1.25 inch blades vs 1.5

Patrick NC · November 16, 2020, 11:28:35 AM

I was wondering if there's any advantage to running 1.5 inch blades on my mill? I'm currently using 0.45x1.25" 7* Kasco bands. Sawing a lot of white oak. A friend told me I could push a little harder with 1.5 inch and still saw straight. My mill is designed to use either one. 23hp , 20" band wheels and 167" bands. Would I see much difference, or just stick with 1.25?

moodnacreek · November 16, 2020, 12:30:49 PM

No band mill experience here but I can tell you that in sawing logs bigger is always better.

Southside · November 16, 2020, 12:36:37 PM

I don't think you have the HP for a 1.5" band to perform at its peak. Yes they run flatter and are either 0.050" or 0.055" thick so that helps too, but you need the ponies to keep that wider band at the correct FPM or quality and forward speed will suffer.

Having run 1.25" and 1.5" on my 55 HP Super 70 I can say the difference is night and day.

Was actually talking with my band supplier this morning about getting some 1.75" turbos to try out for the same reasons.

scsmith42 · November 16, 2020, 01:29:46 PM

Quote from: Southside on November 16, 2020, 12:36:37 PM
I don't think you have the HP for a 1.5" band to perform at its peak. Yes they run flatter and are either 0.050" or 0.055" thick so that helps too, but you need the ponies to keep that wider band at the correct FPM or quality and forward speed will suffer.

Having run 1.25" and 1.5" on my 55 HP Super 70 I can say the difference is night and day.

Was actually talking with my band supplier this morning about getting some 1.75" turbos to try out for the same reasons.

What Southside said. You're mill does not have enough HP to take advantage of the wider band.

Patrick NC · November 16, 2020, 01:40:51 PM

You would think I'd have learned my lesson about chasing blades when I had my other mill. 😂 Sometimes I just can't help myself. What I'm using now is working good so I'll stick with that.

moodnacreek · November 16, 2020, 06:25:42 PM

The more you saw the more you will want.

SawyerTed · November 16, 2020, 07:34:44 PM

Once you get on it, you realize it's a slippery slope.

Faster sawing - more horsepower, wider bands - more horsepower, wider cuts - more horsepower, faster hydraulics - more horsepower, more production - more horsepower! It will suck you under if you let it!

Patrick NC · November 16, 2020, 08:12:13 PM

It seems like once you start with a sawdust addiction there's no 10 step program to get you off it! 😏 who would have thought it would be so much fun!
And expensive

barbender · November 16, 2020, 08:47:58 PM

I'm going to differ with these guys here and say try them. You can get 1.5"x.045" blades from Woodmizer, I like .050 myself. Yes I have a 40hp diesel, but even with those blades or .055 thick, I don't feel the blade is able to harness all of the horsepower to be able to saw as fast as the power would allow. A brand new .055 you can crank it up pretty good though😁 Get a couple 1.5x045 and 1.5x050 and try them out

moodnacreek · November 17, 2020, 07:23:13 AM

Kerf width and tooth count, t.p.i., I think would draw horse power . How does the width of the band make a difference [in power draw] ?

Haleiwa · November 17, 2020, 08:03:22 AM

It takes more power to drive the band itself (no load), so there is less available to drive the teeth through the wood. Woodmizer Maine told me that I don't have enough power to drive 1.5 with a 25 horse Kohler.

CCCLLC · November 17, 2020, 08:12:49 AM

My 1.25" are a tight squeeze getting them on and off of the 40 wide. Fitting between roller guides and guards is tight. Can't imagine trying a 1.5" into that tight fit as well. Is there a technique I'm missing.

caveman · November 17, 2020, 02:42:09 PM

That is the biggest thing I dislike about running the 1.5" blades on the LT-50 (same as putting a blade on an LT-40). If WM would move the front post an inch further forward it would facilitate getting the blades on and off without knocking the sharp off of them. The single mast of the Lt-28,35,and 70 with the swing open doors is a benefit when doing blade changes.

As far as a trick, I don't have one but I pull the debarker up and wedge it with a small stick so it is out of the way and install the blade from the log loader side of the mill, putting the band around the drive wheel first. If there is a better/faster way I would love for someone to share their secret.

barbender · November 17, 2020, 03:31:17 PM

Blade changes on the LT40 design are a bugger, and even worse with the 1.5"🤷🏽‍♂️

moodnacreek · November 17, 2020, 08:48:29 PM

So it must take extra power to bend the wider band around the wheels.

Southside · November 17, 2020, 08:52:27 PM

Likely not since there is no more surface contact area on the wheel belt. My guess is there is more drag resistance in the kerf.

Magicman · November 17, 2020, 09:04:47 PM

Out of curiosity I am going to call Resharp and have them replace a couple of reject's with 1½"X.045, T7°'s. I am not interested in chasing blades, but I'll see if I can tell any difference between the 1¼" and 1½".

Nomad · November 18, 2020, 06:58:54 AM

     I tried 1.5, 0.55s on my LT50 for awhile. Bought the longer roller guides and adjusted the tracking. They do cut faster and flatter. My motor is a 51 horse Cat. Installing them really wasn't all that big a difference; just had to be a bit more careful. They were also an added cost to the customer when hitting the inevitable foreign objects.
     However, they also have a significantly shorter service life due to the added thickness. The extra speed meant little to me because my speed is rarely the bottleneck when working with customers. The help and site layout are much bigger issues.
     There's extra wear on the sharpening wheel due to the thicker metal.
     All this is only for the 0.55 bands. 0.42 or 0.45 would alleviate a lot of that and still give more speed. I decided the whole effort wasn't worth it and went back to 1.25.

Magicman · November 18, 2020, 07:07:08 AM

My curiosity is trying the 1½" blades but staying with the .045.

Three of us tried the .055X1¼" blades when we were sawing the goodwill project for Willie Steele with the same disastrous results.

moodnacreek · November 18, 2020, 07:53:48 AM

Quote from: Southside on November 17, 2020, 08:52:27 PM
Likely not since there is no more surface contact area on the wheel belt. My guess is there is more drag resistance in the kerf.

I think I get it now, those band mills have no board spreader so there is friction on the 'plate'.

Southside · November 18, 2020, 08:22:45 AM

That makes sense, never thought of it that way.

donbj · November 18, 2020, 01:11:02 PM

Quote from: Magicman on November 18, 2020, 07:07:08 AM
My curiosity is trying the 1½" blades but staying with the .045.

Three of us tried the .055X1¼" blades when we were sawing the goodwill project for Willie Steele with the same disastrous results.

I think you will like the MM. I changed over to them years ago. I use the 1.5 x .045's. The difference was quite noticeable a far as how much more they could be pushed even though I only have the 24hp onan. They can be pushed a little harder longer. You having more hp will be a good thing. Sawing in dirtier wood I noticed they would last longer than the 1.25's before being changed. Gotta be extra careful doing blade changes as the room is limited.
I saw no where near what some of you do but used to portable custom saw. Just more hobby for me now.

Magicman · November 18, 2020, 07:02:19 PM

I have two 1½"X.045, T7° blades on the way.

CCCLLC · November 18, 2020, 07:24:07 PM

I'm with MM. I've got two coming as well.
Looking for more "beam" strength on the 40 wide. Still running the 1&1/4" roller guides so may be hoping for to much.