1" blade on 513x2 bandsaw

[Matt Stiegler]

How many have actually tried a 1" resaw blade on a Grizzly 513 bandsaw? I've seen a few people here say it should work, and the manual says it should work, but I'm still hesitating.

I realize a lot of people use a 3/4" on this saw and have found it works great for resawing. The reason I'm asking about 1" blades specifically is that Laguna has a great offer going in the SMC deals forum on 1" carbide blades.

[glenn bradley]

I have not but I don't need to tighten my 3/4" blades much. It sure seems like it would handle it easy enough. Email Grizzly with the specific blade, they usually answer pretty quick.

[Bruce Page]

If you're worried about wheel size, I don't see why it wouldn't work. I re-saw with a 1" Lennox Tri-Master on my MM16 without problem. If you're worried about the Grizzly's frame strength...I can't answer that.

[Ryan Griffey]

I've been using the Laguna blade on my 513x2 with good success. I cranked the tension just shy of the top of the meter. This is a much thicker blade than the Woodslicer I've been using and it requires more tension.

With that said, after a slight drift adjustment it really rips. Ultra smooth and fast cuts with little or no burning.

It should work on your saw.

[jerry nazard]

Greetings Matt! When I first got the saw, I set it up with a 1/2" 3 tpi from Highland Hardware. The resaw performance was so good that I have never tried a wider blade. I would be most curious as to your findings on running a 1" blade. -Jerry

[Barry Vabeach]

Matt, yes and no. I have a smaller bandsaw with the same layout as the Glizzly - you have to rotate the blade 90 degrees to get it in place, and got the blade trapped in the slot in the top while I turned it, putting a kink in it. Unfortunately, AFAIK, you can't undo a kink and the best you can do is cut it out and reweld. I bought my GO513x2 last year and got a 1 inch blade for it ( as well as a 3/4 and 1/2) IMHO, the space is very tight to get a 1 inch blade through without kinking it - I have changed over a dozen times or more, but each time have been very nervous about it since there is so little clearance - then again it can be because I am clumsy, or that I don't want to screw up a $50 blade. So the short answer is yes a 1 inch will fit on the saw. To get it on you need to back the lower bearing all the way back before you start, otherwise the lower bearing shields will keep you from getting the blade in there correctly. Even then, there are still a number of places the blade can get hung up when you go to rotate the 90 degrees - and if it catches a tooth or the blade it can get kinked. You will have a lot less stress putting a a 3/4 blade on and taking it off, and to me the advantage, if any, to a 1 inch wouldn't be worth it. Hopefully laguna will offer a clearance on the 3/4 carbide blade to make this problem go away.

[Matt Stiegler]

Those are some very helpful replies, thanks very much.

[Michael Heffernan]

Matt,
I agree with Barry. I have the G0514x2 and it is troublesome to get my 1" blade on it. It is a tight fit, trying to get it through the table slot and rotating it 90 degrees. I back all the bearings as far as they can go, loosen and move the lower guide bearing shield plate back as well to get the blade on. Fortunately, I haven't damaged the blade; yet.
I've found that a good 3/4" resaw blade (my blades are Timberwolf's from Suffolk Machinery) cuts just fine for all of my resaw needs.
If you intend to change out your blades often, save yourself the time and trouble and just get a 3/4" blade.

Matt, yes and no. I have a smaller bandsaw with the same layout as the Glizzly - you have to rotate the blade 90 degrees to get it in place, and got the blade trapped in the slot in the top while I turned it, putting a kink in it. Unfortunately, AFAIK, you can't undo a kink and the best you can do is cut it out and reweld. I bought my GO513x2 last year and got a 1 inch blade for it ( as well as a 3/4 and 1/2) IMHO, the space is very tight to get a 1 inch blade through without kinking it - I have changed over a dozen times or more, but each time have been very nervous about it since there is so little clearance - then again it can be because I am clumsy, or that I don't want to screw up a $50 blade. So the short answer is yes a 1 inch will fit on the saw. To get it on you need to back the lower bearing all the way back before you start, otherwise the lower bearing shields will keep you from getting the blade in there correctly. Even then, there are still a number of places the blade can get hung up when you go to rotate the 90 degrees - and if it catches a tooth or the blade it can get kinked. You will have a lot less stress putting a a 3/4 blade on and taking it off, and to me the advantage, if any, to a 1 inch wouldn't be worth it. Hopefully laguna will offer a clearance on the 3/4 carbide blade to make this problem go away.

[Mark Hoffman]

I have that set up and the 1 inch blade (i have a timberwolf) works great. don't have a 3/4 for comparison but i agree it can be a bear to get it on, but once its there it works fine and for me, i mostly use the machine for resawing so i don't wind up changing it much.

[Barry Vabeach]

Matt, Mark is right, if you are going to use it primarily for resaw, the 1 inch is fine. Once it is on it works fine. For me, while resaw is the most work for the saw, it isn't the only thing I use it for, and so I usually keep a 3/4 which can do light resaw, but can also handle regular cutting. Not to make your life tougher, but you might ask how the Resaw King does on straight ripping of 3/4 " and 4/4" material. If it is okay, and you don't expect to do much curve work, then the 1 inch resaw king might work as a full time blade. While the 2-3 tpi isn't optimal for 4/4 lumber, since usually we aren't too fussy about the rip performance of a bandsaw blade anyway, I don't know if the results would be acceptable. If you expect to do curve work from time to time, no doubt about it, I wouldn't get a 1 inch blade.

[Matt Stiegler]

Hopefully laguna will offer a clearance on the 3/4 carbide blade to make this problem go away.

Note that Laguna has now posted their 3/4" blade deal. It's for their current model blade, not their older one. This also looks like a real deal, but its $131.50 vs. $75 for the 1". Still a tough call for me.

[Bill Petersen]

I've used the 1" Timberwolf blade on my G0513x2 for slabbing off some honey locust we trimmed. I didn't have any issues other than it took almost all the tension the saw would give.
Bill

[Dave Cav]

I ordered the 1" Resaw King last week and hope to put it on this weekend. It will go on G0513X2, and all I do with it is ripping and resaw (and maybe an occasional quick cut off) but no curved work. I use my 14" saw and scroll saw for curved stuff. I'll try to post a report once I get it installed but the information above is much appreciated; it should flatten out the learning curve on the install.

[Chris Padilla]

While it seems to be general ww'ing lore that the wider the blade, the better resaw it can do for you I have found that that isn't necessarily the case. Perhaps it is my bandsaw (MM20...the only one I have ever used), but I've resawed with 1" wide Trimaster very very nicely and I've equally resawed very very nicely with 1/2" bimetal blades.

I think the width of the blade is far down the list of importance when trying to get quality resawing...especially if you are resawing thin veneers. BS set-up is probably #1 on the list and if the BS will HOLD that set-up. Within BS set-up is guide adjustment, tension, table alignment to blade. If those are nailed, then a "good sharp blade" is next on the list.

Personally, I think just about any good quality blade can resaw just fine...it is all a matter of what you want from the end result.

For example, I have resawn with the following blades...all made by Lenox:

1" Trimaster, carbide, 2/3 var. pitch, 0.063" kerf
1/2" Diemaster2, bimetal, 6 tpi, ~0.035" kerf
1" WoodmasterCT, carbide, 1.3 tpi, 0.051" kerf

I love the Trimaster and Diemaster2 but the CT was a big disappointment (too rough a cut but that shouldn't be shocking with the tpi). I'm always on the lookout for the ultimate resaw blade that maximized veneer yield from a log. The cool thing about the Diemaster2...it costs about 20% of the Trimaster and CT!

[bob hertle]

.......
For example, I have resawn with the following blades...all made by Lenox:

1" Trimaster, carbide, 2/3 var. pitch, 0.063" kerf
1/2" Diemaster2, bimetal, 6 tpi, ~0.035" kerf
1" WoodmasterCT, carbide, 1.3 tpi, 0.051" kerf

Chris,
You must have gotten a Diemaster 2 that they forgot to set! My 6T .025 body, hook tooth Diemaster 2 cuts a .043" kerf which I've found to be the most common set for .025 body blades. Thinnest kerf .025 bimetal I've run across is the Olson MVP at a kerf of .039". I just finished resawing a bunch of 6 and 8 inch walnut with this blade and it did a great job, even though lot's of people on this and other forums diss Olson!

Bob