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LT40S recommended replacement blades?

Started by newdesertfox, January 27, 2019, 12:31:11 AM

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newdesertfox

I'm curious for advice on what blades people recommend, I run an LT40 super with desiel engine and at the moment it seems saw about 90% White and red oak and the rest any soft wood I can get. I bought the saw used with 30 blades that I think are 10 degree but WM resharp forgot to ID the blades. But I'm getting really frustrated with my blades as no matter what I do I never seem to be able to consistently get cuts I'm satisfied with in hardwoods, often the cuts appear wavy or messy. I paid resharp $300 to resharpen a lot for blades but so far out of 12 blades out of the box so far only 2 have cut straight, 2 snapped almost right away and the others cut cresent shaped(like 2" deflection in an 8" wide board). So I'm guessing my blades are at their end. I was thinking about either going for thicker, or wider blades with the desiel engine, and considering between 7 turbos and 4 degrees but Im still new so curious for advice on how to actually get good consistent cuts with hardwoods that don't make me want to stop cutting hardwoods lol, Im not interested in being known as thick&thin lumber Co

Southside

Turbo 7's with your mill will give you amazing results. A lot of guys have tried them and never look back. The only other profile I even have now is a few carbides for very selective use.

10's would not be a good choice for oak on any mill FWIW, more of a pine / cedar / poplar band. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

WWright

  I have an LT 40 super with diesel. I have had great luck with the turbo 7s. I am also fairly new to the sawmilling end of the wood business. I saw red and white oak along with white pine hemlock and some spruce.One thing I have had a little trouble with is knowing the right speed to cut at,that was a little learning curve for me . Changing blades when they are dull is very important.

 Those Turbo 7s will rip through red oak you will be impressed!

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Farm29

I struggled with blade ID. I figure as time goes on ill get an eye for it but I asked WM if they had a guide and they sent a metal ring with most of the blade profiles on it it took the guess work out of which blades were what.  I'll get a pic of it if I remember.   
96 lt40 Hyd 24 hp onan
460 rancher

Magicman

 

 
For quick ID I painted mine; Green for 4°, Red for 7°, and White for 10°. The section is a 7° Turbo.  Not needed now because I have no 10° blades and very few 4°. 

There is no mistaking the 7° Turbo.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Farm29

96 lt40 Hyd 24 hp onan
460 rancher

Southside

Quote from: Magicman on January 27, 2019, 08:16:39 AMThere is no mistaking the 7° Turbo.


Yup - that's because they are the ones going round and round on da mill.  :D
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

JB Griffin

The wm 7turbo and 4deg would be a good combo. I personally prefer Kasco blades and run their 7/35 profile (standard 7deg) and cut the hook angle back 4 on the sharpener if needed to cut hard wood like wo and hickory, the end result being a 4deg blade with a deeper gullet than wm or Kasco 4s.

Contrary to popular belief,  NO one blade will cut everything efficiently. 
2000 LT40hyd remote 33hp Kubota with 6gpm hyd unit, 150 Prentice, WM bms250, Suffolk dual tooth setter

Over 3.5million bdft sawn with a Baker Dominator.

GAB

Quote from: newdesertfox on January 27, 2019, 12:31:11 AM
I'm curious for advice on what blades people recommend, I run an LT40 super with desiel engine and at the moment it seems saw about 90% White and red oak and the rest any soft wood I can get. I bought the saw used with 30 blades that I think are 10 degree but WM resharp forgot to ID the blades. But I'm getting really frustrated with my blades as no matter what I do I never seem to be able to consistently get cuts I'm satisfied with in hardwoods, often the cuts appear wavy or messy. I paid resharp $300 to resharpen a lot for blades but so far out of 12 blades out of the box so far only 2 have cut straight, 2 snapped almost right away and the others cut cresent shaped(like 2" deflection in an 8" wide board). So I'm guessing my blades are at their end. I was thinking about either going for thicker, or wider blades with the desiel engine, and considering between 7 turbos and 4 degrees but Im still new so curious for advice on how to actually get good consistent cuts with hardwoods that don't make me want to stop cutting hardwoods lol, Im not interested in being known as thick&thin lumber Co
What blade tension or gauge pressure are you trying to maintain?
GAB
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Magicman

Quote from: newdesertfox on January 27, 2019, 12:31:11 AMbut WM resharp forgot to ID the blades
I have never known ReSharp to identify the blades.  


 

 
When I had an inventory of several blade profiles, I spray painted the weld to correspond with the colors on my "tooth gage" pictured above.  I refreshed the paint before sending them to ReSharp.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

newdesertfox

Quote from: GAB on January 27, 2019, 05:08:27 PM
Quote from: newdesertfox on January 27, 2019, 12:31:11 AM
I'm curious for advice on what blades people recommend, I run an LT40 super with desiel engine and at the moment it seems saw about 90% White and red oak and the rest any soft wood I can get. I bought the saw used with 30 blades that I think are 10 degree but WM resharp forgot to ID the blades. But I'm getting really frustrated with my blades as no matter what I do I never seem to be able to consistently get cuts I'm satisfied with in hardwoods, often the cuts appear wavy or messy. I paid resharp $300 to resharpen a lot for blades but so far out of 12 blades out of the box so far only 2 have cut straight, 2 snapped almost right away and the others cut cresent shaped(like 2" deflection in an 8" wide board). So I'm guessing my blades are at their end. I was thinking about either going for thicker, or wider blades with the desiel engine, and considering between 7 turbos and 4 degrees but Im still new so curious for advice on how to actually get good consistent cuts with hardwoods that don't make me want to stop cutting hardwoods lol, Im not interested in being known as thick&thin lumber Co
What blade tension or gauge pressure are you trying to maintain?
GAB
I was aiming for about 2100psi and then climbed all the way up to 2500psi trying to get straight cuts

newdesertfox

I had asked resharp if they'd ID the blades and they said they can but ended up forgetting, although I was surprised I got a blade back sharpened blade back with a fracture going through 1/3rd the width. Okay so I think I'll split half and half on the 4s and turbos, sounds like the turbos you have to feed pretty fast so nice cutting speed but if you need to go slow a 4 degree would work. Anyone experience with wider or thicker blades to get more straight cutsl

Magicman

Since the blade was cracked when you got it back, I highly suspect that it was cracked when you sent it. 

Personally, I inspect my blades before sending them to ReSharp. They deal with hundreds of blades each day so it would be much easier for them not to see a crack.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ben Cut-wright

Quote from: Magicman on January 29, 2019, 08:02:56 AM
Since the blade was cracked when you got it back, I highly suspect that it was cracked when you sent it.  

Personally, I inspect my blades before sending them to ReSharp. They deal with hundreds of blades each day so it would be much easier for them not to see a crack.
You are most likely correct that the blade was cracked before it was sent to ReSharp.  Because I do my own band sharpening, checking for defects before sharpening and checking each step of the process  is SOP for me.  If I was sending blades to a facility which claims to be professional, I would expect them to do the inspection as part of the process.  After all, why would one assume any other part of a sharpening service to be as precise and accurate as it has to be if a large crack in the band passed inspection? 
A mistake once in awhile is to be expected, nobody's perfect.  At the least, ReSharp should resolve their charges for missing a cracked blade once in awhile.  

Tin Horse

Quote from: newdesertfox on January 28, 2019, 10:59:51 PM
I had asked resharp if they'd ID the blades and they said they can but ended up forgetting, although I was surprised I got a blade back sharpened blade back with a fracture going through 1/3rd the width. Okay so I think I'll split half and half on the 4s and turbos, sounds like the turbos you have to feed pretty fast so nice cutting speed but if you need to go slow a 4 degree would work. Anyone experience with wider or thicker blades to get more straight cutsl
I purchase from different places at times trying different brands. My mill will run 1 1/2" but no one recommended spending the extra money. Didn't think there would be any benefit. So 1 1/4" .042. Cooks are 1 3/8" which I've also used. Sharp and set = good cut for me. I'd like to try the Turbo 7's at some point.
Bell 1000 Wood Processor. Enercraft 30HTL, Case 580SL. Kioti 7320.

Beavertooth

I run 1 1/2 x .055 double hard on my LT70 and have one box of Bi-metal 1 1/2 x .050 which are actually a full 1 5/8 instead of 1 1/2. Both are turbo 7's.  Even though they are wider they are a whole lot more limber being they are .050 instead of .055 this is very noticeable when rolling a blade up. You can push the 1 1/2 blade faster than the 1 1/4  without getting wavy cuts because you have more back bone behind the gullet. And as you sharpen a 1 1/4 you can get the that back down to narrow to give you a decent cut before that blade will break. At least that was my experience when I used to have a LT40 and ran 1 1/4 blades. I have had 9's  10's  4's  7's and turbo 7's.  I run nothing but turbo 7's now.  They work on everything for me from hickory to soft as butter cypress and do great. And it is a lot eaisier to not be worrying with different profiles and keeping up with where each one is. I think the 1 1/2 is well worth the extra money compared to the 1 1/4.
2007 LT70 Remote Station 62hp cat.

Tin Horse

Quote from: Beavertooth on January 29, 2019, 01:35:18 PM
I run 1 1/2 x .055 double hard on my LT70 and have one box of Bi-metal 1 1/2 x .050 which are actually a full 1 5/8 instead of 1 1/2. Both are turbo 7's.  Even though they are wider they are a whole lot more limber being they are .050 instead of .055 this is very noticeable when rolling a blade up. You can push the 1 1/2 blade faster than the 1 1/4  without getting wavy cuts because you have more back bone behind the gullet. And as you sharpen a 1 1/4 you can get the that back down to narrow to give you a decent cut before that blade will break. At least that was my experience when I used to have a LT40 and ran 1 1/4 blades. I have had 9's  10's  4's  7's and turbo 7's.  I run nothing but turbo 7's now.  They work on everything for me from hickory to soft as butter cypress and do great. And it is a lot eaisier to not be worrying with different profiles and keeping up with where each one is. I think the 1 1/2 is well worth the extra money compared to the 1 1/4.
Beavertooth; Thanks for the good info. Your experience will decide me to try these 1 1/2" blades. I had only been basing my info. on the sales guys. Definitely want to try  the Turbo 7's. 
Bell 1000 Wood Processor. Enercraft 30HTL, Case 580SL. Kioti 7320.

gmmills

newdesertfox, Your choice of a mix of turbo 7's and 4's is what I would advise. I have found in tough situations a 7 may not cut accurately. A 4 will, more forgiving in said situations. I use a 7/40 Kasco blade as my general purpose blade. This blade is very similar to a Turbo 7. A little deeper gullet allowing faster feed rates. I always keep 4's in inventory as a back up when encountering difficult to cut species. The 4 deg blade I use is a 7/40 maxx7 Kasco re-profiled to a 4 deg hook angle. We call it a 4/40.   Many of you think a turbo7 will fit the criteria of the blade for every species and sawing condition. This blade comes very close but not so for the hardwoods I saw daily. For those of you that doubt this statement, come to OH and watch me saw frozen W.Oak and Hickory. A 7 deg is just too aggressive for these difficult sawing conditions. A 4 deg hook angle is a must have blade in these conditions.

 I have personally went from using 1 1/4" .045 blades on an LT40 diesel to 1 1/2" .045's. Used them for the 4 years I owned the LT40. Felt the wider blade allowed for more stability in tough conditions. 




Custom sawing full-time since 2000. 
WM LT70D62 Remote with Accuset
Sawing since 1995

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