I'm frustrated! How long do you run your bands before resharpening?

scsmith42 · December 03, 2014, 06:02:36 PM

I had the roller set so that it is almost touching the back of the band. My logic on this is that if the band moves too far back in the guides they will start to hit the teeth, and also that the teeth could travel back on the wheels.

Is my logic faulty (wouldn't be the first time! ;D)

(note - I just checked the manual and it appears that I may have the blade 1/4" too far to the front. Baker recommends centering the 1-1/2" band on the wheels - it was the 1-1/4" band that was supposed to be set flush to the rear). I'll make that correction next week. Thanks guys!

ladylake · December 03, 2014, 06:21:49 PM

It looks like the whole guide system can be adjusted back at the same time leaving those white guides the same distance from the back roller, you can bet having the back rollers too close is causing the gullet to crack. Keep in mind the blades you ran like that will be damaged and break, when you get it adjusted right new blades should work good.. Steve

Cypress Man · December 03, 2014, 09:05:33 PM

I have been sawing on a woodmizer mill now for over 15yrs full time. I've been using 1.5x.055x10 degree with 1 1/8 tooth spacing for over 3 yr now. 2 yrs on a LT40 super with 25 hp electric and 1 yr on a LT70 with a 25 hp electric. I would cut about 1000bf of cypress sharpen the blade and it would always break after the first sharpening.I sharpen my own blades with a woodmizer cbn sharpener. The LT70 will cut 3000 to 4000bf of cypress before it needs to be sharpened. It usually always breaks after the first sharpening. I've tried removing the blade sooner and seen little to no improvement in blade life. You only have to sharpen more within the same amount of bt cut. Hope this helps.

bandmiller2 · December 04, 2014, 07:41:17 AM

The current trend with mills is to go to larger and more HP engines. I think we're over running the bands capacity which greatly reduces their usefull life. If someone is having breakage problems try slowing down the feed slightly and a tad less tension. I may be all wet on this but I believe if you sharpen your own on a good sharpener and some teeth don't get sharpened on the back its a sign of gullet stretching. Frank C.

FarmingSawyer · December 04, 2014, 09:23:20 AM

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 02, 2014, 08:46:27 PM
Good news FS on your Cats claw you should be able to nurse many of your bands back to health. Theirs no one that cares more about your bands and wallet than you. You will need a setter, the single tooth models work well but are slow. Keep a small adjustable wrench handy for really tramp bent teeth. Frank C.

Thanks! It's getting closer! I was hoping to have the gear here on Friday so I could spend time over the weekend setting it up, but it's looking like it will be here on Monday sometime--which means I'll have to come out of the woods early. >:( Still not sure how I'm getting it unloaded....ramps I guess. Then I have to lug everything upstairs into the warmer part of the barn.......

I got the single tooth setter. I figured for the price it couldn't be beat and if/when I can find a used dual tooth I can afford, I'll sell the single. I've got 30+ bands that need sharpened, so I've got plenty to practice on. And I've got some knotty spruce to test the newly sharpened bands on.......

When I ordered the sharpener & setter I went ahead and ordered a few more blades. Not enough for free shipping, but I asked Cooks if they would throw them on the pallet with the Cats claw. Aryup! Only $15 shipping instead of $55!

I've been running a mix of 8˚ & 10˚s.....the Cooks are all 8˚ I think....sooooooo, it looks like I'm going to be sharpening everything I have to that...... I'll stick with the .022 set which has been working pretty good for the mix of woods I'm cutting, but will probably set some to .015-.019 for frozen logs. With the weird weather swings we're having right now, nothing is freezing solid fast....even the cedars I'm cutting out in the woods are only frozen in 1/2" on the shady side of the tree.

Dave Shepard · December 04, 2014, 10:13:36 AM

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 04, 2014, 07:41:17 AM
The current trend with mills is to go to larger and more HP engines. I think we're over running the bands capacity which greatly reduces their usefull life. If someone is having breakage problems try slowing down the feed slightly and a tad less tension. I may be all wet on this but I believe if you sharpen your own on a good sharpener and some teeth don't get sharpened on the back its a sign of gullet stretching. Frank C.

The Baker 3638D is "only" 38 hp, and with those big bandwheels, one should get good life out of a band.

ladylake · December 04, 2014, 10:29:36 AM

Those back bearing were way to close, every time mine gets out of adjustment and the flange gets to close to the back of the band I break blades like crazy. High HP mills with lower hook angles and high feed rates need 1/4" back as the blade will push hard against the flange or bearing and flex around it causing the gullet to crack. As Dave said that mill should have good blade life. Steve

boardmaker · December 04, 2014, 11:17:19 AM

Scott, the guy I was talking about earlier runs WM doublehards. 10* on standard hardwood, and 4* on hickory and frozen logs. Set is .025. For some reason I didn't write down the width or thickness, but I think they may have been 2". He gets 4hrs on new bands, and only 2hrs on sharpened.

Lucas

Dave Shepard · December 04, 2014, 11:24:50 AM

For best flex life, you don't want to run them until they are dull. It's a compromise. You can have higher production and cut quality, or you can have higher flex life and more sharpenings, but not both.

Foxtrapper · December 04, 2014, 09:12:04 PM

I ordered the dual tooth setter from Cooks on Monday, doesn't look like it has been shipped yet though. I wanted the sharpener too, but couldn't swing both.. :'(

bandmiller2 · December 05, 2014, 07:34:05 AM

Smith42, Have you checked your wheels for round and a slight crown.?? I have read after long service they need recrowning. They are also sensitive to runout as they don't have the forgiving rubber belt. A friend of mine, I sharpen bands for, runs large steel wheels. I love the way crowned steel handles the bands, smooth and even cuts. If I wasen't so DanGed cheap I'd put steel on my mill. Frank C.

scsmith42 · December 06, 2014, 12:11:27 AM

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 05, 2014, 07:34:05 AM
Smith42, Have you checked your wheels for round and a slight crown.?? I have read after long service they need recrowning. They are also sensitive to runout as they don't have the forgiving rubber belt. A friend of mine, I sharpen bands for, runs large steel wheels. I love the way crowned steel handles the bands, smooth and even cuts. If I wasen't so DanGed cheap I'd put steel on my mill. Frank C.

Hi Frank - thanks for chiming in. Yes, I've checked for crown and they run straight. Tom only put around 120 hours on the mill before I got it so it's practically new (save for sitting out in the FL weather).

kelLOGg · December 06, 2014, 06:08:34 AM

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 05, 2014, 07:34:05 AM
Smith42, Have you checked your wheels for round and a slight crown.?? I have read after long service they need recrowning. They are also sensitive to runout as they don't have the forgiving rubber belt. A friend of mine, I sharpen bands for, runs large steel wheels. I love the way crowned steel handles the bands, smooth and even cuts. If I wasen't so DanGed cheap I'd put steel on my mill. Frank C.

After 12 years my wheels began to lose tracking ability so I sent them to Cooks for recrowning. Made a big difference. Just for fun, I put a dial indicator on the wheel face and spun the wheel. They were round to within less than 0.001" - both of them. That variation includes the difference in mounting on their lathe and my bearing shafts.
Bob

kelLOGg · December 06, 2014, 06:16:49 AM

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 03, 2014, 11:44:10 AM
The Baker bands are much longer than an LT30/40/50 band. I pay about $28 for a box of ten .055"x1.25"x158" bands. What are you running that is only $15? Are the Silvertips that much cheaper?

Scott, is that a typo! My bands are 168" and that is with small 19" wheels and "Tom" is is
huge mill.

OOPS!. That was Dave Shepherd's reply, not Scott's.

Bob

Banjo picker · December 06, 2014, 08:49:13 AM

Scott I am glad you asked that question, as I have enjoyed reading the responses. Many ways to look at things. Hope you get it all figured out. I have thought about going from the .50 to the .55 myself, but since I run the mill by myself now probably 95 % of the time I probably should go back to the even thinner blades, as I am not able to maximize the mill's full ability. Banjo

Dave Shepard · December 06, 2014, 10:47:09 AM

Quote from: kelLOGg on December 06, 2014, 06:16:49 AM
Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 03, 2014, 11:44:10 AM
The Baker bands are much longer than an LT30/40/50 band. I pay about $28 for a box of ten .055"x1.25"x158" bands. What are you running that is only $15? Are the Silvertips that much cheaper?

Scott, is that a typo! My bands are 168" and that is with small 19" wheels and "Tom" is is
huge mill.

OOPS!. That was Dave Shepherd's reply, not Scott's.

Bob

That should have said $28 each in boxes of ten.