4 degree. I can cut everything with the 4's but only soft, clear wood with the 10s.

This is the kind of boxes I made to store and transport my blades. I think it is 34X36 inches made from 1X1 strips and thin cut pine or poplar siding. With a wide mill and longer blades you'd need something a little bigger I suspect. I carry my spare belts (B57, drive, power feed, etc) in with the blades. I send my blades back for resharp in the flat pack boxes.

redneckman · February 14, 2018, 09:34:47 PM

WV Sawmiller, that is exactly what I was thinking about making. Great job!

Rob in NC · February 15, 2018, 04:10:13 PM

i just ordered a box of 4s for a pile of oak ive got on the deck but I looked hard at the turbo 7s from all the hoopla ive heard about them. I don't know if my 25hp will give me the same performance with them as the people that rave about them are using though.

Southside · February 15, 2018, 06:57:50 PM

You and I have the same mill, same year.

Magicman · February 15, 2018, 09:04:24 PM

When the 7° Turbos were developed the recommendation was that they be used with the higher horse power and Diesel engines.

redneckman · February 15, 2018, 10:20:07 PM

I have a .055 T7 on the way. I cant wait to get it. I have a oak that is 36" across on one end that I am goign to test it on.

xlogger · February 16, 2018, 06:24:26 AM

I'm going to try going to all 4°. Just order a box of Kasco, Richard suggested going to .045 I hope they don't break too fast. I was having problems with blades breaking after about 3 sharpening now I'm getting up to 10 or more since I got the new sharpener. If they break too fast I'll sure go back to .042 or just save them for those hard to saw logs.

jhollora · February 21, 2018, 11:00:28 PM

Very timely discussion for me. Just picked up my Wood-Mizer LT 50 yesterday (graduating from an LT 15).
My experience with 10 degree and 4 degree mirrors what others have shared. I mostly saw oak, hickory and locust....prefer the 4 degree.
I'm afraid WM will be getting a call for another Turbo 7 sample blade!

Chuck White · February 22, 2018, 06:49:50 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, jhollora!

redneckman · February 23, 2018, 09:21:03 PM

Quote from: jhollora on February 21, 2018, 11:00:28 PM
Very timely discussion for me. Just picked up my Wood-Mizer LT 50 yesterday (graduating from an LT 15).
My experience with 10 degree and 4 degree mirrors what others have shared. I mostly saw oak, hickory and locust....prefer the 4 degree.
I'm afraid WM will be getting a call for another Turbo 7 sample blade!

First of all, welcome to the forum! I got my sample T7 this week. I have not yet tried it out, but I have some big oak logs that I plan to saw soon. If the T7 preforms well, I will be ordering a case soon.

Kwill · February 23, 2018, 11:09:10 PM

Has anyone tried the WM max flex blades?

woodmills1 · February 27, 2018, 06:40:29 PM

2005 LT70 62HDDR, I have only used 1.5" 7 degree blades and I sharpen them 4 times then reset them and sharpen them over and over till they break or hit metal. This has worked very well for me, cutting both pine and oak. If the universe is aligned I cut the pine when the blades are new or when they are fresh reset. This machine will cut oak I swear using the back of a blade :D. If I looked correctly I could not sharpen the turbos on my older drag sharpener. I buy a box of ten when I get a large cutting order for pine. I currently have 12 blades left of the 15 I reset recently in their final rotation, that is sharpen till they fail. I have 22 blades that need to be reset before sharpen and use.

redneckman · March 18, 2018, 09:41:32 AM

Well, I tried out the T7 blade today in a 20" red oak. WOW, what a difference! It sliced through it like butter. The cut was flat, and straight. I am VERY impressed.

I also want to mention a design issue that I found on my mill. On the idler side, I have been noticing the paint begining to get gone on the inside of the blade guard, directy under the idler wheel. I thought it was me scratching it when I was repalcing blades. I am always as careful as possible, but WM does not give you much room. Knicking the mast and the guards with the blades is a definite. I was doing my 20 hr service on the mill yesterday. I took the belts off the wheels to clean them. The belt on the idler side was VERY hard to get between the idler wheel and the guard at the bottom. Upon inspection, I noticed teeth marks in the metal under the idler. I think the teeth of the blade has been knicking the guard. That would explain why a brand new 10 degree blade cut like crap in a piece of poplar. Below are some pictures that I took. I think WM needs to build in some more tolerance. If the tension gets below 3000 psi, the blade bounces a little, and it was hitting that guard. A 50k+ dollar peice of equipment with only 20 hrs should not be doing this. All I will say is that I solved the issue and it cut great with the T7. Makes me wonder what else may be hiding its ugly face and maybe I should have bought another brand. I am hoping someone from WM sees this.

Chuck White · March 18, 2018, 09:57:31 AM

Looks normal to me!

Sliding the belt between the shield and the wheel will, over time, wear the paint off, and so will the scratches from removing and installing blades!

A broken blade will make scratches all around inside of the blade shield, over time!

dgdrls · March 18, 2018, 08:09:34 PM

Congratulations on your LT purchase, Those old Fricks and Meadows are a different cat than a WM band :D

I think between pulling bands on and off and tooth set, not hook angle, is causing those knick's, perhaps a little vise-grip "bend" will offer a bit more room??

? Was there sawdust buildup under the band-wheel belt when you cleaned it?

best
D

trapper · March 18, 2018, 08:54:02 PM

if you are using b57 belts I find taking the slack out of the belt by pulling on the belt at 3 oclock on the bandwheel gives more clearance and allows the blade to go on easier.

Magicman · March 18, 2018, 08:59:30 PM

If that edge of the blade guard is too close, it should be a simple matter to bend it downward.

redneckman · March 18, 2018, 09:33:54 PM

Yep, it is fixed now. Plenty of clearnce, and the blade goes on easier too.

LeeB · March 19, 2018, 01:49:48 AM

It is possible that the guard go bent by contacting something while you were sawing. I recently had to mine on a 20 year old mill. I figure it was tagging the log.

highleadtimber16 · March 20, 2018, 10:04:01 AM

My mill had the same thing from the factory. I took a piece of wood and a hammer, hit it a couple times and never looked at it again. Even with brand new machinery, there will sometimes be little things that aren't perfect.

Lawg Dawg · March 21, 2018, 07:44:15 AM

Quote from: redneckman on March 18, 2018, 09:33:54 PM
Yep, it is fixed now. Plenty of clearnce, and the blade goes on easier too.

Im having the same problem on my 40 Wide...how did you go about fixing it? Thanks

redneckman · March 21, 2018, 07:45:58 PM

I tried to bend it enough so it would not hit and the belt would come off without it sticking between the wheel and the guard, but bending that much seemed a wrong way to fix it. I have a brand new plasma cutter and some Woodmizer matched paint. I cut the guard back about 3" and painted the edge. Looks like factory. I hated to cut on my new mill, but it is mine and I am not going to fight with it every time I need to change a belt or a blade. I am tired of dulling blades. I will try to take a picture of how it looks and post it.