Band blade rotation?

[smwwoody]

Ok I  have a question for all you band mill owners out there.
If your are standing at your mill faceing the side of the band that has the teeth on it does it rotate clockwise or counter clockwise

Woody  ???

[Tom]

Counter clockwise

If you were using an axe it would be digital

[D._Frederick]

Depends on the mfg. of the band mill, some throw sawdust to the left, others to the right. Some cut into the wood after the first cut, other saw into the bark on three sides.
 
What does rotation have to do with sawing?

[smwwoody]

Well D  I'm doing some research on band stock and it looks like most manufacturs have designed thier bands to cut rotating counter clockwise.

Tom slash saws are digital :D

[Tom]

I was wondering why you wanted to know that.  

Hey!  I have some interesting info on this subject.

Years ago Woodmizer put out some blades that just wouldn't cut straight.  There didn't seem to be anything wrong with them but they would dive and rise in the cut and do all kinds of weird stuff.

They replaced all the orders in short order and even tried to have a sale to get rid of the "bad" stock.   I didn't want it but maybe some of the guys bought it up.

It turns out that the problem, according to my customer service contact, was that bulk bandsaw blades come coiled and form a memory in the direction in which they are coiled.  Someone put the bulk blade coil on the machine backwards and the blades were made inside out somehow.  The problem with the tracking had to do with the curve of the body of the blade didn't fit the wheels and the teeth would waver up and down. The blade guides couldn't control the tracking.

After about three settings and sharpenings, the blades would then track properly. Even for half price blades I couldn't see losing that much production or time so I ignored the sale.

I wonder of your machine turns the other way and you turn a blade inside out to make the teeth point the proper way for your rotation if this problem wouldn't show up?  It seems to me that that it would generate the same kind of misalighnment as the backwards bulk spool caused.

That's only happened one time to my knowledge.

[MrMoo]

Woody,
My mill rotates counter clockwise. It cuts into the cleanside of the wood & out the barkside.

Tom,
I have to flip my blades inside out when I put them on the machine the first time. It doesn't seem to have any affect. The track & cut well.
Mike

[smwwoody]

Tom I think you hit the nail on the head.

my mill rotates clockwise.

every band has a slight concave shape to the body of the band which over a few uses goes the other way.  so in theory a counter rotating band has the concave on the side that will benifite the mill the best.  After several sharpenings the concave will go the other way and start to cause problems.  Most bands break before they get this far.  

For me I am fighting the concave thing with a new band.  once the are sharpened about five times they cut like a dream for me.

I am thinking of going up to a 2.5" band you can order them for the rotation that you have.  this would be an expensive setp so I am not real sure  what to do.

Woody

[Tom]

Before I got into the expence (and experimentation) of a 2.5 inch band (not too common) I would talk to the saw shop at Woodmizer so that I would be assured of getting an expert and describe the problem I was trying to solve.  It could be that the problem could be solved simply by telling any blade manufacturer what your rotation is.  I don't know how common clockwise turning band are (as described here) but they seem to be in the minority.  Cutting into clean wood is generally a function of the side of the mill that the log is dogged on rather than blade rotation.

Tim Cook at Cookssaw in Dothan might be able to help you too.  While Woodmizer makes their own blades, Tim deals with Lenox, Simonds and perhaps other manufacturers of bulk stock.  You might get another view point.  The Cooks are nice folks and always willng to talk if you can catch them when they are not too busy.

[Bro. Noble]

Our resaw turns clockwise.  I was needing blades at the same time I needed blades for our woodmizer so I had woodmizer make up some bands for the resaw too.  They didn't ask about rotation and I had to turn them.  Couldn't really tell any difference from what I had used,  but they are only 1"  bands which would probably make a difference.  

[smwwoody]

Tom

I have talked to cooks a few times about this and they agree with me last time I talked to them they said that by this fall they would have stock avalable for both rotations.  I'll have to check back and see how they have made out.

[solidwoods]

Clockwise.  Kasco II B.
I have to turn the blade in-side-out to put it on the sharpener ;D
JIM

[Larry]

Woody,
Just got the Sawmill News from Cook's about a week or so ago.  Tim Cook has a very good article about this subject.  Well worth reading.  In the article they state they make bands for your machine based on which way it rotates.

My mill runs clockwise and I use both Lenox Woodmaster C and WM bands but Cooks may have a point so thought I would try a few of there bands next time I order to see if there is a difference in those wide cuts.

[smwwoody]

Thanks larry I just got my copy today this is everything that me and tim have been talking about I am going to try 10 of the bands for the clockwiser rotation from him

woody

[Bret mazur]

 8)hello fellow slabbers, I acquired a t.a schmidt bandsaw assembly 20 foot steel frame 24 in wide cut was sitting in the woods for approximately 10 to 15 years.i cleaned it up replaced both head unit riser cables the head unit bearings and put it on the frame .I put the frame onto a 19 foot hay wagon frame and leveled the mill frame to it.i acquired a yamaha snow blower engine that runs counter clock wise.with looking at mill from the front non control side engine faces control side turns counter clock wise and in return turns the mill blade counter clock wise.now that means the blade is cutting away from the permanent uprights .that being said I have three permanent uprights and three movable uprights that slide on the dog bunk.the blade cuts away from permanent side.is this correct idk .I'm up for suggestions comments concerns .let it be known I've slabbed enough rough cut lumber to make a 10×20 barn and slabb all the side walls with live edge slabbs.whats ur thoughts on the direction of the blade.and mill running mine right now moves from left to right cutting away from permanent uprights .

[Magicman]

This is an interesting 18 year old topic but the information is still the same, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

It doesn't really matter which way the blade is turning depending upon the sawmill's design but what does matter is that the blade is being pulled into and through the log by the driven bandwheel.  Not pushed.

[welderskelter]

The first time I ordered bands for my mill Cooks ask me which way my mill run because it was a homemade mill. I think the gal ask me if I were behind the mill pushing which way it threw  the dust. My blade direction has always been in their computer I guess because my blades are always the right direction.