Cutting big ugly spruce straight.

[ladylake]

My shop where I buy my blades told me to try 3/4 pitch blades instead of 7/8 pitch, night and day difference, the 3/4 pitch cuts straight even in wide cuts until dull  while a 7/8 pitch cuts
so so  in 12" or less. I don't know why but those 3/4 really work, I asked the saw shop why and they didn't know either, said they heard it word of mouth.      Steve

[drobertson]

Steve, I spoke to a gentleman this past week in Ohio, he runs the 3/4 pitch as well, even on a big Baker Mill. I saw the finish that came from the Norwood he was running, very impressive,    david

[bandmiller2]

Very interesting I don't think I ever ran a 3/4 pitch only 7/8 and 1" may be worth a try.Steve to you give up some feed speed with the finer teeth.?? Frank C.

[ladylake]

In spruce I could feed a lot faster with the 3/4, I think in normal wood I'd give up some feed speed but not much.   Steve

[manoverboard]

I notice my 7/8" wanders in long white pine, I cannot believe some of the waves. I will order some 3/4" and try those out.

[ladylake]

I notice my 7/8" wanders in long white pine, I cannot believe some of the waves. I will order some 3/4" and try those out.

Check the down pressure on your blade, they saw straighter set at 1/4" down pressure than at 1/8" where TK might set them.  Most times a 7/8 pitch blade cuts white pine good if sharp, that down pressure makes a lot of difference.  Steve

[SwampDonkey]

How ugly were the spruce? Knotty pasture cow shades? ;D That could be a challenge in itself. Mills won't take them here, even for pulp. Too knotty for logs and the bark is hard to remove with 4" swelled up knots close to one another.  ;D

[ladylake]

 A lot were real ugly.  The one log I tried to cut with a 7/8 pitch sharp blade was 4" swelled up humps (you described that log good) and it was up and down over 1/8 inch  then I put on a sharp 3/4 pitch blade that cut nice and straight right below  the 7/8 pitch cut.  Hard to believe 1/8 of a inch in pitch could make a difference but so far it has, tomorrow I have 2 more ugly spruce to cut and I'll be using the 3/4 pitch blades.  Steve

[Sawmill Man]

Ladylake  I think if you will measure and compare the set between the to different blades you will find the reason. Set is way more important with these sawing conditions than pitch. You will probably find the 3/4 blades have more set, just up your set on the 7/8s .

[ladylake]

No the 7/8 had plenty of set, more than the 3/4.   Steve

[Sawmill Man]

Well if thats the result and they have the same hook angle its time to check the drive belt tension. The 7/8s get a little bigger bite which possibly cause a slight slippage that would be hard to detect if your tension is just borderline to start with.

[ladylake]

 
Nothing wrong with my tension, the fact is the 3/4 pitch cut straighter in spruce. I've tried a lot of different things including more hook and less hook and more set and less set and actually the best cutting 7/8 blade I ran had less set. Is there anything wrong with a 3/4 pitch blade working better, I ran one again today which cut nice and straight until dull.  Steve

[ladylake]

Also that bigger bite might be what causes the 7/8 to wave.   Steve

[ladylake]

Also when I hear word of mouth from old timers I listen.  Steve

[Hilltop366]

How ugly were the spruce? Knotty pasture cow shades? ;D That could be a challenge in itself. Mills won't take them here, even for pulp. Too knotty for logs and the bark is hard to remove with 4" swelled up knots close to one another.  ;D

Known locally as cat spruce. is that term used anywhere else.

ladylake I was wondering what angle hook is on the ¾" pitch blades?

[ladylake]

I ran new ones with a 10° hook and sharpened ones with a 4° hook and both worked good until dull, they dulled a little early but  I was cutting some dusty old logs. Steve

[SwampDonkey]

Known locally as cat spruce. is that term used anywhere else.

Or skunk (white) spruce.

[GAB]

Gentlemen:
Where, or from who, do you fellas purchase 3/4" pitch blades?
I've always used 7/8" pitch blades and I have tried everything I could think of and I could not saw Colorado Blue Spruce straight.  However, Red Spruce has never been a problem until the blade gets dull.  Gerald

[xlogger]

Steve, I'm like you when I hear old timers talk I also try to listen. You know I've always listen to you :D. Ricky

[ladylake]

 Are you calling me a old timer, I thought that wouldn't happen until next year.  Steve

[ladylake]

Gentlemen:
Where, or from who, do you fellas purchase 3/4" pitch blades?
I've always used 7/8" pitch blades and I have tried everything I could think of and I could not saw Colorado Blue Spruce straight.  However, Red Spruce has never been a problem until the blade gets dull.  Gerald

Your shop where you buy blades should have them, if not there are  a lot that do.   This is blue spruce around here.  Steve

[EZ]

Steve, do you run a little more water on them.
EZ

[ladylake]

They didn't gum up too bad but yes a little more water than usual.  Steve

[barbender]

I've used the 3/4 pitch on softwoods a bit, I was told they would leave a smoother surface on very soft woods like spruce and especially balsam fir. Well, I haven't sawn enough of either to be able to tell the difference, what I can say is that the 3/4 blades did NOT like Green Ash :D When I get a whack of balsam logs I'll sharpen up some of those 3/4's and try them again.