WM 4 degree blades

[Patrick NC]

It's time for me to order another box of blades and I was wondering if anyone with a low hp mill like mine( 14hp ) is using WM 4 degree blades. I've tried Kasco and they worked pretty good, but I would like to get some feedback from anyone using the WM bands.
Thanks

[Old Greenhorn]

I am running a 10HP Hud-Son and they saved me. I got 4 to try and just a couple of days ago ordered a full box. The 10° blades were making me think I would never get it 'right'. The 4° blades push a tad heavier, but they hang in for a good while and give me MUCH better boards. They work super on he softwoods and darn good on the hard stuff too.
I am very happy with them.

[Crossroads]

When I had my lt30 with an 18 hp engine, the em 4° blades worked the best for me. They weren't fast, but they cut straight in all wood. The interesting thing is, with my new mill (26 hp) they only work well in hardship woods. 

[Woodpecker52]

Use 10 degree on solfwoods and 4 degree on hardwood no complaints.

[47sawdust]

I use only 4° blades on my LT30. Pine,knotty spruce and hardwood. They work great for me.

[Stephen1]

I always used 10, and then in maple and ash I used 9 and they worked great. I couldn't figure that out only being 1 degree off. 
 I was told for the 24 onan 4 was to much. 

[Sixacresand]

I like the double hard,  4°, .045 blades.  They cut everything well.  

My second favorite is the turbo 7's. They cut true and do not leave a lot of saw dust on the boards.

Today, I will see how wavy the new 747's do on knotty pine.  They did not do well in hickory and oak.  Looks like I am pre-judging their performance. :D

[Nebraska]

I would guess the Wm 4 degrees would perform very similar to Kascos. I'm using 4 ° on my little mill pretty much exclusively, need to send a box in for resharp.

[Patrick NC]

I'll probably try some. The only reason I was asking is that I was told the wm4 had a taller tooth height than the Kasco and I didn't know how much difference that would make. 

[ladylake]

 
 I find blades with a shorter tooth cut straighter.  Steve

[WDH]

Today, I will see how wavy the new 747's do on knotty pine. 

SO, how did the 747's do on the knotty pine?

[caveman]

Danny, I was given a 1.25" 747 by WM to try in heart pine.  It cut it flatter than the turbo 7's for us but it did not cut as flat as regular 7° 1.5" Kascos or 4° 1.5" Kascos for us.  I would like to try a thicker, wider 747 on heart pine, hickory and live oak but right now we are having everything sharpened to 4°.
 
I also look forward to Sixacresand's report on the 747's.

[stanwelch]

LT15 with 15hp gas.  I've used WM 1-1/2 10 degree cutting Michigan hardwoods for several years with no complaints. Cut my first white oak this year and had slightly wavy results with 10 degree. Ordered some WM 4 degree and found the 4 degree cut flatter but cut noticeably slower and seemed to dull faster on green white oak. 

After air drying for a few weeks, I resized White oak posts to exactly 8" square using new 4 degree. Was very pleased with the flatness using the 4 degree. Still cut somewhat slower but seemed to stay sharp longer. 

First time cutting white pine and red pine was this year. Found the 10 degree was much faster and better cut quality than 4 degree. 

I plan to cut primarily with the 10 degree and use 4 degree on the more dense hardwoods. I've had pretty good luck on hickory using 10 degree (before I found out it was the devil wood ). Will try the 4 degree on hickory next time!

[customsawyer]

Today, I will see how wavy the new 747's do on knotty pine.  

SO, how did the 747's do on the knotty pine?

Don't mean to hijack this thread.
I've used one box of the 7/47 blades. The thing I found is they cut decent in pine. Wasn't cutting hardwood at the time. When they loose their edge they loose it fast, to the point of messing up a couple of boards. Keep in mind that with more use I might be able to learn when they are loosing their edge before messing up lumber. Since I was having decent results with 7/40 Kasco and 7/39 WM I just went back to them.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Jake do you resharpen the Kasco 7/40 to 4/40 and if so what do you find the 4/40 good for?

[Bruno of NH]

I find the same as Jake on the 747's they cut well but dull fast in pine with knots.
I'm having better luck with the turbo 7 with more time with my mill. I have better sawing with higher psi than recommended. 

[customsawyer]

Jake do you resharpen the Kasco 7/40 to 4/40 and if so what do you find the 4/40 good for?

When resharpening for regular sawing I sharpen them all to 4/40. They cut a little slower than the 7/40 but I get less waves at knots in pine and don't have to cringe when I load a hickory log. The older I get the slower I go, so a little slower doesn't bother me like it used to. 

[Patrick NC]

 

 

 
First cut with the wm 4 degree blade. 

[Brad_bb]

For lower HP mills like my 19hp LT15, 4 degree is the way to go.  That doesn't mean you'll never get waves though.  There are other factors involved too - drive belt tension (not band tension), how sharp the band is, whether you're trying to push too fast in hardwood, and reversing rain directions in hard wood like big knots.