Breaking to many blades

[Dirtdobber]

 Hello Everyone,  sawing is really picking up for me here in my area, landed a great deal with a new customer to supply alot of cedar for a guy who makes lawn furniture. Now that I'm sawing alot more, I'm breaking alot of blades. I hope someone can help me out. I really don't know if it's something that I'm doing wrong or if something is wrong with my mill. I have a Timberking 1220 and I have checked my bearings, my blade wheels, everything that I know to check. The thing that I can't figure out is when my blades are breaking is not when I'm in a log. I broke one this morning when I was cleaning the mill and I turned the band wheels by hand, the blade just snapped. I just broke another after the blade exited the log. I did notice as the blade left the wood it started to wobble and broke as I was reaching for the clutch switch. I have been using straight water for lube and I just read a comment on another post recommending dish washing liquid. I'll try this, I have not noticed a problem with build-up sawing what I am now, but I noticed it before while sawing other things. Thanks for any help, this is cutting into the plus side a little to much.

[Bibbyman]

Are these new blades or ones that have been re-sharpened a number of times?

Are they breaking at the weld?

If you're blades are clean and keeping cool with just water, then I'd think that's not the problem.

How is it cutting when the blade does not break?  Wavy cuts, dive in cuts, etc.?

[DR Buck]

Don't know what the band wheels have on them on a Timber King, but on the Wood-Mizer it usually means time to change the belts on the band wheels.

[Qweaver]

I broke a new blade today after about an hour of sawing poplar logs.  The blade broke at the weld while the saw was not running.  We just heard a bang and it had parted.  The break surface looked like hardened metal.  I wonder if the weld missed the anneal process?
I think I'll send it back to WM and ask for a replacement?

[Mark Webb]

On my B20 TimberKing I've had to drop the blade tension down to 975 PSI which has seemed to help.

[Bibbyman]

I broke a new blade today after about an hour of sawing poplar logs.  The blade broke at the weld while the saw was not running.  We just heard a bang and it had parted.  The break surface looked like hardened metal.  I wonder if the weld missed the anneal process?
I think I'll send it back to WM and ask for a replacement?

I'd call WM and talk with them about it.  They will want to know the series number on the blade so they can track it back to that run.  1.800.522.5760

New blades should not break at the weld.  I think over I'd guess thousands of WM blades I've used over the past 16 years,  I've had one break at the weld. And that was one out of the very first blades we bought with the mill.

[ladylake]

 In 8 years I've had 1 blade break in the weld which the saw shop replaced free.  As mentioned worn belts will break blades real fast, on the 1220 I would replace the roller guides with Cooks, to me they are too small, they  cost some money but well worth it. Are the guide wheel bearings about 1/8" behind the blade when spun by hand, no more than 1/4" down pressure.  If you've been running the same batch of blades for quite a while they will all start to break around the same time, Bibby mentioned that.   Steve

[Magicman]

Yes, WM has free replacement for any blade that breaks in the weld.  None of the original blades that I bought in 2002 broke at the weld, but many have that were replacement blades over the years.

Of course I have no experience with TK, but I'm sure that their technical support technicians would be eager to help analyze a problem and provide a solution.

I am a very firm believer in involving a manufacturer with any unsolved problems.  They probably have already encountered it and have a solution, or the solution to your problem will help others in the future.

[Dirtdobber]

I am using resharps and new and I'm breaking all of them, broke another since my last post.I have already backed the blade tension off and it didn't seem to make any difference. I already run Cooks bearings but I have a question about the position to set them from the blade. One post I noticed said 1/8 from blade when turning by hand. When I got my mill they were set just against the bearings and thats the way I left them. Do I need to adjust my rollers? One thing I have noticed is that the blade starts a serious wobble just before it breaks. I saw the wobble a few minutes ago, shut down, loosened the blade, looked everything over, realigned the blade, started back, and ka-pow, broke another one. I'm calling it a day!!!           Also the band wheels look to have a very thin rubber liner with a rough surface stuck to them. An answer to another question, before the wobble, the blades are sawing great, not dipping, sawing eratic, or anything. Just turning out smooth true lumber.

[ladylake]

 Sounds to me like your v belts are shot, try some new ones.   Steve

[Larry]

I saw the wobble a few minutes ago, shut down, loosened the blade, looked everything over, realigned the blade, started back, and ka-pow, broke another one.

When you see the wobble the blade is already starting to come apart.

Look at the blade and see if there is multiply cracks.

[Magicman]

Judging from your description, you have a tracking/alignment problem.

I would get the book out and follow the alignment procedure from start to finish, skipping nothing.  That way, not only will your mill be properly aligned, you will understand each step and why.

[bandmiller2]

Dobber all good advice given,what Steve said makes alot of sence I've noticed it with our bands we start with a new box resharpening as needed they will all start to break at near the same time.A band can only make so many cycles around the wheels before they get brittle and crack.Do what Larry said check for hairline cracks in the gullets of broken bands if you find cracks the band has reached the end of its life due to fatique.Its my understanding that the back of the band should not hit the rollers when pulled around by hand only to back up the band cutting under load.Frank C.

[ladylake]

(Also the wheels have a very thin rubber liner with a rough suface)   Guys, that's what left of the v belts, time to put on new ones. When wore out the fastest way to break bands.    Steve

[redbeard]

I have a B-20 TK and have settled on using the after market Neo-preme orange belts from sulfolk machinery they are 35.00 but last along time (unless you get a band jambed up and cant shut it down quick enough) Done that twice. I like them because they are flat with ribs you can true them up with sand paper and not much saw dust build up. I dont use the scrapers anymore either, tension i keep at 1000 psi. another plus is its alot quieter. There is a learning curve because they are much softer than automotive belts,And there is a break in period you have to bring saw up to speed real slow for awhile on a new belt it will want to track itself off if you engauge real fast.Back to blade breakage the only time i had a blade go oblong was pushing them to fast and to long especially on the cheap blades that are softer metal. I usually will always hear a ticking sound just before they break and can usually stop and change it out. Doug Fir is my biggest exspence for blades if i can get 1000 bf iam happy to spend 25.00 a blade. re sharps are 7.00 and can get 1/2 or better out of those.Alder,Maple,cedar I can cut twice that per blade before they start to get dull.

[Qweaver]

Broke another WM blade in the weld yesterday.  I'll call WM tomorrow.